Browning Version 5y3a16

Class XI: Hornbill - The Browning Version

The Browning Version By Terence Rattigan

Introduction This play highlights the attitude of a teenaged student towards his teacher. His comments are shocking because they are very close to reality. He imitates the voice of Mr. Crocker-Harris. He calls the man almost inhuman. He is mortally afraid of his teacher. His promotion depends on the whim or goodwill of his teacher. But he opens up when the other science teacher encourages him to do so. He hates the Greek play because he does not like the teacher’s method of teaching. Mr. Crocker Harris seems to hate people in order to make them like him. The description of the teacher is damaging. It reflects upon the hopeless quality of teachers.

Summary John Taplow, who is about sixteen years old and in the lower fifth form of an English public school, appears at the flat of Andrew Crocker-Harris for an end-of-term tutorial in the hope of being advanced to the upper fifth. Seeing a box of chocolates, he helps himself to two pieces, eats one, and then, either out of conscience or fear of being caught, replaces the other. Shortly thereafter, Frank Hunter arrives, and in the course of the conversation between the two it becomes clear that Crocker-Harris is retiring because of ill health. Known for his strict discipline, students dub him the “Crock” and “Himmler of the lower fifth.” Hunter, on the other hand, enjoys easy rapport with students, as can be seen in Taplow’s readiness to share confidences with him. While they wait for the “Crock” to appear, Hunter instructs Taplow in a proper golf swing. Taplow its that, although like most students he had his share of fun at Crocker-Harris’s expense, he does have sympathy for him. Taplow is in the midst of mimicking the master when Millie Crocker-Harris enters and overhears the mimicry. She dispatches Taplow on an errand to the druggist for Crocker-Harris’s heart medicine so that she can be alone with Hunter, with whom she is having an affair. Crocker-Harris appears, only to find that Taplow is not there. When Taplow returns, Millie leaves to prepare dinner, and Hunter leaves pupil and master to their work on.

Short Answer Questions

Q. Where did Taplow meet Frank? Ans. Taplow had been given an extra work to do by Mr. Crocker Harris. He was waiting for the master in the school. Frank also came there and met Taplow.

Q. What subjects does Taplow want to opt for? Why? Ans. Taplow feels if his grades are good he would opt for science. He feels science is more interesting than the study of classics. Q. What do you learn about Taplow from the initial conversation between him and. Frank? Ans. Taplow is a boy of sixteen. He is still in the lower fifth. Mr. Crocker- Harris has not told him the result so he will have to wait till the next day to learn about his fate. Q. What is Taplow’s opinion about the Greek tragedy ‘Agamemnon’? Ans. Taplow calls the Greek tragedy ‘Agamemnon’ as muck. He is annoyed at the way it was taught to them, just a lot of Greek words strung together. However he feels that the plot of the play is good. Q. What does Frank call ‘bad luck’? Ans. The weather was fine and Taplow wanted to go and play golf but he dared not defy Crocker-Harris. Frank considers Taplow’s situation ‘bad luck’ for him. Q. Why would Taplow not get any ‘comfort’ as mentioned by Mr. Frank? Ans. Mr. Crocker-Harris gave no benefit to his students for being good boys in taking up extra work. He gave marks as per the performance and not for doing any extra work. Which rule did Mr. Crocker Harris follow strictly which many teachers flouted? The rule was that form results should only be announced by the heaster on the last day of the term. No one but Mr. Crocker- Harris paid attention to this rule. Q. What does Mr. Frank suggest Taplow to do because Mr. Crocker Harris is ten minutes late? Ans. Frank asked Taplow not to wait for Mr. Crocker Harris and play golf but Taplow is really shocked and is afraid that Mr. Crocker Harris may follow him home or do something else. Q. Why does Mr. Frank envy Mr. Crocker Harris? Ans. Mr. Frank envies Mr. Crocker Harris for the effect he has on the boys in the form. Mr. Crocker Harris does not tell the results before they are officially

announced. And in spite of making students take extra work they still like Mr. Crocker Harris. Q. How does Mr. Crocker Harris differ from other masters in his reactions towards others? Ans. Mr. Crocker Harris did not get pleasure out of giving pain. He was not a sadist. In fact he had no feelings. He was all dry like a nut. He seemed to hate the idea of people liking him. Q. Who is a sadist? Why is Taplow afraid of Mr. Crocker Harris even though the latter is not a sadist? Ans. A sadist is a person who gets pleasure while inflicting pain on others. Taplow says that he would not be so frightened of Mr. Crocker Harris if he were a sadist. He would at least show his feelings. Mr. Crocker Harris was indifferent and was like a nut. Q. Which incident does Taplow narrate to prove the fact that Crocker Harris does not like ‘being liked’? Ans. Taplow narrates the incident about one day when Mr. Crocker Harris made one of his classical jokes in the class which no one understood. Taplow laughed out of politeness. Instead of feeling thankful, Mr. Crocker Harris asked Taplow to explain the joke to the class. This incident proved that Mr. Crocker Harris did not like ‘being liked’. Q. What is Taplow’s attitude towards Mr. Crocker Harris? Ans. Taplow is respectful towards Mr. Crocker Harris and likes him even though he is afraid of him and dare not cut the extra work even on the last day of the term. Q. Does Frank seem to encourage Taplow’s comments on Crocker Harris? Ans. Frank encourages Taplow to comment on Mr. Crocker Harris by cleverly asking Taplow several questions. He appreciated Taplow’s imitation of Mr. Crocker Harris and also asks him to repeat it.

Q. Who was Millie Crocker Harris? What was she like? Ans. Millie Crocker Harris was the young wife of Mr. Crocker Harris. She was a thin woman in her late 30s. She was more smartly dressed than the other school masters ‘wives. Q. How does Millie Crocker Harris send Taplow away? Ans. On seeing Taplow, Millie Crocker Harris points out that her husband was at the Bursar’s so he could go away for a quarter of an hour. But Taplow does not move.

Millie assures him that she would take the blame. She takes out a prescription and requests him to bring some medicines from the chemist for her. Q. How does Taplow react to Millie’s arrival? Ans. Taplow is nervous. He is unable to control his emotions and whispers to Frank if he thinks she has heard their conversation. Taplow feels that if she tells Mr. Crocker Harris, he would lose his form. Q. What is the meaning of ‘Cut’? Why is Taplow unable to ‘Cut’? Ans. ‘Cut’ means to run away and play truant from the extra class. Taplow is unable to play truant because he feels Mr. Crocker Harris would follow him home or do something more.

Q. What do you gather about Mr. Frank from the play? Ans. Mr. Frank is a young science teacher. He does not like the subject he teaches. He also its that he tells the result to the students before it is officially announced by the head master. He feels envious of Crocker Harris because Taplow likes him.