THE BROWNING VERSION

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THE BROWNING VERSION

Q.1. Describe the setting of the play.

Ans. The scene is set in a school where both Crocker Harris and Frank are teachers. Taplow is a boy of sixteen. He is waiting for his master, Crocker Harris who has not yet come. In the mean time, he talks to Frank.

Q.2. Why has Taplow come to the school in the evening?

Ans. Taplow missed a day the previous day as he was ill. So Mr. Crocker Harris ordered him to come to school and do some extra work. Taplow hopes to get the passing certificate the next day if he is able to satisfy his master Crocker-Harris. That is why he has come to do some extra work.

Q.3. What does Frank tell about the rules for announcing results? What is Taplow's reply?

Ans. Frank tells Taplow that it is a rule that the form results should be announced by the headmaster on the last day of term. But Taplow says that no one else follows this rule except Crocker Harris.

Q.4. What does Taplow say about 'Agamemnon' ? What is Frank's reaction?

Ans. Taplow has a book named 'Agamemnon', written by Aeschylus. He calls that book ‘muck’ and says that science is better than that book. Frank does not seem to like that idea. At this Taplow says that book is not exactly ‘muck’. It has a good plot. But the way it is taught in the school is not good.

Q.6. Why is Taplow bitter?'

Ans. Taplow is bitter because he has to do extra work. He missed a day the previous week as he was ill. So he has been called by master to come to school and do extra work.

Q.7. Is Taplow sure of getting good marks by doing extra work?

Ans. No Taplow is not sure of getting good marks by doing extra work. He is of the opinion that Crocker-Harris is not like other masters. He also tells Frank that Crocker-Harris may even mark him down for extra work.

Q.8. What is Taplow's reaction when Frank suggests that he can go home?

Ans. Frank tells Taplow that Crocker-Harris is late by ten minutes and asks him to go home. Taplow is shocked at this suggestion. He says that his master is such a person that he will follow him even to his home.

Q.9. What happened when Taplow laughed at the joke told by his master?

Ans. Taplow tells Frank that the other day Crocker-Harris made a joke in the class. Nobody laughed, because nobody understood it. Taplow too did not understand it. But he laughed out of politeness to his master. At this Crocker-Harris told him that he laughed at his joke, so he might have understood it. He asked Taplow to explain the joke to the rest of the class.

Q.10. What does Millie ask Taplow to do? What is her purpose behind that?

Ans. Millie is Mr Crocker-Harris’s wife. She tells him that her husband will not come for sometime as he is busy somewhere else. She says that if can go if he wants. But Taplow does not want to displease his master. Then Millie asks Taplow to go to the chemist to get some medicines. Her chief purpose is not to get the medicines but to help the poor boy enjoy his freedom.

ESSAY TYPE QUESTIONS

Q.1 Compare and contrast the characters of Crocker-Harris and Frank.

Ans. Crocker-Harris and Frank are both teachers in Taplow’s school. But they are poles apart in their characters. Crocker is a very strict teacher. He does not beat his students. Even then his students are mortally afraid of him.  He is a man of discipline. He has his own principles. He is true to his duty. Unlike other teachers he never divulges the results of the form to the students since it is the domain of the headmaster. On the other hand Frank is not true to his duty. He teaches science. He himself does not like the subject he teaches. Moreover, he calls his students slackers. He is jealous of Crocker-Harris. He encourages Taplow to say things against Crocker and mock at him. It does not suit a teacher to encourage a student against another teacher. In trying to degrade Crocker-Harris he degrades himself only.

Q. 2. Give a brief character-sketch of Taplow.

Ans. Taplow is a little boy of sixteen. He is still in the lower fifth. He is a student of Mr. Crocker-Harris. He cannot specialize until the next term. He has to stay behind even on the last day of school. Mr. Crocker-Harris has given him extra work to do because he had been ill for a day during the week and missed the class. It is already very late. Mr. Crocker-Harris has not come yet. But Taplow is afraid of Crocker. He dare not leave the class until Crocker comes. Although he is afraid of Crocker, he doesn't dislike him. He laughs at his poor jokes to make a common gesture of politeness. He is respectful towards Crocker and dares not cut the extra work even after Millie Crocker-Harris suggests him to do that. He only moves out when she hands him a task related to Crocker himself. We can say that Taplow is a lovable student.