sonnet to Vikram Seth

the cocktail party summary

PLOT SUMMARY

Act 1

The first act of The Cocktail Party is the only one divided into three separate scenes. The first scene opens on a party in the drawing room of the Chamberlayne home in London with all of the play’s major characters—Edward, Julia, Celia, Peter, Alex, and the Unidentified Guest—present. There is witty bantering about people not present, making this seem like many British drawing-room comedies. Lavinia Chamberlayne is missing, and her husband, Edward, a lawyer, makes up a feeble excuse for the absence of his wife, who has invited the guests. He tells them that she has gone to visit an aunt in the country, but most of the party guests are skeptical. They all leave except for the Unidentified Guest, whom Edward asks to stay and talk with him.

Edward tells the stranger that Lavinia left him the day before, and that he tried to cancel the party but could not reach the people who did attend. During the conversation, he expresses his concern over what his life will be like without her, and the stranger tells him that he will arrange for Lavinia to return the following day.

Julia and Peter return to the apartment with the excuse that Julia has lost her glasses. Julia leaves by herself, but Peter stays and asks Edward’s advice about starting a romance with Celia. They are interrupted by Alex, who has come to make sure Edward has a dinner. While Peter discusses Celia with Edward, Alex goes into the kitchen to cook, interrupting sporadically to ask where things are kept. Alex and Peter leave together, and Edward phones Celia’s house at the end of scene 1.

Scene 2 takes place in the same room, fifteen minutes later. Celia enters, and it soon becomes apparent that Edward and Celia have been having an affair. She thinks that Lavinia’s departure has opened the door to their getting together, but he tells her that he has agreed to let the stranger arrange for Lavinia to come back. Alex phones, reminding Edward that he has left dinner on the stove for him, and when Celia goes to check on it, Julia shows up at the door. She assumes that Celia returned for the same reason she did: to make dinner for Edward. While Julia is out of the room, Edward explains to Celia that their affair is over. She says that she realized, as soon as she heard that Lavinia had gone, that it was not what she had wanted anyway.

Scene 3 takes place in the same room the following afternoon. The Unidentified Guest returns to see if Edward still wants Lavinia back. When he says that he has been tempted to change his mind, just to show that he is free to do so, the stranger tells him,

You will change your mind, but you are not free. Your moment of freedom was yesterday. You made a decision. You set in motion forces in your life and in the lives of others which cannot be reversed.

After the Unidentified Guest leaves, Peter, Celia, Julia, and Alex enter separately, saying that they have been invited by telegrams from Lavinia. Lavinia says when she arrives that she knows nothing about the telegrams. All of the party guests then exit together, leaving Edward and Lavinia alone. He tells her about the story that he concocted at the party the night before, and she says he should not have bothered, that it would not have fooled anyone. After a few minutes of their talking, exposing each other’s weaknesses, Edward decides that he regrets his decision to have Lavinia come back and feels like he is having a nervous breakdown. Lavinia goes about taking care of common household chores.

Act 2

Act 2 takes place in the consulting room of Sir Henry Harcourt-Reilly, a psychiatrist; he is the Unidentified Guest of the previous act. He goes

over his instructions with his nurse, telling her to send in the first patient, then to wait until he rings the buzzer three times before sending in the second, then send the third patient in when the other two have left. Before he starts seeing patients, Alex enters and says that he was the one who arranged for Edward to see the doctor. He leaves by a back door, then Edward enters.

Edward immediately suspects, upon seeing the familiar face, that this meeting and Harcourt-Reilly’s presence at the party were arranged by Lavinia. Harcourt-Reilly explains that there is probably nothing wrong with him, psychologically, and that it would not be worth being resentful because his marriage would have turned out the same whether Harcourt-Reilly had interfered or not. While Edward wants to be put into a sanatorium, so that he can have some time alone, Harcourt-Reilly does not believe that he needs such drastic treatment. He says that Edward needs to talk with another patient of his, a similar case, and he has the nurse send in Lavinia.

Lavinia is under the impression that Harcourt-Reilly had sent her to a sanatorium during the time that she was away, but he explains that it was actually a hotel. When Edward and Lavinia start bickering with each other about who is more mentally distressed, Harcourt-Reilly corrects them for both being dishonest with him. He mentions Edward’s relationship with Celia and then discloses the fact that Lavinia was having an affair with Peter. He determines that they are perfectly matched.

And now you begin to see, I hope, how much you have in common. The same isolation. A man who finds himself incapable of loving and a woman who finds that no man can love her.

When they leave, Julia comes in and announces that she has brought Celia. Celia does not think that she is worth the psychiatrist’s attention, that her life is interesting. She explains that she suffers from an acute awareness of solitude and “a sense of sin.” Harcourt-Reilly gives her two choices for dealing with her condition. She can become reconciled with the human condition, accepting the simple things in life and ignoring the terrifying extremes, or her life can be a treacherous journey to an unidentified place. She chooses the journey, and he sends her off, telling her, “Go in peace, my daughter. Work out your salvation with diligence.”

Alex and Julia enter, discuss the choices made by Celia and the Chamberlaynes, and recite a prayerlike poem for the success of all of them.

Act 3

Act 3 takes place in the same place as the first one, two years later. Edward and Lavinia are preparing for another cocktail party. They act as a thoroughly domestic couple, worrying about which guests will be offended and whether the pictures on the walls are straight. Julia arrives early, and is soon followed by Alex, who has been out of the country, in an exotic island country called Kinkanja. Sir Henry Harcourt-Reilly comes in. Peter arrives from Los Angeles, where he has become a writer for a movie company. When he says that he came to London to get Celia to do a screen test for his next movie, Alex breaks the news that she is dead. She was working as a missionary in Kinkanja when a plague broke out, and she stayed with the infected inhabitants during a social uprising, only to be crucified and cannibalized. Harcourt-Reilly expresses no surprise at the way that Celia died, nor any sorrow that she met such a gruesome end. He recites a poem about life and death and says that he knew she was destined to meet a violent end. All of the people leave, one-by-one, and Edward and Lavinia prepare to assume their formal social attitudes in time to greet the guests of their cocktail party.

CHARACTERS

Miss Barraway

At the beginning of act 2, Sir Henry Harcourt-Reilly gives his secretary precise orders about when to bring each of his patients into his room, reviewing the code that he will buzz on the intercom system to let her know when it is time for the next. Miss Barraway appears briefly, bringing people onstage and ushering them off.

Caterer’s Man

In act 3, when Edward and Lavinia are preparing for their cocktail party, there is a man from the catering company around, setting things up. His function is to show that, even in their home, they are on their “social” behavior, and that they have no private behavior any more.

Edward Chamberlayne

Much of the play centers around the problems between Edward and his wife, Lavinia. Edward is a lawyer, a boring and unimaginative man who feels that he is being stifled by Lavinia. When the play begins he has been having an affair with Celia Copplestone, a fact that does not come out until later. Left in the awkward position of hosting a dinner party that Lavinia arranged before she left him, he makes up a flimsy excuse about her being away to visit a sick aunt—an excuse nobody believes.

Discussing his separation from Lavinia with Sir Henry Harcourt-Reilly, Edward is so uncomfortable at the change in his routine that he wishes for her back, and when Harcourt-Reilly says that he can arrange it, he asks him to do so. He worries about looking ridiculous, but Sir Henry assures him that a little humiliation would be good for him. Edward is jaded about love and tells Peter that Peter is lucky to have missed out on the affair that he had hoped to start with Celia, because it would turn boring after a few months.

Edward breaks off his relationship with his mistress, Celia, while other characters are walking in and out of his living room. The fact that he has to maintain such an awkward pretense during such an important, intimate moment says much about how he is a slave to his social image. He is aware of how ridiculous his situation is, and it makes him feel old.

Edward feels so much regret when Lavinia returns to him that he thinks he has had a mental breakdown. He moves out of the house and wants to be admitted into a sanatorium, but his psychiatrist, Sir Henry Harcourt-Reilly, pairs him up with Lavinia, saying that they are perfectly matched. On the doctor’s advice, they stay together, and in the end they are seen as a couple preparing to host a cocktail party. Edward is a little more sympathetic toward Lavinia in the end, but their relationship is still cold and rational. He feels guilty about the violent death that befell Celia, but he is able to soon put it out of his mind.

Lavinia Chamberlayne

Lavinia is absent from the stage during the first two scenes and much of the third, having left her husband, Edward. It is not until later that the audience finds out that she has seen the psychiatrist for two months, that she had an affair with Peter, and that during the time she was gone, she checked herself into what she thought was a sanatorium. Lavinia is such a controlled and controlling person that her husband is entirely surprised by both her mental distress and her secret love life. Harcourt-Reilly explains that the end of her affair with Peter caused Lavinia to realize the truth about herself:

It was a shock. You had wanted to be loved; you had come to see that no one had ever loved you. Then you began to feel that no one could ever love you.

With this realization, Lavinia comes to realize that Edward, a man who is incapable of loving anyone, is the ideal mate for her, because he will not stray from her and will act kindly toward her to assure her continuing companionship. Whenever he tries to paint Lavinia as being pushy and demanding, she points out that he is indecisive and needs someone to tell him what to do. In the last act, two years after the start of the play, they are together again, functioning smoothly as a couple, but seeing herself without illusion has left Lavinia worn out and tired. Like Edward, she feels somewhat guilty about Celia’s death, but unlike him she realizes that it would be good for them all to try to understand Celia better.

Lavinia begins the last act tired and wishing that she did not have to host the coming cocktail party, but stirred up by her curiosity about Celia, she finds new enthusiasm. Her last line—“Oh, I’m glad. It’s begun”—shows more optimism than she previously …

MACBETH

INTRODUCTION:

                         The delightful drama ‘Macbeth’ was written by the famous dramatist William Shakespeare. this is a tragedy work.

CHARACTER ANALYSIS:

                         DUNCAN – king of Scotland.

                         Macbeth} – head of the soldiers

                         Banquo}

                         Lady Macbeth – wife of Macbeth.

                         Malcom, macduff } – sons of Duncan

                         Rebellion group  – against the government.

                         Witches

                         Banquo’s son

Story explanation:

                           Scotland was ruled by the king Duncan. A group formed against the government is known as the rebellion group. Once there was a war between the government and the rebellion group. Macbeth and Banquo are the head of the glamies of the government. They won the war and returned to the palace. On the way, there were three witches appeared before Macbeth. They were look like as female and their voices were like as male. Their face were full of covered with beard. They told three prophecies, they are as follows,

1.    Thane of Glamies

2.    Thane of cowdar

3.    You will be king of Scotland.

And the witches disappeared from that place. But, Banquo told Macbeth to don’t believe the words of witches. Macbeth don’t heard the words of Banquo. Then they returned to the palace. A messenger came near Macbeth and told that the king promoted Macbeth as a cowdar. After he heard the news, he totally hope the words of the witches. Then, he went to his room and written a letter to his lady Macbeth about the war, promotions, and so on. After a few days, he went to his home and met his wife and told everything. His wife was a cunning character. After a few weeks, lady Macbeth stimulated Macbeth to kill the king and to become the king of Scotland. But, first Macbeth refused it. And after he accepted the words of lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth told an idea to kill the king. so, Macbeth invited king to the dinner party. King also accepted to his party. In the day of party, Duncan arrived the home of Macbeth with a few soldiers. First, lady Macbeth gave some Poisoness food for the soldiers. Then, after the dinner the king went to  rest in his room. At the time, lady Macbeth gave a sword to Macbeth and compress him to struck the middle of the king’s heart. Macbeth was full of fear and done the work. In that time, a voice heard by the ears of Macbeth. That, told that he was not kills a man or king. but, he killed the sleep. After, he become the king of Scotland. King killed by Macbeth had two sons namely ( i. )  Malcom, ii Macduff. They were escaped from the country when the king Duncan was murdered. After, a few years they came to Scotland with the help of son of banquo. They were well planned to kill Macbeth and lady Macbeth. As their plan, they captured the country and killed Macbeth and lady Macbeth.

MORAL FROM THIS STORY:

                          From this story, we learned that the cunning characters must be avoid. We should avoid the greedy appetiate.       

THE STOIC PENALTY

 The essay is cast in the form of a conversation between the narrator and Maxi warder. The Essayist attempts to create a comic world in which terry Bursy, vizzy and parry are types of people whose characteristics qualities are discussed here. They are satirical types noted for their idleness, swindling and muscle – power. Through his satirical vision, the author depicts the new liberal system which has led to indiscipline.

Maxi warder stands for a common man, the voter. When the narrator had met maxi warder the latter expressed his concern for the “political sickness”. Their conversation reveals the various commotions in the administration of the establishment. Maxi warder suggests that the new liberal system has led to indiscipline. It has promoted the interest of idlers, swindlers and musclemen. The current system makes them go back to the old system of the past in enforcing discipline.

On the other hand, the explosion of population and the extension of slums in the Indian cities constitute a growing menace. It is a great threat to the future of India. Such dangerous problems should be solved at once. If the gulf countries can do away with the water and electricity problems, India with its rich natural resources can easily tide over the difficulty.

Rulers must do post haste what best they can do to solve the problem from their ends at the earliest, because procrastination is the thief of time. Government officials should render their service for the welfare of the nation. We should not let our educated students to depend on the government. By providing job oriented courses to them we can put an end to this menace.

Instead of worrying over the European economy, our economists and administrators should concentrate on the economy of our own country. Abraham Lincoln said, you can fool all the people some people all the time, but you cannot fool all people all of the time. The rulers should therefore, work for the betterment of the common people and try to raise the standard of their living.        

DR. JOHNSON PREFACE TO SHAKEPEARE

Dr. Johnson is the ‘literary dictator’ of the 18^th century. He is a judicial critic. In ‘a preface to Shakespeare’, he brings out the merits and demerits of Shakespeare’s works.

We should judge a work as whole and not by its different parts.

A work of art must give permanent delight. It should help us to enjoy life or endure it.

First, dr. Johnson establishes the supremacy of Shakespeare. The test of all great literature is “the length of duration and continuance of esteem”.

POET OF NATURE:

                       Shakespeare has long outlived his century. His works are read for pleasure. His works have received new honors at every point, he has gained. The continuous esteem of the world.

                       Nothing can please many and please long but just representation of general nature. Shakespeare holds a faithful mirror of manners and of life. As a poet of nature, he is above all writers.

                       His characters are real products of common humanity. They act and speak by general principles. In other writers, a character is an individual. But in Shakespeare, it is a species. On observation, we find his characters in this world.

                      Much moral instructions is there in Shakespeare, it is full of practical remarks and wisdom. His real power is the progress of his story. His dialogue is full of ease and simplicity.

                      It is a selection from common conversation and events. His works give a system of civil and economic wisdom. Thus Shakespeare portrayed real life.

                      Dr. Johnson compares Shakespeare with other writers. They have used rhetorical grammar. One cannot meet real life in their works. Their characters are also unusual. They speak a different language. Their subject too is different from daily life.

SHAKESPEARE’S CHARACTERIZATION:

                Shakespeare has no heroes. He has only men, who act and speak like the common man. Even when the agency is supernatural, the dialogue is life like. Shakespeare approximates the strange and makes the wonderful familiar.

               He shows human life in real difficulty and in trails. His drama is the mirror of life. He gives human feelings in human language.

               Dennis and Rhymer think Shakespeare’s Romans are not fully Romans Voltaire says that his kings are not fully royal. But, Shakespeare always make nature greater than accident. His story needs Romans and kings but he thinks, only on man. He is above the usual difference of country and condition. As a painter, he is satisfied with the figure and neglects the drapery.

UNITIES OF TIME, PLACE, AND ACTION:

                       Aristotle speaks of ‘the unity of time’. It means that an action should not exceed a single revolution. The action must be single. It must be with a beginning, middle and an end. Shakespeare has no regard to the unity of time and place. But, his plays were popular. There were delight and instruction in his plays. Rhymer condemned Shakespeare for not following the unities of time and place. But, rower praised him. Dr.johnson too defends Shakespeare. Johnson says that the audiences are always aware that the stage is only a stage and the players’ only players. The spectator can imagine it as Athens or Rome or Alexandrians. We can imaginatively divide the interval of time.

                     Shakespeare follows the unity of actions. There is a beginning, a middle and an end in his plays. They are related to one another according to the law of probability or necessity. The other unities are not necessary here. Finally, Johnson concludes that the unities of t and p are not essential to a good play. The unities can be added to the pleasure of the play