NEB Grade 12 2nd one act play Facing Death By August Strindberg

 2nd one act play

Facing Death

By August Strindberg

Facing Death is a one-act play that shows how people react when they face the possibility of death. The story usually involves characters who come to terms with their fear, courage, and thoughts about life and death. It highlights human emotions like hope, regret, bravery, and acceptance. The play teaches us that death is a natural part of life, and how we face it shows our true character. It encourages readers or viewers to think about the value of life and the importance of living meaningfully.

About the Playwright

August Strindberg (1849-1912), was a famous Swedish writer who wrote plays, novels, and also painted. Strindberg is known as one of the first writers to create modern drama. His works focus on deep human feelings and problems in society. He showed how people struggle with emotions like love, anger, and fear, and how they deal with conflicts in their lives.

Setting

The setting of Strindberg’s one-act plays is usually very simple and limited, like a single room or a small space. This creates a close, tense atmosphere where the characters’ emotions come alive.

Main Characters

1.       Monsieur Durand: He is the father and owner of a pension (a small boarding house). He is responsible for his family and guests and tries to manage everything carefully.

2.       Adèle: One of Monsieur Durand’s daughters. She has her own personality and role in the family story.

3.       Annette: Another daughter of Monsieur Durand. Each daughter may have different traits and emotions that affect the family. Annette is the daughter who kissed Antonio.

4.       Therese: The third daughter of Monsieur Durand. She also plays an important part in the family dynamics.

5.       Antonio: A lieutenant (military officer) who is connected to the family, possibly as a guest or someone involved in the story’s events.

 

Summary 

The play “Facing Death” is about a poor, widowed man named Monsieur Durand, who once had a good position in society but is now the owner of a small pension (boarding house). He lives there with his three daughters — Adèle, Annette, and Thérèse. Life is very hard for them because they don’t have enough money, and Durand struggles to keep the house running. His daughters think he is cold-hearted and strict, and they often blame him for their suffering and poverty. They don’t understand the pain and sacrifices he is silently making for their future.

Throughout the play, Monsieur Durand shows a quiet but deep love for his daughters. Although he seems rough and distant, he hides his emotions and suffers alone. The girls do not realize that their father is preparing to sacrifice his own life to give them a better future. He knows that if he dies, the government pension for his service will be given to his daughters, helping them escape their poor life. Even when Antonio, a young lieutenant, becomes involved emotionally with Annette, it adds more tension, but Durand doesn’t get angry. Instead, he focuses on securing his daughters’ future.

In the end, we understand that Monsieur Durand had planned his own death so his daughters could receive the government support. His quiet decision is full of pain, love, and sacrifice. The play shows how a father’s love may be misunderstood and how strong and silent sacrifices are sometimes the greatest. The main theme of the play is selfless love, especially from a parent, and how people can judge others wrongly without knowing their real intentions.

 

Understanding the Text

Answer the following questions.

a. Where does the play take place?
The play happens in Monsieur Durand’s dining room. He lives there with his three daughters. He is a widower and owns a boarding house.

b. Why do the grocery, the baker and the butcher send their bills to the Durand household?
Durand has not paid their bills for a long time. Because of this, the grocery, baker, and butcher send their bills to his home and stop giving more items until he pays.

c. Why does Monsieur Durand spend money on candles when he doesn’t have money to buy even bread?
Monsieur Durand buys candles to burn on his late son Rene’s death anniversary. Even though he has no money for bread, he wants to honor his son, who died as a child.

d. Why did Monsieur Durand sell his life insurance?
He sold his life insurance to pay back a loan. He was in a bad condition, and the person who lent him money was angry because Durand did not pay.

e. Why has Monsieur Durand paid fire insurance?
He paid fire insurance to get money for his daughters later. He plans to burn his house and claim money from the insurance to help his daughters.

f. How did Monsieur Durand and Mrs. Durand run out of their inheritances from both sides?
They lost their inheritances because Mrs. Durand made bad decisions and spent money foolishly. Both lost their family wealth.

g. Why does Monsieur Durand tell a lie about his birthplace?
He lied about where he was born because he loved a woman before he could marry. He left his hometown and went to Switzerland to marry her. He also fought against his country, so he hides this to protect his and his wife’s honor.

h. What business is Monsieur Durand running to make a living?
Monsieur Durand runs a boarding house and restaurant. He turned his house into a lodge where visitors can stay and eat to earn money.

i. What plan does Monsieur Durand have to help his daughters with money?
Monsieur Durand plans to burn his house and die so that his daughters get money from the fire insurance. He paid for this insurance before, hoping to help them with compensation.

j. How does Monsieur Durand die?
Monsieur Durand dies by suicide. He drinks poison and sets his house on fire. He does this so his daughters can get money from the insurance.

 Reference to the Context

 a. Sketch the character of Monsieur Durand.

Monsieur Durand is the main character in the play Facing Death by August Strindberg. He is a widower and owns a small lodge where he lives with his three daughters. Before, he worked for the railway but now he is poor and struggling. He turned his home into a lodge to earn money for the family. Durand is a loving and caring father, but his relationship with his daughters is weak because they blame and hate him for their troubles. Despite this, he worries about them deeply and sacrifices a lot for their future. He is also a devoted husband who misses his dead son. Durand is a sad and strong man who faces many hardships. In the end, he gives up his life to help his daughters survive. He is a tragic hero who shows love and pain throughout the play.

b. How do we know that the Durand family has reached a dead end?

We know the Durand family has reached a dead end by seeing their difficult situation. Monsieur Durand is completely broke, and the family has lost their property. They live in the lodge, which used to be their home, but now it is their only way to make money. They owe money to many people like the baker, butcher, and grocer, but they cannot pay. The daughters blame their father for their problems, even though it was mostly because of their mother’s bad decisions. The family is starving, and their relationship is very weak. Durand even eats rat food to survive. His debtors are angry and demand money. In his mind, Durand plans to burn the house and kill himself to get money from insurance. This shows that they have no hope left.

c. ‘The mother, though already dead, seems to have had a great influence on the daughters, especially Theresa.’ Do you agree?

Yes, I agree with this. Even after her death, the mother’s influence is very strong. When she was alive, she often told the daughters to hate their father. She made the daughters believe he was the reason for their poverty and problems. The mother controlled the daughters and blamed Durand for everything. After she died, Monsieur Durand stayed quiet because he didn’t want his daughters to question their mother’s goodness. But the daughters continued to hate him because of what their mother taught them. Theresa, in particular, shows the most anger and rudeness toward her father. She behaves cruelly by throwing away his matches and snatching his milk. Her disrespect is clear and shows how much she was affected by her mother’s teachings.

d. Discuss the relationship between Monsieur Durand and his wife.

Monsieur Durand and his wife had a bad and troubled relationship. Mrs. Durand was reckless and wasted their family money on gambling and lottery tickets. She ruined their inheritance by her bad choices. She often blamed her husband for their problems even though she caused most of them. Mrs. Durand was angry and harsh, even threatening to become a prostitute after being beaten. She filled her daughters with hatred toward their father and made them believe he was the cause of all troubles. She created a negative atmosphere in the family and caused the daughters to dislike Monsieur Durand. Their relationship was full of anger, blame, and mistrust, which deeply affected the family.

e. ‘Money determines the relationship between characters in this play.’ Elaborate this statement with examples from the play.

Money is very important in Facing Death and controls the relationships between the characters. Monsieur Durand and his daughters live in poverty, and this causes many problems. Because they have no money, the daughters hate their father and blame him for their bad life. The family is so poor they cannot even buy bread, and Durand eats rat food to survive. They turned their home into a lodge to try to earn money, but it is not enough. People like the baker, grocer, and butcher refuse to give them food because they cannot pay their bills. The lack of money makes the family angry and unhappy. Money controls their actions, feelings, and how they treat each other. The play shows that without money, trust and love can break down in a family.

f. Monsieur Durand kills himself so that his daughters would get 5000 francs as compensation from the insurance company. What does his plan tell us about him?

Monsieur Duran killed himself so that his daughters would get 5000 francs as compensation from the insurance company. This plan of his tells us about their love, care and concern toward his daughter. Mr Durand is a sad hero of the play who lives his life in tragedy, hatred and starvation. in the play ‘facing death, it is shown that he commits suicide by consuming poison and setting his house on fire to obtain compensation from the fire insurance company which will help his daughter’s financial condition. he spends his whole life in economic hardship and downturns. As a result of the economic crisis, he has always been blamed by his wife and his daughters. His plan for his daughters’ well-being illustrates that he is a loving, caring and kind father who is serious and concerned about his daughter’s future.

 g. Discuss Facing Death as a modern tragedy.

Facing Death is a modern tragedy because it shows the sad and difficult life of an ordinary man, Monsieur Durand, and ends with his tragic death. Modern tragedy focuses on real-life problems like poverty, family troubles, and social difficulties instead of kings or heroes. It often shows how common people suffer because of their hard situations and how life’s problems affect them deeply. In this play, Monsieur Durand is a simple man who faces many problems such as hunger, debt, and lack of love from his daughters. He struggles to support his family by turning his house into a lodge, but it is not enough. His daughters hate him even though he loves them. In the end, he kills himself and burns his house to help his daughters get money from insurance. This sad ending and the focus on a common man’s struggles make Facing Death a true example of modern tragedy.

a. Write a few paragraphs describing the role of the father in the family.

A father is an important and key person in the family. In many cultures, he is seen as the head of the family, but his role is not just about giving money. A father should always be there for his wife and children by giving love, care, and support. It is important for him to listen to his family, comfort them, and spend good time with them. This helps build a strong emotional connection in the family.

A father also acts as a role model for his children. When children see how their father behaves, they learn how to have relationships with others. A good father helps his children grow up healthy and confident. If a child has problems with the father, it can affect their feelings and relationships later in life. So, the father’s role is very important in loving and supporting his wife and children for a happy family.

 Or,

a. Write a few paragraphs describing the role of the father in the family.

A father plays a very important role in the family. In many cultures, he is seen as the head of the family and has many responsibilities. But being a father is not just about earning money or making decisions. It is also about loving and caring for his wife and children. A good father gives emotional support and is always there when his family needs him.

A father should spend time with his family, listen to their problems, and comfort them. This helps build a strong bond between the father and his family members. Money alone cannot show love. Spending quality time and sharing feelings are very important to make the family happy and healthy.

Children learn a lot from their father. He is usually the first male role model for both sons and daughters. The way a father treats his family teaches children how to behave in relationships when they grow up. A loving and caring father helps children feel safe and confident.

If a father is absent or does not care well for his family, it can affect the children’s feelings and their future relationships. That is why a father’s role is very important for the mental and emotional growth of his children. A father should always love and support his wife and children to make the family strong.