2nd PUC The Sunny Morning English Notes Question and Answer Summary

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Prose Name : The Sunny Morning

Author Name : – Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quinte

Comprehension I (TEXT BOOK

1. Do you think Laura was a regular visitor to the park? What makes you think so?

Yes. Dona Laura was a regular visitor to the park. As soon as she enters the park, she says that she is happy to be there that morning. She says that she had feared that her seat would be occupied.

2. Why are Don Gonzalo and Laura annoyed with each other?

Dona Laura is annoyed with Don Gonzalo because despite her warning he scares away the birds which were feeding on her crumbs in the park. Don Gonzalo is annoyed because she is complaining about some birds which were feeding in a public park.

3. Dona Laura reads without her glasses as

Ans: (c)-she knows every word by heart.

4. Gonzalo and Laura keep up the humorous conversation because they:

Ans : (c)-have the same temperament.

5. Laura and Gonzalo’s friendly conversation begins with

Ans : (c) – a pinch of snuff.

6. Do you think Laura is an effective narrator?

Yes. I think Dona Laura is an effective narrator because when Don Gonzalo asks her what she wishes to tell him Dona Laura tells him clearly that he had scared away the birds which were feeding on her crumbs.

7. Gonzalo does not reveal his identity because:

Ans : (c) – he looks grotesque and old.

Comprehension II (TEXT BOOK)

1. Describe the situations wherein Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura recognize each other as ‘the silver maiden’ and ‘the gallant young man’.

Both Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo become friends soon after enjoying a pinch of snuff offered by Don Gonzalo. While Don Gonzalo is reading aloud, he comes across a famous quotation. Incidentally, he tells Dona that it is from Campoamor. Then Dona Laura expresses her sympathy for him for reading with all those glasses. This prompts Don to boast about his talent to compose verses. Then, he tells her about Espronceda Zia and make fun of him sing that the must have game with Columbus of At this that bado a greet of Campoamor and bhain Valen Thread that he waste Valenta Dona Lanera tell him that she had sont several Martwhich was far from Valencia The name Marcela startles De Camatondo that he had th woman there and her homewa Laura Loris started to hear her name men and Chey look at each other intently It is precisely at this that they begin to recognize each other.

2. What were the circumstances that led Gourals to flee Valencht?

OR

What circumstances, according to Genealo made his couste flee Valencia?

The young Laura Llorente and yoming Contrato loved each other very dearly. Everyday white passing by on borseback down the four path under the window of Laurs Gonzati used to stap to her balcony a bouquet of flowers. Later in the afternoon, while the gallant you by the same path he would catch the bouquet of flowers she would to him. As days rolled by Laura’s parents thought of marrying her to a well-known merchant is their locality One night while Gonzale young man was returning and the h him. This led to a quarrel and latera duel. The duel went in the whole night and at sunn gentleman morning the merchant got badly wounded in the duel. The merchant was a well-knows get fear In Valencia Since henteen badly wounded in the duel, Gonzain became apprehensive consequences and so fled Valencia and went to Seville and then to Madrid. Even though he tried t communicate with Laurs through letters, all his attempts failed. He then joined the army and went to Africa.

3. Did Laura and Gonzalo pine for each other after they were separated by circumstances) Who is more passionate? How do they react to each other now?

OR

How do Laura and Gonzalo claim to have pined for each other after their separation?

Soon after they were separated by circumstances the young lovers Laura and Gonzalo pined for each other. After listening to Gonzalo’s account of how he had fled Aravaca, then joined the army in Africa and met a glorious death in the war, Laura mutters to herself that it is an atrocious lie Then Dona pretends to sympathise with him saying he must have been distressed by the calamity Taking it as a strong point, Gonzalo pretends to say that it was indeed a calamity, but also tries to express his resentment complaining that on the contrary Laura had soon forgotten Gonzalo and was chasing butterflies in the garden without any regret. Dona Laura protests saying ‘no’ loudly and Gonzalo comments that it is a woman’s way. Dona Laura, so as not to be found fault with that way, offers her version of the story. She tells him that the silver maiden awaited the news of Gonzalo for a year As she did not receive any letters from him, went to the sea after sunset, wrote his name on the sand, sat on a rock, and was finally swept out to the sea by the rising tide. Don Gonzalo mutters to himself that she was a worse liar than he was. Both of them openly express their sympathies for each other Dona mutters to herself that she will not tell him that she got married two years later. Don Gonzalo mutters to himself that he ran off with a ballet dancer to Paris in three months. From their conversation and from their reactions to each other’s partially concocted story, we can conclude that Laura is more passionate.

4. What makes Dona Laura assume/conclude that Don Gonzalo is an ill-natured man?

OR

How do Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura accuse each other at the beginning of the play?

Soon after entering the park, Don Gonzalo looks for a vacant bench. When he finds that the bench on which he used to sit is occupied by three priests, Don Gonzalo gets irritated and he expresses his annoyance remarking that the priests were idling their time away instead of saying mass in church Then Juanito suggests that he could sit on the bench on which Dona Laura was sitting. But Don Gonzalo ells him that he wants a bench to himself. Then after expressing his anger against the three priests, he walks towards the binis near Dona Laura’s bench, when she angrily asks him to look out. On hearing her warning cry, Den Gonzalo asks her whether she intended to speak to him.

Next, when Dona tells him that he had scared the birds away be retorts by telling ber that he does not care about the birds. Then she tells his that she cared about the torts by yuch and hence she was complaining about his behaviour: Don Gonzalo tries to mah her seg was a public park bench. Instead of giving her a suitable, polite reply, he dismisses her rudely telling her that they had not before and he can’t imagine wiry had listened to his comments about the priests and his replies to her queriet that he was ill-natured man.

5. Laura and Gonzalo build stories about themselves so that they can:

Ans : (a)-fool each other.

Comprehension III (TEXT BOOK)

1. Trace how the irony is built in the play. Did you guess the characters’ past even before they did so?

(a) The term ‘Irony’ means ‘hiding’ or dissembling what actually is the case, not in order to deceive but to achieve special rhetorical or artistic effects.

In the one-act play ‘A Sunny Morning’ irony is cleverly built into the play. After settling in her bench, Dona Laura sends away Petra, her maid servant, to chat with the guard. Soon after that, she glances towards the trees at right and says “Here they come, they know just when to expect me” Though the old lady is referring to the arrival of the birds, it also hints at the entry of Don Gonzalo and Juanito.

who are needed for the action to move forward. Dona Laura throws three handfuls of crumbs for the pigeons to eat and soon after that, we see Don Gonzalo and Juanito entering the scene.

(b) We come across the next instance of irony when Don Gonzalo starts reading aloud statements supposedly from Campoamor’s work.

Don Gonzalo reads aloud the following:

(1) “All love is sad but sad as it is, it is the best thing that we know”.

(2) “Twenty years pass. He returns. And each, beholding the other, exclaims can it be that this is he? Heavens, is it she?”

These lines can be taken as examples of ‘Dramatic irony

c) There ( are two more instances of irony in the play. They are:

(1) When Dona Laura tells Don Gonzalo that Laura Llorente was called The Silver Maiden’ in that locality, he tells her “I seem to see her as if she were before me now, at that window with the red roses”.

(2) He starts giving a description of her beauty, “She was ideal, fair as a lily, jet black hair and black eyes…..” and finally says “what forms of sovereign beauty God models in human clay! She was a dream”.

On hearing Don Gonzalo say so, Dona Laura mutters to herself “if you but knew that dream was now by your side, you would realize what dreams come to”.

(3) “Here are you and I, complete strangers, met by chance, discussing the romance of old friends of long ago! We have been conversing as if we were old friends”, Dona Laura tells Don Gonzalo after both of them have told their made-up stories.

A careful reading of the play reveals that there is a relationship between the old lady and the old gentleman. When I read the play a second time paying attention to the story and the instances of irony highlighted here, I was able to guess the characters’ past.

2. Why do Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo spin fictitious stories about themselves?

OR

Dona Laura and Don Gonzale spin fictitious stories about themselves to cover their trucks/ identities. Discuss with reference to ‘A Sunny Morning’.

Once Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura realize that they are the same old, young lovers of Maricela who were separated in life by fate they decide not to reveal their identity because they learn from each other in what high esteem they held each other before they departed, they also come to know that both of them had given up the other as lost forever While Dona Laura tells herself that she had married someone else after waiting for him for one year. Don Gonzalo tells himself that after fleeing from Valencia, then Seville and Madrid, he had run off to Parts with a ballet dancer in about three months. Therefore, they concoct fictitious stories so as to conceal their identities completely and to make the other believe that he or she was dead Later, when they realize that they are alive they do not want to shatter their mutual images in the eyes of the other. Therefore. Don Gonzalo tells himself that he will not reveal himself because he is grotesque. He wishes that she had better recall the gallant horseman who passed daily beneath her window tossing flowers. Similarly, Dona Laura tells herself that “I am too sadly changed. It is better he should remember me as the black-eyed girl tossing flowers as he passed among the roses in the garden.”

3. Bring out the feelings of Laura and Gonzalo as they leave the park Is it different from what they felt about each other at the beginning of the play?

When the scene opens, we find Dona Laura entering the park, leaning upon the arm of her maid Petra. Soon, the old lady settles in her usual seat in the park. Then the old lady sends away Petra to meet her boyfriend, the guard. Later, when the pigeons arrive. Dona Laura throws three handfuls of bread crumbs. Next, we see Don Gonzalo coming in dragging his feet and leaning upon Juanito’s arm. Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura have not seen each other before and hence we cannot know about each other’s feelings until they meet. However, their feelings towards each other become evident only when Don Gonzalo walks towards Dona Laura’s bench, despite her warning call ‘Look out Therefore, when she finds her pigeons being scared away, she is upset and tells him in a complaining tone that he has scared away the birds who were feeding on her crumbs. In reply, Don gives an arrogant reply which provokes her to make a personal comment. Why do you complain that the priests have taken your bench? Once again, Don Gonzalo’s rude snubbing reply provokes Dona Laura to say that he is an ill-natured old man and comments that when people reach a certain age they should not become so fussy and cross. Later, Don comes and sits at the extreme end of Dona Laura’s bench and looks at her indignantly After a few heated exchanges between them, Don Gonzalo mutters to himself ‘Senile old lady! She ought to be at home knitting and counting her beads’.

But, by the end of the play, we find a total change in their attitude towards each other. In the course of their conversation, they discover that they were ‘lovers’ once in their youthful days. But neither of them is ready to disclose their identity. However, the animosity that we witness at the beginning of the play is no longer there when they are ready to depart. Before taking leave of each other, they formally thank each other for having met. Both of them ensure that they are coming to the park the next day. Laura sees Don picking up the lilies dropped by her. Both of them wave farewell. They leave the place as friends.

4. What do you think would have happened if they had revealed their identity? Do you think they know who they are towards the end of the play?

Once Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura realize that they are the same old young lovers of Maricela who were separated in life by fate, they make up fictitious stories and conceal their identity. If they had revealed their identity.

both of them would have been utterly shocked and would have accused each other of deceiving the other. They know that both of them had held the other in high esteem and both of them had fallen deeply in love.

That is why, when they realize that they are the same old lovers of Maricela, they are shocked to realize how much both of them had changed. Dona Laura after listening to Don Gonzalo’s praise of her beauty as “The Silver Maiden’ now feels ashamed to confess that she is the old silver maiden of Maricela because she too is sadly changed.

Similarly, Don Gonzalo knows that he is grotesque and so wishes her to keep his image as a gallant horseman who tossed flowers to her every day.

5. How is the title of the play ‘A Sunny Morning’ justifiable? Discuss.

OR

Bring out the instances from the play ‘A Sunny Morning’ to justify it as a blend of romance and comedy.

‘A Sunny Morning’ is a refreshingly new romantic comedy It tells the story of Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura who were ardent lovers in their youth but were torn apart in life by fate. However, the two lovers meet again when they are in their 70s, not as lovers but as total strangers unexpectedly, in a park in Madrid. After a few initial heated exchanges and repartees, they settle down, occupy the same bench in the park, spend a good time together and depart as friends. By the time they are ready to leave for the day, they recognize each other’s identity. They do not disclose it but tell atrocious lies to conceal it. There are quite a few lively moments of humour, sarcasm and irony that entertain the readers and audience. The title ‘A Sunny Morning’ is quite appropriate and aptly captures the spirit of the play. The play can be justifiably called a romantic comedy because there are elements of both romance and comedy in the play.

In its most general sense, the word ‘romance’ suggests elements of gallant love, chivalry and adventure. The phrase ‘romantic comedy denotes a form of drama in which love is the main theme and love leads to a happy ending. A love affair is one of the major themes of a comedy. Keeping in view these points, A Sunny Morning is a romantic comedy in all respects. It tells the story of two young lovers Laura Llorente and Don Gonzalo of Maricela in Valencia.

Laura Llorente was known in her locality as The Silver Maiden’ She was in love with Gonzalo, a gallant lover. He used to pass by her house on horseback every morning through the rose garden and toss up a bouquet of flowers to her balcony which she caught On his way back in the afternoon she would toss the flowers back to him. But Laura’s parents wanted to marry her off to a merchant whom she disliked. One day there ensued a quarrel, leading to a duel between Gonzalo and the merchant, her suitor. The merchant was seriously injured. Fearing serious consequences, Gonzalo fled from his house in the town to Seville and then to Madrid. Even though he tried to communicate with Laura through letters, his attempts failed and he gave her up as lost forever, and ran off to Paris with a ballet dancer Meanwhile, Laura waited for the news of Gonzalo, for one year and finally got married.

These two lovers meet unexpectedly, in a park. They are now in their 70s. Both of them have changed a lot physically but they still cherish the memories of their youth. However, when they meet in the park, they appear to be cynical, fussy and ill-natured. The way they repartee and express their resentment towards each other creates opportunities for humour in the play. Finally, they become friends after sharing… a pinch of snuff. They gradually come to realize that they are the very same lovers of yester years.

About the playwright:

Serafin (1871-1938) and Joaquin (1873-1944) Alvarez Quintero were Spanish brothers, known as the ‘Golden Boys of Madrid Theatre’. They were celebrated playwrights of the early twentieth century. Together they wrote about 200 plays that depict the life, manners, and speech of the people of their native Andalusia in Southern Spain. Their popular comedies, many of which have been translated into other languages, contributed to the revival of Spanish theatre. The Flowers The Merry Heart’ ‘One Hundred Years Ago “The Galley Slave’ and ‘Apple of His Eye’ are some of their popular plays.

Characters:

Dona Laura

Petraher – her maid

Don Gonzalo

Juanito – his servant

The story in brief:

‘A Sunny Morning’ revolves around Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura who, in their youth, were passionately attached to each other crueldo Coral aates the two forever. They do not recognize each other when they meet Iother. A cruel blow of fate separateshing, after several years. But as they begin to talk in earnest, they realize that they are the protagonists of the original love story. But the usual reunion of the long-lost lovers does take the prere as both of them are unwilling to disclose their real identity since they are both sadly changed.

Summary:

‘A Sunny Morning’ is a short, one-act play by Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quintero, two renowned Spanish dramatists. It is a romantic comedy that presents the story of Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura who loved each other in their youth but were forced to separate in life.

On a sunny autumn morning in a quiet corner of a park in Madrid, Dona Laura, a handsome, white-haired lady of about seventy, refined in appearance, is feeding pigeons in the park. Don Gonzalo, a gentleman of seventy, gouty and impatient, enters. Their servants Petra, Dona Laura’s maid, and Juanito come and go nearby.

The conversation between the two seventy-year-olds begins sarcastically, with each accusing the other of encroaching on their private space. Don Gonzalo complains the priests have taken his bench and says Dona Laura is a “Senile old lady! She ought to be at home knitting and counting her beads.” She finds him “an ill-natured old man!” He resigns himself to “sit on the bench with the old lady.”

A pinch of snuff helps to clear their heads, and they find something in common with alternating sneezes of three times each. Dona Laura confides to the audience, “the snuff has made peace between us.”

They begin to banter back and forth in a more friendly manner. Then Don Gonzalo reads out loud from a book of poems. As they converse, Gonzalo says that he is from Valencia and to his surprise, Laura reveals that she is from Maricela where she lived in a villa. Gonzalo is startled by the revelation and he says that he knows a woman named Laura Llorente who lived in a villa there, who was perhaps the most beautiful he had ever seen. Both Laura and Gonzalo realise each other are former lovers But they pretend not to reveal their identities.

In her youthful days, Dona Laura was known in her locality as “The Silver Maiden’. She was far as a lily, with jet-black hair and black eyes. She was like a dream. She was in love with Gonzalo, the gallant lover. He used to pass by on horseback every morning through the rose garden and toss upi bouquet of flowers to her balcony which she caught. On his way back in the afternoon she would toss flowers back to him. But Laura’s parents wanted to marry her off to a merchant whom she disliked. One day there was a quarrel between Gonzalo and the merchant, the suitor. After the duel the young man fled from his hometown to Seville and then to Madrid, being scared of the consequences of a duel with a person highly regarded in that locality. Even though he tried to communicate with Laura through letters, all attempts failed.

Now Laura and Gonzalo devise stories of their own deaths. The old Gonzalo says that he is the cousin of the young man. According to him, the young Gonzalo had to leave his place as he was involved in a fight with a merchant, the suitor of Laura. Then he joined the army and went to Africa where he met with a glorious death. The old Laura says that she knows the woman named Laura, known as “The Silver Maiden’ and that she was her friend during her young age. She also lies that she knows the tragic story of her love affair with a gallant young man named Gonzalo. The old woman reveals that not finding her lover, the young and beautiful Laura committed suicide. But, in reality, after three months Gonzalo ran off to Paris with a ballet dancer, and Laura, on the other hand, got married after two years. Both realise that they are lying but pretend to be unaware.

When the play ends, they agree to meet at the park again, still not acknowledging what they both know to be true.

ಸಾರಾಂಶ:

ಈ ಸ್ಪಾನಿಷ್ ಏಕಾಂಕ ನಾಟಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರೀ ಗೊಡ್ಡಾಲೋ ಮತ್ತು ಶ್ರೀಮತಿ ಲಾರಾ ಎಂಬ ಇಬ್ಬರು ಪ್ರೇಮಿಗಳು ಹಲವು ವರ್ಷದ ನಂತರ ಹಠಾತ್ತಾಗಿ ಭೇಟಿಯಾದ ವಿವರಗಳನ್ನು ವೈನೋದಿಕವಾಗಿ ಚಿತ್ರಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ.

ಗೊಡ್ಡಾಲೋ ಮತ್ತು ಲಾರಾ ಇಬ್ಬರೂ ಒಬ್ಬರನ್ನೊಬ್ಬರು ಬಹಳ ಪ್ರೀತಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಆದರೆ ವಿಧಿ ಅವರನ್ನು ದೂರಮಾಡಿತು. ಈಗ ಅವರಿಬ್ಬರೂ ಎಪ್ಪತ್ತರ ವಯಸ್ಸಿನಲ್ಲಿದ್ದು, ಪ್ರಕಾಶಮಯವಾದ ಒಂದು ಮುಂಜಾನೆ ವುನಃ ಅವರಿಬ್ಬರ ಭೇಟಿ ಮ್ಯಾಡ್ರಿಡ್ ನಗರದ ಉದ್ಯಾನವನದಲ್ಲಿ ಅನಿರೀಕ್ಷಿತವಾಗಿ ಆಯಿತು. ಶರತ್ಕಾಲದ ಆ ಮುಂಜಾನೆ ಲಾರಾ ತನ್ನ ಸೇವಕಿಯಾದ ಪೆಟ್ರಾಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ಉದ್ಯಾನವನಕ್ಕೆ ಬರುವಳು. ತಾನು ಮಾಮೂಲಿಯಾಗಿ ಕುಳಿತುಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಬೆಂಚಿನ ಮೇಲೆ ಯಾರೂ ಕುಳಿತಿರದೆ ಅದು ಖಾಲಿಯಿದ್ದುದನ್ನು ಕಂಡು ಲಾರಾಳಿಗೆ ಸಂತೋಷವಾಯಿತು. ಆದರೆ ಪೆಟ್ರಾ ಅಸಹನೆಯಿಂದ ಇದ್ದುದನ್ನು ನೋಡಿದ ಲಾರಾ, ‘ಹೋಗು, ಉದ್ಯಾನವನದ ಕಾವಲುಗಾರನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಹರಟೆ ಹೊಡಿ’ ಎಂದು ತಮಾಷೆಯಾಗಿ ಹೇಳಿ ಹತ್ತು ನಿಮಿಷದಲ್ಲಿ ವಾಪಸ್ ಬರುವಂತೆ ಆದೇಶಿಸಿ ಅವಳನ್ನು ಕಳುಹಿಸಿದಳು. ಹೊರಡುವ ಮುಂಚೆ ಅವಳಿಂದ ಬ್ರೆಡ್‌ನ ತುಣುಕುಗಳನ್ನು ಪಡೆದುಕೊಂಡ ಲಾರಾ ಅದನ್ನು ಅಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ಪಾರಿವಾಳಗಳಿಗೆ ಎರಚಿ ಅವೆಲ್ಲ ಸಂತಸದಿಂದ ತಿನ್ನುವುದನ್ನು ನೋಡುತ್ತಾ ಕುಳಿತಳು.

ಅದೇ ವೇಳೆಗೆ ಸುಮಾರು 70 ವರ್ಷ ವಯಸ್ಸಿನ ಗೊಡ್ಡಾಲೋ ತನ್ನ ಸೇವಕ ಜುನಿಟೋನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಪಾರ್ಕಿಗೆ ಬಂದ. ಅವರಿಬ್ಬರೂ ಬಂದಾಗ ಪಾರ್ಕಿನ ಯಾವ ಬೆಂಚುಗಳೂ ಖಾಲಿ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಅವರ ಮಾಮೂಲಿನ ಬೆಂಚನ್ನು ಮೂರು ಮಂದಿ ಪಾದ್ರಿಗಳು ಆಕ್ರಮಿಸಿದ್ದರು. ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಸಿಡುಕನೂ, ಅಸಹನೆಯ ಸ್ವಭಾವದವನೂ ಆದ ಗೊನ್ಹಾಲೋಗೆ ಕುಳಿತುಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಸ್ಥಳ ಸಿಗದಿದ್ದಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಕೋಪ ಬಂತು. ಕಡೆಗೆ ಅವರಿಬ್ಬರೂ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಾ ಲಾರಾಳು ಪಾರಿವಾಳಗಳಿಗೆ ಆಹಾರ ನೀಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಮೂಲೆಗೆ ಬಂದರು. ಅವರಿಬ್ಬರ ಹೆಜ್ಜೆ ಸಪ್ಪಳದಿಂದ ಹೆದರಿದ ಪಾರಿವಾಳಗಳು ಅಲ್ಲಿಂದ ಹಾರಿಹೋದವು.

ಇದರಿಂದ ಕೋಪಗೊಂಡ ಲಾರಾ ಗೊಡ್ಡಾಲೋ ಮತ್ತು ಜುನಿಟೋರನ್ನು ‘ಪಾರಿವಾಳಗಳನ್ನೇಕೆ ಹೆದರಿಸಿ ಓಡಿಸಿದಿರಿ?’ ಎಂದು ಪ್ರಶ್ನಿಸಿದಳು. ಅವಳ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗೆ ಉದ್ಧಟತನ ಮತ್ತು ಅಲಕ್ಷ್ಯದಿಂದ ಗೊನ್ಹಾಲೋ ‘ಇದು ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ಉದ್ಯಾನ, ನನಗೆ ಬೇಕಾದಂತೆ ನಾನು ಮಾಡುತ್ತೇನೆ’ ಎಂದು ಉತ್ತರಿಸಿದ. ‘ಹಾಗಾದರೆ ಆ ಪಾದ್ರಿಗಳನ್ನೇಕೆ ಆಕ್ಷೇಪಿಸಿದಿರಿ?’ ಎಂದು ಆಕೆಯೂ ಎದುರು ಉತ್ತರಿಸಿದಳು. ಈಕೆ ಜಗಳವಾಡಲು ಸಿದ್ಧಳಿದ್ದಾಳೆ ಎಂಬುದನ್ನು ತಿಳಿದ ಗೊಡ್ಡಾಲೋ ‘ಅಪರಿಚಿತಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ಏನು ಜಗಳ?’ ಎಂದು ಗೊಣಗುತ್ತಾ ಅಲ್ಲಿಂದ ಹೊರಟನು. ಅವನ ಈ ಒರಟು ನಡವಳಿಕೆಯ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಮೊದಲಿಗೆ ಕೋಪಗೊಂಡ ಳಾದರೂ ಆತ ಆಯಾಸದಿಂದ ಒದ್ದಾಡುತ್ತಾ ಬೆವರುವುದನ್ನು ಕಂಡು ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಮರುಕಗೊಂಡಳು. ತಾನು ಕುಳಿತಿದ್ದ ಬೆಂಚಿನ ಕಡೆಗೇ ಆತ ಮತ್ತೆ ಕಾಲನ್ನು ಎಳೆದುಕೊಂಡು ನಡೆದು ಬರುತ್ತಿರುವುದನ್ನು ಆಕೆ ನೋಡಿ “ಎತ್ತಿನ ಗಾಡಿಕೂಡ ಇಷ್ಟೊಂದು ಧೂಳನ್ನು ಎಬ್ಬಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಬರುವುದಿಲ್ಲ” ಎಂದು ಕಟಕಿಯಾಡಿದಳು.

ಮೂವರು ಪಾದ್ರಿಗಳೂ ಇನ್ನೂ ಬೆಂಚಿನ ಮೇಲೆಯೇ ಕುಳಿತಿದ್ದರಿಂದ ಅನಿವಾರವಾಗಿ ಗೊನ್ದಾಲೋ ಲಾರಾಳು ಕುಳಿತಿದ್ದ ಬೆಂಚಿನ ಬಳಿಗೆ ಬರಬೇಕಾಯಿತು. ಹಾಗಾಗಿ ಆತ ಆಕೆಗೆ ಬೆಳಗಿನ ವಂದನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾ ಬಂದು ಬೆಂಚಿನ ಒಂದು ತುದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕುಳಿತನು ಪ್ರತಿವಂದನೆಯನ್ನು ಸಲ್ಲಿಸುವ ಬದಲಿಗೆ ‘ನನ್ನ ಅನುಮತಿ ಇಲ್ಲದೆ ಬೆಂಚಿನ ಮೇಲೇಕೆ ಕುಳಿತುಕೊಂಡಿರಿ?’ ಎಂದು ಬಾರಾ ಆಕ್ಷೇಪಿಸಿದಳು. ಆತ ಇದು ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ಸ್ಥಳ, ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕೂರಲು ಯಾರ ಅನುಮತಿಯೂ ಬೇಕಿಲ್ಲ’ ಎಂದು ಉತ್ತರಿಸಿದನು.

ಹೀಗೆಯೇ ಮಾತಿಗೆ ಮಾತು ಬೆಳೆಯಿತು. ಈ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ತನ್ನ ಕರವಸ್ತ್ರದಿಂದ ಗೊಡ್ಡಾಲೋ ಒಂಟನ್ನು ಒರೆಸಿದ್ದನ್ನೂ, ಬೂತಗನ್ನಡಿ ಯಂತಹ ಕನ್ನಡಕದಿಂದ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಓದಲು ಯತ್ನಿಸಿದ್ದನ್ನೂ ಆತನ ಬೇಟೆಯ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಗಳನ್ನೂ ಒಟ್ಟಾರೆ ಆತನ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ನಡವಳಿಕೆ ಯನ್ನು ಕುರಿತ ವ್ಯಂಗ್ಯವಾಗಿ ಮಾತನಾಡುತ್ತಾಳೆ. ನಿಮಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿರದ ವಿಷಯವನ್ನು ಕುರಿತು ಮಾತನಾಡಬೇಡಿ’ ಎಂದು ಆತ ಹೇಳಿದರೂ ಟೀಕೆ ಮಾಡುವುದನ್ನು ಆಕೆ ಬಿಡಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಕಡೆಗೆ ಆತ ‘ನನಗೆ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಓದಲು ಬಿಡಿ’ ಎಂದು ಕೋಡ ಬೇಕಾಯಿತು. ಓದಲು ಆರಂಭಿಸುವ ಮುನ್ನ ನಶ್ಯವನ್ನು ಹಂಚಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಅವರಿಬ್ಬರ ಜಗಳ ಮುಕ್ತಾಯವಾಯಿತು.

ಲಾರಾಳ ಅನುಮತಿಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಗೊಡ್ಡಾಲೋ ಪುಸ್ತಕವನ್ನು ಗಟ್ಟಿಯಾಗಿ ಓದಲು ಆರಂಭಿಸಿದನು. ಅಷ್ಟು ದಪ್ಪದ ಕನ್ನಡಕವನ್ನು ಧರಿಸಿ ಆತ ಕಷ್ಟಪಡುವುದನ್ನು ನೋಡಿ ಆಕೆ ತನ್ನ ಸಂತಾಪ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಪಡಿಸಿದಳು. ಕನ್ನಡಕವಿಲ್ಲದೆಯೇ ತಾನು ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಓದಬಲ್ಲೆನೆಂದು ಹೇಳಿ ಅದನ್ನು ಮಾಡಿಯೂ ತೋರಿಸಿದಳು. ಆಕೆಯ ಕಣ್ಣಿನ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಯ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಮೆಚ್ಚುಗೆಯನ್ನು ವ್ಯಕ್ತಪಡಿಸಿದ. ಗೊಡ್ಡಾಲೋ ತಾನೂ ಚಿಕ್ಕಂದಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ಪುಸ್ತಕದಲ್ಲಿನ ಸೂಕ್ಷಿಗಳಂತಹ ರಚನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಬರೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆನೆಂದು ಜಂಬಕೊಚ್ಚಿಕೊಂಡನು. ಅನೇಕ ಲೇಖಕರ ಪರಿಚಯ ತನಗಿದೆಯೆಂದು ಹೇಳಿ ತಾನು ಆರು ವರ್ಷದವನಿರುವಾಗಲೇ ಅಮೆರಿಕಾಕ್ಕೆ ಭೇಟಿ ನೀಡಿದ್ದನ್ನು ಹೇಳಿಕೊಂಡನು. ‘ಬಹುಶಃ ನೀವು ಕೊಲಂಬಸ್‌ನ ತಂಡದೊಂದಿಗೇ ಅಮೆರಿಕಾಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋಗಿರಬೇಕು’ ಎಂದು ಆಕೆ ಹಾಸ್ಯ ಮಾಡಿದಳು. ತನಗೆ ಸಾಕಷ್ಟು ವಯಸ್ಸಾಗಿರುವುದೇನೋ ನಿಜವಾದರೂ ಕೊಲಂಬಸ್‌ನ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಪ್ರಯಾಣಿಸುವಷ್ಟು ಮುದುಕ ತಾನಲ್ಲವೆಂದು ಆತನೂ ನಗುತ್ತಾ ಉತ್ತರಿಸಿದನು.

ತಾನು ಓದುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಪುಸ್ತಕದ ಲೇಖಕನಾದ ಕ್ಯಾಂಪೊಆಮೊರ್‌ನನ್ನು ತಾನು ತನ್ನ ಸ್ವಂತ ಸ್ಥಳವಾದ ವ್ಯಾಲೆನ್ಸಿಯಾದಲ್ಲಿ ಭೇಟಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದೆ ಎಂದು ಗೊಡ್ಡಾಲೋ ಹೇಳಿ ಕೊಂಡಾಗ ಲಾರಾಳ ಕಿವಿ ನೆಟ್ಟಗಾಯಿತು. ತಾನೂ ಆ ಊರಿನ ಬಳಿಯ ಮಾರಿಸೆಲ್ಲಾ ಎಂಬ ಹೆಸರಿನ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹಲವು ಬಾರಿ ವಾಸಿಸಿರುವುದಾಗಿ ಉತ್ತರಿಸಿದಳು. ಆ ಮಾರಿಸೆಲ್ಲಾದಲ್ಲಿ ತಾನು ಲಾರಾ ಬೊರೆಂಟ್ ಎಂಬ ಅದ್ಭುತ ಸೌಂದರದ ಹುಡುಗಿಯನ್ನು ಕಂಡಿದ್ದೆ ಎಂದು ಗೊನ್ದಾಲೋ ಹೇಳಿದನು. ಆಕೆಯನ್ನು ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ‘ರಜತ ಸುಂದರಿ’ ಎಂದು ಹೊಗಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದದ್ದು ಆಕೆಯ ಅತಿಶಯವಾದ ಸೌಂದಯ್ಯ, ಕಿಟಕಿಯ ಬಳಿ ನಿಂತು ಆಕೆ ಕೈಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆಂಗುಲಾಬಿಯನ್ನು ಹಿಡಿದಿರುತ್ತಿದ್ದದ್ದು ಎಲ್ಲವನ್ನೂ ಕಣ್ಣಿಗೆ ಕಟ್ಟುವಂತೆ ವಿವರಿಸಿದನು. ತನ್ನ ಸೋದರ ಸಂಬಂಧಿ ಪ್ರತಿದಿನ ಕುದುರೆಯೇರಿ ಹೋಗಿ ಆಕೆಗೆ ಹೂಗುಚ್ಛ ನೀಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದುದನ್ನು ಜ್ಞಾಪಿಸಿಕೊಂಡನು. ಈ ಎಲ್ಲ ಮಾತುಗಳೂ ಲಾರಾಳನ್ನು ಕುರಿತದ್ದೇ ಆಗಿದ್ದರೂ ಆಕೆ ತನ್ನ ಗುರುತನ್ನು ಬಿಟ್ಟುಕೊಡದೆ ತಾನು ಆ ‘ಲಾರಾ’ಳ ಆಪ್ತ ಗೆಳತಿ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಿಕೊಂಡಳು. ಆತನೂ ತಾನೇ ಆಕೆಯ ಪ್ರೇಮಿ ಎಂಬ ಗುಟ್ಟನ್ನು ಬಿಟ್ಟುಕೊಡಲಿಲ್ಲ.

ಮುಂದೆ ಇಬ್ಬರೂ ತಮ್ಮ ಕಥೆಗಳನ್ನೇ ಇತರರದು ಎನ್ನುವಂತೆ ನಿರೂಪಿಸುವರು. “ಲಾರಾಳಿಗೆ ಇಷ್ಟವಿಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರೂ ಆಕೆಯ ತಂದೆತಾಯಿ ಅವಳನ್ನು ಊರಿನ ಒಬ್ಬ ಶ್ರೀಮಂತ ವರ್ತಕನಿಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟು ಮದುವೆ ಮಾಡಲು ನಿಶ್ಚಯಿಸಿದರು. ಅವಳನ್ನು ಭೇಟಿ ಯಾಗಲೆಂದು ಒಂದು ದಿನ ಆಕೆಯ ಪ್ರೇಮಿ ಬಂದಾಗ ಆ ವ್ಯಾಪಾರಿಗೂ ಆತನಿಗೂ ದ್ವಂದ್ವಯುದ್ಧವಾಗಿ ಅದರಲ್ಲಿ ವ್ಯಾಪಾರಿ ಗಾಯಗೊಂಡನು. ಪ್ರೇಮಿ ಹೆದರಿ ಓಡಿ ಹೋದನು. ಸೆವಿಲ್ಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆಲಕಾಲ ಕಳೆದು ಮಾಡ್ರಿಡ್‌ ಬಂದನು. ಅಲ್ಲಿಂದ ಲಾರಾಳಿಗೆ ಅನೇಕ ಕಾಗದಗಳನ್ನು ಬರೆದರೂ, ಆಕೆ ಉತ್ತರಿಸಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಹಾಗಾಗಿ ಬೇಸತ್ತ ಅವನು ಸೈನ್ಯವನ್ನು ಸೇರಿ ಆಫ್ರಿಕಾಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋಗಿ ಹೋರಾಟದಲ್ಲಿ ಸತ್ತನು” ಎಂದು ಗೊನ್ದಾಲೋ ಹೇಳಿದನು. ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಪ್ರತಿಯಾಗಿ ಲಾರಾಳು ಕಥೆಯನ್ನು ನಿರೂಪಿಸುತ್ತಾ “ಆಕೆ ಅನೇಕ ತಿಂಗಳುಗಳ ಕಾಲ ತನ್ನ ಪ್ರೇಮಿಗಾಗಿ ಕಾದಳು. ಆತನಿಂದ ಯಾವುದೇ ಸುದ್ದಿ ಬಾರದಿದ್ದಾಗ ಸಮುದ್ರ ತೀರಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋಗಿ ನೀರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಳುಗಿ ಪ್ರಾಣಬಿಟ್ಟಳು” ಎಂದಳು. ಆದರೆ ನಿಜವಾಗಿ ಲಾರಾ ಎರಡು ವರ್ಷಗಳ ಬಳಿಕ ಇನ್ನೊಬ್ಬ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮದುವೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡಳು ಎಂಬ ಸಂಗತಿಯನ್ನು ಆಕೆಯೂ, ಗೊನ್ಸಾಲೋ (ಪ್ರೇಮಿ) ದ್ವಂದ್ವಯುದ್ದವಾದ ಮೂರು ತಿಂಗಳ ನಂತರ ಒಬ್ಬ ನರ್ತಕಿಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಪ್ಯಾರಿಸ್‌ಗೆ ಓಡಿಹೋಗಿದ್ದನ್ನು ಒಬ್ಬರಿಗೊಬ್ಬರು ಹೇಳಲಿಲ್ಲ!

ಕಡೆಗೆ ತೀರಾ ಅಪರಿಚಿತರಾಗಿದ್ದ ತಾವಿಬ್ಬರೂ ಹೀಗೆ ಒಬ್ಬರನ್ನೊಬ್ಬರು ಭೇಟಿ ಯಾಗಿ ಎಷ್ಟೋ ವರ್ಷಗಳ ಹಳೆಯ ಪ್ರಣಯದ ಕಥೆಯನ್ನು ಹಂಚಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವಂತಾಗಿದ್ದು ವಿಧಿಯ ಆಟ ಎಂದು ಅವರಿಬ್ಬರೂ ಅಭಿಪ್ರಾಯಪಡುತ್ತಾರೆ. “ಮರುದಿನವೂ ಇಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಬರುತ್ತೀರಾ?” ಎಂದು ಲಾರಾ ಆತನನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿದಾಗ “ಬಿಸಿಲಿದ್ದರೆ ಖಂಡಿತ ಬರುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಪಾರಿವಾಳಗಳನ್ನು ಬೆದರಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ಅವುಗಳಿಗೆಂದು ನಾನು ಬ್ರೆಡ್‌ನ ತುಂಡುಗಳನ್ನು ತರುತ್ತೇನೆ” ಎಂದು ಗೊನ್ಹಾಲೋ ಉತ್ತರಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಅಷ್ಟರಲ್ಲಿ ಜುನಿಟೋ ಮತ್ತು ಪೆಟ್ರಾ ಇಬ್ಬರೂ ಹಿಂದಿರುಗುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಉದ್ಯಾನವನದ ಕಾವಲುಗಾರ ನೀಡಿದ್ದ ಹೂಗುಚ್ಛವನ್ನು ಪೆಟ್ರಾ ಲಾರಾಳಿಗೆ ನೀಡುತ್ತಾಳೆ. ಪರಸ್ಪರ ವಂದನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಹೇಳಿ ಲಾರಾ ಮತ್ತು ಗೊಸ್ಟಾಲೋ ಅಲ್ಲಿಂದ ಹೊರಡುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಲಾರಾಳ ಕೈಗಳಿಂದ ಉದುರಿದ್ದ ಹೂಗಳನ್ನು ಗೊನ್ವಾಲೋ ಬಗ್ಗಿ ಹೆಕ್ಕಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವಾಗ ಲಾರಾ ಹಿಂದಿರುಗಿ ನೋಡುತ್ತಾಳೆ. ಅವರಿಬ್ಬರಿಗೂ ತಾವೇ ಆ ಹಳೆಯ ಪ್ರೇಮಿಗಳು ಎಂಬುದು ಖಚಿತವಾದರೂ ಹಳೆಯ ಚಿತ್ರಗಳೇ ಉಳಿಯಲಿ ಎಂಬ ಕಾರಣದಿಂದ ಇಬ್ಬರೂ ಸತ್ಯವನ್ನು ಮುಚ್ಚಿಟ್ಟು ಮುಂದೆ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ.

Glossary:

Don : sir

Dona : Miss, Madam

Handsome : (of man) good-looking, (of women) striking and testing in good looks rather than conventionally pretty

Madrid : the capital and largest city of Spain.

Unimpaired : not damaged.

Parasol : a colourful umbrella.

Adios : adieu, farewell, goodbye.

Senoral : the Spanish way of addressing a married woman similar to madam or Mrs.

Spryest : most active and energetic.

Gluttons : those who eat excessively.

Threnody : song of lamentation

Gouty : suffering from inflammation of the joints.

Aravaca : a neighbourhood of the city of Madrid.

Boudoir : a woman’s private room.

Valencia : the third largest city in Spain.

Grotesque : distorted.

Duel : a formal fight between two people in which they use guns or swords in order to settle a quarrel.

Campoamor, Espronceda, Zorilla and Becquer : famous Spanish writers of the 19th century.

refined : elegant and cultured in appearance and manner

Senile : displaying the weaknesses of old age; also suggests a loss of mental faculties

counting his beads : praying

indignant : resentful and annoyed

Campoamor : Ramon de Campoamor (1817-1901) was a Spanish realist poet and philosopher

Espronceda : Jose de Espronceda (1808-42), a Spanish romantic poet

Zorilla : Jose Zorilla (1817-93), a Spanish romantic poet and dramatist

Becquer Gustavo Becquer (1836-70), a Spanish post-romanticist poet

The title ‘A Sunny Morning’ suggests a warm and bright sunny day. Similarly, the play is also fresh in spirit, devoid of all clichés and stereotypes of earlier, traditional courtly comedies because both the characters and the situations are drawn from contemporary society.

Columbus : Gustavo Becquer (1836-70), a Spanish post-romanticist poet

Ferdinand and Isabella : the Catholic monarchs of Spain; they patronised the explorations of Columbus

Providence : God; the spiritual power that guides a believer

refuge : shelter

atrocious : extremely bad

prostrated : here, greatly distressed, shocked, upset

calamity : disaster

threnody : a lament

Multiple Choice Questions:

I. Answer the following questions by choosing the right option:

1. Where do Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura meet after a long time?

a) At the villa in Maricella

b) A park in Madrid

c) A park in Valencia

d) An estate in Paris

2. The action of the play ‘A Sunny Morning’ takes place in a park in __________

a) Seville

b) Madrid

c) Valentina

d) Paris

3. Petra is __________ Your Old.

a) Twenty One

b) twenty

c) nineteen

d) twenty-two

4. Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura meet in a ___________ Madrid.

a) park

b) restaurant

c) church

d) estate

5. Dona Laura was accompanied by __________ to the park

a) Don Gonzalo

b) Petra

c) Juanito

d) the priests

6. Laura’s maid is ___________.

a) Petra

b) Maria

c) Valentina

d) Maricela

7. According to Petra, ________ belong/s to the park.

a) the violets

b) the birds

c) the benches

d) the guard

8. “Here they come. They just know when to expect me. Here they’ refers to __________

a) priests

b) partridges

c) pigeons

d) hares

9. Dona Laura was upset with Don Gonzalo because ____________

a) he threatened her

b) he scared the birds away

c) he ate the bread crumbs

d) he had occupied her bench

10. Dona Laura carried ________ every day to feed the pigeons.

OR

Dona Laura feeds the birds __________ in the park.

OR

Dona Laura carried __________ to the park every day.

a) bread crumbs

b) sprouted beans

c) snuff

d) violets

11. Don Gonzalo was accompanied by ___________ when he came to the park.

a) Petra

b) Dona Laura

c) the priests

d) Juanito

12. Gonzalo’s servant is ___________.

OR

Gonzalo’s caretaker in the play is ____________

a) Petra

b) Campoamor

c) Juanito

d) Becquer

13. Gonzalo’s usual bench in the park was occupied by __________.

a) Dona Laura

b) Petra and the guard

c) old ladies

d) three priests

14. Dona Laura used a _________ as a cane.

a) parasol

b) golf stick

c) walker

d) crutch

15. In the Madrid park, Don Gonzalo uses ___________ to clean the dust off his shoes

a) a towel

b) a handkerchief

c) a shoe brush

d) a bag

16. There were ___________ priests sitting on the bench usually occupied by Gonzalo.

a) three

b) four

c) five

d) two

17. Gonzalo could show _________ in his study as evidence to prove his skill at hunting.

a) an elephant’s tusks

b) a tiger’s skin

c) a wild boar’s head

d) a rhino’s horns

18. Dona Laura claimed that she had _________ right to criticize Don Gonzalo.

a) a neighbour’s

b) a lover’s

c) a friend’s

d) an enemy’s

19. Gonzalo went to one of his estates near ___________ every Sunday for hunting

OR

According to Don Gonzalo, one of his estates was located near __________

a) Valencia

b) Seville

c) Madrid

d) Aravaca

20. Laura could show ___________ as evidence to prove her skill at hunting.

a) a lion’s skin

b) a tiger’s skin

c) a wild boar’s head

d) an elephant’s tusks

21. __________ made peace between Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura.

OR

__________ made peace between Don Gonzalo and herself, according to Dona Laura.

a) Bread crumbs

b) A bunch of violets

c) A bouquet of flowers

d) A pinch of snuff

22. Gonzalo offered _________ to Dona Laura in the park.

a) violets

b) bread crumbs

c) a pinch of snuff

d) a book

23. Gonzalo and Laura keep up the humorous conversation because they _________

a) have nothing else to do

b) have the same temperament

c) enjoy being with each other

d) they both want to reminisce about the past

24. Laura and Gonzalo’s friendly conversation begins with _________

a) a pinch of snuff.

b) Laura’s witty remarks.

c) Gonzalo reading the poems.

d) Gonzalo brushing the dust from his shoes

25. The poet whom Gonzalo says he first met in America was ____________

a) Zorilla

b) Campoamor

c) Espronceda

d) Beak

26. Dona Laura is able to read without her glasses as __________

a) she has a keen eyesight

b) she wants to impress Gonzalo

c) she knows every word by heart

d) she has a good memory

27. According to Don Gonzalo, when he went to America for the first time, he was _________ years old.

a) eight

b) six

c) four

d) seven

28. According to Gonzalo, he composed some verses ___________

a) in his childhood

b) in his old age

c) after joining the army

d) in his youth

29. The hometown of Don Gonzalo was __________

OR

Don Gonzalo was a native of __________

OR

Don Gonzalo was brought up at ________

a) Maricela

b) Aravaca

c) Valencia

d) Madrid

30. According to Gonzalo, he spent his early youth in _________

a) Madrid

b) Valencia

c) Aravaca

d) Seville

31. According to Gonzalo, he met Campoamor in _______

a) Valencia

b) Madrid

c) Seville

d) Aravaca

32. According to Laura, She spent several seasons in a villa called __________

a) Maricela

b) Valencia

c) Aravaca

d) Llorente

33. The vile Valencio where Dosa Laure that her youth was _________

OR

The villa where Laura Llorente lived was _________

a) Aravaca

b) Campoamor

c) Espronceda

d) Maricela

34. Dona Laura’s original name was _________

a) Dona Llorente

b) Dema Gonzalo

c) Laura Llorente

d) Laura Gonzalo

35. Leura Llorente was Anown as _________ in her locality in her younger days.

a) Severeign Beauty

b) the Silver Maiden

c) Golden lady

d) dream girl

36. According to Gonzalo, the gallant lover in ‘A Sunny Morning’ was his __________

a) brother

b) friend

c) cousin

d) father

37. ________ was popularly known as “The Silver Monten” in ‘A Sunny Morning’.

a) Petra

b) Dona Liorente

c) Laura Gonzalo

d) Laura Liorente

38. According to Gonzalo, _________ was badly wounded in the duel.

a) the merchant

b) the army man

c) a guard

d) his servant

39. Dona Laura’s parents wanted her to marry _________

a) a priest

b) a Merchant

c) a guard

d) an army man

40. According to Gonzalo, the young man went to _________ and then __________ after the duel.

a) Valencia, Seville

b) Madrid, Paris

c) Seville, Madrid

d) Aravaca, Valencia

41. According to Gonzalo, the gallant young man took refuge in, _________

a) a boudoir

b) a park

c) a trench in Africa

d) his house

42. According to Gonzalo, his cousin was whispering __________ name at the time of his death.

a) Laura’s

b) Petra’s

c) Juanito’s

d) Isabella’s

43. The young man later joined the army and met a glorious death, grasping the flag of __________

a) Italy

b) Germany

c) France

d) Spain

44. According to Laura, the silver maiden wrote her lover’s name on the ________

a) sand

b) wall

c) bench

d) rock

45. According to Gonzalo, his cousin met a glorious death in _________

a) Spain

b) Africa

c) Italy

d) Germany

46. Gonzalo ran off to _________ with a ballet dancer.

a) Seville

b) Madrid

c) Paris

d) Valencia

47. According to Dona Laura, her best friend was sitting upon. _________ before being swept into the sea.

a) a bench in the park

b) a rock on the beach

c) a pebble on the beach

d) the sand on the beach

48. Don Gonzalo agrees to meet Dona Laura the next day on the condition that it is ________

OR

Gonzalo and Laura depart at the end of the play agreeing to meet the next day if it is __________

a) raining

b) sunny

c) warm

d) foggy

49. Gonzalo ran off to Paris with a ________

a) cousin

b) maid

c) priest

d) ballet dancer

50. Don Gonzalo stoops to pick up the __________ dropped by Laura.

a) roses

b) violets

c) lily

d) marigold

51. Gonzalo premises to bring ___________ when he comes the next day.

a) violets

b) a bench

c) a book

d) bread crumbs

52. Laura and Gonzalo build stories about themselves so that they can __________

a) fool each other

c) forget the past

d) conceal their emotions

d) continue the conversation

53. Gonzalo does not reveal his identity because __________

a) he no longer loves her

b) his appearance has changed

c) he looks grotesque and old

d) he is now happily married

54 The ‘gallant lover in the play is ___________

a) Dona Laura

b) Petra

c) Juanito

d) Don Gonzalo

55. Laura and Gonzalo spin stories about themselves to ___________

a) fool each other

b) conceal each other’s identity

c) forget the past

d) conceal their emotions

56. _________ demanded a bench for himself in the park.

a) Dona Laura

b) Don Gonzalo

c) Juanito

d) Petra

57. __________ brought bread crumbs to the park to feed the birds.

a) Dona Laura

b) Juanito

c) Don Gonzalo

d) The priests

58. Dona Laura considered ___________ an ill-natured old man.

a) Campoamor

b) Becquer

c) Don Gonzalo

d) Juanito

59. ___________ scared away the birds that were feeding on bread crumbs in the park.

a) Dona Laura

b) Petra

c) Juanito

d) Don Gonzalo

60. According to Petra, the guard belongs to __________

a) the Spanish army

b) the park

b) bread crumbs

d) the silver maiden

61. According to Don Gonzalo, the three priests are __________ in the park.

a) saying mass

b) reading a book

c) idling their time

d) preaching

62. Match column A with column B and choose the correct option:

a) i-c, ii-b, iii-a

b) i-b, ii-a, iii-c

c) i-b, ii-c, iii-a

d) i–c, ii–a, iii–b

63. According to Dona Laura, __________ belongs/belong more to Petra than to the park.

a) pigeons

b) bread crumbs

c) Juanito

d) the guard

64. Match column A with column B and choose the correct option:

a) i-c, ii-a, iii-b

b) i–b, ii–c, iii–a

c) i-c, ii–b, iii–a

d) i-b, ii-a, iii-c

65. Match column A with column B and choose the correct option:

a) ic, ii-a, iii-b

b) i-b, iic, iii-a

c) i–c, ii–b, iii–a

d) i-b, ii-a, iii-c

66. Identify the correct sequence of events as stated by Don Gonzalo

a) Duel with merchant – went to Seville – came to Madrid – joined the army and went to Africa

b) Joined the army and went to Africa – duel with merchant – came to Madrid – went to Seville

c) Came to Madrid – duel with merchant – joined the army and went to Africa – went to Seville

d) Went to Seville – joined the army and went to Africa – duel with merchant – came to Madrid

67. Identify the correct sequence of events

a) Taking a pinch of souff – remembering the Silver Maiden – fictitious stories of Gonzalo and Dona – ill-natured prelude

b) Remembering the Silver Maiden – fictitious stories of Gonzalo and Dona – ill-natured prelude – taking a pinch of snuff

c)Fictitious stories of Gonzalo and Dona – remembering the Silver Maiden – taking a pinch of snuff-ill-natured prelude

d) IlI-natured prelude – taking a pinch of snuff – remembering the Silver Maiden-fictitious stories of Gonzalo and Dona

68. Choose the correct sequence of incidents related to Gonzalo’s cousin, in ‘A Sunny Morning.

a) Flees to Seville – meets a glorious death – wounds the merchant – joins the army.

b) Wounds the merchant – flees to Seville – joins the army – meets a glorious death.

c) Meets a glorious death – wounds the merchant – joins the army – flees to Seville.

d) Joins the army – flees to Seville – wounds the merchant – meets a glorious death.

69. The account given by Gonzalo about his cousin’s life after the duel with the merchant, in a sequence is

i) in despair he joined the army, died in Africa

a) iv, ii, i, iii

b) i, ii, iii, iv

c) ii, iv,iii,i

d) iii, i, iv,ii

70. Choose the correct sequence with reference to ‘A Sunny Morning’:

a) Gonzalo says he wants a bench to himself – Gonzalo is upset as his usual bench is occupied by three priests – Juanito suggests him to sit beside the old lady – Don Gonzalo and Juanito enter the park.

b) Don Gonzalo and Juanito enter the park – Gonzalo is upset as his usual bench is occupied by three priests – Juanito suggests him to sit beside the old lady – Gonzalo says he wants a bench to himself.

c) Don Gonzalo and Juanito enter the park – Gonzalo says he wants a bench to himself – Gonzalo is upset as his usual bench is occupied by three priests – Juanito suggests him to sit beside the old lady.

d) Juanito suggests him to sit beside the old lady – Don Gonzalo and Juanito enter the park. Gonzalo is upset as his usual bench is occupied by three priests – Gonzalo says he wants bench to himself.

71. Identify the sequence of events in ‘The Sunny Morning’.

a) Bench occupied by priests – Gonzalo sits near Laura – discuss the romance of old friends – hope to meet the next day too

b) Gonzalo sits near Laura – discuss the romance of old Friends – hope to meet the next day too – bench occupied by priests

c) Hope to meet the next day too – bench occupied by priests – Discuss the romance of old friends – Gonzalo sits near Laura

d) Discuss the romance of old friends – Gonzalo sits near Laura – hope to meet the next day too – bench occupied by priests

72. Match column A with column B with reference to the play ‘A Sunny Morning and choose the correct option:

a) i-a, ii-b, iii-c

b) i-c, ii-b, iii-a

c) i-b, ii–c, iii-a

d) i-a, ii-c, iii-b

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS:

I. Answer the following questions in a paragraph of 80-100 words each:

1. How do Laura and Gonzalo conceal their identity?

While boasting about his keen eyesight, Don Gonzalo incidentally mentions the names of some famous Spanish literary figures. Then he states that he was a great friend of Campoamor in Valencia, and also reveals that he was a native of Valencia. Laura’s interest being kindled, informs him that she had spent several seasons in a villa called Maricela, in the city of Valencia. At this moment both of them understand that they are the original lovers Laura and Gonzalo who had been separated by fate.

From then onwards, Gonzalo tells her that the gallant lover who was in love with the silver maiden Laura Liorente was his cousin and conceals his identity. Similarly, Laura tells Gonzalo that she come to know about the story of Gonzalo from Laura Llorente, who was her friend. Thus, dona Laura also coneals her identity.

2. How effectively does Gonzalo account for the love his cousin had for Laura’s friend?

OR

What account does Don Gonzalo give Dona Laura about his cousin’s life after the duel?

OR

What story does Don Gonzalo narrate to Dona Laura regarding his cousin?

OR

What fictitious story does Gonzalo spin about himself in the name of his cousin?

OR

Describe how Don Gonzalo glorifies his cousin’s death.

OR

Give an account of Don Gonzalo’s cousin’s glorious death as narrated by Don Gonzalo.

OR

How does Don Gonzalo describe his cousin’s death to Dona Laura?

While telling Laura about the duel between the merchant and the gallant lover, Don tells her that the gallant lover was his cousin and he was very fond of him. Don Gonzalo tells her that after the duel the young man took refuge in his house scared of the consequences of a duel with a person highly regarded in that locality. Then he tells her that from his home his cousin went to Seville and then came to Madrid. Then he wrote Laura many letters which were intercepted by her parents. He says so because he knows for sure that she did not answer his letters at all. Don then concludes the story saying that in despair, believing that he had lost his love forever he joined the army, then went to Africa and there in a trench, met a glorious death grasping the flag of Spain and whispering the name of his beloved Laura.

3. How does Dona Laura describe her best friend’s death to Don Gonzalo?

OR

How does Dona Laura describe her friend’s love story?

OR

Narrate, in brief, the story told by Dona Laura about her friend’s end.

Dona Laura tells Don Gonzalo that her friend had written to her that she had awaited news of Gonzalo for nearly a year. Later one afternoon, just at sunset, as the first stars were appearing she left her house and went to the beach where her beloved had risked his life. She wrote his name on the sand and then sat down upon a rock, her gaze fixed upon the horizon the Waves murmured their eternal threnody and slowly crept up to the rock where the maiden sat. The tide rose with a boom and swept her out to sea.

4. When does Dona Laura realise that Don Gonzalo is her former lover?

OR

How does sharing a pinch of snuff change the attitude of Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo?

After taking a pinch of snuff both Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura sneeze three times alternately. Dona Laura mutters to herself that the snuff has made peace between them. Then, Don Gonzalo starts reading aloud. A little later, Dona Laura sympathises with him for reading with all those glasses. Their conversation turns to Gonzalo’s ability to compose verses. Incidentally, Gonzalo reveals that he was a great friend of Espronceda, Zorilla, Becquer and others. Then while talking about Campoamor, Don Gonzalo tells her that he had met Campoamor in Valencia and he was a native of that city. This provokes both of them to talk about their earlier identities. When Dona tells him about the villa in Maricella, Gonzalo tells her about the Silver Maiden and like a poet he describes her beauty. At that moment, Dona Laura realizes that Don Gonzalo is her former lover.

5. What are the ‘atrocious’ lies that Laura and Gonzalo make up about their lives after their separation?

OR

Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura outwit each other in weaving stories about their own deaths. Elaborate.

OR

Narrate how, according to Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo, the sad love affair of her friend and his cousin ended.

During the conversation with Dona Laura, Don Gonzalo gives a romantic description of the silver maiden. Dona Laura realizes that the old man is none other than her former lover Gonzalo. Then, both of them together recount their romantic affair until they come to the end of their story. Don Gonzalo rounds it off by telling her that his cousin had to hide for a few days and later fly. At this point, Dona tells him that he seems to know the story well. Don Gonzalo also tells her the same. Dona Laura tells him that she heard the story from her friend. Don Gonzalo picks up the same lie and tells her that he heard the story from his cousin. Both of them are now convinced that they were the former lovers of the romantic affair they had just reconstructed. Dona Laura wants to probe further into the affair. Therefore she demands an explanation for Gonzalo’s vanishing from Valencia.

In reply, Don Gonzalo tells her that after staying hidden indoors in Valencia for some time, his cousin went to Seville and then came to Madrid, where he wrote letters to Laura. But, since the letters were intercepted by her parents, she did not get his letters at all and so she did not write back to him. He tells her that Gonzalo, then in despair, believing that he had lost his love forever, joined the army. went to Africa, and there in a trench met a glorious death grasping the flag of Spain and whispering the name of his beloved Laura. Immediately, Dona also concocts a story. She tells him that after waiting for a year for Gonzalo, she went to the beach after sunset one evening. She wrote his name on the sand and then sat down on a rock, her gaze fixed upon the horizon. Then the waves slowly crept up to the rock where the maiden was sitting and the high rising tide rose with a boom and swept her out to sea. Thus ended the sad love affair.

6. What fictitious story did Gonzalo spin about himself to hide his true identity?

OR

How does Don Gonzalo try to hide his identity?

Don Gonzalo tells Dona Laura that his cousin took refuge in his house fearful of the consequences of a duel with a person highly regarded in that locality. From his home, he later went to Seville and then to Madrid. Since his letters to Laura were intercepted by her parents, Gonzalo did not get any reply from her. He became desperate. In despair, believing that he had lost his love forever, he joined the army, went to Africa, and met a glorious death in a trench, grasping the flag of Spain and whispering the name of his beloved Laura.

7. Bring out a few instances wherein Dona Laura ridicules Don Gonzalo in ‘A Sunny Morning’.

OR

Give instances to show Laura’s witty remarks about Gonzalo in the play ‘A Sunny Morning’.

In ‘A Sunny Morning’, there are two instances in which Dona Laura ridicules Don Gonzalo. Both instances occur when Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo meet face-to-face in the park as an old man and old woman and as total strangers to each other. Don Gonzalo, soon after entering the park, discovers that his usual bench has been occupied by three priests. He gets irritated and says aloud that the priests were idling away their time instead of saying

mass in the church. Then, in a fit of anger, he rushes towards the bench on which Dona Laura is sitting.

Dona Laura cries out aloud ‘Look out, indignantly, and admonishes him for scaring away the birds. Don Gonzalo replies that he would not care about the birds. When she replies that she cared for them, Don Gonzalo tells her that it was a public park. In retaliation, she asks him why he had complained that the priests had taken his bench. Don Gonzalo, being cornered by his own remarks, snubs her telling her that even though she was a total omgee he was taking the liberty to speak to him, and walks away.

Dona Laura comments that he was an ill-natured old man and that people ought not to get so fussy and cross when they reach a certain age. Later, when she notices him losing another bench, says mockingly “serves him right for scaring the birds “poorns He is wiping the perspiration from his face” Then, when she notices him walking back towards her bench, says, “A carriage would not raise more dust than his feet”.

8. Describe how the ‘gallant young man’ was separated from his lover in ‘A Sunny Morning’.

OR

Trace the circumstances that led to the separation of the gallant lover and the silver maiden in ‘A Sunny Morning’.

OR

Describe the circumstances leading to Gonzalo’s separation from Laura.

For answer refer Q. No. 5.10.

II. Answer the following questions in about 200 words each:

1. Bring out the changes in Gonzalo’s attitude before and after occupying the bench in the park.

As soon as Don Gonzalo enters the park along with Juanito, he discovers that his usual seat has been occupied by three priests. He is annoyed and comments rudely saying that the priests were idling their time away when they should be saying mass in the church. Then, when Juanito suggests that he should sit on the bench where Dona Laura was sitting, Don Gonzalo tells Juanito that he wants a bench for himself. Then Juanito informs him that there is no other bench vacant. Don Gonzalo points at the bench that he usually sat on. When Juanito tells him that there are three priests sitting on that bench, Don asks him to send them away. Later, he comments bitterly saying that the priests were sitting there as if they were glued to their seat. Then he and his servant walk towards the place where the birds are feeding on the bread crumbs.

When Dona Laura arigrily asks’him to look out, Don usk’s Laura whether she was speaking to bire. Then when she complains that he had scared the birds away, he answers rudely that he does not care about the birds. But she tells him that she cared for the birds and indirectly tries to make him feel guilty. But he tells her rudely that it is a public park suggesting that she was not right in complaining about him about birds being scared away in a public park. Dona tries to counter him asking why he had complained that the priests had taken his seat.

Feeling discomfited, don Gonzalo tries to snub her telling her that she was a stranger and was not right in taking the liberty to address him. A littele later, Don Gonzalo sits at the extreme end of her bench and prepares himself read a book by wearing glasses and adjusting his lenses. Dona sympathises with him for having to read with all those glasses.

2. Trace the incidents where Laura and Gonzalo secretly guess about each other’s identity.

For answer refer Q. No. 5.37.

3. “‘A Sunny Morning’ portrays wit and humour through Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura’s spontaneous reactions”. Explain.

OR

Give instances of humorous situations in the play in your own words.

‘A Sunny Morning’ is a romantic comedy with only two main characters Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura who are in their seventies now. Their chance meeting on a sunny morning in a park in Madrid gives the characters an opportunity to relive the story of their love affair when they were living in Maricela! The whole story is built up through witty, humorous, lively and spontaneous interaction between them.

When the play opens, we find Dona Laura happily speaking to the pigeons who were feeding on the bread crumbs. When Don Gonzalo comes there looking for a bench, Dona Laura accuses him of scaring away her birds. In reply, Don Gonzalo tells her that it is a public park and he doesn’t care about the birds. Dona Laura asks him why then did he complain that the priests had taken his seat. Later, when Don Gonzalo comes back to the same place to sit, she asks him why he was seen there again. But, when he tries to put her off saying that they had not met, she tells him that she was only responding to his gesture. When he tells her that she ought to have only returned his greeting, she remarks that he should have taken her permission to sit on that bench. Finally, with her witty remarks, she makes him tongue-tied and helpless. When he mutters to himself, saying that she was a senile old lady and she ought to be at home knitting and counting her beads, she asks him not to grumble anymore When she finds him cleaning his shoes with his handkerchief, she taunts him asking whether one uses a handkerchief as a shoe brush. In reply, when Gonzalo asks her what right she has to criticize his actions. she answers playfully that it was her right as a neighbour. When Gonzalo tries to put her off rudely saying that he does not care to listen to nonsense, she once again teases him remarking that he was very polite. When Gonzalo asks her apologetically not to interfere with what does not concern her, she again tells him stubbornly that she generally says what she thinks. From then on, their spontaneous exchange takes a positive direction and soon they become friends.

4. The ways of providence are strange. How is this true in the case of Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura?

A Sunny Morning presents the story of two young lovers who were once passionately attached to each other. Their love would have culminated in their marriage but they were separated by a cruel blow of fate. However, the ways of providence being strange, these erstwhile lovers happened to meet each other some fifty years later in a park in Madrid. Both of them are in their 70s and have changed a great deal in their appearance. Hence, they fail to recognize each other in the park initially. But as they get acquainted, they recall their youthful days. Again, it is by a stroke of providence that Don Gonzalo happens to reveal that he once lived in Valencia. When they discover that they were lovers once in their youth, they relive their romantic meetings as before and pretend not to recognize their earlier selves. Like young people, they live in a dream world of their own and are reluctant to come back to the world of reality. They tell atrocious lies to defend their previous actions and exit with a promise to meet the next day. The ways of providence are strange and it is undoubtedly true in the case of Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo.

5. ‘A Sunny Morning’ revolves around concealing and revealing Laura and Gonzalo’s identity.

The play ‘A Sunny Morning’ presents the story of two passionate lovers who were separated by a cruel blow of fate before their love could culminate in their marriage. However, this story is presented nearly fifty years later when both Gonzalo and Laura are now in their old age. They happen to meet, as if it was providential, in a retired corner of a park in Madrid one sunny morning.

The first part of the play seems an exposition introducing Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura. After a few witty exchanges between the two, the playwright reveals their love story concealing and revealing their identity. Initially, Don Gonzalo reveals his identity unwittingly in his enthusiasm to tell her that he had met Campoamor in Valencia. Then he adds that he spent his early youth in Valencia. This is a hint to Dona Laura to reveal her identity. She reminds him of a villa named Maricela near the sea. From then on both of them rebuild their story, however concealing that they were the real actors in that love story. On hearing the name Maricela mentioned, Don Gonzalo introduces Laura Llorento. Then Dona Laura builds it further saying “Laura Llorente was popularly called the Silver Maiden”. Don Gonzalo recreates the scene for the readers mentioning the window where she used to stand for hours on end every day. Then Don Gonzalo gives a description of her beautiful personality. Then both of them reveal to the audience their identity through their (aside) remarks.

Now once they had revealed their identity, they try to conceal it by replacing themselves in the story with a substitute. Dona Laura calls Laura of the original story her friend and Don Gonzalo calls the Gonzalo of the original story his cousin. Once again having concealed their identity they narrate how their love affair ended. Both of them tell lies to cover up what they did after Gonzalo had fled Valencia This goes on until the end when Laura sees Gonzalo picking up the violets dropped by her. Thus, the whole play ‘A Sunny Morning’ revolves around concealing and revealing Laura and Gonzalo’s identity.

6. Bring out the instances where Laura and Gonzalo realize each other’s identity.

There are several instances in ‘A Sunny Morning, in which both Laura and Gonzalo recognize each others’ identity. Soon after their initial outbursts of emotion, both Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo become friends. Next, both of them enjoy a pinch of snuff and Don Gonzalo begins to read aloud verses from Campoamor. When Don Gonzalo mentions that he was a native of Valencia and had met Campoamor there incidentally, Dona Laura tells him that she had spent several seasons at Maricela. When Don Gonzalo tells her that he had seen a beautiful woman by the name Laura Llorente in Maricela, Dona Laura tells him that Laura was known by the name ‘Silver Maiden’ in that locality. When Don Gonzalo starts describing Laura Llorente, Dona Laura makes an aside comment. We learn that Dona Laura has recognized his identity. Later, when Laura tells him that her friend had told her the story of the two lovers, Don Gonzalo recognizes her identity. Then Dona Laura makes an aside remark, “Why tell him? He does not suspect” Similarly, Don Gonzalo mutters to himself, “She is entirely innocent” Then when Don Gonzalo tells her how his cousin had met a glorious death in Africa, Dona Laura mutters to herself that he was telling an atrocious lie. Don Gonzalo tells himself that he could not have killed himself more gloriously. On hearing how Laura had died, Don Gonzalo tells himself, “she lies worse than I do”. Then Dona Laura tells herself that she will not tell him that she married two years later while Don Gonzalo mutters that he had run off to Paris with a ballet dancer in three months. By then it becomes clear that both of them have recognized each other’s identity.

7. How do Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo annoy each other initially in the park?

OR

What makes Dona Laura remark that Don Gonzalo is an ill-natured old man? Illustrate your answer with reasons.

Soon after occupying her seat in the park, Dona Laura throws three handfuls of bread crumbs to a flock of pigeons and sits watching them feed on the bread crumbs. Don Gonzalo and Juanito walk towards the birds. Immediately, Dona Laura shouts look out’ so as to warn them. Then she tells Don Gonzalo that he had scared away the birds. Don Gonzalo brushes aside her remarks telling her that he does not care about the birds as it was a public park. Dona Laura asks him why then did he complain about the priests occupying his usual bench if it was a public park. Again, Don Gonzalo tries to put her off rudely telling her that since they had not met before she should not take the liberty of addressing him. Dona Laura retaliates saying that he is an ill-natured old man. She wonders why a man like him should be so fussy and cross after reaching a certain age. Later, she sees him moving about without getting a seat on the other side of the park. She enjoys his predicament saying that it serves him right for scaring the birds. Later, when Don Gonzalo sits at the extreme end of Dona Laura’s bench and greets her, she asks him annoyingly why he was there again. Again, there is an angry exchange of words. When he fails to find a convincing reply to her question, he tells her that he has nothing more to say. Then he mutters to himself that she was a senile old lady and she ought to be at home knitting and counting her beads. Again, Dona Laura tells him rudely not to grumble anymore and that she was not going to leave just to please him.

8. Although the romantic affair between Laura and Gonzalo lasts for a brief period of time, the intensity of their love lingers forever. Elaborate.

OR

‘A Sunny Morning’ reveals the romantic side of both Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo. Elucidate

OR

Describe the romantic love story of Dena Laura and Don Gonzalo. Why did it end ax a sad love affair?

Laurs and Gonzalo met each other in Valencia as gallant young lovers. They loved each other intensely Gonzalo used to toss a bouquet of flowers at Laura in the morning and he would receive a Bouquet of flowers from her while returning home Unfortunately, her parents wanted Laura to marry merchant instead of Gonzalo Once the merchant insulted Gonzalo and it ended up in a duel between them. The merchant was seriously injured in the duct. He was highly regarded in his place and learing action, Gonzalo hid himself. He wrote letters to Laura but they were intercepted by her parents and Laura did not get a chance to read them. Two years later, she married someone else and settled down in life Though the love story ended as a sad love affair the brief romantic affair continued to linger in her heart of hearts. In the same way, Gonzalo did not get any reply to his letters from Laura So, three months later he married a ballet dancer and settled down in Paris. Here again, he could not completely Airget the beautiful Silver Maiden that Laura was known as. When they met in the park after a lapse 50 years, both of them were able to recall the brief, but intense romantic affair in Valencia.

9. Everything is fair in love and war. How do you substantiate this statement relating to the attitudes of Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo in the play?

‘A Sunny Morning’ presents the story of Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura, who were ardent lovers in their youth, but were torn apart in life by fate. They are now in their 70s. The very lovers meet as total strangers unexpectedly in a park in Madrid. As the play begins. Dona Laura is seen in the park feeding pigeons with bread crumbs. It is at that point an old man enters with his attendant The old man is none other than Don Gonzalo, who is seen to be quite irritated as he finds no bench in the park vacant. Quite grudgingly he comes near Laura and shares her bench. Laura gets infuriated as the old man has scared the pigeons she was feeding and calls him ‘an ill-natured man. With her witty remarks the makes him tongue-tied and helpless. But, after a few moments of disagreement, both of them have a pinch of snuff and reconcile with each other. Gonzalo says that he is from Valencia and to his surprise Laura reveals that she is from Maricela. Gonzalo is startled by the revelation and he says that he knows a woman named Laura Llorente who lived in a villa there, who was perhaps the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Both Laura and Gonzalo realize that they were the very same young lovers once But they pretend not to reveal their identities. Though both of them have changed a lot physically, they still cherish the memories of their adventurous youth. Though initially they appear to be cynical, fussy and ill-natured, soon they become friends. When they discover that they were lovers once in their youth, they relive their romantic meetings as before and pretend not to recognize their earlier selves. Like young people, they live in a dream world of their own and are reluctant to come back to the world of reality They tell atrocious lies to defend their previous actions and exit with a promise to meet the next day.

10. A Sunny Morning’ is a comic presentation of a serious human relationship. Explain.

‘A Sunny Morning’ tells the past love story of two ardent lovers – Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura in a comic way. It is a serious human relationship that was torn apart in life by fate. However, the two lovers meet again when they are in their 70s, not as lovers, but as total strangers, unexpectedly in a park in Madrid.

Laura Llorente was known in her locality as “The Silver Maiden. She was in love with Gonzalo, a gallant lover. He used to pass by her house on horseback every morning through the rose garden and toss up a bouquet of flowers to her balcony which she caught. On his way back in the afternoon she would toss the flowers back to him. But Laura’s parents wanted to marry her off to a merchant whom she disliked. One day there ensued a quarrel, leading to a duel between Gonzalo and the merchant, her suitor. The merchant was seriously injured. Fearing serious consequences, Gonzalo fled from his house in the town to Seville and then to Madrid. Even though he tried to communicate with Laura through letters, his attempts failed and he gave her up as lost forever, and ran off to Paris with a ballet dancer. Meanwhile, Laura waited for the news of Gonzalo, for one year and finally got married.

Both of them have changed a lot physically but they still cherish the memories of their youth However, When they meet in the park, they appear to becynical, fussy and ill-natured. The way they repartee and express their resentment towards each other creates opportunities for humour in the play. Finally, they become friends after sharing a pinch of snuff. They gradually come to realize that they are the very same lovers of yester years.

11. Laura and Gonzalo recognize euch other but conceal their identity. How does A Sunny Morning’ present this?

Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo come face-to-face in a retired corner of a park in Madrid on a Sunday morning. The strangers soon become friends without knowing that they were lovers once Then Gonzalo happens to tell her that he had spent his youth in Valencia city: Laura’s curiosity having bees provoked, tells Gonzalo that she also had spent several seasons in Maricela, a villa near the sea in Valencia When Gonzalo is startled to hear the name “Maricela, Dona Laura asks him whether the name is familiar to him. Don Gonzalo tells her that he had seen a beautiful woman Laura Llorente living there. On hearing the name Laura Llorente mentioned, Dona Laura shows her surprise. From that moment onwards, it beromes clear that both of them know who they are and intentionally conceal their identity. When Dona Laura tells him that Laura Lierente was her best friend and she was called the “Silver Malden, Don Gonzalo endorses it and tells her that ‘Silver Maiden’ was her popular name in the locality. Further, he tells her that she used to stand at a particular window Then Dona Laura endorses his statement. Inadvertently, when Don Gonzalo tells her that he spent many hours there during his youthful days, Dona Laura gives a sigh and endorses his statement and says “And in mine, too.” Then Don Gonzalo gives a description of her beauty and expresses his admiration calling her a dream. Then Dona Laura makes an aside remark and tellis Gonzalo that if he knew that Laura was by his side, he would realize what dreams come to This way, their conversation goes on until the end, each speaking to the other in disguise. Though they appear to be concealing their identity, they know tacitly that they are the true lovers Laura and Gonzale of their youthful days. In the end, before leaving the park, Laura drops the violets, and when Gonzalo stoops to pick up the flowers, Laura looks at him. Thus, they come to recognize each other.

12. A Sunny Morning’ presents a situation that is not so sunny for Laura and Gonzalo. Do you agree? Give reasons.

Yes. I totally agree with the statement. ‘A Sunny Morning’ presents a situation that is not so sunny for Laura and Gonzalo because they are the very same Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura of yesteryean who were ardent lovers in their youth, but are now in their 70s. Their romantic relationship was tors apart in life by fate. It is a flashback scene, ironically re-narrated by the very same lovers. In her youthful days, Dona Laura was known in her locality as The Silver Maiden. She was fair as a lily, with jet-black hair and black eyes. She was like a dream. She was in love with Gonzalo, the gallant lover. He used to pass by on horseback every morning through the rose garden and toss upa bouquet of flowers to her balcony which she caught. On his way back in the afternoon she would toss the flowers back to him. But Laura’s parents wanted to marry her off to a merchant whom she disliked One day there was a quarrel between Gonzalo and the merchant, the suitor. After the duel the young man fled from his hometown to Seville and then to Madrid, being scared of the consequences of a duel with a person highly regarded in that locality. Even though he tried to communicate with Laura through letters, all attempts failed.

Once Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura realize that they are the same old, young lovers of Maricela who were separated in life by fate, they decide not to reveal their identity because they learn from each other in what high esteem they held each other before they departed. They also come to know that both of them had given up the other as lost forever. While Dona Laura tells herself that she had married someone else after waiting for him for one year, Don Gonzalo tells himself that after fleeing from Valencia, then Seville and Madrid, he had run off to Paris with a ballet dancer in about three months. Therefore, they concoct fictitious stories so as to conceal their identities completely and to make the other believe that he or she was dead. Later, when they realize that they are alive, they do not want to shatter their mutual images in the eyes of the other. Therefore, Don Gonzalo tells himself that he will not reveal himself because he is grotesque. He wishes that she had better recall the gallant horizman who passed daily beneath her window tossing flowers. Similarly, Dona Laura tells herself that I am too sadly changed. It is better he should remember me as the black-eyed girl tossing flowers as he passed among the roses in the garden.”

Thus, one can conclude that A Sunny Morning’ presents a situation in which two old lovers are made to present a sunny situation of their past life, which is no longer sunny for them

13. “The one-act play, ‘A Sunny Morning’ ultimately proves that all love is sad.” Discuss.

The inference, all love is sad, with reference to the one-act play, A Sunny Morning is an over generalization. The comment attempts to universalize the concept of love. The word “all’ is an all-inclusive word and all love’ tends to put together all kinds of love like love between children and parents, love between teenagers, love between friends, love between husband and wife, and love between human beings and animals.

On the contrary, ‘all love is sad’ is a comment made with reference to an Imaginative love affair supposed to have taken place between two lovers who were in the prime of their youth and it gets re-enacted dramatically as a flashback incident in the play during a conversation that takes place in a retired corner of a park in Madrid on a Sunday morning, between two old people – an old lady named Dona Laura and an old man named Don Gonzalo-who are now in their 70s. The dramatic technique used in the play is unique in its approach. The progression of events moves from the present to the past. The flashback technique highlights the intensity of the love between Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo which exists between them even ‘now’ after the lapse of half a century.

Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo have zest in life. Dona Laura loves birds and feeds them regularly. Gonzalo loves books and he promises to feed the birds the next time. There is no bitterness or regret or frustration about the past incident. Both of them seem to cherish those romantic moments they spent together during that phase of their life. It is this positive attitude even after 50 years of that incident that gives this play its vigour. Thus. The Sunny Morning’ is a charming re-enactment of a romantic love affair and there is not even an ‘lota’ of pessimism in it. Hence, the comment ‘all love is sad’ is not the correct inference in the context of the play ‘A Sunny Morning’

14. How do Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo describe their death in ‘A Sunny Morning’?

OR

How, according to Laura and Gonzalo, the sad love affair of her friend and his cousin ended in ‘A Sunny Morning’?

OR

Bring out the fictitious stories spun by Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo about their past.

During the conversation with Dona Laura, Don Gonzalo gives a romantic description of the silver maiden. Dona Laura realizes the old man is none other than her former lover. Then both of them together recount their romantic affair, spinning fictitious stories to hide their identities. While Laura says that she heard the story from her friend, Don Gonzalo picks up the same lie and tells her that he heard the story from his cousin. While telling Laura about the duel between the merchant and the gallant lover, Don tells her that the gallant lover was his cousin. Don Gonzalo tells her that after the duel the young man took refuge in his house, scared of the consequences of a duel with a person highly regarded in that locality. Then he tells her that from his house his cousin went to Seville and then to Madrid. Then he wrote Laura many letters which were intercepted by her parents. Don then concludes the story by saying that, in despair, belleving he had lost his love forever he joined the army, then went to Africa and there in a trench, met a glorious death grasping the flag of Spain and whispering the name of his beloved Laura.

Immediately Dona also concocts a story. She tells him that after waiting for a year for Gonzalo, she went to the beach after sunset one evening. She wrote his name on the sand and then sat down on a rock. Then the waves slowly crept up to the rock where the maiden was sitting and the high rising tide rose with a boom and swept her out to sea. Thus ended the sad love affair.

Vocabulary: (TEXT BOOK)

Collocations

A collocation is a combination of words that are commonly used together the simplest way t describing collocations is to say that they just sound right to native English speakers.

GRAMMAR EXERCISES

A) Complete the following by filling in the blanks using the right form of the verbs given in brackets:

1. After the duel the gallant lover fled Valencia. Many letters, __________ (write) by him to his beloved. Since no reply __________ (receive), he thought that they __________ (Intercept) by her parents.

Ans : were written; was received; had been intercepted.

2. When Gonzalo entered the park, his usual bench __________ (occupy) by the priests. He __________ (annoy) and his servant, Juanito __________ (ask) to rout them out.

Ans : had been occupied; was annoyed, was asked.

3. One afternoon, just at sunset, as the first stars were appearing, the silver maiden, __________ (seen) leaving the house. She sat upon a rock and her gaze __________ (fix) upon the horizon. The tide rose with a boom and she __________ (sweep) out to sea.

Ans : was seen, was fixed; was swept

4. Laura got up to go home. She __________ (support) by her maid. She turned her head and __________ (surprise) to see Gonzalo picking up the violets which __________ (drop) on the ground.

Ans : was supported; was surprised; had been dropped.

5. Dona Laura said that many stories __________ (tell) by the fishermen about how the ‘Silver Maiden’ __________ (wash) away by the tide. They affirmed that the name that __________ (write) by her on the sand remained for a long time.

Ans : were told, was washed; was written.

B) Report the following conversations:

1. Petra : I see him over there waiting for me.

Dona Laura : Do not remain for more than ten minutes.

Petra : I will be back soon.

Dona Laurs : Wait a moment.

Petra : What does the senora wish?

Ans : Petra said that she could see him over there waiting for her in response, Dona Laura told Petra not to remain for more than ten minutes, Petra assured Dona Laura that she would be back soun. Dona Laura asked Petra to wait a moment. Referring to Dona Laura as senora, Petra asked her what she wished.

2. Don Gonzalo : I want a bench to myself.

Juanito : There is none.

Don Gonzalo : That one over there is mine.

Juanito : There are three priests sitting there.

Don Gonzalo : Rout them out.

Ans : Don Gonzalo said in a demanding manner that he wanted a bench to himself Juanito replied that there was none. Don Gonzalo stated that the one over there was his fuanito pointed out that there were three priests sitting there. Don Gonzalo ordered Juanito to rout them out.

3. Dona Laura : Do you use a shoe brush as a handkerchief?

Don Gonzalo : What right have you to criticize my actions?

Dona Laura : A neighbour’s right.

Don Gonzalo : I do not care to listen to nonsense.

Dona Laura : You are very polite.

Ans : Dona Laura asked Don Gonzalo whether he used a shoe brush as a handkerchief. Don Gonzalo asked her what right she had to criticise his actions. Dona Laura replied that she had a neighbour’s right. Don Gonzalo replied rudely that he did not care to listen to nonsense. Dona Laura sarcastically replied that he was very polite.

4. Don Gonzalo: Do you mind my reading aloud?

Dona Laura : You can read as loud as you please.

Don Gonzalo : Can you read without glasses?

Dona Laura : I can.

Don Gonzalo : I envy your wonderful eyesight.

Ans : Don Gonzalo asked Dona Laura whether she would mind his reading aloud. Dona Laura replied that he could read as loud as he pleased. Don Gonzalo further asked Dona Laura whether she could read without glasses. Dona replied in the positive. Don Gonzalo remarked that he envied her wonderful eyesight.

5. Dona Laura : Will you go to your bench tomorrow?

Don Gonzalo : I will come to your bench.

Dona Laura : Do bring something for the pigeons.

Don Gonzalo: I will surely bring the crumbs.

Ans : Dona Laura asked Don Gonzalo whether he would go to his bench the next day. Don Gonzalo replied that he would come to her bench. Dona Laura reminded him to bring something for the pigeons. Don Gonzalo assured her that he would surely bring the crumbs.

6. Dona Laura : Have you been to America?

Don Gonzalo : Several times.

Dona Laura: You must have gone with Columbus.

Don Gonzalo : I am old. But I did not know Ferdinand and Isabella.

Ans : Dona Laura asked Don Gonzalo whether he had been to America. Don Gonzalo replied that he had been to America several times. Dona Laura observed that he must have gone with Columbus. Don Gonzalo said that he was old, but he hadn’t known Ferdinand and Isabella.

7. Juanito : Can you sit here?

Den Gonzalo : I want a bench to myself.

Juanito : There are three priests sitting there.

Don Gonzalo : Tell them to go away.

Juanito : They are talking.

Ans : Juanito asked Don Gonzalo whether he could sit there. Den Gonzalo said that he wanted a bench to himselt juanito polated out that there were three priests sutting there. Don Gonzalo asked Juanito to tell them to go away Juanito remarked that they were talking.

8. Petra : The guard is waiting for me.

Dona Laura : Do you like to chat with your guard?

Petra : He is not mine.

Dona Laura : Wait a moment.

Petra : What does the Senora wish?

Ans : Petra told Dona Laura that the guard was waiting for her. When Doma asked ber whether she would like to chat with her guard, Petra replied that he was not her guard. Dona told ber to wait for a moment. Petra asked what the Senora wished.

9. Don Gonzalo : That one over there is mine.

Juanito : There are three priests sitting there.

Don Gonzalo : Rout them out. Have they gone?

Juanito No, indeed. They are talking.

Ans : Don Gonzalo stated that the one over there was his, Juanito responded saying there were three priests sitting there. Don Gonzalo told juanito to rout them out. He then asked if they had game. Juanito replied in the negative and added that they were talking

10. Dona Laura: You should have asked permission to sit here.

Don Gonzalo : The benches here are public property.

Dona Laura : Why did you complain about the priests?

Don Gonzalo : Are you raunting me?

Dona Laura : Don’t grumble.

Ans : Dona Laura told Don Gonzalo that he should have asked permission to sit there. Don Gommalo said that the benches there were public property. Dosa Laura asked him why then he had complained about the priests. Don Gonzalo asked her if/whether she was trunning him Dona Laura told him not to grumble.

11. Laura : Will you go to your bench tomorrow?

Gonzalo : No, I will come here.

Laura : What will you bring for the birds?

Gonzalo : I will bring some crumbs for the birds.

Ans : Laura asked Gonzalo if/whether he would go to his bench the next day. Gonzalo replied in the negative and said that he would come there. Laura asked Gonzalo wut he would bring for the birds. Gonzalo replied that he would bring some crumbs for the birds.

12. Dona Laura : Are you coming tomorrow?

Don Gonzalo : Most certainly. I will bring a few crumbs.

Dona Laura : Thank you very much. Birds are grateful and repay attention.

Ans : Dona Laura asked Don Gonzalo if he was coming the next day. Don Gonzalo replied that he would certainly come and added that he would bring a few crumbs. Dona Laura thanked Don Gonzalo and added that birds were grateful and repay attention.

13. Don Gonzalo : There are some beautiful poems in this book.

Dona Laura : You cannot imagine how it affincts me to see you reading with all those glasses.

Don Gonzalo : Can you read without any?

Doma Laura : Certainly Pass me the book, I will show you.

Ans : Don Gonzalo told Dona Laura that there were beautiful poems in that book, Dona Laura replied that he could not imagine how it affected ber to see him reading with all those glasses Don Gonzalo ashed Dema Laurs if the could read without glasses, Dona Laura replied that she could certainly read without glasses. Dona Laura asked Don Gonzalo to pass her the book and that she would show him (that she could read without glasses).

14. Den Gonzalo : My cousin never forgot her.

Dona Laura : How do you account then, for his conduct?

Don Gonzalo : My crusin died in the war whispering her name.

Dona Laura : It’s an atrocious lie.

Ans : Don Gonzalo told Dona Laura that his cousin had never forgotten her in reply. Dona Laura asked him how then he would account for his conduct. Don Gonzalo told her that his cousin had died in the war whisping ger Name. Dona Laura called it an atrocious lie.

15. Don Gonzalo : What right have you to criticize my actions?

Dona Laura : A neighbour’s right.

Don Gonzalo : I do not care to listen to nonsense.

Dona Laura : You are very polite.

Ans : Don Gonzalo asked Dona Laura what right she had to criticize his actions. Dona Laura replied that it was her right as a neighbour: Don Gonzalo said that he did not care to listen to nonsense. Dona Laura remarked that he was very polite in his reply.

16. Don Gonzalo: Do you mind my reading aloud?

Dona Laura : You can read as loud as you please.

Don Gonzalo: Can you read without glasses?

Dona Laura I can read.

Ans : Don Gonzalo asked Dona Laura whether she would mind his reading aloud. In reply, she told him that he could read as loud as he pleased. Don Gonzalo asked her whether she could read without glasses. Dona Laura told him that she certainly could.

17. Don Gonzalo : Are you speaking to me, Senora?

Dona Laura : Yes, I am speaking to you.

Don Gonzalo : What do you wish?

Dona Laura : You have scared away the birds who were feeding on my crumbs.

Don Gonzalo : What do I care about the birds?

Ans : Addressing Dona Laura as Senora, Don Gonzalo asked her whether she was speaking to him Dona Laura replied in the affirmative, telling him that she was speaking to him. Don Gonzalo asked her what she wished to tell him. Dona Laura accused him of scaring away the birds that were feeding on her crumbs. Don Gonzalo replied that he did not care about the birds.

18. Dona Laura : You scared away the birds.

Don Gonzalo : I was unreasonable.

Dona Laura : Yes, that was evident. Are you coming again tomorrow?

Don Gonzalo : Most certainly, if it is a sunny morning.

Ans : Dona Laura remarked to Don Gonzalo that he had scared away the birds. Don Gonzalo agreed that he had been unreasonable. Dona Laura assertively stated that it was evident that he was unreasonable. Then she asked him whether he was coming to the park the next day. In reply. Don Gonzalo told her that he would certainly come if it was a sunny morning.

19. Don Gonzalo : I want a bench to myself.

Juanito : There is none.

Don Gonzalo : That one over there is mine.

Juanito : There are three priests sitting there.

Ans : Don Gonzalo told Juanito that he wanted a bench to himself Juanito replied that there wasn’t any. Don Gonzalo pointed to bench and said that it was his bench, Juanito replied that three priests were sitting there.

20. Dona Laura : Go, if you wish to chat with your guard.

Petra : He is not mine, he belongs to the park.

Dona Laura : He belongs more to you than to the park.

Petra : What does the senora wish?

Dona Laura : Give me the bread crumbs.

Ans : Dona Laura told Petra to go if she wished to chat with her guard. Petra replied that the guand was not hers and that he belonged to the park. Dona Laura stated that he belonged more to Petra than to the park. Petra asked her what she wished. Dona Laura asked Petra to give bar the bread crumbs.

21. Don Gonzalo : i composed some verses in my youth.

Dona Laura : Were they good ones?

Don Gonzalo : Why do you ask me such a question?

Dona Laura : Don’t be angry.

Ans : Don Gonzalo told Dona Laura that he had composed some verses in his youth. Dona Laurs asked him if they were good ones. Gonzalo was annoyed and asked her why she was asking him such a question. Laura asked him not to be angry.

22. Dona Laura : Will you go to your bench?

Don Gonzalo : No, I will come to this.

Dona Laura : This bench is at your disposal.

Don Gonzalo : I will bring some crumbs for the birds.

Ans : Dona Laura asked Don Gonzalo if he would go to his bench. Gonzalo replied in the negative and said that he would come to her bench. Laura told him that her bench was at his disposal Gonzalo said that he would bring some crumbs for the birds.

23. Dona Laura : I am glad to be here

Petra : The sun is very hot.

Dona Laura : You are only twenty. I feel more tired today than usual.

Ans : Dona Laura told Petra that she was glad to be there. Petra remarked that the sun was very hot Laura replied that Petra was only twenty. She added that she felt more tired than usual.

24. Dona Laura : You have scared away the birds who were feeding on my crumbs.

Don Gonzalo : What do I care about the birds?

Dona Laura : But I care about them.

Don Gonzalo : This is a public park.

Ans : Dona Laura remarked that Don Gonzalo had scared away the birds who were feeding on her crumbs. Gonzalo replied that he did not care about the birds. To this, Laura replied that she cared about them. Gonzalo said that it was a public park.

25. Don Gonzalo : I am a native of Valencia Dona Laura Are you sure?

Don Gonzalo : Yes. Have you ever visited that city?

Dona Laura : Yes, senor

Ans : Don Gonzalo told Dona Laura that he was a native of Valencia. Dona Laura asked him if he was sure. Gonzalo replied in the affirmative and asked her if she had ever visited that city. Addressing Gonzalo as senor, Laura said that she had.

26. Don Gonzalo : Are you speaking to me?

Dona Laura : You have scared away the birds.

Don Gonzalo : What do I care about the birds? This is a public park.

Ans : Don Gonzalo asked Dona Laura whether she was speaking to him. Dona Laura told him that he had scared away the birds. Gonzalo replied that he did not care about the birds. He added that it was a public park.

27. Juanito : You can sit here, Senor. There is only a lady.

Don Gonzalo : I won’t Juanito. I want a bench to myself.

Juanito : But there is none.

Don Gonzalo : That one over there is mine.

Ans : Juanito told Don Gonzalo that he could sit there as there was only a lady. Don Gonzalo said that he would not and added that he wanted a bench to himself to which Juanito replied that there was none. Don Gonzalo told him that that one over there was his.

C) Fill in the blanks by choosing the appropriate expressions given in brackets:

1. Three priests were sitting on Gonzalo’s usual bench in the park and talking. Gonzalo said that they were ___________ time. He could not tolerate their sitting on his bench and ___________. (resign himself, idling away, take liberty)

Ans : idling away, resigned himself.

2. Gonzalo and Laura were annoyed with each other in the beginning, Gonzalo told Laura that she could not ___________ nd comment on his actions. However, the pinch of snuff he offered her tried to ___________ between them. (know by heart, take liberty, make peace)

Ans : take liberty; make peace.

3. Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo fail to realize what dreams ___________. However, they try to impress each other. When Laura seems to read without glasses, Gonzalo does not know that she knows every word ___________. (come to, by heart, tuke refuge)

Ans : come to; by heart.

4. Both Gonzalo and Laura believe in destiny. They affirm that they were separated from each other after the duel since destiny had decided to ___________ in their life. Laura’s parents kept a close watch on her and Gonzalo had to flee and ___________ in his couain’s house. (make peace, take refuge, play havoc)

Ans : play havoc, take refuge.