The Dear Departed | William Stanley Houghton | Part I | CBSE | Class X

Notebook - The Fast learning app

19 Mar 201906:30

Summary

TLDRThe video discusses William Stanley Houghton's play 'The Dear Departed,' which critiques the neglect of elderly people in early 20th-century British society, a theme also relevant to Indian society. The story revolves around Abel Merryweather, who is presumed dead by his daughters, Amelia and Elizabeth, and their families. The narrative exposes their shallow pretenses of mourning, driven by greed for inheritance rather than genuine affection. Through humorous and critical depictions, the play highlights the superficiality and moral decay within families when it comes to caring for their elders.

Takeaways

🎭 The play 'The Dear Departed' by William Stanley Houghton highlights the neglect of elderly people in early 20th-century British and Indian societies.
👵 The play revolves around how children often leave their old, infirm parents to live alone while they pursue work far from home.
🖋️ William Stanley Houghton was an English playwright born in 1881 and was part of the Manchester School of dramatists, known for his sympathetic insight into northern English life.
🏠 The play is set in a lower-middle-class British household, with detailed stage directions emphasizing old, shabby furniture and decorative pieces.
💀 Abel Merriweather, a 70-year-old man, is assumed dead by his family, and the play explores their superficial displays of mourning and pretentious grief.
👗 The Slater family dresses in black for mourning, but their actions reveal that their grief is insincere and driven by concern over inheritance.
👨‍👩‍👦 Mrs. Slater and her family quickly begin removing Abel's possessions, fearing that Elizabeth Jordan, Mrs. Slater's sister, may claim them.
😢 The character of Victoria, a child, shows moral sensibility by being shocked at her parents’ behavior during this opportunistic moment.
👥 Both the Slater and Jordan families are portrayed as shallow and materialistic, pretending to care about their father's death while really focused on his property.
🍵 Despite the tension and superficial mourning, the families eventually gather for tea, further emphasizing the absurdity of their feigned grief.

Q & A

Who is the playwright of *The Dear Departed*?
-The playwright of *The Dear Departed* is William Stanley Houghton, an English dramatist born in 1881.
What is the main theme of *The Dear Departed*?
-The main theme of *The Dear Departed* is the neglect of elderly people, particularly within British society in the early 20th century, and it draws parallels to similar issues in Indian society.
What are some of William Stanley Houghton's notable works?
-Some of William Stanley Houghton's notable works include *Hindle Wakes*, *Independent Means*, *The Younger Generation*, *Master of the House*, and *Fancy Free*.
Which famous dramatists influenced William Stanley Houghton?
-William Stanley Houghton was influenced by dramatists such as Henrik Ibsen, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, and St. John Hankin.
What does the setting of the play reveal about the Slater household?
-The setting, described as a lower middle-class household with shabby furniture, ornamental pieces, and an old American clock, suggests that the Slater family is not wealthy but tries to maintain appearances.
Who is Abel Merryweather, and what happens to him in the play?
-Abel Merryweather is a 70-year-old man, the father of Amelia Slater and Elizabeth Jordan. At the beginning of the play, he is assumed to be dead, and his family gathers to mourn him.
How do the Slaters and the Jordans display their grief in the play?
-The Slaters and Jordans display shallow and pretentious grief by dressing in black and focusing on material possessions rather than showing genuine sorrow for Abel Merryweather's death.
What does Mrs. Slater do with Abel Merryweather's possessions before her sister arrives?
-Mrs. Slater removes Abel Merryweather's bureau and old American clock from his room, fearing that her sister Elizabeth might try to claim them as her share of the inheritance.
What is the role of Victoria in the play?
-Victoria, the 10-year-old daughter of the Slaters, is more innocent and shocked by her parents' actions, particularly their greed and lack of respect for her grandfather.
What does Mrs. Slater's behavior represent in the play?
-Mrs. Slater's behavior represents the selfishness, greed, and hypocrisy that the playwright aims to criticize. Despite pretending to grieve, she is more concerned with material gain than with her father's death.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 Introduction to 'The Dear Departed' and William Stanley Houghton

The first paragraph introduces the play 'The Dear Departed' by William Stanley Houghton, focusing on its themes of neglect of the elderly in early 20th-century British society. This is paralleled with similar societal issues in India, where children leave their aged parents alone. The speaker aims to draw a lesson from the play regarding the care we owe to our elders. Before discussing the play, the author, William Stanley Houghton, is introduced as an English playwright born in 1881, known for his works like 'Hindle Wakes' and 'Independent Means.' His plays, inspired by dramatists such as Henrik Ibsen and Oscar Wilde, often explore the lives of northern English communities.

05:03

🛋 Setting the Scene: A Shabby Household and a 'Dead' Father

The second paragraph sets the stage for the play, describing the Slater household, a lower middle-class British home filled with worn-out furniture and ornamental pieces. The family believes Abel Merryweather, the 70-year-old father of Amelia Slater and Elizabeth Jordan, has died. As they await the arrival of the Jordans, the Slaters discuss their mourning clothes and behavior. Despite their outward appearance of grief, the family's actions reveal their pretentious nature. Amelia Slater instructs her daughter Victoria to change into a black mourning dress, while her husband Henry changes into formal black attire. Their behavior suggests that their mourning is more for show than genuine sorrow.

💼 Greed and Hypocrisy: The Slaters’ Manipulative Actions

The third paragraph dives deeper into the Slater family's greed and hypocrisy. Amelia Slater expresses suspicion that her sister Elizabeth is motivated by greed for their father’s property. As a result, Amelia and Henry begin taking Abel's belongings, including an old American clock and a bureau, fearing Elizabeth might claim them. Through Amelia’s actions—putting on a false show of grief while stealing from her 'dead' father—the playwright, Houghton, exposes the shallow and self-serving nature of people like Mrs. Slater. Their lack of true affection or responsibility towards their father is laid bare, as they prioritize material gain over familial respect.

👗 The Arrival of the Jordans: More Hypocrisy Unveiled

The final paragraph introduces Mr. Ben Jordan and Mrs. Elizabeth Jordan, who finally arrive at the Slater household, dressed in mourning attire. Elizabeth's delayed arrival is explained as preparation for their black mourning clothes, highlighting the family's obsession with appearances. Elizabeth expresses shock at the lack of a doctor for her father, only to be told that no doctor could have saved him. The Slaters describe Abel’s jolly mood earlier that morning, further emphasizing the shallow reactions of the family members. The paragraph ends with Elizabeth wiping her tears as the family prepares to have tea, continuing the theme of insincere grief amidst materialistic concerns.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Elder Neglect

Elder neglect refers to the societal failure to care for aging family members. In the video, it’s discussed as a theme in both early 20th-century British and contemporary Indian societies. The play ‘The Dear Departed’ highlights this neglect, with children abandoning their parents for personal or financial gain.

💡Pretentious Mourning

Pretentious mourning refers to the act of pretending to grieve or show sorrow in an exaggerated way for appearances. In the script, the Slater and Jordan families put on black clothes and act sad, but their actions reveal they are more interested in their inheritance than genuinely mourning Abel Merriweather.

💡Abel Merriweather

Abel Merriweather is the deceased father of Amelia Slater and Elizabeth Jordan in the play. His death sets the events of the story in motion, and his daughters’ lack of genuine grief exposes their shallow and materialistic nature. Abel represents the neglected elderly who are forgotten by their own families.

💡Slater Family

The Slater family, consisting of Amelia Slater, her husband Henry, and their daughter Victoria, is one of the central families in the play. Their behavior reveals the moral decay and selfishness of the characters, as they prioritize material gain over familial duty and respect for the dead.

💡Bureau and American Clock

The bureau and American clock symbolize material possessions that the Slater family quickly moves to claim after Abel’s death. These items represent the greed of the family members, as they focus on dividing the inheritance rather than honoring their father’s memory. The objects highlight the theme of shallow materialism.

💡Black Mourning Clothes

Black mourning clothes traditionally symbolize grief and respect for the deceased. In the play, however, the characters' obsession with wearing black is superficial, as they rush to dress in mourning attire to maintain appearances, even though their grief is insincere. This underscores the theme of false appearances in society.

💡Victoria

Victoria is the young daughter of Amelia Slater, and she represents innocence and morality in contrast to her parents. Throughout the play, she is shocked by her parents’ actions, such as stealing her grandfather’s belongings, and questions their behavior, highlighting the theme of corruption in older generations.

💡Elizabeth Jordan

Elizabeth Jordan is Abel’s other daughter, and like her sister Amelia, she is portrayed as greedy and self-centered. She is initially concerned with her share of the inheritance, and her arrival in black mourning clothes is more about performance than genuine grief. Elizabeth represents the corrupting influence of materialism.

💡Manchester School of Dramatists

The Manchester School of Dramatists was a group of playwrights who focused on realistic depictions of working-class life in northern England. William Stanley Houghton, the author of ‘The Dear Departed,’ was a member of this group, and his works, including this play, often critique the moral and social values of his time.

💡Hypocrisy

Hypocrisy is a central theme in the play, shown through the characters’ actions as they pretend to care for Abel while secretly plotting to divide his possessions. Their false display of mourning and respect contrasts with their selfish motives, highlighting the moral duplicity in society when it comes to familial responsibilities.

Highlights

William Stanley Houghton's play 'The Dear Departed' reflects the neglect of the elderly in early 20th century British society.

The theme of neglect in the play is also relevant to Indian society, where children leave their aged parents alone to work far away.

William Stanley Houghton, born in 1881, was part of the Manchester School of dramatists and influenced by playwrights like Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw.

'The Dear Departed' focuses on a lower-middle-class household, with detailed stage directions that highlight the household’s shabby furniture and old items.

The plot revolves around the death of Abel Merryweather, a 70-year-old man, and his family's shallow and pretentious mourning.

Amelia Slater and her husband Henry immediately start planning to claim Abel Merryweather's belongings, showing their greed.

Amelia and Henry fear that Elizabeth Jordan, Amelia’s sister, will also want a share of their father’s property.

Victoria, Amelia's 10-year-old daughter, is scolded for not wearing mourning clothes, highlighting the superficiality of their grief.

The Slaters quickly remove valuable objects, including a bureau and an old American clock, from Abel's room to claim them before Elizabeth arrives.

Victoria, the young girl, expresses shock at her parents' behavior, showing that children can have better moral sense.

Elizabeth Jordan and her husband Ben arrive dressed in black mourning clothes, also displaying a shallow performance of grief.

Elizabeth Jordan's delay in arriving is attributed to them preparing their black mourning attire, underscoring the theatrical nature of their grief.

Elizabeth and Amelia argue over who attended to Abel Merryweather before his death, with Elizabeth criticizing Amelia for not calling a doctor.

Amelia explains that Abel had been in a good mood before going to bed after paying his insurance and likely visiting the public house.

The play uses humor and irony to expose the hypocrisy and materialism of the family members, making it a critical commentary on societal attitudes toward the elderly.