Lavrenti informs Grusha that she must marry a dying man (excerpt)

 

GRUSHA:  He did, but I didn’t tell him anything.

         

LAVRENTI:  That’s good. I wanted to speak to you about Aniko. She has a good heart but she’s very, very sensitive. People need only mention our farm and she’s worried. She takes everything hard, you see. One time our milkmaid went to church with a hole in her stocking. Ever since, Aniko has worn two pairs of stockings IN church. It‘s the old family in her.(HE LISTENS)Are you sure there are no rats around? If there are arts, you couldn’t live here.(There are sounds as of dripping from the roof)What’s that dripping?

GRUSHA: It must be barrel leaking.

LAVRENTI: Yes it must be barrel. You’ve been here six months, haven’t you? Was I talking about Aniko? (They listen again to the snow melting)You can’t imagine how worried she gets about your soldier-husband.”Suppose he comes back and can’t find her!”She says and lies awake.”He can’t come before the spring, “I tell her. The dear woman! (The drops begin to fall faster.)When do you think he’ll come? What do you think?

 (GRUSHA is silent.)Not before the spring, you agree? (GRUSHA is silent.)But when the spring comes and the snow melts here and on the passes, you can’t stay on. They may come and look for you. There already talk of an illegitimate child.(The “glockenspiel” of falling drops has grown faster and steadier.)Grusha, the snow is melting on the roof. Spring is here.

GRUSHA: Yes.

 LAVRENTI: (eagerly): I’ll tell you what we’ll do. You need a place to go, and, because of the child (he sighs).You have to have a husband. Grusha, I have one. I talked to a peasant woman who has a son. Just the other side of the mountain. A small farm. And she’s willing. GRUSHA: But I can’t marry! I must wait for Simon Shashava.

 LAVRENTI: Of course. That’s all been taken care of. You don’t need a man in bed-you need a man on paper. And I’ve found you one. The son of this peasnt woman is going to die. Isn’t that wonderful? He’s at his last gasp. And all in line with your story-a husband from the other side of the mountain! And when you met him he was at the gasp. So you’re a widow. What do you say?

GRUSHA: It’s true I could use a document with stamps on it for Michael.

LAVRENTI: Stamps make all the difference. Without something in writing the Shah couldn’t prove he’s a Shah. And you’ll have a place to live.

GRUSHA: How much does the peasant woman want?

 LAVRENTI: Four hundred piasters.

GRUSHA: Where will you find it?

LAVRENTI: (Guiltily!): Aniko’s milk money.

GRUSHA: No one would know us there. I’ll do it.

 LAVRENTI: (getting up): I’ll let the pleasant woman know. Quick exit.

GRUSHA: Michael you cause a lot of fuss. I came by you as the peer tree comes by sparrows. And because a Christian bends down and picks up a crust of bread so nothing will go to waste .Michael, it would have been better had I walked quickly away on that Easter Sunday in Nuka in the second courtyard. Now I am a fool.

 SINGER: The bridegroom was on his deathbed when the bride arrived. The bridegroom’s mother was waiting at the door, telling her to hurry. The bride brought a child along. The witness hid it during the wedding. On the side the bed. Under the mosquito net lies a very sick man.

GRUSHA is pulled in at a run by her future mother-in-law. They are followed by LAVRENTI and the CHILD.

 MOTHER-IN –LAW: Quick! Quick! Or he’ll die on us before the wedding. (TO LAVRENTI:)I was never told she had a child already.

 LAVRENTI: What difference does it make? (Pointing toward the dying man) it can’t matter to him-in his Condition.

 MOTHER-IN-LAW: To him? But I’ll never survive the shame! We are honest people. (She begins to weep.)My Jussup doesn’t have to marry a girl with a child!

Questions

(a) Explain what happens before and after the above extract.                

(b) From elsewhere in the play, make notes of the sacrifices Grusha has had to make for Michael since “that Easter Sunday in Nuka in the second courtyard.              

(c) “He did it but I didn’t tell him anything “Who is being referred to as he?

(d) Give a trait for each of the characters below using the extract.                        

(i) Lavrenti

(ii) Grusha

(iii)Aniko

(e) Explain the significance of the song in the extract.                                   

(f) Identify the use of irony in the extract.                                                        

(g) Explain any theme evident in the extract.                                                    

(h) Explain the meaning of the following words and expressions as used in the extract.

(i) Spring

(ii) Illegitimate

(iii)A man on paper

(iv)  Cause a lot of fuss