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SHORT SUMMARIES II YEAR PU ENGLISH UNITS, 01. ROMEO AND JULIET: These collection of verse lines are extracted from the same name play by William, Shakespeare the greatest playwright and poet. Here the poet expresses the implicit love feelings of Romeo and, Juliet for each other. Romeo sees Juliet on the dance floor. He gets fascinated by her beauty. He says that she, is brighter than the torches’ light. She looks like a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear. She looks like a snowy dove, among the crows. He wishes to touch her hands. He says that he had not seen such a beautiful lady till then., Juliet too is fascinated by Romeo’s charming personality. She urges the night to give her Romeo and says that, he looks like day in night. He is whiter than new snow on a raven’s back. To immortalize Romeo She asks, the night to cut him into little stars and sky would appear brighter with these little stars. Then, people would, fall in love with night and ignore the garish sun., 02 “Too Dear!” is a short story written by Count Leo Tolstoy. It ridicules the ways of punishing a criminal, , and criticizes an unfit ruler., A Note on Monaco: The king of Monaco ruled a tiny kingdom with a small population of about seven, thousand. In that kingdom he was a real kinglet. He had a palace, courtiers, ministers, a bishop, generals and, an army to take care of. However, he had very limited sources of income: a tax on tobacco, wine, spirits and, a poll-tax. These sources were insufficient. So, he found a new source of special income; a gaming house, where people played roulette., The Kinglet’s failure to carry out the punishment to the murderer: Once a murder was committed and, the criminal was sentenced to death, there was only one hitch in the matter; they had neither a guillotine nor, an executioner. A council of ministers was called and letters were sent to France and Italy asking them, whether they could provide the machine and if yes what would be the expenses. France and Italy, governments agreed to provide the guillotine machine for 16000 and 12000 francs respectively. It was too, dear. So the ministers decided to ask one of their soldiers to execute the criminal but they were not ready., Later, it was decided to alter the death sentence to one of imprisonment for life. The criminal was kept in a, small lock-up and a guard was appointed to look after him. But exactly after a year when he looked over the, account, he noticed a new item of expenditure 600 francs for the keep of the criminal., The criminal’s denial/reluctance to run away: When they found dealing with the criminal is too dear they, told the criminal to run away but the criminal was reluctant to run away because he had nowhere to go. He, complained that by their death sentence, they had ruined his character. He was afraid that people would turn, their backs on him. Besides, he had lost touch with the way of working. He said he had been treated badly, which was not fair. After he was sentenced, he should have been executed. Instead, they changed it to life, imprisonment, put a guard on him and then took him away again. He had to fetch his own food. Though he, agreed to all these changes without complaining. So, he declined to go out of the prison. Finally they, decided to get rid of him by offering him a pension of 600 francs a year by which the criminal started a, market gardening near the frontiers and led a happy life., 03. ON CHILDREN is taken from Lebanese-American poet Kahlil Gibran’s poetic essay The Prophet. The poem, is a critique of the usual expectations of parents about their children and urges parents to introspect themselves., The prophet says that children do not belong to the parents. Parents are just biological means. They are the, sons and daughters of Life’s longing. Parents may give their love to children but not their thoughts because, they have their own thoughts. Parents may house their bodies but not their souls because their souls live in, the house of tomorrow. Parents may try to be like their children. But they should not try to make their children, like themselves. Prophet compares the parents to bow, children to arrows and God to archer. God uses parents, as His instruments to make the children reach a particular goal. Parents should accept this pain with gladness., God loves the arrow that flies and also loves the bow that is stable.
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04. “A Sunny Morning” is a one act play by Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quintero, brothers and celebrated, Spanish playwrights. The story is centred on two old lovers now in their 70s meeting at a park and trying to, recall their romantic past., The man is Don Gonzalo and the lady is Dona Laura.They meet at the park but they are not able to identify, each other at the beginning. Don Gonzalo angers Dona Laura as he scares away the birds she was feeding., Laura picks up a verbal combat attacking him with a barrage of words. He retorts though, gives up soon and, offers her a pinch of snuff and reconciles with her., When Don Gonzalo reads from Campoamor’s ‘Twenty years pass. He returns’, both feel that they were the, lovers in the past. But they choose to pretend to hide their identities. Don Gonzalo tells Laura that he was, Gonzalo’s cousin and she says that she heard about Dona Laura’s story through her friend., Laura Llorente lived at Maricela in Valencia. She was known as ‘The Silver Maiden’ in her locality., Gonzalo would pass by on horseback every morning down the rose path under her window and would toss, up to her balcony a bouquet of flowers. Later in the afternoon he would return by the same path and catch, the bouquet of flowers she would toss him. Laura’s parents wanted to get her married to a merchant. A duel, followed and the merchant was badly wounded by Gonzalo. He fled away fearing the consequences. Laura, waited for days and months and not hearing from him for long she left her home one afternoon and went to, the beach. While she was engrossed in his thoughts she was washed away by the waves., Don Gonzalo’s version: Gonzalo loved her intensely too. After injuring the merchant seriously, fearing the, consequences, he took refuge in Seville and Madrid. He wrote many letters to her but they were intercepted, by her parents. As there was no reply, in despair, he joined the army and met his death in Africa., , 06. WHEN YOU ARE OLD is the best love poem by Nobel Laureate and Irish poet W B Yeats. The speaker is in, love with the most beautiful young lady who does not reciprocate his love and he imagines her old age when, she is left with nothing. Then he urges her to read his book of poems which expresses his true love for her., There are other young men who love her physical beauty and do not care for her feelings, whereas the speaker, loves her inner beauty and her pilgrim soul which is in quest of truth. He also loves the sorrows of her changing, face. He warns that she would be old by the time she realizes this truth and regret for having lost her true love, by murmuring little sadly how love has fled beyond her reach over the mountains., 07“The Gardener” written by noted writer and journalist P. Lankesh. The story narrates how rivalry can, divide people and relationships leading to revenge., The change of owner’s life style: The owner’s life changed dramatically after the entry of the man on his, farm. The petty thefts in the garden came to an end, income from the garden improved and the plantation, expanded. However, the owner became lethargic and shied away from hard work. His wealth and social, prestige had risen higher. He went on to acquire new friends in the next town and in his own village as well., He became crowded with colourful events. He was also involved in adultery through his newly acquired, clout., Basavaiah’s efforts to overcome humiliation: Tammanna started to compose all his experiences in the, form of ballads and sing them. Basavaiah had no answer, though he tried to sing yet he failed. Tammanna’s, reputation spread all around. He was felicitated as the best poet of his times. Basavaiah shrunk in, humiliation. He tried to fill his life with all kinds of material wealth. He built a palatial mansion for himself,, appointed a number of persons just to praise him, and wore gold, diamonds and other precious stones. But, his house looked dull without Tammanna’s books. Therefore he started inviting scholars, poets and, musicians to his place. Thus, he tried to overcome his humiliation., The rivalry between Tammanna and Basavaiah: Tammanna, a rich man owned 1000 acres of land, whereas his rival Basavaiah had 800 acres of land. He wanted to buy another 200 acres from Tammanna. As
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he was not willing to sell, Basavaiah encroached upon the lands of Tammanna. Though advised to approach, the court of Law or the Police, Tammanna found an innovative way to compose all of his achievements in, the form of ballads which became very famous. Basavaiah in turn amassed huge wealth and tried to increase, his popularity by appointing people to praise his glories but in vain. Tammanna wanted to punish Basavaiah, through another method that was his death. So, he gave up everything and left the village causing the, absence of a rival in Basavaiah’s life. Basavaiah died soon finding life boring without a rival., 08. HEAVEN, IF YOU ARE NOT HERE ON EARTH is a poem by the greatest 20th century poet of Kannada literature, Kuvempu. Here the poet tries to demystify the concept of ‘heaven and gods’. The speaker asserts that heaven, is on earth. If heaven is not on earth, it could be nowhere else. We ourselves are gods and nymphs if we could, not be gods there would be no gods at all. In the beauty of nature, heaven lies all over on the earth. The roaring, stream, the rushing surf rolling at the edge of waves, the tender sunshine on the verdant gardens, the gentle, sun, the splendour of harvest, and the splendour of moonlight – thus the presence of nature in all these things, on earth makes it a real heaven. The poet, drinking the song of nectar and spilling it in the form of songs,, creates heaven on earth., 09. JAPAN AND BRAZIL THROUGH A TRAVELLER’S EYE, , George Mikes is a Hungarian artist, author, publisher, illustrator and journalist. These excerpts are from ‘The, Rising of The Yen’ and ‘How To Tango’. Here he writes about his travelling experiences from two different, places of the world, Japan and Brazil., Japanese Manners / Courtesy - substitute privacy: The writer observes that Japanese are well-mannered, people. They respect one another’s privacy immensely. Courtesy has a double function there: it is courtesy, and it is substitute privacy. They conduct their most confidential business transactions, their love -quarrels in, public in perfect privacy., Bowing: Everybody in Japan keeps bowing to everybody else. It’s a mania. Bowing is quainter; more, formal, more oriental and infectious too. Japanese have a complicated hierarchy in bowing: who bows to, whom, how deeply and for how long. Though a little complicated to us, they manage it effortlessly. Even the, smallest difference in rank, standing, age, social position will be subtly reflected in that split second. The, wife bows to her husband, the child bows to his father, younger brothers to elder brothers, and the sister, bows to all brothers of whatever age. The writer notes that despite with their distinct manners, Japanese can, turn into savages as soon as the bus arrives., Eating Soup: One must make a fearful noise while eating soup in Japan, for it is a sign of appreciation. It, must be according to the expected levels of approval or it is thought to be an example of ill manners., Brazilians’ sense of beauty / Traffic in Brazil: Life in Brazil looks slow paced to the writer. He, appreciates their aesthetic sense in decorating the grey pavements in Copacabana with beautiful black, mosaics. But the same leisurely characters speed madly when they get to the steering wheel. They are, highly passionate about cars, though motor cars are extremely expensive. As soon as a driver notices a, pedestrian step off the pavement, he targets him and accelerates in a fair game. The pedestrian has to run for, dear life. It’s a driver and pedestrian - hunter and prey game. They smile at each other amicably and move, on. Even the war between the drivers is murderous but good tempered. There is no anger, no hostility, no, mad hooting., 09 “The Voter”, , Roof is an intelligent manipulator: “The Voter” is a story by Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian novelist, poet,, professor and critic. In this he unravels the lapses of newly introduced Western democratic system in Africa, where the native people are innocent and do not understand the intricacies leading to corruption and
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manipulation. No doubt, Roof is shrewd and a manipulator. Throughout the story there are many instances, where he proves his skills. He stayed back in Umuofia to guide people thus winning their confidence. When, politics made its entry in his village he capitalized his strength by supporting Marcus Ibe. After Marcus, became the minister, he took advantage of the situation. He got many favours through Ibe’s influence. When, it was time for the second election, he had already read the mood and mind of his villagers. He negotiated, with them over four shillings in return for their votes to Marcus Ibe. He made most of the situation when an, offer came from Maduka for five pounds. His attitude suits exactly how people and money operate under the, influence of politics. He is a quick decision maker and didn’t hesitate to tear his ballot paper into two to, strike a balance. This proves that he is an intelligent manipulator., The change in the attitude of the villagers before the second election: The central theme of the story, revolves around the second election scenario. When the first election was held, the villagers had elected, Marcus Ibe based on Rufus Okeke’s words without any expectation. After Ibe became Minister of Culture,, there was a dramatic change in his lifestyle and social status. He owned two cars and had just built himself, the biggest house. All these developments made the villagers change their attitude. This time they were sure,, they would vote only by taking their share of the opportunity., The formation of the POP: The POP had been formed by the tribes down the coast to save themselves from, “total political, cultural, social and religious annihilation.” Though it was sure to lose, yet it wanted to make, an impact. It took on PAP straight by providing cars and loudspeakers to a few rascals to make a lot of, noise., 10 The essay “Where There Is A Wheel” is taken from the book ‘Everybody loves a good drought’ written by, P. Sainath a noted Indian journalist who writes columns regularly on social, rural problems post, globalization in leading journals. This essay is about a social movement through cycling in Pudukkottai, district of Tamilnadu where over 100,000 rural women have taken to bicycling. Most of them are neoliterates who use bicycling as a symbol of independence, freedom and mobility. Cycling has given new, meaning and social identity to women, agricultural workers, quarry labourers and village health nurses., Even balwadi and anganwadi workers, gem cutters and school teachers have joined the bandwagon. There, are also gram sevikas and mid-day meal workers who have joined the new movement. The Arivoli Iyakkam, that led the community literacy movement successfully has found a new source of inspiration in cycling to, make women further independent and confident. Very large number of trained women have volunteered to, help new learners. They strongly believe that all women ought to learn cycling. The very idea was the, brainchild of the popular former district collector, Sheela Rani Chunkanth. She took it as a personal, challenge to promote the cause of bicycling. This was because by training female activists literacy could be, reached to women easily. She included mobility as a part of the literacy drive. Surprisingly, every woman, wanted to learn. Muthu Bhaskaran, a male Arivoli activist even wrote the famous cycling song which has, become their anthem., Cycling for these women has helped in several ways: they sell their agricultural products; their waiting time, is saved; they are now able to cover large areas and they have more leisure. More than economic aspect,, cycling has given these women a sense of self-respect. This humble vehicle is a metaphor for freedom, which has given neo-cyclists the feel of goodness and freedom.
