CBSE CLASS XI LITERATURE CHAPTER BROWNING VERSION

 

The Browning Version 

 

1. Discuss about the Lesson’s background and the characters.

This chapter is a small portion taken from the play ‘The Browning Version’ written by Terence Rattigan. It is a one-act play set in the backdrop of an Oxford style of a school. Altogether there are three characters in the play – Taplow, Frank, and Mr. Crocker Harris. Taplow is a sixteen years old student, Frank is a young Science teacher teaching at the Higher classes and Mr. Crocker-Harris is a middle-aged, now-retiring schoolmaster. 

 

When this drama begins, Taplow has arrived in the residence of Mr. Crocker Harris to do some left out job in a class. He meets Frank and they both engage in a conversation while Taplow waits for Mr. Harris. Later in the scene Millie, Mrs.Crocker-Harris, who talks to Taplow.

 

2. How does Taplow mark Mr Crocker Harris?

Mr. Crocker-Harris is a strict disciplinarian who works hard and himself follows the rules seriously. He is not a sadist and doesn’t believe in showing any emotions. Taplow likes him anyway and wants him to give his remove. Mr. Crocker-Harris is not biased as he said he would give Taplow exactly what he deserves, nothing less and nothing more.

 

3. How can you say that Mr. Crocker-Harris  is serious in execution of tasks?

Mr. Crocker-Harris himself follows what he means. He practises than preaches. He’s clever and can understand the attempt to flatter him. His Latin lecture is an example at hand. His sense of humour is of top quality. He taunts the student proposing him to enlighten the class with what he has understood. His retirement is due the next day. Yet, he makes it a point to teach an extra class for Taplow for, he missed one for some reason.

 

 

4. Which subjects would Taplow opt for after his remove?

 

Taplow wishes to opt for science if he gets good grades. He claims to be really interested in science and feels it is more interesting than studying classics such as ‘The Agamemnon’. According to him, it is “muck” that had a lot of Greek words, and Mr Crocker-Harris punished them for not getting them right. He has developed abhorrence towards classical literature and hence, the natural choice is Science.

5. What is a hardly human? Whom and why has this phrase been used?

Mr Harris told Taplow that he had got what he deserved. Taplow suspects he might be awarded fewer marks to make him do extra work. He feels Mr Harris is unfeeling. He is  too hard and unfeeling to the medicare students who enjoy getting little pleasures of life and do not quite get a good mark. Therefore, he calls him “hardly human”.

 

6. What does Frank suggest to Taplow when Crocker Harris is behind ten minutes his appointed schedule? What’s Taplow’s reaction?

Crocker Harris instructed Taplow to meet him at six thirty and it’s already ten minutes past that time. Therefore, Taplow may, according to an indulgent Mr Franks, go and play Golf. 

Taplow is shocked and expresses his apprehension should Mr Crocker-Harris come to know. He was certain that nobody had ever done that with Mr Crocker-Harris.

 

7. Discuss the academic joke incident with Mr Crocker Harris in the class?

 

Taplow recalls once in the class where Mr Crocker-Harris made one of his jokes to which nobody laughed. Taplow knew that it was meant to be funny, and he volunteered to laugh. To his utter chagrin, Mr Crocker-Harris teased Taplow about his knowledge of Latin and asked him to explain the joke to the class. He was in a fix.

 

8. Who was Millie Crocker-Harris? What was she like? What can you assess of her?

Millie Crocker-Harris was the young wife of Mr Crocker-Harris. She was a thin woman in her late thirties, and was more smartly dressed than the other schoolmasters’ wives. She is intelligent. Having entered the scene, she realises the immoral nexus between Mr Franks and Taplow. She quick-wittingly chooses to separate them by sending Taplow on errands.

 

9. How does Millie Crocker-Harris send Taplow away?

 

Millie learns from Taplow that he was waiting for her husband. She reveals that Mr Harris has left just for a quarter of an hour and he might be gone for a while. Taplow is hesitant; Millie assures him she would take the blame on herself should Mr Harris arrive before that. She finally sends Taplow off to the chemist.

 

10.  Write a brief character sketch of Frank Hunter.

Frank Hunter is a popular, young science teacher. He is liked by the students who feel he can emotionally understand them better than Mr Crocker-Harris. He is also popular because he teaches science which the students find easier to comprehend than Classics which they think is “muck”. He actually pampers students but himself feels students who take up science are slackers and don’t take much interest in the subject.

He is easy to talk to and approachable. His attitude puts them at their ease. Taplow finds he can confide his troubles in him. In fact, he dares to mimic Mr Crocker-Harris as “the Crock” in Mr Frank’s presence.

However, he encourages students to mimic of other teachers. He probes the details of the relationship between Mr Crocker-Harris and Taplow. He also encourages Taplow to disobey the teacher’s orders and go off before meeting Mr Crocker-Harris.

11. What idea do you form of Taplow after reading the play ‘The Browning Version’?

Taplow is a young boy of seventeen, studying in the lower fifth grade. He is an obedient, quick witted, fun loving and hard-working student. He  likes science. He was summoned for extra work by Mr Crocker-Ha Types 11 and 13 Questions for missing school for a day the week before as he was ill. Though he wishes to play golf on the last day before school closes, he obediently turns up to wait for his teacher. He is devoted to Mr Crocker-Harris although he deeply respects him.

12.  What is the school’s rule about the remove? What does Taplow say about it?

As a rule, the class final results or remove should be announced only by the headmaster on the last day of the term or session. But Taplow complains that the rule is followed strictly only by Mr Crocker-harris. While other teachers tell students about the result long before that, Mr Crocker Harris advised Taplow to wait till it is formally declared and further informed him that he had given him the marks exactly what he deserved.So, he will have to wait until the next day to know his fate.