The Swan Song (Question- Answers)

 

Very Short Answer Type Questions 

Q1. Why does Svietlovidoff feel dismayed?

Ans.:  Svietlovidoff is dismayed because he is old and lonely. In his youth, he was a famous actor. But now nobody cares for him.

Q2. What was Nikita Ivanitch’s occupation?

Ans.:  Nikita Ivanitch is one of the two characters in the play. He is a prompter like the hero of the play he is also old and lonely. He has no house and at night he sleeps in the dressing room.

Q3. How does the protagonist describe the prime days of his life?

Ans.: Svietlovidoff remembers the period of his youth. At that time he was at the peak of his success. People applauded his performance on the stage.

Q4. What was the condition that the woman who Svietlovidoff loved put on their marriage?

Ans.: When Svietlovidoff was young, a wonderfully charming, and rich woman fell in love with him. He also loved him. But the woman put the condition that in order to marry her, he would have to give up his stage career.

Q5. How long has Svietlovidoff been an actor?

Ans.: Svietlovidoff has been an actor for the last forty-five years. He has devoted himself since long ago for the entertainment of the public and for the entertainment of the public and for the upliftment of art and theatre.

Q5. How long has Svietlovidoff been an actor?

Ans.: Svietlovidoff has been an actor for the last forty-five years. He has devoted himself since long ago for the entertainment of the public and for the entertainment of the public and for the upliftment of art and theatre.

Q6. How are Svietlovidoff and his friend Nikita Ivanitch similar?

Ans.: Both Svietlovidoff and Nikita Ivanitch is in the same theatre. Both have spent their youth in the theatre and are now old. Both of them are lonely and sad.

Q7. How did the audience bid farewell to the actor?

Ans.: The audience felt excited about the last performance of the old actor. They called out his name sixteen times.

Q8. What does Svietlovidoff do at the end of the play?

Ans.: At the end of the play Svietlovidoff is with his friend Nikita in the dressing room. He speaks some lines from the play” Othello”. Then he and Nikita go out together.

 

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. What does Svietlovidoff remember about the lady who loved him?

Ans.: Once Svietlovidoff was a famous actor. But now there is only emptiness and sadness in his life. He says “I am helpless.” This remark shows his despair and sadness in his old age. When his acting career was at the climax, a wonderful, young, rich woman loved him. He proposed to marry her. But she refused to marry him. She put the condition for marriage that she should leave his acting career. She could lone an actor but not be an actor’s wife. It was because at that time stage acting was considered a low profession. The actor or stage artists were regarded as only entertainers for the rich people.

 

Long Answer Type Questions 

Q1. Discuss the appropriateness of the title.

Ans.: “The Swan Song” is the last powerful performance of an artist for the public. In this one-act play of Chekhov's” The Swan Song” is performed by the central character Svitlovidoff. This play is about Svietlovidoff’s last performance on stage. He is now sixty-eight years old. He has been in the theatre for about forty-five years. He has already climbed many peaks of success and achievements in his long acting career.

When the play opens we find him alone, we find him alone in the drunken condition. Today, he gave the last performance of his career. It was a great performance and the audience applauded him. But the audience and other artists have left the theatre. He went to the dressing room and fell asleep there under the effect of wine. Now he is awake and laments at his loneliness. He is homeless and lonely. He remembers with sadness, his past glory and feels miserable at the present condition.

Nikita Ivanitch is a prompter in the same theatre. He is also old and lonely, He comes to console him. He shows deep sympathy for Svietlovidoff has devoted himself since long ago to the entertainment of the public. But now he has only emptiness and sadness in his life. His friend Nikita consoles him. He tells Svietlovidoff that he still has talent in him. Svietlovidoff is encouraged. He utters lines from Shakespeare's plays. In the past, he gave powerful performances of the plays written by the famous dramatist Shakespeare. Now he speaks powerful dialogues from Shakespeare’s famous play’ King Lear’. He reads outlines from the play” Othello”. Nikita Ivanitch applaudes him. This is the real swan song of Suietlovidoff. After that Svietlovidoff goes out. Thus the little of the play is highly appropriate.