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A Matter of Husbands by Ference Molnar
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GLOSSARY
A Matter of Husbands by Ference Molnar
poised (adj.): in a state of balance
gilt (adj.): gold, or something resembling gold, applied to a surface in a thin layer
palpably (adv.): noticeably or clearly
boudoir (n.): a woman’s bedroom or small private room
gulp (v.): swallow or breath with difficulty, typically in response to strong emotion
beseeching (adj.): (of a look or tone of voice) appealing or begging for something
implore (v.): beg someone desperately to do something
strut (v.): walk with a stiff, erect and apparently arrogant way
lure (v.): to tempt or attract a person or an animal
appraisingly (n.): in a way that shows you judge the value, quality or nature of something or somebody
expedients (n.): means of attaining an end, especially ones which are convenient but possibly improper or immoral
scruples (n.): feelings of doubt or hesitation with regard to the morality or propriety of course of action
contritely (adj.): in a way that shows you feel very sorry and guilty for something bad you have done
impetuously (adj.): in an impulsive way, without considering the results
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
A Matter of Husbands by Ference Molnar
Ferenc Molnar (1878–1952) was regarded as Hungary's most celebrated and controversial playwright. Being a Jew, he migrated to America to escape the Nazi persecution during the Second World War. His famous plays include The Devil (1907), Lilion (1909), The Guardsman (1910), The Swan (1920), and The Play's the Thing (1926).
This one-act play is an entertaining play that focuses on the main function of the actor, that is, to make the audience believe what is in fact not real.
MAJOR CHARACTERS
A Matter of Husbands by Ference Molnar
Famous Actress
She is an actress who is having an affair with a man who is a lawyer for her manager.
Earnest Young Woman
Her husband is having an affair with a famous actress. She goes to the Famous Actress, demanding her husband's back.
Alfred
He is Earnest Young Woman's husband, who has an affair with a Famous Actress. He has a short role, but he is the central issue in the play.
SETTING OF THE PLAY
A Matter of Husbands by Ference Molnar
The drawing room of the Famous Actress during the late afternoon.
SHORT SUMMARY
A Matter of Husbands by Ference Molnar
This play, "A Matter of Husbands," is a one-act play that has been written by Ferenc Molnar. This play contains only one scene and conversation between two women: an Earnest Young Woman and a famous actress. These two women are the major characters in this play.
This play, "A Matter of Husbands," sheds light on the basic function of actors: to make the audience believe in the illusion.
When the play begins, we find that Earnest Young Woman walks into the famous actress' drawing room and asks her to return her husband. The Famous Actress replies that she has not taken her husband, although she has met him. She asks for justification for blaming her. The Earnest Young Woman says that her husband has sent her flowers and written a letter of apology for her. She reads the particular letter in front of the actress. The Famous Actress says that her husband has come up with this trick to get more love from her. She convinces Earnest Young Woman, saying that such incidents are common for actresses like her. Many co-workers, even bosses, ask her for favours to make their wives jealous. The Earnest Young Woman realises her folly and expresses her gratitude to the actress. She even kisses the famous actress, being joyous. As the Earnest Young Woman leaves the drawing room, the Famous Actress calls Alfred, and he comes out of the closet.
MAIN PLOT POINTWISE
▪︎ Earnest Young Woman comes to Famous Actress and asks her to give her husband back.
▪︎ Earnest Young Woman blames her, saying that her husband has been in love with the famous actress. He sends her flowers and writes letters.
▪︎ A Famous Actress starts weaving a fake story about her husband, saying that he is attempting to trick her to get more affection from her.
▪︎ Earnest Young Woman believes in the fake story made up by the actress and realizes her stupidity.
▪︎ When Earnest Young Woman goes out of the drawing room, Famous Actress asks Alfred to come out of the closet.
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ALL PLAYS IMPORTANT QUESTIONS' SOLUTION PACK
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A Matter of Husbands by Ference Molnar
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
Answer the following questions.
a. What favour does Earnest Young Woman ask from The Famous Actress?
Answer:
The Earnest Young Woman asks for a favour to give her husband back from the famous ctress. She loves her husband extremely much. She has come to know about her husband's deception.
b. What, according to The Earnest Young Woman, are the indications that her husband has fallen in love with Famous Actress?
Answer:
According to the Earnest Young Woman, the following are indications that her husband has fallen in love with a famous actress:
▪︎ Her husband has sent her (a famous actress) flowers. She learned about it from a florist.
▪︎ She finds her husband's love letter on the table that he has forgotten. The letter contains her husband's apology and thousands of kisses for not being able to call her a famous actress.
c. Is Earnest Young Woman convinced by the argument of Famous Actress? How?
Answer:
Yes, Earnest Young Woman is convinced by the argument of a famous actress. We find Earnest Young Woman quite satisfied and happy at the end of the play. She seems fully convinced and kisses the Famous Actress for being so happy. She thinks that she has gotten her husband back.
d. Where is the Earnest Young Woman’s husband hiding himself as they are talking about him?
Answer:
The Earnest Young Woman's husband is hiding himself inside the closet as they are talking about him. When Earnest Young Woman moves out of the drawing room, a famous actor calls out by his name, Alfred, and he comes out of the closet.
e. When do you feel that Famous Actress is really good at acting?
Answer:
I feel that the Famous Actress is really good at acting when she calls out the name of Alfred and Alfred comes out of her closet at the end of the play. This suspense at the end of the play makes me feel that she is really good at acting. She seems quite confident in her words and gestures while convincing the earnest young woman. She convinces not only the Earnest Young Woman but also the audience very precisely. Her last word, "Alfred," and the entry of Alfred from her closet surprise the audience.
f. How do we come to know that Famous Actress and the husband of Earnest Young Woman are in love?
Answer:
We come to know that Famous Actress and the husband of Earnest Young Woman are in love through the last act of Famous Actress when she calls Earnest Young Woman's husband's name Alfred, and Alfred comes out of her closet.
g. Write down the plot of the play in a paragraph.
Answer:
When the play begins, Earnest Young Woman enters the famous actress's drawing room and asks her to give her husband back. Earnest Young Woman blames her, saying that her husband has been in love with her (a famous actress). According to her, her husband has sent her flowers and even written an apology letter. A Famous Actress starts weaving a fake story about her husband, saying that he is attempting to trick her to get more affection from her. Earnest Young Woman believes in the fake story made up by the actress and realizes her stupidity. When Earnest Young Woman departs, the Famous Actress asks Alfred to come out of the closet.
REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT
a. Sketch the character of Famous Actress.
Answer:
The Famous Actress in this play is young and beautiful. She is quite a good actress who works in theatre. She is quite good at acting. She seems so innocent in her outer appearance. But she is quite deceptive and wicked inwardly. Here in this play, she has been suspected and blamed by the earnest young woman. She has a good quality of speech. She defends herself quite tactfully. She convinces the Earnest Young Woman with her reasoning. The way she tells stories to prevent a woman from believing that her husband is having an affair with her is cunning and deceitful. She also leads an immoral life, which is seen at the end of the story, where it is revealed that Alfred, the husband of an earnest young woman, was actually in her house.
b. Shed light on the difference between an ordinary woman and an actress.
Answer:
In this play, "A Matter of Husband," we find two major female characters. These two characters are quite different in their appearances and natures.
Here, the ordinary woman is a wife, whereas the Famous Actress is a single woman. The play presents the conversation between these two women. Through their conversation, we get to know that the ordinary woman is a simple-minded and timid person who has easily been deceived by the false story of the actress.
In the beginning, the ordinary woman enters the actress's drawing room full of tears, blaming her husband for having an affair with the actress. She has evidence against the actress. When she blames the actress, the actress convinces her with her fake story. The actress tells her a fake story related to her husband's intentions behind his acts. According to her, an ordinary woman's husband wants to make her jealous so that he can regain her love.
The ordinary woman believes her words without any doubt. She becomes extremely happy, and she even kisses the actress at last.
At the end of the play, when the actress calls out Alfred's name, Alfred comes out of her closet. This final act shows that the actress is such a cunning woman, whereas the ordinary woman is timid. We find the actress brilliant at her acting and speech. She seems full of confidence while sharing her opinions. She doesn't hesitate to weave her fake story. On the other hand, the ordinary woman seems so hesitant. She has a fear of losing her husband. The play presents her as a simple wife who loves her husband so much. However, the actress is presented as an immoral woman who has an illegal relationship with an ordinary woman's husband, Alfred.
c. According to Famous Actress, men associated with theatre use the theatre actresses to make their estranged wives jealous so as to woo them back. Do you agree with her argument? Why? Why not?
Answer:
No, I don't agree with her argument. These are very rare cases. Her statement is so fake, which has less connection with the reality of men associated with the theatre. According to her, men associated with theatre use the theatre actresses to make their estranged wives jealous so as to woo them back. Here, we find that she gets blamed for cheating by Earnest Young Woman all of a sudden. To escape herself from that blame, she weaves a false story regarding entire men who are associated with the theatre. Not every man associated with the theatre has a timid, simple-minded, and gullible wife. In the case of Alfred, we find a simple-minded wife. The Famous Actress is such a cunning woman who has an immoral relationship with Earnest Young Woman's husband, Alfred. Both Famous Actresses and Alfred are cheating Earnest Young Woman in the real sense. To convince Earnest Young Woman and save herself from the blame, she makes a so-called statement.
d. How does Famous Actress make a fool of Earnest Young Woman?
Answer:
Famous Actress makes a fool of Earnest Young Woman by putting forward a fake story regarding men and actresses associated with the theatre. When the Famous Actress gets blamed by Earnest Young Woman, she states that there was a misunderstanding between her and her husband. She convinces the Earnest Young Woman that her husband is playing with her to make her jealous and get her love back. After hearing her opinions, the Earnest Young Woman innocently realises her mistake and apologises to her. She even kisses the Famous Actress at last, being convinced and satisfied.
e. The conversation between the two women takes place on the stage of the theatre. What role does the theatre house as a part of the setting play in A Matter for Husband?
Answer:
The play "A Matter of Husbands" by Ferenc Molnar sheds light on the basic function of actors: to make the audience believe in the illusion. Here, we find the whole play presented on the stage of the theatre house, where two major characters have a conversation. As a part of the setting, the theatre house has provided a fine environment to present the basic function of actors, i.e., making the audience believe in the illusion. The setting of the theatre house has made it possible to create an illusion among the audience about the excellent roles of the actors. Here, the theatre house has provided both characters with a fine environment to have their private conversations, which shouldn't be done publicly. The theatre house as a part of the setting has played a tremendous role in the presentation of the thematic concern.
REFERENCE BEYOND THE CONTEXT
a. Write a paragraph describing your favourite actor/actress.
Answer:
My Favourite Actor
My favourite actor is Akshay Kumar. Akshay Kumar, whose real name is Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia, is a well-known film actor as well as a producer and martial arts expert. People also fondly call him 'Akki'. Akshay Kumar has worked in more than 125 films. He has been nominated several times for his films in the Filmfare Awards, out of which he has won this award twice. He has been working in the Hindi film industry for a long time and is also known for his disciplined nature and routine. Known as 'Khiladiyon Ke Khiladi', Akshay does most of the stunts in his films himself. Akshay Kumar was born in Amritsar, Punjab. His father, Hari Om Bhatia, was a military officer. His mother's name is Aruna Bhatia. Akshay also has a sister named Alka Bhatia. He did his schooling at Don Bosco School and his further studies at Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Mumbai. After earning a black belt in Taekwondo in India, Akshay studied martial arts in Bangkok, Thailand. After returning from there, Akshay got his photoshoot done, after which he was signed for the film 'Deedar'.
b. John Cassavetes says, “I’m very worried about the depiction of women on the screen. It’s gotten worse than ever and it’s related to their being either high- or low-class concubines . . . . There’s nothing to do with the dreams of women, or of woman as the dream, nothing to do with the quirky part of her, the wonder of her.” How do you assess Famous Actress in the light of Cassavetes’ argument about the portrayal of women?
Answer:
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