The Bear

Q#1:
Discuss the play “The Bear” as a farce.

Ans:
Farce is combination of absurd and comic situations through which Anton
Checkov mock on society. The realistic daily tails of young generation is narrated
through comic characters of play.

The play “The Bear” is written by Anton Chekhov. Play was printed in
October 28,1888 and was at place Moscow. The main genre of play is Farce
Comedy.

Anton Checkov a Russian dramatist and Short-story writer ,was born in January
17,1860 in Southern Russia. His art has been describe as psychological but his
psychology ignores the indivisual. He is almost universally regarded as the
greatest an interesting humorous play about a Russian widow, Popova. The
characters in the play are emotional. The play is a criticism on the hypocrisy in
human beings. Play directly satire on British society. Although play was written
in old era but it truly shows regrettable absurd situation of present. Volunteer
faces of today clearly pretending what they actually are not. Till from start to end
the three main characters present farce. There are sudden changes from hated and
dislikeness to love and likeness. Popova and Smirnov hate each other but at the
end of the play they develop love and ready to be married. These elements of
hypocrisy cause laughter and fun. The play brings out for before us the social
condition of Russian society. The Bear is successful comedy. The characters in
the play suffer from different complications and psychological complexes. The
Bear is masterpiece in domain of comedy.

The Beat’s comedy characters are people with lack of knowledge. Widow Popova
who is considerably have buried herself under four walls is basically trying to
expose herself as bereaved. Smirnov consider himself a misogynist but at the end
he fell in love with a lady. There both are stock examples of alazons: Figure made
ludicrous by pretending to be more as actually they are. Figure made ludicrous by
pretending to be more as actually they are not.

Title itself is a farce. The word “Bear” shows anger, bad mannered,
bad tempered and dreadfulness. Although behavior of Smirnov is like of bear but
his feeling are unusual and unreal. But the main habit matched with bear is that
bear attracted towards beauty as we have noted in tails same Smirnov impressed
by her dimppeled chicks.

Secondly, the opening of play is with farce. With the opening scene we wander
the Luka ,Popova’s servant advises her in comic way. He gives her examples of
sparrows, pets, aunts etc. So to compare humanity with birds and pets is comic
and some extent absurd. Luka advises Popova with words,

“Eh, my lady! You are young and beautiful ,with roses in your

cheeks___ if you only took a little pleasure. Beauty won’t last long,

you know. In ten years time you’ll want to be a pea-hen yourself

among the officers. But they won’t look at you, it will be too late.”

He directly and indirectly advises her to leave this mourning and go outside and
meet with neighbors. But his way of advising was comic.

Crack Jocviol said,

”comedy is unusual people in real situation and farce is real people in

unusual situations”.

This quotation is definitely suitable for both characters.

Then Smirnov enters in Popova’s house to take debt of her late husband as he
bought oats. There a great comedy took place. First of all Popova says that she
has stopped receiving and ask Smirnov to go now. But then what happened she
brought herself out and not only make a bitter conversation with Smirnov but also
over reacted. Her over acting is full comedy.
During this scene when Luka comes out she called her husband “Bad child”. This
word cause gay laughter among audience.

Then as play goes on there is more conflict and farce between both characters.

Furthermore, when play proceeds row between Smirnov and Popova seems to
become rashing. Smirnov tries to present himself as misogynist. He expresses his
feelings with these words,

“why I never did like, and I don’t like now, to have to

talk to women. I’d rather sit on barrel of gunpowder than

talk to a woman.”

This textual part present Smirnov’s character and wider thinking about women.
But his way of conversation is absurd.

Next Popova defend herself to take pride of her self-respect and says ,”you don’t
know how to behave before women.”

But mocking situation becomes when Smirnov says,

“Silly and rude! I don’t know how to behave before women!

Madam in my time I’ve seen more women as you’ve seen

sparrows! Three times I have fought duel on account of women.

I’ve refuse twelve and nine have refused me!”

furthermore he, flushed her face by mocking with the words that ,

“you may have buried yourself within three walls alive, but you have not
forgotten to powder your face.”

At last a funniest situation created when Smirnov proposed Popova. He used to

say,

“I’m in love like a boy ,like a student; I’ve been in my knees …… I love
you!”

At the end the most funniest situation is when Popova asks Smirnov ,
“Nothing, go away.”

Then she changes her mind and says,

“No, stop….. No ,go away, go away! I hate you! Or no …Don’t go away.”

Her way of delivering dialogues were funniest.

All the above discussion shows that the play “The Bear “ is complete Farce which
is combination of comic and absurd situations. If writer suggest another title for
same play then definitely other title would be “Farce”.