The Miracle Merchant

GLOSSARY

 

1. Aggravated - irritated or angered

2. Manipulate - control or influence cleverly

3. Stormy - wild

4. Induce - convince

5. Nuisance - a person or thing causing inconvenience

6. Delusion - misconception or misbelief

7. Deviate - change

8. Scarcely - hardly or only just

9. Unpredictable - uncertain

10. Awkward - strange

11. Nurture - develop

12. Sternly - in a serious manner

13. Rummages - an unsystematic and untidy search

14. Inscriptions - the action of writing or engraving something

15. Sheath - a close fitting cover of sword

16. Sheer - mere

17. Shattered - destroyed

 

OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS

 

1. Who is the author of the play ‘The Miracle Merchant’?

ANS - H.H. Munro (Saki)

 

2. Who is Louis Courcet?

ANS - Mrs. Beauwhistle’s nephew.

 

3. How much loan does Louis demands from his aunt?

ANS- Fiieen pounds.

 

4. What have Dora and Jane quarreled over?

ANS - They have quarreled over the hen.

 

5. Who is the miracle merchant?

ANS - Louis Courcet.

 

6. What had Dora sold to Jane?

ANS - Dora had sold a hen to Jane.

 

7. How is the relationship between Dora and Jane?

ANS- They are bitter enemies of each other.

 

8. Who is Mrs. Beauwhistle?

ANS - Mrs. Beauwhistle is the aunt of Louis Courcet.

 

9. What does Louis hope to get from his aunt for producing the miracle?

ANS - He hopes to get twenty pounds.

 

10. Why was Mrs. Beauwhistle not in positon to give money to Louis?

ANS – Because she has had very heavy expenses in recent tmes.

 

11. Who is Jane Martlet?

ANS - She is a visitor or guest in Mrs. Beauwhistle’s house.

 

12. Who is Sturridge?

ANS - Mrs. Beauwhistle’s butler.

 

13. What is Mrs. Beauwhistle fond of?

ANS - She is fond of gardening.

 

14. According to Louis, what does Sturridge think about Jane?

ANS - Sturridge thinks that Jane is the ghost of Queen Anne.

 

15. How long did Jane stay at people’s house?

ANS – For a fortnight.

 

16. Why did Louis fail to get a loan?

ANS - He failed to get a loan because Dora had postponed her visit. His aunt told him that they need not to get rid of Jane.

 

AUTHOR- H.H.MUNRO (SAKI)

 

‘Saki’ is the pen name of Hector Hugh Munro or H.H. Munro, a British writer known for his Short Stories.

 Born in Burma in 1870.

 He was a soldier and satirist.

 Frequent contributor to many Britain’s Newspapers and Magazines.

 In 1908, settled in London, writing Short Stories and Political Sketches.

 Served as a Foreign Correspondent in Russia, the Balkans and Paris.

Joined the British Armed Forces as a regular trooper.

Died in France during World War I in November 1916, by German sniper fire.

 

ABOUT THE TITLE

 

 ‘The Miracle Merchant’ is a One-Act Play written in the year 1934 and edited by Graham Greene.

‘The Miracle Merchant’ was first published in One– Act Plays for STAGE AND STUDY 8 (1938).

 ‘The Miracle Merchant’ is a very successful dramatization of Saki’s popular short story named “THE HEN”

 It is full of humor and Irony.

 Here one of the characters of the play devises the miracle. He is Louis Courcet. He prepares a plot to compel Jane to leave Mrs, Beauwhistle’s house. He wanted to do a miracle of getng twenty pounds from her aunt but miraculously proved him a fool and hence the drama has been called “The Miracle Merchant”.

 

CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY

 

 Mrs. Beau whistle- the aunt of Louis Courcet, very charming, kind, hospitable and peace loving woman.

 Louis Courcet- Mrs. Beau whistle’s nephew, central figure of the play, a miracle merchant, clever and brilliant in power of speech.

 Jane Martlet- a visitor or guest in Beau whistle’s house. A greedy eater and quarrels over tries.

 Sturridge- Mrs. Beau whistle’s butler, a simple, innocent, sincere and obedient person.

 Page Boy.

 

OPENING SCENE OF THE PLAY- CONVERSATION BETWEEN LOUIS AND HIS AUNT

 

The play begins in the hall sting room of the country house of Mrs. Beau whistle. Only one single incident has been acted upon the stage by only four characters named Mrs.

Beau whistle, her nephew Louis Courbet, her guest Jane Martlet, her butler Sturridge. There is only one scene in the drama where we find dialogue, action and character in full swing. Scene opens with Mrs. Beau whistle, an elderly lady who is sting at the writing table. She has had her breakfast. Louis, her nephew who is the central figure in the play enters the scene and asks her about Jane Martlet. Mrs. Beau whistle tells him that Jane has just finished her breakfast. Louis is glad to see his aunt alone. He asks his aunt to lend him fifteen pounds. Here we come to know that Louis spends money like a water and is always in need of money. His aunt thinks that he perhaps needs twenty pounds. Louis says that as a matter of fact he was only going to ask for fifteen pounds. He thinks that the figure twenty might sound beter. Mrs. Beau whistle says that she has no money, She tells him that she has had very heavy expenses in recent times. So she cannot afford to give him any loan. She also informs him that she has just received a later from Dora Bitholz that she is visiting her on Thursday.

 

LOUIS MANIPULATES HIS AUNT TO EXTRACT MONEY FROM HER

 

Louis picks up a chance to extract money from her aunt as she delivers the news of Dora’s arrival. He says that he does not feel happy about the visit of Dora. Mrs. Beau whistle does not understand what is awkward about the visit of Dora. Louis says that coming of Dora would create a problem. Jane Martlet will not stay less than a fortnight in the house. So, it is not possible to get her out of the house by Thursday.

Mrs. Beau whistle does not know that the terms between Dora and Jane are not good. Louis tells her the cause of bitterness between Dora and Jane. He explains that Dora and Jane used to be good on friendly terms. But now they are sworn enemies of each other. They cannot live under the same roof. He narrates the detail of their quarrel. Dora sold a hen to Jane. The hen was not in the habit of laying eggs. This turned them hostel towards each other. They exchanged abuses through letters to each other. Louis presents the dispute in an aggravated form. By manipulating her aunt in this way he wants to extract money from her by presenting himself as a problem saver.

Mrs. Beau whistle is shocked to hear about the stormy, biter quarrel between Dora and Jane. She is not in positon to put of Dora as she has already postponed her visit once. To avoid the situation Mrs. Beau whistle requests Louis to devise some miracle. In return she would give him twenty pounds. Louis, who has already tried to move his aunt for money, suggests that he can do it. He is prepared even at a short notice to produce the miracle which will induce Jane to leave the house. Miracle are a part of his daily trade.

 

LOUIS TRIES TO CONVINCE JANE THAT STURRIDGE HAS GONE MAD

At this point, Jane enters and takes a cup of coffee and toast to keep Louis company. Mrs. Beau whistle asks Jane to attend the Mackenzie- Hubbard wedding on Thursday. But Jane refuses to go for a silly wedding. Mrs. Beau whistle goes out to do some gardening. Jane goes on eating. Sturridge, Mrs. Beau whistle’s butler, enters to clear away breakfast things. Jane asks him to bring some hot milk. Louis thinks it is beter chance to try his skills at miracle. He starts his action. He sows the seed of fear in Jane’s mind. For his plan he uses Sturridge. He suggests Jane that servants are a bit of nuisance. Jane without understanding his selfish intentions appreciates Sturridge. She expresses her personal opinion about them. She says that the servants may be irritating, but as far as Louis is concerned he might not be having any trouble with servants because his aunt Mrs. Beau whistle has a wonderful servant like Sturridge. She thinks that he is a jewel as a butler. Louis agrees with Jane that Sturridge is an excellent servant. He is so nice that his aunt could not manage her household without the help of Sturridge. He adds that even his excellence is having an adverse effect on his performance. He says that servants doing same routine duets are likely to get some wrong ideas in their minds. He tries to tell Jane that Sturridge has gone mad. He can be dangerous. He can do anything to anybody.

 

LOUIS SOWS THE SEED OF FEAR IN JANE’S MIND

 

Louis tries to create fears and doubts in the mind of Jane about the actives of Sturridge. He wants that she should leave Mrs. Beau whistle’s house without delay. He cleverly gives the expressions to Jane that Sturridge suffers from delusions. Sometimes he is quite normal, but sometimes he deviates into abnormal behavior. Louis further says that some false beliefs are firmly rooted in Sturridge’s mind and he cannot get rid of them. Jane wants to know the types of delusions from which Sturridge. Louis then tells a made up story and gives the example of Matlda Sherringham to emphasis his point. He tells her that during the previous summer season Matlda was staying in the house. A strange belief entered in Sturridge’s mind. He believed that Matlda was the

Prophet Elijah. He was angry with her. He did not allow any tea to be sent up to her in the morning. He completely ignored her while he was handing round the dishes at the table. Matlda could scarcely get anything to eat. So poor Matlda had to cut her visit short because of Sturridge’s delusions. So, Sturridge can be very dangerous to guests staying in Mrs. Beau whistle’s house. But Jane says that if she had been in place of Matlda she would not have gone away. She would have tried her best to humor Sturridge. At this, Louis tries to threaten her and tells that it is not always wise to humor people when they get these ideas into their head. There is no knowing to what lengths they might go. Thus, he tries to hammer the point into Jane’s mind that Sturridge is extremely dangerous and highly unpredictable. She should clear away Mrs. Beauwhistle’s house without further delay.

 

LOUIS USES PSYCHOLOGICAL TECHNIQUE TO TURN JANE OUT OF HIS AUNT’S HOUSE

 

Louis tries to work out his strategy to drive Jane out of his aunt’s house. Louis describes the whims which Sturridge nurtures about Jane. He says that Sturridge has been accustomed to look at the dead things as Queen Anne because Queen Anne died years ago. Sturridge thinks that Jane is Queen Anne who is dead and listens carefully everything Jane says and watches every action of Jane carefully because he thinks that something is wrong with Jane. Jane is bit amused on learning that Sturridge takes her as Queen Anne. She does not find any danger in being considered Queen Anne. She points out that Queen Anne of history is dull and colorless personality. She does not attach any importance to the delusions of Sturridge. So she has no mind to leave the house. Louis says sternly that one can never be certain. From time to time he gets these ideas about a guest which might take an unfortunate turn. Jane asks Louis if Sturridge has got some fixed idea about her. Louis says that he has. He thinks that Jane is the ghost of Queen Anne and a ghost does not eat a rich breakfast. Jane eats a heavy breakfast consisting of kidneys, toast and honey. As a matter of fact Sturridge is worried that Queen Anne is dead and while Jane is alive. Sturridge is of the view that Jane should be dead as Queen Anne. Thus, Louis tries to press upon Jane that Sturridge feels irritated to see Jane alive. He does not like her to serve in the house of Mrs. Beau whistle. This makes Jane anxious. She wants that Mrs. Beau whistle should be informed about this immediately. But Louis says that it would upset his aunt as she depends on Sturridge for everything. Thus, by telling all false things about Sturridge, Louis wants to terrify Jane whom he wants to turn out of the house to take twenty pounds from his aunt.

 

Jane fears that Sturridge might kill her any moment. It is dangerous to be in the company of mad butler. Louis tells her if she cuts short her visit and comes to them sometimes later, Sturridge might forget all about Queen Anne. But Jane does not want to leave Mrs. Beauwhistle’s house. She asks Louis to keep an eye on Sturridge and be ready to intervene if he gets violent and mad. Air taking her breakfast she retires to her room to write some leters. Meanwhile, Mrs. Beau whistle comes in and begins to look for her gardening gloves. She rummages her gloves in drawer of table and produces them from drawer. She asks Louis how his miracle is working. When Louis tells her about his failure to turn Jane out of the house, she says to Louis that his trials to expel Jane are not as powerful as her staying power. Mrs. Beau whistle satrizes him for his failure to extract twenty pounds from her. She says that Jane is very firm on her decision, It is not easy for anybody to deviate her from her stands. He has come to the conclusion that it is difficult to send Jane away just as it is impossible to get rid of the attack of indigestion by talking flute. He seems to be making vain attempts to do so because Jane is determined to stay on in the house of Mrs. Beau whistle. His attempts have proved flute. His miracle seems to be proving a fop.

 

HIS HOPE OF GETTING A LOAN OF TWENTY POUND IS SHATTERED

 

Mrs. Beauwhistle goes through the window on the right. Louis gets busy in cleaning the golf-club. At this time, Sturridge comes and begins clearing breakfast things. Louis stops suddenly and looks reflectively at Sturridge. He makes a plan to make Sturridge appear dangerous. He tells him to take the old basket- hilted sword hanging on the wall to Miss Jane Martlet as she wants to copy the inscription on its blade. Louis further says him to take the sword without cover so that Miss Jane does not have problem in removing the sheath. Sturridge obeys him. Louis stands back under the shadow of the staircase. As Sturridge enters Jane’s room with naked sword, Jane thinks that he has come to kill her. She comes out of room screaming out of fear, shouting Louis’s name. Then she rushes upstairs at top speed. Sturridge enters with sword in his hand and tells Louis that Miss Martlet has slipped out of the room as he came in. She seems to be in hurry. Louis says that perhaps she has to catch the train. Louis is very happy to find out that everything is taking place according to his plan. He asks Sturridge to put the sword back in the sheath. A Page boy comes to inquire about the time –table for trains for Jane. Louis helps Page to gather Jane’s belongings so that she can leave the house as soon as possible. Ayer Jane leaves the house, Louis tells his aunt about the success of his plan and wants to take the money from her. But Mrs. Beauwhistle informs him that Dora has sent a later informing that she cannot come that month. Aier hearing this news Louis collapses on the chair in sheer disappointment and shock because all his efforts of extracting money from his aunt has been failed. The drama ends here.

TITLE OF THE PLAY ‘THE MIRACLE MERCHANT’

 

‘The Miracle Merchant’ is a very successful dramatization of Saki’s popular short story named ‘The Hen’. It is full of irony and humor. It is the comedy centers on the prank played on a tedious visitor by a resourceful young man. The prank has the desired effect, but the miracle worker does not gain his expected reward. Louis Courcet is the central figure of the play. He asks his aunt, Mrs. Beauwhistle to lend him fiieen pounds. His aunt refuses him to give money as she had to spend a lot of money recently. Louis picks up a chance to extract money from her aunt as she delivers the news of Dora’s arrival. Louis says that coming of Dora would create a problem. Jane Martlet will not stay less than a fortnight in the house. So, it is not possible to get her out of the house by Thursday. Mrs. Beauwhistle does not know that the terms between Dora and Jane are not good. Louis tells her the cause of bitterness between Dora and Jane. He explains that Dora and Jane used to be good on friendly terms. But now they are sworn enemies of each other. They cannot live under the same roof. Louis presents the dispute in an aggravated form. To avoid the situation Mrs. Beauwhistle requests Louis to devise some miracle. In return she would give him twenty pounds. Louis, who has already tried to move his aunt for money, suggests that he can do it. He is prepared even at a short notice to produce the miracle which will induce Jane to leave the house. He starts his action. He sows the seed of fear in Jane’s mind. For his plan he uses Sturridge. Louis tries to scare Jane by telling that Sturridge, his aunt’s butler is mad and is going to kill her. Louis succeeds in making her leave. Aier Jane leaves the house, Louis tells his aunt about the success of his plan and wants to take the money from her. But Mrs. Beauwhistle informs him that Dora has sent a later informing that she cannot come that month. Aier hearing this news Louis collapses on the chair in sheer disappointment and shock because all his efforts of extracting money from his aunt has been failed. His miracle miraculously proved him a fool and hence the drama has been called ‘The Miracle Merchant. Thus the author has given a very apt title to his one-act play.

 

THEME OF THE PLAY ’THE MIRACLE MERCHANT’

 

The One-Act play ‘The Miracle Merchant’ is unique one in its story and action. It is full of irony and humor. The theme of the play is “As you sow so shall you reap” It is the comedy centres on the prank played on a tedious visitor by a resourceful young man. The prank has the desired effect, but the miracle worker does not gain his expected reward. Louis plans against Jane and Dora for his own benefit but in the end, he finds himself in the same condition in which he puts to Jane. In the play, Louis asks his aunt, Mrs. Beauwhistle to lend him fiieen pounds. His aunt refuses him to give money as she had to spent a lot of money recently. Louis picks up a chance to extract money from her aunt as she delivers the news of Dora’s arrival. Louis says that coming of Dora would create a problem. Louis tells her the cause of bitterness between Dora and Jane. He explains that Dora and Jane used to be good on friendly terms. But now they are sworn enemies of each other. They cannot live under the same roof. Louis presents the dispute in an aggravated form. To avoid this situation, Mrs. Beauwhistle requests Louis to devise some miracle. In return, she would give him twenty pounds. Louis, who has already tried to move his aunt for money, suggests that he can do it. He sows the seed of fear in Jane’s mind. For his plan he uses Sturridge. Louis tries to scare Jane by telling that Sturridge, his aunt’s butler is mad and is going to kill her. Louis succeeds in making her leave. It throws the light on the cunning and crazy character of Louis who took the advantage of Jane’s coward nature and using Sturridge’s obedient nature because he wanted twenty pounds from his aunt. All his efforts of extracting money from his aunt has been failed when his aunt informs him that Dora has postponed her visit. His miracle miraculously proved him a fool. The final twist in the play makes it all amusing. Thus the moral of the story is “as you sow so shall you reap”.

 

CHARACTER SKETCH OF LOUIS COURCET

 

Louis Courcet is considered to be the central figure in the play. All the actives revolve around him. Acton starts from him and ends in him. He is Mrs. Beauwhistle’s nephew. He is an Idle young man staying in his aunt’s house. He spends money like water is always in need of money. He is not interested in earning a livelihood. He always demands money from his aunt. He is a miracle merchant. He has the quality of merchant that is why he makes a deal with his aunt that if he succeeds in turning Jane out of the house before Dora comes then he would be provided twenty pounds. He is selfish and greedy. Louis prepares the plan in his own interest to extract money from his aunt as she delivers the news of Dora’s arrival. Louis says that coming of Dora would create a problem. Louis presents the dispute of Dora and Jane to his aunt in an aggravated form. By manipulating her aunt in this way he wants to extract money from her. To avoid the situation Mrs. Beauwhistle requests Louis to devise some miracle. In return she would give him twenty pounds. Louis, who has already tried to move his aunt for money, suggests that he can do it. He is clever, cunning and deceitful. By telling al false things about Sturridge, Louis wants to terrify Jane whom he wants to turn out of the house to take twenty pounds from his aunt. He spoils the image of Sturridge for his selfish move. He has a brilliant mind. He is brilliant in his power of speech.

He sows the seed of fear in Jane’s mind. For his plan he uses Sturridge. Louis tries to scare Jane by telling that Sturridge, his aunt’s butler is mad and is going to kill her. Louis succeeds in making her leave. He is a good story teller and have good conversation skill. He tells the story Sturridge’s cynical nature to Jane and convinces her of its truthfulness. He proves to be a fool. His scheme produces the desired result. Jane is sent out of the house. But, in spite of all his efforts, he fails to get the expected loan. We feel pity on him. Though in the end he fails, but he is the one who entertain us a lot.

 

CHARACTER SKETCH OF MRS. BEAUWHISTLE

 

Mrs. Beauwhistle is the aunt of Louis Courcet. She lives in the country house. She is an elderly and charming lady. She is straight forward lady. She is unwilling to pamper his nephew, Louis. He asks her for money. She simply tells him she loves him very much but she is not in positon to give him any loan. She is kind and hospitable. She always ready to welcome her guests. Jane Martlet is the guest in Mrs. Beauwhistle. She visits Mrs. Beauwhistle’s house frequently. Jane plans to stay for a fortnight. Mrs.

Beauwhistle has no objection to her stay. She maintains good relationship not only with her nephew and friends but also with her servant Sturridge. We come to know that she has been spending a lot of money recently on her visitors. She is peace- loving woman.

When she comes to know from Louis that Dora and Jane are bitter enemies, She realizes that it would not be good to have both Jane and Dora under the same roof. To avoid the situation, she requests Louis to devise some miracle in order to drive Jane out of the house. She does not want any mess in the house. She is fond of gardening. She used to do some gardening in her free time. She works with her gardening gloves. Thus she is good-natured and generous lady.

 

CHARACTER SKETCH ON JANE MARTLET

 

Jane Martlet is one of the guests of Mrs. Beauwhistle. She visits Mrs. Beauwhistle’s house frequently. She is in the habit of staying a fortnight in any guest house that she visits. She likes to enjoy the hospitality of Mrs. Beauwhistle. Jane is a type of guest who would not leave her host’s house easily. She is a foodaholic. In the whole play we see her enjoying different kinds of dishes. Even she has taken breakfast, she joins Louis to keep his company and takes a cup of coffee and toast. She is not a friendly and sociable, which can be seen from the story that she already has a quarrel with Dora, who is also coming to stay with Mrs. Beauwhistle. She was once a good friend of Dora but could not maintain the friendship because she thought that she had been deceived by Dora as she wrongly sold her a hen. They are bitter enemies now. She is very firm on her decisions. When Louis fails to turn Jane out of house, Mrs. Beauwhistle says that to change the mentality of Jane is like a fruitless effort because it is not easy for anybody to deviate her from her stands. This shows her adamant nature. She is coward and fearful. Louis sows the seed of fear in her mind and scares her that Sturridge is going to kill her with the sword. She becomes an easy victim of his trick. In panic she leaves Mrs. Beauwhistle’s house.

 

CHARACTER SKETCH OF STURRIDGE

 

Sturridge is considered to be a very important character in the play. He is a butler in Mrs. Beauwhistle’s house. According to Jane, he is a jewel as a butler and Mrs. Beauwhistle is very lucky in having a servant like Sturridge. He is sincere and obedient person. He has been working continuously in Mrs. Beauwhistle’s house. He is very exact, correct in the performance of his duties. He brings coffee, toast and butter for Miss Jane. He does his duty quietly without being noisy. He is very innocent. He is the main actor in the game of Louis. Louis utilizes his sincerity, innocence for his selfish purpose. For his conspiracy, he spoils the image of Sturridge and uses him to terrify Jane in order to turn her out of the house. When Sturridge follows the instructions of Louis and goes to Jane with naked sword innocently, Jane comes out shouting to leave the house. This creates a humor and comedy in the play. The importance of his character lies in his simplicity which creates comedy with his presence.