Question

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: 

De Levis: Social Blackmail? H'm!

Canynge: Not at all - simple warning. If you consider it necessary in your interests to start this scandal-no matter how we shall consider it necessary in ours to dissociate ourselves completely from one who so recklessly disregards the unwritten code. 

(i) Where are the speakers at present? What is referred to as Social Black-mail?

(ii) Who is Canynge? What scandal is being referred to? Why will it be a scandal? 

(iii)  Which race does De Levis mention later? What is his opinion about society? 

(iv) What does Canynge do soon after and what does he find? What was his reaction? What does the discovery prove?

(v) What is De Levis going through at this point of time? What light does it throw upon his character? What change do we see in his character later in the play? Give a reason to justify your answer. 

Answer 1

(i) The speakers are at Meldon’s court in De Levis’s bedroom. Social blackmail referred to here is that false accusation by De Levis will result in society condemning him for such an action and his club membership may be denied.

(ii) General Canynge is racing oracle. He is referring to the scandal of De Levis’s money being stolen by Dancy. It will be a scandal as there is no proof against the robbery.

(iii) Later on, De Levis was mentioning about the race for which he had sold off his Rosemary filly. His opinion about the society is that it does not respect the Jews and favours its own people i.e. Christians.

(iv) Soon after Canynge told St Erth that De Levis had circulated a blasphemous story saying that Dancy had robbed him. He wanted St Erth to support De Levis for the membership of the Club so that De Levis does not raise the matter of his money being stolen.

(v) De Levis is very disturbed as no one is supporting him as he is a Jew. He wants to collect more proof against Dancy so that things could be settled once for all.