TASKS for Chapters 1-2

1) Complacency - a feeling of satisfaction, esp extreme self-satisfaction; smugness

three times running – smth happen three times - functioning

filthy - very dirty or obscene; muddy

supercilious - displaying arrogant pride, scorn, or indifference; contemptuous

military bearing -  the high level of military professionalism

to military situations - carriage

stupendous –  of amazing size or greatness - tremendous

staggered- overwhelm with emotion or astonishment – bewilder

natural homage - special honor or respect shown or expressed publicly and accepted as one's due – respect

entanglement – state of confusion; involvement

concubinage - cohabitation without legal marriage; cohabitation

languorous - lacking spirit or liveliness; torment

flippant rejoinde frivolous answer

to risk smth - the possibility of incurring misfortune or loss; hazard

 a quick study – to learn smth by heart very quickly

2) Literary allusions:

William Shakespeare (literary allusion) was an English poet, playwright and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". So no wonder that time his plays are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

Artistic allusions:

Sarah Siddons was a Welsh actress, the best-known tragedienne of the 18th century. She was most famous for her portrayal of the Shakespearean character, Lady Macbeth, a character she made her own, and for famously fainting at the sight of the Elgin Marbles in London. She is considered to be the best Lady Macbeth in the history of the world theatre.  In the 18thcentury she was the star of the English theatre, that’s why acquaintance with her was a great honor.

Jean-Marc Nattier was a French painter. He is noted for his portraits of the ladies of King Louis XV's court in classical mythological attire. He subsequently revived the genre of the allegorical portrait, in which a living person is depicted as a Greco-Roman goddess or other mythological figure. I think, the author mentioned the painter’s name not without a reason, because Nattier’s female portraits, painted in light colors, always decorated a model.

John Philip Kemble was an English actor. He was rather popular due to his tall and imposing person, noble countenance, and solemn and grave demeanor that were uniquely adapted for the Roman characters in Shakespeare's plays

Sir Thomas Lawrence was a leading English portrait painter and president of the Royal Academy. One of his works was Satan summoning his legions, a giant canvas to illustrate lines from John Milton's Paradise Lost. The boxer John Jackson posed for the naked body of Satan; the face is that of Sarah Siddons' brother, John Philip Kemble. The portraitist was mentioned to emphasize the lightness, tenderness, and feminity of the main character.

Benoît-Constant Coquelin known as “Coquelin the Eldest", was a French actor. He was one of the greatest theatrical figures of the age, so therefore, the main character possessed all the qualities necessary for a successful actress.

Sarah Bernhardt was a French stage and early film actress, and was referred to as "the most famous actress the world has ever known." She developed a reputation as a serious dramatic actress, earning the nickname "The Divine Sarah”.

Mounet-Sully was a French actor, was born at Bergerac. His birth name was Jean-Sully Mounet: "Mounet-Sully" was a stage name. His striking presence and voice and the passionate vigor of his acting made an immediate impression, which resulted in his election as sociétaire in 1874. He became one of the mainstays of the Comédie Française, and distinguished himself in a great variety of tragic and romantic parts.

Historical Allusions:

Sir Francis Robert Benson was a British actor-manager. He founded his own company in 1883 and produced all but two of Shakespeare's plays. From the first he devoted himself largely to the production of Shakespeare's plays.

3) Michael Gosselyn

is the manager of the Siddons theatre who in his 52 looks as a very handsome man with a very good figure as he boasts that his weight so he didn’t change since he was twenty. The only thing that changed was chestnut hair that turned grey. But with his splendid eyes and his fine figure ha is still a very handsome man. He is just six foot tall and he has a gallant bearing so he was seducing. 

After he had adopted a military bearing as his father wanted it, many people have taken him for an officer of high rank while he had been the best-looking actor on the English stage. Actually he succeeded as an actor thanks to him appealing appearance. Michael had started with Shakespeare playing Romeo at Cambridge. He is very ambitious character  as soon  he realized that Shakespeare would get him nowhere and that if he wanted to become a leading actor he must gain experience in modern plays. So he joined the company of Jimmie Langton who noticed Michael playing Mercutio and he was staggered by his beauty. As an actor Michael showed an easy manner. He soon grew popular with the company. He was good-humoured and kindly; he would take any amount of trouble to do anyone a service. His beauty created a sensation in Middlepool and the girls used to hang about the stage door to see him go out. He took it as a natural homage, but did not allow it to turn his head. He was eager to get on and seemed determined not to let any entanglement interfere with his career. It was beauty that saved him.

Michael is self-loving, full of complacency a he is not vain of his good looks, he knows he is handsome and accepts compliments, not exactly with indifference, but as he might have accepted a compliment on a fine old house that had been in his family for generations. He is shrewd and ambitious. He knows that his beauty.

Moreover he is supercilious and harsh while speaking about the accountant. He say he’s not important to us.

He does not much like spending money. He hates to be in debt and even with the small salary he was getting managed to save up a little every week. Maybe he is stingy, yet he is a man of art as there are pictures of Queen Mary and George 4 in their bedroom, he likes Natier. 

Julia Lambert

She was an experienced actress, she even talked very differently to herself and to other people – when she talked to herself her language was racy, With the others she was kind and often smiled  from an instinctive desire to please.

She liked to be the most beautiful, the center of attention everywhere, she was a real woman of fashion, as no one could wear the modern clothers as well as she could. She had her clothers made in Paris both for the stage and the private life, and the dressmakers said no one brought them more orders. She had a lovely figure, she was fairly tall for a woman and she had long legs.

she had a rather low rich voice with an effective hoarseness, a perfect-actress articulation.

She trained herself to be an actress from the very childhood, when her aunt taught her everything. 

It is to be highlighted that she is ambitious, has a high self-esteem, able for self-reflection, hardworking, persistent (настойчивый), tolerant, ready for everything just to achieve her goals and fulfill the dreams.

Being in her 20th she was madly in love with Michael, although he did not notice her and her feelings. They were just friends but she made him realize she would be a good leading actress  for him as a theatre-manager-to-be.

She is an excellent psychologist – she played his game till the very end – did not interfear with his plans, supported him, waited. In other words she did everything she could to impress him and his family.

4) Having come to her husband Julia, one of the best English actresses, noticed an odd man. He was the new account of the theatre and was employed by her husband, Michael Gosselyn. The couple diceded to invite a fellow for  lunch, which was an immense event in the account's life. He was keen of Julia's playing, and saw plays with her acting 3 times! Besides, Julia gave him a photo of her own. Looking through the photos she recollected their past. She was born in Jersey. Her Aunt, who was a former actress, gave her the first lessons of actor's skill. At sixteen she entered the Royal academy of the dramatics, but only Jimmie Langton made a real actress of her.