10.(c) Mrs. Slater : Henry, why shouldn’t we bring that bureau down here now ? We could do it before they come. Henry (stupefied) : I wouldn’t care to. Mrs. Slater : Don’t look so daft. Why not ? Henry : It doesn’t seem delicate, somehow. Mrs. Slater : We could put that shabby old chest of drawers upstairs where the bureau is now. Elizabeth could have that and welcome. I’ve always wanted to get rid of it. (She points to the drawers.) (The Dear Departed) (iv) To whom does Mrs. Slater think the old chest of drawers can be given ?
10.(c) Mrs. Slater : Henry, why shouldn’t we bring that bureau down here now ? We could do it before they come. Henry (stupefied) : I wouldn’t care to. Mrs. Slater : Don’t look so daft. Why not ? Henry : It doesn’t seem delicate, somehow. Mrs. Slater : We could put that shabby old chest of drawers upstairs where the bureau is now. Elizabeth could have that and welcome. I’ve always wanted to get rid of it. (She points to the drawers.) (The Dear Departed) (iv) To whom does Mrs. Slater think the old chest of drawers can be given ?
Mrs. Slater thinks the old chest of drawers can be given to Elizabeth — her sister, Mrs. Jordan — saying she "could have that and welcome".
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark: correctly names Elizabeth (accept 'her sister' / 'Mrs. Jordan').
- 2Full credit for either the first name Elizabeth or the identification as Mrs. Slater's sister Mrs. Jordan.
Hint
The name is mentioned directly in Mrs. Slater's line — she is Mrs. Slater's sister.
Quick Oral Answer
Mrs. Slater thinks the shabby old chest of drawers can be handed over to Elizabeth, her sister Mrs. Jordan — she says she could 'have that and welcome'.
Analysis & Explanation
This detail highlights Mrs. Slater's false generosity toward her sister in 'The Dear Departed'.
Concept
- Having claimed the valuable bureau for herself, Mrs. Slater offers only her unwanted old chest of drawers to Elizabeth.
Key points
- Elizabeth is Mrs. Slater's sister, also known as Mrs. Jordan.
- Her words "Elizabeth could have that and welcome" sound generous but are self-serving, since she is only giving away what she "always wanted to get rid of".
Common mistakes
- परीक्षा में सावधानी: answers must identify Elizabeth as the sister/Mrs. Jordan, not leave her unidentified.
Real-world
- The moment foreshadows the sisters' later quarrel and satirises how "giving" can secretly still be "taking".
Common Mistakes
- 1Naming Henry or Grandfather Abel instead of Elizabeth.
- 2Failing to note that Elizabeth is Mrs. Slater's sister (Mrs. Jordan).
- 3Missing the ironic tone — Mrs. Slater 'gives' only the item she wanted to discard.
Interesting Facts
Elizabeth (Mrs. Jordan) and her husband Ben are the other greedy couple in the play; the two sisters mirror each other's hypocrisy.
Mrs. Slater's phrase 'and welcome' is a fixed English expression meaning 'gladly / you are welcome to it', here used sarcastically for a worthless item.
The furniture dispute and the gold watch become the flashpoints of the sisters' comic quarrel once Grandfather returns alive.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Elizabeth in The Dear Departed?
Elizabeth is Mrs. Jordan, Mrs. Slater's sister and the other daughter of Grandfather Abel Merryweather. The two sisters compete over their father's belongings, exposing the family's greed.
Why is Mrs. Slater's offer to Elizabeth ironic?
Because she offers her sister only the shabby old chest of drawers she has long wanted to throw away, while keeping the valuable new bureau for herself — 'generosity' that is really self-interest.