You- tube video of The Sunny Morning.
The Sunny Morning, Summary and Questin answers
About the Play
‘A
Sunny Morning’ is a light comedy that recounts the reunion of two lovers now in
their 70s meeting at a park. In their youth, they were ardent(devoted) lovers
but torn apart by the cruelty of fate. The setting of the play is a sunny
morning in Madrid, on a bench in the park.
Characters
1. Dona
Laura
2. Petra,
Laura's Maid
3. Don
Gonzalo
4. Juanito,
Gonzalo's Servant
Summary
In
a sunny autumn morning, Dona Laura, a handsome, white-haired old lady of about
seventy enters the corner of a park in Madrid with the help of her maid Petra.
Her mental faculties appear to be fine. She sends Petra to chat with her lover.
She feeds the pigeons with the breadcrumbs. At the same time, Don Gonzalo a
gentleman of seventy, also enters the park with his servant Juanito. He sits at
the end of bench with the old lady. Laura is angry. She says that he should
have asked her permission before sitting on the bench.
They
become friends after sharing snuff together. They find something in common that
they sneeze alternately three times each. Then, they talk about their hometown.
Gonzalo says that he is from Valencia (city in Spain). To his surprise, Laura
reveals that she lived in a villa at Maricela near Valencia. They realize that
once they were in love but decide to hide the fact. He tells Laura that he
knows a girl named Laura Llorente who lived in the villa and was the most
beautiful woman he has ever seen. Laura tells him that the woman was her best
friend. He remembers his cousin, who was her lover.
Gonzalo
admires her beauty. Laura adds that her friend was unlucky and had a sad love
affair. The lover used to pass by on horseback every morning through the rose
garden and throw a bouquet of flowers to her balcony which she caught. In the
afternoon, the lover would return through the same way, and catch the bouquet
of flowers she would toss him. But her parents wanted her to marry a merchant
whom she disliked. Then, there was a duel (battel/ fight) between the lover and
the merchant at sunrise on the beach. The merchant was badly wounded. The lover
fled to Seville and then to Madrid. He tried to communicate with Laura through
letters, but all his attempts failed. After that, he joined the army and went
to Africa. He died there with the flag of Spain in his hands and whispering the
name of Laura.
Laura
tells him that her friend waited for days, months, a year and no letter came.
She, without finding the lover, went to the sea shore, wrote her lover’s name
on the sand and sat upon a rock. The tides rose to the rock and swept her out
to sea. In reality, after three months Gonzalo suddenly ran off to Paris with a
ballet dancer. On the other hand, Laura got married two years later. They do
not unveil who they really are. They leave the park promising to meet the next
day.
Understanding the text
a.
What makes Dona Laura think that Don Gonzalo is an ill-natured man? Why do
neither Dona Laura nor Don Gonzalo reveal their true identities?
Gonzalo
scares away the birds who are feeding on her bread crumbs. He makes immoral
comments on the priests. He talks to Laura very rudely. This unfriendly
behavior makes Laura think he is an ill- natured man.
Laura
and Gonzalo can’t regain their youthful romance now. They think that it is
disrespectful to share the fact and denounce their true love. Furthermore, they
fear of losing the pleasant interaction after the revelation of the truth. So,
they don’t reveal their true identities.
b.
At what point of time, do you think, Laura and Gonzalo begin to recognize each
other?
Gonzalo
says that he is from Valencia and Laura reveals that she lived in a villa at
Maricela near Valencia. At this point, they begin to recognize each other.
c.
When does Dona Laura realize that Don Gonzalo was her former lover?
After
they share their memory of the hometown, Gonzalo tells her about the Silver
Maiden and describes her beauty. At this time, Dona Laura realizes that Don
Gonzalo is her former lover.
d.
Why do Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo spin fictitious stories about themselves?
They
spin fictitious stories about themselves because they think that it’s not good
to disclose the identities at old age, and they want to spend their remaining
life with sweet memories.
e.
How do Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo feel about each other?
During
their conversation, they find that they were lovers once in their youthful
days. But they are not ready to disclose their identity. They have no hatred
and are ready to depart. They promise to meet the next day. Laura sees Gonzalo
picking up the violet dropped by her. Both of them bid farewell.`
Reference to the context
g.
What is the effect of flashback in the play when Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo
knew that they were the lovers in the past?
The
flashback helps Laura and Gonzalo to realize that they were lovers in their
youth. However, they pretend to be true to each other. They narrate false
stories to fool each other. They think that revealing the fact can make them
lose their present happiness. At the end of the play, they depart promising
each other to meet the next day.
h.
Discuss how the play is built around humour and irony.
Humor
is carried in the opening scene of the play. The comic sense of Laura is
admirable when she remarks on Gonzalo’s walking. She says “A carriage would not
raise more dust than his feet.” Her utterance creates laughter when she asks
Gonzalo if he uses his handkerchief as a shoe brush.
The
references to the location and sequence of events and their association clearly
hint that Gonzalo and Laura were once lovers. It is ironical that they do not
want to reveal their identities, as they fear that their changed looks can be
restraints in their newly found happiness.
i.
How is the title ‘A Sunny Morning’ justifiable? Discuss.
Dona
Laura and Don Gonzalo loved each other but circumstances separated them. They
used to be active, romantic and lively which suits the atmosphere of sunny
morning. But, they are inactive now. The wonderful memory of their youthful
days make them forget their age and think that it is a sunny morning. Thus, the
title ‘A Sunny Morning’ is justifiable for the play.
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