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A Sunny Morning by Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quintero
Table of Contents
ABOUT THE PLAYA Sunny Morning by Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quintero
This one-act play is about two former lovers named Don Gonzalo and Dona Llorente, who loved each other much in their youth. During their youth days, they separated from each other due to their bad luck as well as Dona Llorente's parents' negative roles. Both Gonzalo and Dona are quite old now and have lost their joyous youthful days and attraction. In the beginning, they are unable to recognise each other when they meet at the park. But, later on, they know each other but don't reveal their real identities to each other.
THEME
A Sunny Morning by Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quintero
This one-act play, "A Sunny Morning," is a short romantic comedy that has been written by two renowned Spanish playwrights, Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quintero. This romantic comedy has been presented aiming at the entertainment of the audience. This play is based on the major theme of a love affair, where we find two ex-lovers in their 70s meeting at a park and trying to recall their romantic past.
A Sunny Morning by Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quintero
MEETING OF DON GONZALO AND DONA LAURA AT PARK
This play begins on one of the peaceful, sunny mornings of autumn in a peaceful corner of a park in Madrid, Spain. In the very beginning, we find a handsome, white-haired lady of about seventy sitting on a bench in the park and feeding bread crumbs to pigeons. She seems quite refined in her appearance. She is there along with her maid, Petra. Later on, Petra leaves the place to meet the park guard. Next, we find the entry of another main character, Don Gonzalo, an old man, along with his servant Juanito. Don Gonzalo seems to be quite irritated in the beginning because he doesn't find a vacant bench in the park to sit on. The bench, which he usually uses in the park, is occupied by three priests. Being reluctant, he comes near Laura's bench and shares her bench. Laura gets infuriated with Don Gonzalo. She accuses Don Gonzalo of scaring pigeons who were feeding her breadcrumbs. She calls him "an ill-natured man." Don Gonzalo doesn't like to sit on the bench with the old lady. Laura keeps on using plenty of harsh verbal words against Don Gonzalo. But, after using their pinching and rude words of disagreement, Don Gonzalo gives up. He takes out his snuff box and shares it with her. Both of them sneeze at the same time. At last, both of them restored a friendly relationship with each other.
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They start their talks in a very friendly manner. Don Gonzalo reads out loud from a book of poems. As they are talking with each other, Gonzalo says that he is from Valencia. He's surprised to know about Laura's homeland. Laura reveals to him that she is from Maricela, where she lived in a villa. Gonzalo is quite startled by the revelation of Laura and says that he knows a woman named Laura Llorente who lived in a villa there and who was perhaps the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. After hearing each other, both of them realised that they were former lovers. But they pretend to hide their identities.
THEIR FACTS RELATED TO THEIR YOUTHFUL DAYS BEING COUSIN OR FRIEND OF GONZALO AND LAURA LIORENTE
Both of them start talking about Laura Llorente and Gonzalo. Old Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura refer to Gonzalo and Laura Llorente as cousins and friends. They share their views on the sad love affair between Gonzalo and Laura Llorente in their conversation. According to their conversation, Laura Llorente lived in Maricela, Valencia. She was known as ‘The Silver Maiden’ in her locality at a young age. She was as beautiful as the lily, with jet black hair and black eyes. She was a lady with a perfect figure, like a dream. She was in love with Gonzalo, the gallant lover. He used to pass by on horseback every morning through the rose garden and toss up a bouquet on her balcony, which she caught. Laura used to spend most of her time sitting on her balcony. When Gonzalo came back riding on his horse during the afternoon, she would also toss the flowers back to him. They were in deep love. But Laura's parents wanted their daughter to marry a rich local merchant.
One day, Gonzalo got involved in a fight with that merchant. Gonzalo was insulted by the merchant while he was waiting to hear Laura's song underneath her window. Gonzalo injured the merchant in that fight. After that fight, Gonzalo fled from his hometown to Seville and then to Madrid, afraid of the consequences of a fight with a merchant. Actually, that merchant was highly regarded in that locality. After that, he tried a lot to contact Laura through his letters, but all his attempts failed. He was unable to contact Laura thereafter. His letters were diverted by Laura's parents. Laura didn't get any letters from her parents.
THEIR FAKE STORIES RELATED TO THEIR DEATH IN THE PAST
Now Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo plan stories about their deaths. They share their stories related to their deaths. The old Don Gonzalo says that he is the cousin of 'the young man. According to him, the young Gonzalo had to leave his place as he seriously injured the merchant. He joined the army and went to Africa. He was killed in the battle and died a glorious death. The old Laura says that she knows the woman named Laura, known as 'The Silver Maiden', and that she was her friend during her young age. She also lies, saying that she knows the tragic story of her love affair with a gallant young man named Gonzalo. The old woman reveals that her friend waited for Gonzalo for quite a while. She didn't receive any information related to him. One afternoon, she was seen on the beach, leaving her house. She wrote Gonzalo's name on the sand, then sat down upon a rock, looking intently at the horizon. She died in the sea because waves of the sea swept her out to sea.
FACTS RELATED TO DON GONZALO AND DONA LAURA
After three months of their separation, Gonzalo lost hope for Laura. Gonzalo ran off to Paris with a ballet dancer and married her. He started living his family's life. Laura, on the other hand, got married after two years of separation.
Both of them realise that they are lying, but they pretend to be unaware. When they meet in the park after nearly 50 years, both of them are able to recall their intense romantic affair. But they conceal the reality because they are quite away from their romantic past. At the end of the play, they agree to meet at the park again the next day if there is a sunny morning.
SHORT SUMMARY
A Sunny Morning by Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quintero
This one-act play, "A Sunny Morning," is a short romantic comedy that has been written by two renowned Spanish playwrights, Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quintero. This play is based on the major theme of a love affair, where we find two ex-lovers in their 70s meeting at a park and trying to recall their romantic past.
When the play begins, we find Dona Laura sitting in a park and feeding breadcrumbs to the birds. Next, Don Gonzalo enters with Juanito and grumbles about the people's act of taking others' seats. He keeps looking for a bench but can't find one for him. He scares away the birds and annoys Dona Laura. He sits on Dona Laura's bench. Dona Laura refers to him as an ill-natured man. Don Gonzalo starts reading his book. They keep using pinching words against each other. Don Gonzalo takes out his snuffbox, and they both take the snuff and sneeze three times. They establish a friendly relationship after that.
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Don Gonzalo starts reading out loud, and then Dona Laura joins. They even talk about their eyesight. They talk about various cities, places, travel, people they have met, and things they have done. They realise that they are former lovers. Both of them hide their identities and start telling their stories with fake identities. Don Gonzalo tells Don's story of being his cousin, whereas Dona Laura tells Dona Llorente's story of being her friend. They relate their fake stories about their deaths. They build up stories of Don and Laura Llorente hiding their identities. Finally, they make a plan to come back and meet the next day if it is a sunny morning. They join their servants and leave.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A Sunny Morning by Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quintero
BEFORE READING
a. Have you ever had an unexpected meeting with someone in a park?
Answer:
Yes, I have had an unexpected meeting with someone in a park. I met with one of my old classmates in a park after twenty years. I was extremely surprised to meet her after so many years.
b. How do your expectations influence the way you interact with others?
Answer:
My expectations influence the way I interact with others in a very curious manner. I try to become much more friendly while interacting with others, being optimistic. I always expect to receive friendly responses from others.
c. How have unexpected encounters in your life sometimes turned out to be rewarding?
Answer:
Unexpected encounters in my life sometimes turn out to be rewarding by providing me immense happiness. My luck favours me all the time and provides me with unexpected happiness with unbelievable rewards.
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
Answer the following questions:
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?
Answer:
The rude act as well as the talking manner of Gonzalo make Laura think that he is an ill-natured man. Gonzalo scares all the pigeons to which Laura is feeding breadcrumbs in a park. He even replies to Laura's question's answer in a very rude way. Neither Dona Laura nor Don Gonzalo reveal their true identities because they realise that they were lovers in the past. Both of them are quite old now and away from their youthful days. They think it better to hide their identities and prefer to be happy through admirable words from both sides.
b. At what point of time, do you think, Laura and Gonzalo begin to recognise each other?
Answer:
I think Laura and Gonzalo begin to recognise each other at the time when Dona Laura takes the book from Don Gonzalo and reads aloud. When she reads the line “Twenty Years Pass," both of them behold each other with doubt.
c. When does Dona Laura realise that Don Gonzalo was her former lover?
Answer:
Dona Laura realises that Don Gonzalo was her former lover at the time when Dona tells him about the villa in Maricella and Gonzalo tells her about the Silver Maiden named Laura Llorente. She realises him as her former lover after hearing his admirable description of her.
d. Why do Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo spin fictitious stories about themselves?
Answer:
Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo spin fictitious stories about themselves because they don't want to reveal their real identities to each other. They are quite old now and away from their romantic past. They are not happy with their old-age looks. They prefer to hear admirable words from each other in this old age. They think it is better to interact with each other when they are unfamiliar.
e. How do Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo feel about each other?
Answer:
Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo feel annoyed with each other at the beginning of the play. They use harsh and pinching words against each other. But, later on, when they establish their friendly relationship, they realise that they are former lovers. They start relating their past stories, hiding their real identities. At this old age of seventy, they don't want to reveal their reality but rather enjoy their joyous romantic past through their talks. They feel good about each other and enjoy their admiration and past stories through fake means. They prefer to meet again in the park.
a. Look at the extract below and answer the questions that follow:
“Yes, you are only twenty. (She sits down on the bench.) Oh, I feel more tired today than usual. (Noticing Petra, who seems impatient.) Go, if you wish to chat with your guard.”
i. Who is the speaker?
Answer:
The speaker is Dona Laura.
ii. Who does ‘you’ refer to?
Answer:
'You' refers to Dona Laura's maid Petra.
iii. Who is the ‘guard’ the speaker is talking to?
Answers:
The 'guard' is the 'park's guard' the speaker is talking to.
b. Read the extract dialogue from the play and answer the questions that follow:
DONA LAURA: (Indignantly.) Look out!
DON GONZALO: Are you speaking to me, senora?
DONA LAURA: Yes, to you.
DON GONZALO: What do you wish?
DONA LAURA: You have scared away the birds who were feeding on my crumbs.
DON GONZALO: What do I care about the birds?
DONA LAURA: But I do.
DON GONZALO: This is a public park.
c. Who is Dona addressing by saying “Look out”?
Answer:
Dona is addressing Don Gonzalo by saying "Look out".
d. What was Dona doing?
Answer:
Dona was feeding breadcrumbs to pigeons in the park.
e. Who scared the birds? Are they pet birds?
Answer:
Don Gonzalo scared the birds. No, they aren't pet birds.
f. Where are the speakers at the time of the conversation?
Answer:
The speakers are in a park at the time of conversation.
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g. What is the effect of flashback in the play when Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo knew that they were lovers in the past?
Answer:
A flashback is a dramatic device in which earlier events are inserted into the normal chronological flow of a narrative. In this play, flashbacks have played a very vital role in making this romantic comedy very interesting. When Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura knew that they were lovers in the past, their flashback stories started providing us with various events about their romantic youthful days. Their flashback has extended this play with a variety of hidden facts. Due to its usage, the play has various concealing and revealing twists and a fine climax. Both characters keep on using their flashback stories with various information, which has made all the audiences pay attention and enjoy every single dialogue of the play. A flashback can be considered the basis of this humorous play.
h. Discuss how the play is built around humour and irony.
Answer:
This play is built around humour and irony. The play is the perfect blend of humour and irony. This romantic comedy has been presented with the unique aim of entertaining all audiences through humour and irony. This play begins with the humorous dialogue of old Dona Laura. After the entry of Don Gonzalo into the park, the sarcastic arguments between both old people have created an extremely humorous environment in the play. We find irony in plenty of pinching words from both characters. When they realise each other, they start relating their flashback stories, which make all the readers curious to hear more from the characters. Their manner of interacting using ironic remarks, their false stories related to their deaths, their ways of concealing their identities to fool each other, their promise to meet on the next sunny morning, etc. have made this play full of humour and irony.
i. How is the title ‘A Sunny Morning’ justifiable? Discuss.
Answer:
The title 'A Sunny Morning'is justifiable. This play is based on a park in Madrid, Spain, during a sunny morning. The whole play has been presented here in this setting. Here, a sunny morning has provided a fine meeting between two former lovers at their old age. They argue, know each other, hide their identities, admire, relate fake stories of their deaths, prefer to meet again on the next sunny morning, etc. From beginning to end, the whole play keeps on giving us extreme laughter, remaining within this setting of a sunny morning. Thus, this title 'A Sunny Morning' is quite appropriate because it presents a reconciliation of former lovers at a park with extreme humour.
REFERENCE BEYOND THE CONTEXT
a. What do you predict will happen in the next meeting between Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo? Discuss.
Answer:
I predict that they will be much more excited for the next meeting. They will talk and share their feelings through fake means this time too. Both of them will try to make each other happy. Don Gonzalo will certainly be very honest this time. He will try to show his respect for her. The readers will get a chance to see their shyness. They will surely have much more fun through their pretentious acts.
b. Was it wise for Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo to keep their identities secret? How might their secrets affect future meetings?
Answer:
Yes, it was wise for Dona Laura and Don to keep their identities secret. At the age of seventy, they both realised that they were former lovers who separated due to their ill-fate. But they did a good job of not revealing their real identities. Both of them were quite old and had weak physical conditions. They were not happy due to their old looks. At this age, the revelation of their reality would be in vain. They thought it better to hide their identities and pretend to be unfamiliar. They chose the best way to enjoy their sweet, youthful memories through fake means. Their secrets might affect them in their future meetings if they keep on lying in such a way. Secrecy never remains for a long time. In their case, there is a high risk of the revelation of secrets due to their old age. If they reveal their realities unknowingly, they won't try to meet with each other in the future.
c. Write the summary of the play.
Answer:
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REFUND BY FRITZ KARINTH SUMMARY AND SOLUTION
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