The British Guests.

Publié le 29 mai 2012 il y a 11A par Anonyme - Fin › 5 juin 2012 dans 11A
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Sujet du devoir


Bonjour, voilà mon texte d'anglais. Puis, dessous il y a mes notes et questions.

The British Guests.

The scene takes place in India in 1857. Colonel mills and his wife, Alicia, have been invited to a reception at Indrajit Rai's house. Colonel Mills is particularly worried as there have been rumours of Indian mutiny in Meerut. Consequently talking restraint is necessary.
Both British and Indian guests are present at the reception, including many young and educated Indians who are the friends of Indrajit Rai's son, also present. As the Mills arrive, Indrajit Rai wants to introduce his son to them.
Satursday, May 9, 1857
India, Moraphur

[...] "May I please introduce you to my son, Colonel Mills?" Indrajit Rai motioned frantically with his left hand behind his back for his son to step forward and bow his head. "This is my son, Jagat. It is a great honor for him to meet you.
From behind the host, a tall lean young man of seventeen stepped forward and held out his hand to the colonel. He looked directly ahead and smiled. "How nice to meet you, Colonel Mills." He kept his right hand extended even though it was ignored. "And Mis. Mills." He turned and smiled at Alicia. "It is a pleasure indeed."
Colonel Mills felt a hot rush or blood to his face and his nostrils flared. Who the hell did this young devil think he was? Did'nt he know the form? He opened his mouth to protest at such damned ruddy impudence when Alicia touched him gently on the arm. He started, noticed the sudden staring silence around them and held his tongue. Alicia was right, it wouldn't do to cause a scene, not in his position.
"Please, Colonel Sahib, please go into my house and the bearer will bring you a drink !" Indrajit stepped in front of his son, his eyes lowered, and edged the colonel toward the interior of the bungalow. He had begun to sweat anxiously. "This way, Colonel Sahib and Mrs. Mills Memsahib, please to have a nice cool drink inside." He blocked the view of his son in an attempt to dismiss his rudeness. "It is such an honor," he rushed on, "to have you as a guest in my house, suche a great honor for me and my family ! Please, please to go inside..."
At last the colonel smiled.
"A drink for the colonel and Mrs. mills, bearer!" The host shouted above the chatter of the party, "Quickly !" He clapped his hands loudly. "Quickly, a drink!" The bearer came into sight, carrying a large silver tray, and Indrajit Rai fussed extravagantly over the refreshments. Alicia smiled at several of their acquaintances, nodding to left and the right, and the colonel relaxed slightly. He took a long gulp of fhis whisky sode and glanced around him. The difficult moment was over, at least for the interim, and the pary continued much to the relief of the agitated host.
"But what I do not understand is why so many of our countrymen do not question the supremacy of the British. Pah! It would seem to me that we are all too afraid of putting the situation right." Jagat Rai had his back to the rest of the party as he spoke to a small group of young men in the corner of his father's large open drawing room. He knew nothing of the true situation in Meerut or of the tension in the military community and spoke simply off the top of his head; he enjoyed the thrill of indulging in dangerous talk.
"It would seem to me" he broke off as one his friends jabbed him in the ribs. [...]
"It would seem to you what exactly?" Colonel Mills demanded. He had no intention of restraining himself this time, the boy needed to be embarrassed, put in his place. He was aware of the room's attention focused on their exchange and he waited for the boy to back down.
["It would seem to me," Jagat answered, "that the British superiority in India is a figment of their imagination." He spoke with cool assurance, his face set and his gaze steady on Colonel Mills. A shocked murmur ran through the room. Jagat Rai, an intelligent, educated and angry young man, was not going to back down. "The British are no better than any other ruler in this country and perhaps they are even worse." He saw the colonel's face flush deep red but he went on.
"Whatever they are, colonel, the people of India are not happy with them. The situation is not a comfortable one and I think that it is going to have to change."
"Well I... I..." For the first time in his life, Colonel mills was lost for words and the whole party looked on with horror and dismay as he floundered. He had never, in all his military career, been spoken to with such insolence by an inferior, and never, never by a native ! [...]
Jagat Rai simply smiled, nodded his head and then turned away, back to his friends, as if nothing untoward had happened. The only thing that perturbed him was the fact that he might have offended his father.]
"Alicia !" Colonel Mills finally announced to the still hushed room. "We are leavinh. I will not stay here to be insulted !" He glared across the room and shouted for the bearer."
Maria Barrett, Dishonored.

Où j'en suis dans mon devoir

Voilà ce que j'ai compri du texte, comme d'habitude si j'ai des élèments importants oubliés, ou des élèments à contre sens prevenez moi s'il vous plaît. Et si je n'ai pas mélangé le dialogue d'une ou l'autre personne.
Déjà, il y a la présentation et le résumé que j'ai compri entièrement.
En suite, la rencontre. On peut remarquer leur politesse et respect. Entre eux (dans la famille avec le fils "Frantically with his left hand behind his back...") Avec le colonel aussi "It is a great honor for him to meet you.", "held out his hand to the colonel.". Avec Alicia : "It is a pleasure indeed."
A ce moment là, le Colonel Mills se fâche intérieurement par le comportement du fils envers Alicia. Il lui parle "trop" gentillement et lui touche le bras. "He opened his mouth to protest", "noticed the sudden staring silence." Il se contrôle quand même en disant "It is such an honor." alors qu'il est écrit "he blocked the view of his son in an attempt to dismiss his rudeness."
Il dit au Colonel Sahib d'aller dans la maison pour boire qq chose, il est attentif à ce qu'ils soient tous bien et manque de rien. Le colonel est exigeant et riche (il a un serveur. Esclave?) "Quickly, a drink." Il le dit à deux reprises.
Jagat Rai le provoque et parle de thèmes dangereux et sensibles qui peuvent contrarier et créér des tensions/conflits. Je ne comprend pas le passage en Français, est ce que vous pouvez me dire le vrai sens, ou une autre interprétation de ça s'il vous plait = "But what I do not understand is why so many of our countrymen do not question the supremacy of the British. J'ai compris ça : "Mais ce que je ne comprends pas c'est pourquoi un si grand nombre de nos compatriotes ne remettent pas en question la suprémati des Britanniques." ??
Le colonel MIlls veut qu'il dise ce qu'il pense jusqu'au bout "It would seem to you what exactlly? Colonel Mills demanded." Il veut le remettre à sa place.
Mais que veut-il dire par "It would seem to me," Jagat answered, "that the British superiority in India is a figment of their imagination." J'ai compris ça : "Il me semble..." Jagat répondu, "... que la supériorité britannique est le fruit de leur imagination en Inde." ??
Sinon, il ne baisse pas les yeux et croit en ce qu'il dit. Il insiste avec "The British are no better than any other nule in his country.", le colonel s'énerve et devient rouge.
Il nait une dispute entre indiens et britanniques entre eux.
Par contre, il y a le Colonel Sahib et le Colonel Mills. Le dernier est le personnage principal du texte. Mais le colonel Sahib, est ce qu'il parle ? Si oui, où et quand ? Car je ne vois pas trop le contraste entre les personnages ds le dialogue :(.
Le Colonel Mills a un fils. Sa femme est Alicia.
Indrajit Rai est l'ami qui vient chez Mills.
Son fils vient aussi. Il est pas nommé. Ou alors c'est Jajat?
Le Colonel Sahib et Mills Memsahib qui sont ils ? C'est le même homme qui est le mari de Alicia. Ou c'est qq un d'autre ?
Je renverrai mon plan et mes idées principales quand tout sera clair.
Merci et bonne soirée.



2 commentaires pour ce devoir


5
Anonyme
Posté le 31 mai 2012
Le colonel Shahib et Mills sont les mêmes car shahit veut dire mon ami.. Colonel Shahib signifie mon ami le colonel

En ce qui concerne la phrase que tu ne saisis pas But what I do not understand is why so many of our countrymen do not question the supremacy of the British. Il ne comprend pas pourquoi ses compatriotes ne remettent pas en cause la suprémacie des britanniques. En clair, pourquoi ils ne se soulèvent pas et acceptent la colonisation de l'Inde par les Britanniques.
Anonyme
Posté le 2 juin 2012
Bonjour,
Merci pour les réponses aux questions que j'avais posé. Pour ce texte (si dessous), je pensais faire une partie sur le choc des cultures entre les deux, leur différences et imcompréhensions malgrè le respect qu'ils ont les uns envers les autres. Puis une seconde sur les colonies et le racisme. Mais je ne sais pas si c'est vraiment de ça qu'il faudrait parler dans ce texte.
The British Guests.

The scene takes place in India in 1857. Colonel mills and his wife, Alicia, have been invited to a reception at Indrajit Rai's house. Colonel Mills is particularly worried as there have been rumours of Indian mutiny in Meerut. Consequently talking restraint is necessary.
Both British and Indian guests are present at the reception, including many young and educated Indians who are the friends of Indrajit Rai's son, also present. As the Mills arrive, Indrajit Rai wants to introduce his son to them.
Satursday, May 9, 1857
India, Moraphur

[...] "May I please introduce you to my son, Colonel Mills?" Indrajit Rai motioned frantically with his left hand behind his back for his son to step forward and bow his head. "This is my son, Jagat. It is a great honor for him to meet you.
From behind the host, a tall lean young man of seventeen stepped forward and held out his hand to the colonel. He looked directly ahead and smiled. "How nice to meet you, Colonel Mills." He kept his right hand extended even though it was ignored. "And Mis. Mills." He turned and smiled at Alicia. "It is a pleasure indeed."
Colonel Mills felt a hot rush or blood to his face and his nostrils flared. Who the hell did this young devil think he was? Did'nt he know the form? He opened his mouth to protest at such damned ruddy impudence when Alicia touched him gently on the arm. He started, noticed the sudden staring silence around them and held his tongue. Alicia was right, it wouldn't do to cause a scene, not in his position.
"Please, Colonel Sahib, please go into my house and the bearer will bring you a drink !" Indrajit stepped in front of his son, his eyes lowered, and edged the colonel toward the interior of the bungalow. He had begun to sweat anxiously. "This way, Colonel Sahib and Mrs. Mills Memsahib, please to have a nice cool drink inside." He blocked the view of his son in an attempt to dismiss his rudeness. "It is such an honor," he rushed on, "to have you as a guest in my house, suche a great honor for me and my family ! Please, please to go inside..."
At last the colonel smiled.
"A drink for the colonel and Mrs. mills, bearer!" The host shouted above the chatter of the party, "Quickly !" He clapped his hands loudly. "Quickly, a drink!" The bearer came into sight, carrying a large silver tray, and Indrajit Rai fussed extravagantly over the refreshments. Alicia smiled at several of their acquaintances, nodding to left and the right, and the colonel relaxed slightly. He took a long gulp of fhis whisky sode and glanced around him. The difficult moment was over, at least for the interim, and the pary continued much to the relief of the agitated host.
"But what I do not understand is why so many of our countrymen do not question the supremacy of the British. Pah! It would seem to me that we are all too afraid of putting the situation right." Jagat Rai had his back to the rest of the party as he spoke to a small group of young men in the corner of his father's large open drawing room. He knew nothing of the true situation in Meerut or of the tension in the military community and spoke simply off the top of his head; he enjoyed the thrill of indulging in dangerous talk.
"It would seem to me" he broke off as one his friends jabbed him in the ribs. [...]
"It would seem to you what exactly?" Colonel Mills demanded. He had no intention of restraining himself this time, the boy needed to be embarrassed, put in his place. He was aware of the room's attention focused on their exchange and he waited for the boy to back down.
["It would seem to me," Jagat answered, "that the British superiority in India is a figment of their imagination." He spoke with cool assurance, his face set and his gaze steady on Colonel Mills. A shocked murmur ran through the room. Jagat Rai, an intelligent, educated and angry young man, was not going to back down. "The British are no better than any other ruler in this country and perhaps they are even worse." He saw the colonel's face flush deep red but he went on.
"Whatever they are, colonel, the people of India are not happy with them. The situation is not a comfortable one and I think that it is going to have to change."
"Well I... I..." For the first time in his life, Colonel mills was lost for words and the whole party looked on with horror and dismay as he floundered. He had never, in all his military career, been spoken to with such insolence by an inferior, and never, never by a native ! [...]
Jagat Rai simply smiled, nodded his head and then turned away, back to his friends, as if nothing untoward had happened. The only thing that perturbed him was the fact that he might have offended his father.]
"Alicia !" Colonel Mills finally announced to the still hushed room. "We are leavinh. I will not stay here to be insulted !" He glared across the room and shouted for the bearer."
Maria Barrett, Dishonored.

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