Category 1
Who is the poet of the poem: At the theatre to the lady behind me
A.P. Herbert
Who gave away the surprise and the plot of the story?
The lady
In what did the 'merit of the drama' lie?
The merit lay in creating an atmosphere of suspense and mystery.
What is the setting of the poem?
Answer:
The setting of the poem is in a theatre, where the speaker is watching a play and is annoyed by the lady sitting behind him.
Where was the speaker sitting, with respective to the talkative lady?
The speaker was sitting in the row in front of the talkative lady.
Name any one element that the story consisted of.
Suspense or murder.
In what way does the speaker feel that the lady’s actions disrupt his experience of the play?
Her voice is too loud
What does the speaker’s sarcastic tone reveal about his feelings toward the lady?
He is frustrated with her behavior and finds it insufferable
Meaning of merit.
Something which deserves praise.
What is the significance of the speaker's sarcastic tone in the context of the poem?
It highlights the speaker’s sense of superiority and frustration
The poem’s structure is relatively straightforward. How does this contribute to the overall tone and impact of the poem?
The structure mirrors the lady’s chaotic and unpredictable behavior
What can be inferred from the speaker’s attempt to draw attention to his own suffering?
The speaker is more focused on his own discomfort than on her behavior
Who is called a 'half wit' in the poem?
The niece of the lady
What does the speaker want the lady behind him to do?
The speaker wishes the lady would stop commenting loudly during the performance and pay more attention to the play itself.
What literary device is primarily used in the poem to convey the speaker’s frustration with the lady?
Irony is the primary literary device used, as the speaker’s sarcastic tone contrasts with the lady's behavior, highlighting the disconnect between her understanding and the play’s deeper meaning.
What does the speaker imply about the lady's understanding of the play?
The speaker suggests that the lady’s understanding of the play is shallow, as her comments seem disconnected from the play's actual themes or content.
Meaning of mute.
Being silent
Do you think the behaviour of the lady is appropriate for the place in which she is in?
No, she was displaying inappropriate behaviour inside the theatre by giving away the plot.
What is the speaker’s primary feeling towards the lady behind him at the theater?
Frustration
Which of the following best describes the tone of the poem? Humorous and sarcastic
Humorous and sarcastic