On Dartmoor 

             On Dartmoor is one act play written by  Neil Grant. On Dartmoor may appear to be a crime play, but actually it is a satire on a certain type of idealism which may be called fashionable or armchair. It was published in 1933.

Questions:

1.State the theme of the play. 

Answer: 

                According to me, the theme of the play is given below: 

           1.Kindness and Cruelty :

            The play opens with Muriel and Leonora receiving a call from the police informing them of an escaped prisoner. Muriel and Leonora are against the police system so they decide to shelter an escaped prisoner. The plot of the play progresses, as someone knocks on the door. Muriel and Leonora open the door and ask his name and it turns out to be an escaped prisoner, Bill Syme.Both of them shelter him and also give him whiskey. They also gives him his own money and car keys and his grandfather's coat to make it easier for the police to come and  cannot catch him. But Bill Syme, who calls himself a prisoner but in real he is a crook, and his friend Albert Read, together betray Muriel and Leonora and steal everything from the house and cut the telephone wire so that they cannot get help.This shatters the idealism of both of them and at the end of the play they actually kill the escaped prisoner with a pillow, mistaking them for a crook.

             2.Blind Faith :

            In the play we see that  Muriel and Leonora shelter the escaped prisoner and give them food and whisky to eat. And if the police come to catch the escaped prisoner Bill Syme,they gives his their car,money and even his grandfather's coat to make his escape easier and trust him blindly but an escaped prisoner is not really a prisoner, he is a crook disguised as a prisoner. Bill syme and his friend Albert Read steal all thing into Muriel and Leonora's house together. Breaks their trust. They also cut telephone wires to prevent them from getting any help. 

Question: 2

Bring out the satire in the play. 

Answer: 

            This play is a satire on a certain type of idealism which may be called fashionable  or armchair idealism.Through this play,  the writer points out the flaws in the society. The satire is not direct but is made evident with the help of contrasted  situations.The dramatist seems to imply that impractical idealism cannot solve the problems of society. Most of the people who pose as ifealists are the idle rich who dabble on these things to kill time and to get some excitement in their otherwise dull and uninteresting, fashionable lives.Such idealists.since they are divorced from reality,often come to grief.

          The writer has satirized the government in the play. The government is not doing the work it is supposed to do and commenting on women's clothing but not solving other problems. Apart from this the author has satirized the police system. Satirized that behavior of the police with the general public. 

 Question: 3

Do you find anything farcical in the play ? If so,point it out and show its farcical nature.

Answer: 

      There are so many farcical elements in these play,which are as follows: 

          When Leonora says that some man is outside but Muriel doesn't believe it and says nonsense,Leonora says behind the hedged in the garden but Muriel says you are dreaming. Which is funny to the audience. 

          When both the girls realize  that there is actually someone in the garden they both get  scared and start shaking and their voice also shake which we find ridiculous.

            When Albert Read turns up as a sergeant and comes to Muriel and Leonora's house the two pretend to read something and Muriel starts discussing PM's rotten speech. which is hilarious. 

          Muriel is angry with Albert  Read and his torn is very rude that's why Muriel also rude to him and that time Leonora  is asked to Sergeant  read that have a cigarett?

           when Bill Syme  and Albert  Read break into Leonora  and Muriel 's house, Muriel runs to  the telephone to call the police but realizes that the crook has cut the telephone  wire,and we are amused at their distress. 

           Also, when a real escaped  Prisoner name Fred Lee comes to the duo's  house to asking for help, they both mistake Fred Lee  for Bill Syme  and Albert Read  and smother him with a pillow, much to our amusement.

Question: 4

Describe the trick played upon the two ladies by the two thieves. 

Answer: 

   Two thieves trick two ladies out of their wits,which is as follows:  

            As the play opens, Muriel  is informed by the police of a prisoner who has escaped from the prison and is told to inform the police if he comes across.The crook instructs the escaped prisoner to break into Muriel's house.It seems well that Muriel and Leonora are against the police system. After a while there is a noise from the garden but there is no one. Them there is a knocking at the door, a man.His name is Bill Syme. 

            He is dressed as an escaped  Prisoner but  is actually a crook.  He pretend  to be hungry ,thirsty  and tired.Muriel and Leonora give him whiskey. And then Bill Syme praises Muriel, he says you wrote the book "Horror of Prison  Life " is very good. And thus he wins the trust of both.And after some time he gets sympathy by telling a false story of beating his wife with a hammer.

           As the play progresses,  Bill Syme says what would I do if the police came to arrest me.Muriel and Leonora give him money , car keys and send him to the top floor of the bungalow,and destroy his footprints, whiskey glass and everything. 

           Then there is a knock on the door. which is Sergeant read who is actually Albert read who is the friend of Bill Syme.He makes inquiries like a policeman. Raising his voice and acting a rudely so that they think they are policemen.Then he goes to the second floor on the pretext  of a searching and steals Muriel  and Leonora's precious jewellery,valuables like platinum watch,rings,gold chain,mink coat, pearl necklace,gold bottles.Beside, he also cuts the telephone wire so that these two do not get any kind of help.

           Thus two  ladies are deceived by two thieves.

Reference: 

Pro.Vipul sir dabhi.