- •Unit one
- •I will teach you in my verse
- •I will keep you, Suzy, busy,
- •Viscous, viscount, load and broad,
- •Ivy, privy, famous; clamour
- •Is a paling stout and spiky?
- •It's a dark abyss or tunnel:
- •Islington and Isle of Wight,
- •I like them all!
- •Unit two
- •I'm Joe Linn, I come from San Francisco. I'm leaving for Peking.
- •I'm going to learn Chinese. I know some words already
- •I hope you like Peking.
- •Unit three
- •It’s cuz we're concentrating
- •Is reality’s accordion. Unexpectedly
- •I thought this was
- •I took drama
- •Into my own hands and alongside
- •I told you not to do it and you did it again!
- •Unit four
- •Violently engaged. But it was the artists
- •I looked left toward the little bridge,
- •Incredibly enough, being led
- •In servizio sulla Linea Mediterraneo - Nord America sailing 1968
- •Unit five
- •It was “about breeding.”. Breeding yes, I flashed the thought of all the deaths
- •In the birdcage
- •In the face of “what counts
- •It’s pennies”. In o-eight
- •Unit six
- •In the feminist fable
- •Into activist or choose to manifest
- •In smokey loops
- •Unit seven
- •Is That Why They Call Them Flower Children?
- •In a high school senior play, shouting
- •In broken English and rapid Greek about tanks
- •Into citizens, just now, in the streets of Prague.
- •I was running
- •In the gutters
- •I still see blue sky and sea under sun and wind
- •Is a little dock, still a black rock beach, footprints
- •Unit eight
- •In search of Athena and Apollo’s
- •In different, steaming jungles in Vietnam.
- •Unit nine
- •Voice spilling. He will not
- •Voices soften thick air and as they sing every
- •If you run after two hares you will catch neither.
- •Unit ten
- •In rural Turkey?
- •I feel sure that was the afternoon
- •Unit eleven
- •In Athens the Greek music
- •I squint myself into your eight and ten year old eyes to conger
- •Into a monster. Other answers are better buried.
- •Sideducking Your Question
- •Family Game
- •Irresistible
- •Is a room whose boundaries invite me to compose
- •Is a room
- •Answering Machine
- •Into the room where only
- •The Business of a Clean Sweep
- •The Night House
- •Into half truths. Simply an issue of light.
- •In her house in the middle
- •University Weather
- •Clinic Wait
- •Is in an exam.
- •The Baroness of Ballard
- •In hers. He says
- •Is dying but she is hanging-on.
- •Salzbergwerk Berchtesgaden in Germany
- •I forget where we were headed but it rained.
- •It was dark, a musty smell and the guide’s voice
- •Passages in the Bad-Hotel Zum Hirsh
- •Milltown Maltbay, Cookery School
- •Fourth Day at the Literary Seminar
- •In pink overstuffed
- •You Hated to Practice
- •Our Teacher Says Music is Her Mission
- •In a room that is the color of ice. First Rehearsal of the Opera, "Andrea Chénier"
- •Emanuel Ax, Hunger & Taste
- •Barometric Pressure
- •Its little ledges of blue slow motion
- •Inflaming the cheek after the slap.
- •The Question of the Color of the Walls
- •In splats of blistering gold & refresh ourselves in grapefruit.
- •Eau de California
- •The Perfumer
- •Afterimage of the Bird of Passage
- •The Most Important Thing to Save When the House is Burning Down
- •I needed that.
I squint myself into your eight and ten year old eyes to conger
the size of your ocean, markets, mosques and crumbling walls
percieved decamping country after country bored but good.
Dear ones, that was before the isolated island, again, you ask about.
Before lies to the provincial Bishop, monolithic in robes,
who appeared before tempers swelled. You have a right
to ask what happened when the glass started flying
and jeers and taunts in Greek flew at us and we packed
you up and ran away and didn’t talk about it.
Dear ones, I’m at a loss to answer what happened. I know
you want to know. For years I’ve held, like tightly curled fronds
hidden in old foliage--a story. Meditation and reflection
didn’t prevail. Exaggeration and turbulence is always
the summit of intensity spurting an unlovely typhoon
of personal mythology. Don’t talk about it
to your children they won’t understand. It wasn’t
as big as you remember. Just a little tiff you’ve unfolded
Into a monster. Other answers are better buried.
Appendix
Exercise 1. Watch the film in Russian. Read the script. Be ready to tone the film in English.
DRAMA
on the short story by Anton P. Chekhov |
Script and production by Herman Livanov |
Director of photography Mark Volynetz |
Sound V. Nactinas |
Editor A. Soboleva |
Recording mixer L. Akimov |
Director assistant L. Nezelskaya |
Production coordinator V. Shafran |
Characters: |
Murashkina - Faina Renevskaya |
Pavel Vassilievich - Boris Tenin |
Production of Central TV Studio, Moscow 1960. |
English version: Laura Akhmilovski & Andriana Barysh. |
Translation Editor - Carol Levin
|
(voice) Five arshins of tape, pound of cheese a-a-and tooth powder. That's it. I still have an hour before I leave to go to my country house, enough time for a nap. |
(the writing on the cushions under his feet: From an admirer. Falls asleep. SERVANT: Pavel Vassilich! Pavel Vassilich! There is a lady here. She is asking about you. She’s been waiting an hour or so. |
PAVEL VASSILICH: Hmm…What in the hell! Tell her I’m busy. |
SERVANT: Well, Pavel Vassilich! she’s came five times before She says she really needs to see you. She is on the brink of tears. |
PAVEL VASSILICH: Well…Let her into my study. |
SERVANT: Pavel Vassilich please put this on (helps him into his jacket ) |
MURASHKINA: Of course you don't remember me. It was my pleasure to meet you at the Kurdski's. I…I…am M-Murashkina. Yes… |
PAVEL VASSILICH: (puzzled) Please have a seat. |
MURASHKINA: Mercie. |
PAVEL VASSILICH: What can I do for you? |
MURASHKINA: You see I am Murashkina…Murashkina, I am…I am a great admirer of your talent. I always enjoy your articles. Don't think that I am flattering you. I read you constantly. I myself know what it’s like to be an author. It is not alien to me. Well of course I dare not call myself a writer and yet. My drop of honey has been added to the honey-hive. I have within a certain time published my three short stories for children … then and there. I’ve often done translation and my late brother worked for "Delo" … democratic magazine. |
PAVEL VASSILICH: How can I help you? |
MURASHKINA: I know your talent, your views, Pavel Vassilich. I would like to know your opinion. To put it accurately, I would like to ask your advice…I must say…pardon pour l'expression, excuse my expression, I was bearing a baby…I have delivered a …drama, yes! Drama. And before I send it to the censors, Pavel Vassilich, I would like to know your opinion. |
PAVEL VASSILICH: All right! Leave it here. I will read it! |
MURASHKINA: Pavel Vassilich, I know you’re busy. I know how you value every minute. And I know that deep in your heart you are now telling me to go to hell! But will you be so kind as to let me read my drama for you now. Will you be nice.? PAVEL VASSILICH: I would love to, But now, madam I’m so..very busy. I am leaving now… |
MURASHKINA: Pavel Vassilich, I am at your mercy. Be generous! Tomorrow I’m leaving for Kazan, so I would like to know your opinion today. Will you give me a gift! Just half an hour of your attention. Only half an hour, Pavel Vassilich, I pray! I pray!! |
PAVEL VASSILICH (brings her to the sofa and helps her sit down) Half an hour. Well, I am ready to listen to you! |
MURASHKINA: Half an hour, dear Pavel Vassilich. “Drama in two acts with prologue and epilogue” "What were the nightingales singing about?" Characters: Landowner Shepcherygin, 60 years old. His views are conservative. His face shows importance. His sister Concordia Ivanovna, 65 years old, manifests mementos of her former beauty, her manners are aristocratic. Drinks vodka. His daughter Anna Sergeievna, 35 years old, suffers because she is a virgin… Valentin, student, 40 years old, generous, helps his ill father. Zigzagovski, landowner, rich, corrupted, product of his time. Pertukarski, telegraphist, 55 years old, bastard. Kuchkin, judge, scoundrel, but generally speaking, an honest man. Vodyankin, merchant. His left hand is limp. Never appears on stage. Pronskaya, princess, comma. 75 years old. Has sticky fingers. Sylvester, valet. Feklusha, maid - old servants. Have intimate relationship. Perigaev - retired colonel. |
PAVEL VASSILICH: What a hell you have brought! |
MURASHKINA:…with a dog. Never appears on stage. Baron fon Shputzen, an old bachelor. Has an adult daughter. His daughter Caleria, 50 years old. shows traces of her former beauty. Dressed in a narrow silk blouse. Men and women of the settlement. Men and women dwellers Act 1. A luxurious parlour at Shepcherygins house. Antique expensive meuble furniture stands surrounded on either side by portraits of ancestors. Autumn faded flowers are in the vases. The valet and the maid are dusting the luxurious sitting room The valet: the master is mad at the young miss! He was so angry with his daughter yesterday that he did not come down for lunch. She has spent all her inheritance to build the school and the hospital in the village. The valet exits. Feklusha alone: those are well, who have learnt all sciences. They fair say: live and learn. Pause. |
PAVEL VASSILICH: Why should I listen to this nonsense of yours? Am I to blame that you have written this drama. |
MURASHKINA: Enter Anna. She is pale and gorgeous. Anna: Feklusha give me valerian drops. I have not slept all night. Pause. |
PAVEL VASSILICH: My God. The notebook is so Thick! What torture! |
MURASHKINA: Scene seven. Anna alone. I have been thinking of Valentine all night. What a noble man! He’s the son of a poor teacher and he helps his ill parent absolutely gratis otherwise he would be able to have a brilliant career! Scene nine. Pause. Enter Feklusha. She is pale. |
PAVEL VASSILICH: My wife has ordered to me to buy… and bring to the country house. |
MURASHKINA: Dear miss! Dear miss! |
PAVEL VASSILICH: …to bring to the country house five arshins of tape, a pound of cheese and… |
MURASHKINA: Anna: here he is! |
PAVEL VASSILICH: and… |
MURASHKINA: Be quick! |
PAVEL VASSILICH: and …some tooth powder. |
MURASHKINA: Scene ten. Why? Anna: Now we must have a talk. Where is the happiness that you promised me! Forgive me, Pavel Vassilich, this is private! This is from my biography…Oh my God! Scene twelve. Pause. |
PAVEL VASSILICH: I must not lose the sample of broadcloth. Where have I put it? Probably is in my blue jacket. |
MURASHKINA: Valentin getting pale: I am not able to think rationally. I don’t know my ambition in this life. Doubts and lack of self-confidence have deprived my soul of peace. Where? What is my credo? And yet…I must… |
PAVEL VASSILICH: Dirty flies! They had their time to spatter my wife’s portrait! Now I must order the servant…I must order Olga to wash it. |
…it is a hard burden for my fragile shoulders… Valentin has gotten pale. Anna has gotten pale: I love him! I love him more than life. Baron Shputzen: Anna Sergeievna you forget that your love is destroying your father! Anna looks at Valentin. How pale he is! Valentin getting pale: I cannot think rationally. I have no goal in my life. Doubts, lack of self-confidence have worn my soul. Where? What is my credo? Pavel Vassilich, don’t you think that this monologue of Valentin’S is a little bit longer, than it should be? |
PAVEL VASSILICH: No! Not at all! It’s very nice. |
MURASHKINA: Oh, you are so very kind! Just so very kind! Oh, how happy I am! Anna is looking lovingly at Valentin. Valentin getting pale: Yes! But these relationships of ours are not supposed to be continued! Ah! Forgive my tears Pavel Vassilievich…a-a-ah! |
PAVEL VASSILICH: Is it really possible in these dog days that such a pretty belly-mountain is so inspired? |
Murashkina: Valentin! Oh, I am sorry! Pavel Vassilievich…a-a-ah! This is again a very private moment. This is from my life. Anna has gotten pale: you are focused on the analysis! You have stopped living in your heart. You are young enough but you don’t believe your feelings. You trust your head. Valentin getting pale: what is heart? This is a notion of anatomy. Certain conditional terms define feelings. I don’t acknowledge it. Valentin is laughing sardonically. A-ha-ha! Anna has gotten pale. She is embarrassed: and love? Is love just a product of associations and ideas? Pavel Vassilich: you’d better forget playwriting…you’d better eat cold kvas soup and nap at the basement door. |
MURASHKINA: Anna…she has gotten pale: Say truthfully. Have you ever loved someone? Valentin: Don’t salt my wounds! They still hurt. Anna…she has gotten pale: Silence! Valentin making an aside: How pale she is! We must have a frank talk, Valentin! Where is the happiness you promised me? Valentin says to her: What are you thinking about? It seems to me that you are unhappy? A-a-ah! Forgive my tears Pavel Vassilievich…a-a-ah! This moment is also from my biography. |
PAVEL VASSILICH: Is it going to have an end? |
MURASHKINA: He is generously supporting his ill father. |
PAVEL VASSILICH: Oh. My God! If this torture lasts ten minutes more, I will cry for a help! |
MURASHKINA: Here he is! Let him in immediately! |
PAVEL VASSILICH: This is unbearable! |
MURASHKINA: Sylvester: they are together again! Oh, it’s bad luck! She has refused such a man. Such a gentleman! Yes! Gentleman of the Emperor’s bed-chamber…She has refused mister Lyarlyarski. Curtain. Act two. Stage set is a village lane. There is the school to the right and the hospital to the left. Villagers sit on the stairs. They are singing: On Saturday…Nasty weather…One can’t go…one can’t go to the fi-i-ield! |
PAVEL VASSILICH: How many acts are there all in all? |
MURASHKINA: Five! Scene one. Enter Valentin. He is pale. You called me, Anna? Why? Anna: Don’t make me explain the reason. Pause. Anna. You cannot leave! Valenting, embracing Anna: You have raised me from the dead! You have shown me the way! You have refreshed me as spring rain refreshes the awakening soil. But late! Too late! The incurable disease is worming its way into my chest! Valentin is crying. Anna is crying. |
PAVEL VASSILICH: Haven’t I taken my salt! What am I talking about? Yes, about my salt. It’s very likely that…I have catarrh of the stomach. |
MURASHKINA: Scene eleven. The same, Baron Shputzen, district police officer, witnesses. Valentin has become pale: Take me! Anna: Take me! I belong to him! I will follow him. Take me with him! I love him! I love him more than my life. |
PAVEL VASSILICH: Some birds seem to be sitting on the window-sill. A sparrow! |
MURASHKINA: I love him more than my life. District police officer and witnesses have seized Valentin. He is trying hard to get out of the tenacious hands of the limbs of law. Valentin: Let me go! Anna gets pale: Take me! Leave him alone! Valentin: There is no force that could separate us! Valentin gets pale. Valentin is looking through the school window. One can see the villagers carrying their goods. Valentin: Let me leave! Anna gets pale. What is going on here? Anna Sergeievna! What are you doing to your elderly parent? She instilled in me in a great and infinite love! She instilled in me unlimited happiness! Scene twenty. Comma. What is going on here? Baron Shputzen: Anna Sergeievna! What are you doing to your elderly father? You keep forgetting that you destroy him! You will kill him so! You will kill! I cannot stand it anymore! I need some fresh air! |
PAVEL VASSILICH: A-a-ah!! |
MURASHKINA: Valentin is holding Anna in his arms. She is weeping. O-ho-ho! Valentin is laughing sardonically. Valentin has gotten pale: I must leave. A-a-ah! |
PAVEL VASSILICH: (hits Murashkina) Arrest me I have killed her! Music. Voice: The Jury acquitted him. THE END.
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Exercise 2. Speak on the drawing by Althea Hucari. Express your attitude towards translator’s activities. Use more adjectives to characterize professional qualities of translator. Use the Intonation patterns in accordance with your emotions (doubt, reproach, uncertainty, hurt feelings etc).
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Exercise 3. Speak on the drawings by Mikhail Eydus. Give your commentary as if you were a) a guide at the Art Museum; b) an art critic; c) a journalist; d) a teacher of art; e) a producer; f) owner of the Art Gallery .Give it your title. Explain your choice. Use the Intonation patterns in accordance with your emotions (doubt, reproach, uncertainty, hurt feelings etc).
TEXTS FOR YOUR INDEPENDENT READING, TRANSLATION & ANALYSIS
From the book “Red rooms and others” by C. Levin