Facing Death

Monsieur Durand, a former railroad employee, widower, and retiree, is the main character in this piece. In this drama, he is presented as a financially devastated individual. Durand lives with his three daughters: Adele (27), Annette (24), and Therese (24). The father's relationship with his three daughters is shaky. They're completely out of money. They've been dealing with a financial crisis for the past decade. They have converted their home into a lodge for the remainder of their lives. Adele works in the kitchen, while Durand handles a range of other responsibilities such as serving visitors, cleaning, delivering and bringing meals, and so on.

Mr Durand's two daughters simply try to get the attention of the others in the lodge. Aside from playing, singing, and flirting with customers, they contribute nothing else to the lodge's operations. For years, the Durands lived and wasted their lives borrowing money from others. The family is facing financial difficulties. Durand is trying to figure out how to provide for his three children following their mother's death, and expenditures are mounting. Mr. Durand has several expenses to cover. He must pay everyone, including the baker, butcher, and grocer. When Pierre, their workboy, goes to get bread, he returns empty-handed. He brings only unpaid invoices. Durand buys candles to mark the death anniversary of his late son, René, who died as a kid. He still loves and misses him.

Durand's only paying guest at their lodge is Antonio (an Italian army lieutenant). Durand informs Antonio that they can no longer accommodate him due to poverty and a shortage of resources. Durand declines Antonio's offer to pay in advance and stay for an additional month. He also adds that the previous spring, he had no visitors for three months before an American family arrived to assist him. Therese flirts with guest Antonio, and they kiss as Durand takes a coffee break. When Durand comes to the door, he is surprised to see them kissing. He forcibly drives Antonio away from his home, infuriated. He also discards the money he received. Therese and Annette are displeased with their father's actions. They want Antonio (the visitor) to be present. Both girls show contempt for their father. They even removed his glass of milk because he was unable to bring bread. They force him to drink only one glass of water. Therese takes the match while he tries to light his bribery pipe.

Mr Durand has been hungry for a long time and consumes rat feed. He does survive, however, because it is not detrimental. His three daughters all accuse him of ruining the house's appearance. They argue that if Mother had still been alive, the house would not have been destroyed. When their mother was alive, she didn't get along with their father, Durand. The daughters appear to support the mother and blame only the father. In actuality, their mother wasted money by playing the lotto. She was reprimanded most of the time. She was threatened to become a prostitute.

When the wind blows, Mr Durand orders his daughters to put out the stove fire and properly manage the insurance documentation. He also promises to deliver insurance money for them. The daughters are now behaving appropriately around him. Given Therese's displeasure, he offers to let her marry Lieutenant Antonio if he truly loves her. When she hears this, Therese is overjoyed and returns the match to him. He contacts his eldest daughter, Adele, to inquire about the availability of candles. He directs Adele to conceal documents from a fire insurance policy and begins to divulge the secrets he has kept concealed in his heart. He was born in France. He had already fallen in love with a woman before reaching the age of recruitment. They traveled to Switzerland and obtained Swiss citizenship to marry. During the final struggle, he served in the Swiss Army, battling the French. It shows that he armed himself against his own country. To hide his guilt, he claims to be born in Switzerland.

He also alleges that he lost ancestral and maternal estates as a result of his mother's carelessness and reckless behavior. They had used up all of their inheritance in this way. Durand's children were raised to despise their father Durand while his wife was alive. She was the one who forced them to obey her. She blamed her husband most of the time and was successful in turning her children against him. Mr Durand stayed silent for the rest of his life after she died because he did not want his daughters to question their mother's morality.

Durand tells Adele to care for her sisters like a mother. He suggests that Annette, the youngest daughter, take a teaching position so that she may be in good company and keep track of her insurance papers. Finally, he swallows the poison from the glass, and the house is seen to be on fire. Durand set the house on fire and poisoned himself so that his children could receive 5000 francs in fire insurance money.

Some Important Questions

1. Sketch the character of Monsieur Duran.

ans: August Strindberg's one-act play 'Facing Death' stars Monsieur Durand. In this drama, he is portrayed as a widower, lodge owner, and former railway worker. He is financially struggling and has three daughters. Everyone lives in the lodge. To make ends meet, he converted his home into a lodge. Durand is shown in this play as a kind, caring, and protective father having a strained connection with his daughters. His life has become difficult as a result of bankruptcy. He isn't even receiving love from his daughters, who loathe and blame him. However, the play depicts how, despite his daughters' contempt and dislike, he sacrificed his life for them. In addition, he is a caring husband who is constantly concerned about his deceased son. He is a sorrowful hero who struggles financially before ultimately dying for the sake of his daughters.

2. Monsieur Duran kills himself so that his daughters would get 5000 francs as compensation from the insurance company. What does his plan tell us about him?

ans: Monsieur Duran committed suicide so that his daughters may receive 5000 francs as compensation from the insurance company. This plan expresses his love, care, and worry for his daughter.

Mr. Durand is the play's unhappy hero, living a life of tragedy, hatred, and famine. In the drama "Facing Death," he commits himself by swallowing poison and setting fire to his house to get reimbursement from the fire insurance company, which will benefit his daughter's financial situation. He has spent his entire life experiencing economic hardship and downturns. His wife and daughters have consistently blamed him for the economic disaster. His plan for his girls' well-being demonstrates that he is a kind, caring, and considerate parent who is committed to his daughter's future.