After the last match, the amigo brothers charged each other because they were
so proud of one another. They were confident that they would always stand up
for one another. This demonstrates how solid and unbreakable their bond is. It
adheres to the three principles of Aristotle's Poetics that govern one-act
plays: the unity of action, unity of place, and unity of time. The play's
runtime and the setting, a visiting room in a little home, make up the actual
duration of the plot. And it just performs one action. Here you can see an
analysis, writeup, Character sketch, and Group Discussion of the play
"The Hour of Truth" for Plus two English.
Mr Baldwin stands for the average American man. He makes a living by working
hard. His income is insufficient to provide for his family. Everything changes
when Robert's boss, Mr Gresham, is charged with stealing money from the bank.
The bank's clients suffer as a result. Mr Gresham was viewed well by Mr
Baldwin as a boss. We lost faith in Mr Gresham's character after his
incarceration. The hunger for money completely altered Mr Gresham. He shows
the readers just how much power money has over individuals.
| Board | SCERT, Kerala |
| Text Book | NCERT Based |
| Class | Plus Two |
| Subject | English Notes |
| Chapter | Chapter 3 |
| Chapter Name | The Hour of Truth (One-act play) |
| Category | Plus Two Kerala |
Kerala Syllabus Plus Two English Notes Unit II Chapter 3 The Hour of Truth (One-act play)
Chapter 3 The Hour of Truth (One-act play)
Summary
The author of "The Hour of Truth" is Percival Wilde. A Question of Morality and Other Plays is where the play is adapted from. Robert Baldwin, Martha, John, Evie, Mr. Marshall, and a maid are the main protagonists. On a Sunday afternoon, Baldwin's cottage serves as the setting for the action. Robert Baldwin has left the building. His wife and kids are eagerly anticipating his arrival.It's very dark outside. The family anticipates rain, but they are unsure if Baldwin will bring his umbrella or not. The family is discussing John Gresham, whose bank Mr. Baldwin worked for, as they wait for Robert Baldwin to arrive. Bank was shut down as a result of the current financial crisis, and John Gresham was found guilty and imprisoned for it. Their conversation makes it clear that John Baldwin will be testifying against John Gresham at his trial the next day. But that day, John Gresham calls. They want to know immediately why he calls Baldwin.Evie questions whether Baldwin was involved in "wrecking of the bank" given that it is mentioned in every publication and Baldwin makes no protests. Martha claims that the publication treats him unfairly. The family is unsure whether Baldwin was engaged in the bank catastrophe because he is working on Gresham's directions.Martha claims that her husband is a very committed employee. He complied with John Gresham's requests without objecting.Robert Baldwin finally enters the home. Everyone is curious as to how the bank meltdown occurred. Only one day prior to the crash, he claims that even he is aware of what John Gresham is doing. He put pressure on John Gresham to close the bank. He even explains the reason John Gresham requested their meeting. When Robert Baldwin is asked about the bank crash in court, John Gresham wants him to say, "I don't remember." If Robert Baldwin follows through, he will receive $100,000. But Robert Baldwin is a trustworthy individual. He rejects his offer as a result. However, the entire family's perspective starts to shift after they learn about the money. They start persuading John Gresham. If the depositors would experience any losses, Martha wants to know. In response, Robert Baldwin claims that everyone will gain. The family learns that the money is secure in this way. The theft of the money was John Gresham's offence.Robert Baldwin starts to be persuaded by the family to tell lies and support John Gresham. Robert Baldwin is initially shocked. It will be a disgrace to their son, Martha warns him, because they named their kid John Gresham. John Gresham also paid for John to get baptised. She coerces Robert Baldwin into aiding John Gresham with these statements.Evie predicts that the depositors will despise Robert Baldwin for putting John Gresham in jail if he promises to pay everything back the next day. No one wants to see him punished, John says in favour of her. Additionally, he believes that John Gresham will launch a company with Robert as a partner if he avoids going to jail. Robert Balwin becomes irate when he hears this.In an effort to persuade Robert Balwin, Martha claims that John is now the family's sole provider of income. However, his income is insufficient to support the family. If Robert accepts John Gresham's offer of $100,000, the family can live comfortably.Robert Baldwin doesn't anticipate his family changing at all. After learning how much John Gresham will have to pay Robert Baldwin if he says, "I don't recall," in court, Robert Baldwin never expects his family's behaviour to alter. It depresses him. They are labelled as "Shams," "Liars," "Hypocrites," and "Thieves" by him. But the family manages to convince him to take the cash. Mr. Marshall, the Third National's President, enters the house at this point. By letting Robert Baldwin and his family know that a good position is waiting for him in the Third National, he brings them some glad news. John Gresham informs him that Robert Baldwin refused to testify truthfully in court, which led John Gresham to confess. "I can only say to you what every guy will be saying tomorrow: how much I honour and respect your spouse!" he exclaims to Robert Baldwin's family as the performance comes to a close.
Plus Two English The Hour Of The Truth Character Sketch:
(i) Robert Baldwin
Robert Baldwin is the central character in Percival Wilde's play The
Moment of Truth. He lives with his son John, daughter Evie and wife
Martha,. He worked as secretary to John Gresham in a bank he owned.
John Gresham is arrested for financial embezzlement and his trial soon
begins. The day before the trial begins, Gresham offered a hundred
thousand dollars not to testify against him.
Robert Baldwin is very honest and conscientious. His values and his
principles were more than his friendship with Gresham. He doesn't have
to think twice before turning down the offer of money.
The family members who initially wanted to send Gresham to prison
change their minds when they learn about the huge offer. They try to
persuade Robert Baldwin to accept it with a variety of arguments.
Despite the pressure, Baldwin is holding on.
Baldwin's integrity is rewarded when he's offered a job at a major
bank. Gresham himself tells Marshall that no amount of money will make
him do anything he thinks is wrong. Instead of letting Baldwin testify
against him, Gresham decides to confess.
On one occasion, Baldwin says: "When John Gresham offered me money, I
was furious. But when I declined and he showed no surprise, I was
satisfied.” This shows how Baldwin values not only his principles
but also how others view him. His firm moral stance contrasts with the
other family members who change their stance due to the temptation of
money.
He is very loyal to his employer. When he learns of the impending
demise, he doesn't even mention it to his own wife. He never complains
about the low pay he gets. He lives a happy life with everything he
has. His lawsuit shows how principled and religious his attitude is.
The playwright probably wants to tell us that in this world, steadfast
adherence to principle is itself rewarded and worth enduring the pain
that comes with it.
(ii) John Gresham
John Gresham is a worldly founder of a private bank. He values
friendship and appoints his childhood friend Robert Baldwin as
governor of his bank. He is clever and very successful at running his
bank profitably. In the meantime, he is using the accumulated deposits
in a way that adds value to his own private wealth, of course without
costing the depositors anything, it is a breach of trust indeed. Nobody
had any idea that any wrongdoing was going on. Even Donovan, the teller,
claims that the bank's closure came as a huge shock to him as he got
married because of the job and salary from the bank. He would never have
approved of that. After being exposed and on trial for embezzling funds,
he "offers a hundred thousand dollars of private wealth in the
bait.
He knows that only Baldwin alone can help the law nail him. But when he
says, "I don't remember," again with the goodwill recovered at trial.
But he understands Baldwin's body language. He knows it would be painful
for Baldwin to testify against him. He may be a bad banker, but he
appreciates Baldwin's feelings and honesty. He confesses to Baldwin's
embarrassment and tells the chairman of Third National that Baldwin has
no technical questions, he's being let off the hook. If he's acquitted,
he could still make money even after the $100,000 offer.
(iii) Martha
Martha is a character in one act Play The Hour of Truth by Percival
savages. Martha is Baldwin's wife the hero of the play. She knitted them
clothes when the play begins. Martha is proud of her honest husband. she
supports her husband and his truthfulness at the beginning of the play.
But she changes her mind and gives up her principles if she knows the
bribery Money of a hundred thousand dollars for her Husband. She's
looking for loopholes to take the money without guilt. she tries to
accuse her husband of sending an old man friend to prison. She forces
her husband to do it and says I don't remember getting in court the
bribe.
(iv) John
John is a character in the one-act play The Moment of Truth" by Percival
Wilde. He is the son of Robert Baldwin and Martha. He is twenty-seven
years old. He smoked a pipe as the play began. He only makes $30 a week.
In At the beginning of the play, John suspects his Father of a bank
collapse. He supports his father and his truthfulness when he understood
the truth. But he changes his mind and forces his father to receive the
bribe. He forces himself To tell dad I don't remember the court. He says
to his father that he simply ie is not a sin.
(v) Evie
Evie is a character in the one-act play The Moment of Truth" by Percival
Wilde. She is the daughter of Robert Baldwin and Martha. She is very
nervous when playing begins. She often goes to the window times and
anxiously looks in for the father's beginning of the piece. She supports
her father's truthfulness But first, she changes her mind when she knew
about the hundred thousand dollars offered by Gresham. She forces them,
Father, to say "I don't remember" in court to receive the bribe.
Related Questions
a) Why was Mr Gresham arrested?
Because he stole money from the bank, Mr Gresham was detained.
b) Why did ’t Baldwin explain his position to the papers?
Baldwin chose not to explain his viewpoint to the media because he did
not see the need to do so.
c) What was the change in the attitude of the members of the family
when they came to know the amount of the bribe?
The bribe was for a big sum of money—$100,000. When the family members
learned that the sum was so large, they all started looking for
justifications to force Baldwin to do what Gresham demanded of him.
They have all been honourable folks so far. But when the major
temptation struck, they were prepared to give in to compromise.
d) How did Baldwin react to the opinion of his family?
He warned them that he would be acting dishonourably if he accepted the
bribe. Outsiders might not be aware of it, but the four of them will. And
how can they be certain that they will be truthful with one another after
doing anything dishonourable? He will be a fraud, a liar, a hypocrite, and
a thief if he accepts the money. If he commits a sin, the Almighty Heaven
will smell it.
e) Was Baldwin disloyal to Mr Grisham? Quote the relevant sentences to
support your answer.
He didn't betray Mr Gresham. Supporting someone's wrongdoing is not a
sign of loyalty. Gresham was assured by Baldwin he wouldn't lie.
Gresham "was not taken aback. He has known me for 35 years, and anyone
who has known me for 35 years does not anticipate me to argue with my
conscience. Baldwin continues, "He is desperate; otherwise, he
wouldn't have offered the money. He has no idea what he is doing."
Plus Two English Notes
Chapter 3: The Hour of Truth (One-act play) Notes - Preview
Chapter 3: The Hour of Truth (One-act play) Notes - Download
Plus Two English Notes PDF Download
- Chapter 1: The 3Ls of Empowerment (Speech)
- Chapter 2: Any Woman (Poem)
- Chapter 3: Matchbox (Story)
- Chapter 4: Horegallu (Anecdote)
- Chapter 1: Mending Wall (Poem)
- Chapter 2: Amigo Brothers (Story)
- Chapter 3: The Hour of Truth (One-act play)
- Chapter 1: A Three-Wheeled Revolution (Interview)
- Chapter 2: Didi (Life Writing)
- Chapter 3: Stammer (Poem)
- Chapter 1: When a Sapling is Planted (Speech)
- Chapter 2: Rice (Poem)
- Chapter 3: Dangers of Drug Abuse (Essay)
- Chapter 1: Post Early for Christmas (One-act play)
- Chapter 2: This is Going to Hurt Just a Little Bit (Poem)
- Chapter 3: Crime and Punishment (Story)
Unit 1 Flights of Freedom
Unit 2 Heights of Harmony
Unit 3 Challenges of Life
Unit 4 Live and Let Live
Unit 5 The Lighter Side
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