I-B.TECH II-SEMESTER AIML & DS [COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH MATERIAL]
UNIT-3
The Death trap
By Saki
Introduction to Author:
Hector Hugh Munro (Dec 18, 1870 - Nov 14, 1916) was a witty British author
who published underthe pen name SAKI or H.H. Munro. The inspiration for the pen
name "Saki" is unknown; it may bebasedupona characterinapoem.Whose
storiesarewitty,mischievousandsometimehisstories satirize Edwardiansociety and
culture. He is considered by English teachers andscholars as a master of the short
storiesand often compared to O. Henry and Dorothy Parker.He is influenced by great
short story writers like Oscar Wilde,Lewis Carroll and RudyardKipling.Some ofhis
writingsareThe Open Window, TheBull and TheStoryteller.
Summary
The one act play “The Death Trap” revolves around the conspiracy against the
reigningprince of Kedaria, princeDimitri, who turns the table on his assassins at the
end of the playPrince Dimitri, the young ruler of Kedaria, has rivalry with Prince
Karl, who desired to capture the political power of Kedaria by murdering the
reigning prince. So, Dimitri’s enemies hatch a plan to assassin him and they are
waiting for the right moment to execute it.
Three Military Regiments namely Andrieff Regiment, Lonyadi Regiment and
Kranitzki Regiment guard the Prince Dimitri, the reigning Prince of Kedaria.
Dr.Stronetz, a faithful physician, is also very loyal to the prince Demitri. The
Kranitzki Regiment is being loyal to the enemy and the three officers of this
Regiment, Colonel Girnitza, Major Vontieff and Captian Shultz are all set to murder
Prince Dimitri as soon as the loyal Andrieff Regiment leaves from its duty. These
officers of Kranitzki Regiment are disloyal to Prince Dimitri but very loyal to Prince
Karl, who is willing to kill Prince Dimitri and want to become the king of Kedaria.
When the play “The Death Trap” opens where three guards of Kranitazki
Regiment are seen plotting the assassination of Prince Dimitri so that Prince Karl
can ascend the throne. The conversation among the three disloyal guards reveals
Dr.KVSRIT M.D. ABDULLA Associate Professor Of English Page 1
,I-B.TECH II-SEMESTER AIML & DS [COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH MATERIAL]
that they are openly conspire to murder the prince. They are very aware that the
Prince Dimitri is already suspecting them. Yet, they go ahead with murder plan
because they are being backed by the political support of Prince Karl.
Following the conversation between the Prince Dimitri and his loyal physician
Dr. Stronetz, we get to know that Prince Dimitri came to power at his very young
age when he did not know anything about the rules of governance or responsibility.
This shows his helplessness, which is now an advantage to his enemies.
Prince Dimitri is well aware that he is “trapped” and that his own guards are
plotting to kill him. This is a painful realisation for him. He also knows very well that
he would be killed at any moment as soon as his loyal Andrieff Regiment leaves. He
has no weapons to defend himself. No one is allowed to see him except his friend
and personal physician Dr. Stronetz. Out of kindness and loyalty Dr. Stonetz devices
a clever plan as a physician. Instantly, he asks the Prince to remove his robes for a
fake of physical examination, which will help him to fool the officers of the disloyal
Kranitzki Regiment. His efforts are only temporarily delay the murder of the Prince.
But this delay helps the Prince to take revenge on disloyal officers.
However, the hard truth behind the physical examination of the Prince reveals
that he is really suffering from an incurable heart disease. This is another shocking
realization to the Prince.He decides to commit suicide instead of being killed in the
hands of his disloyal guards. He requests Dr. Stronetz to provide him a phial of
poison, which can kill him so that he can invite his death as a ruler without being
killed. Dr. Strontez gives him a phial of poison. But as final act of revenge, when
death is inevitable to him, the Prince Dimitri wants to die only after punishing his
enemies. So he mixes the entire phial of poison in a bottle of wine and invites the
three officers for a final drink. He shares the poisoned wine after drinking it himself.
It is a sight of pity for the Prince but at the same time he shows a clever act of
revenge. The Prince thus overcomes his helplessness by his intelligence even though
he cannot avoid his own death.
Conclusion: The title of the play “The Death Trap” projects how the Prince and
hishelplessness becomes the ‘death trap’ to the officers of Kranitzki Regiment as
result to theirdisloyalty.
Dr.KVSRIT M.D. ABDULLA Associate Professor Of English Page 2
, I-B.TECH II-SEMESTER AIML & DS [COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH MATERIAL]
Summarizing
The Art of Condensation:
The art of condensation is a process to make any piece of writing precise by ignoring
unnecessary elements. This art of condensation in creative writing is synonymous with
précis writing.
Using this technique, we summarize any document to serve the relevant information
only. In brief, we may define it as a compact and logical piece of the passage. It carries
only essential contents, taken out from the original.
The following points must be taken into consideration for an excellent ‘Precis writing.
They are accuracy, clarity of expression, coherence, totality, objectivity, and brevity.
Steps for a Good Precise Writing
a. Read the passage meticulously/ very carefully to apprehend its theme.
b. Underline the main ideas as the underlined portion will help you in knowing the
overall idea about the passage.
c. Remove unnecessary things such as Adverbs and Adjectives.
d. Keep the crux of the matter and maintain word limit 1/3rd of the passage.
e. Make use of indirect narration in a simple way.
f. Maintain an objective approach and write only one paragraph.
g. Finally, prepare the draft. In this way, we shall be able to write a well worded,
compact and decent passage.
Example: We do not know how to manage our machines. Machines were made to
be man’s servants, yet he has grown so independent of them that they are in a fair
way to become his Masters. Already most men spend most of their lives, looking
after and waiting upon machines. And the machines are very stern masters. They
must be fed with coal, and given petrol to drink, and oil to wash with, and must be
kept at the right temperature. And they do not get their meals when they expect
them, they grow sulky and refuse to work, or burst with rage, and blow up, and
spread ruin and destruction all around them. So we have to wait upon them very
attentively and do all that we can to keep them in a good temper. Already we find it
Dr.KVSRIT M.D. ABDULLA Associate Professor Of English Page 3
UNIT-3
The Death trap
By Saki
Introduction to Author:
Hector Hugh Munro (Dec 18, 1870 - Nov 14, 1916) was a witty British author
who published underthe pen name SAKI or H.H. Munro. The inspiration for the pen
name "Saki" is unknown; it may bebasedupona characterinapoem.Whose
storiesarewitty,mischievousandsometimehisstories satirize Edwardiansociety and
culture. He is considered by English teachers andscholars as a master of the short
storiesand often compared to O. Henry and Dorothy Parker.He is influenced by great
short story writers like Oscar Wilde,Lewis Carroll and RudyardKipling.Some ofhis
writingsareThe Open Window, TheBull and TheStoryteller.
Summary
The one act play “The Death Trap” revolves around the conspiracy against the
reigningprince of Kedaria, princeDimitri, who turns the table on his assassins at the
end of the playPrince Dimitri, the young ruler of Kedaria, has rivalry with Prince
Karl, who desired to capture the political power of Kedaria by murdering the
reigning prince. So, Dimitri’s enemies hatch a plan to assassin him and they are
waiting for the right moment to execute it.
Three Military Regiments namely Andrieff Regiment, Lonyadi Regiment and
Kranitzki Regiment guard the Prince Dimitri, the reigning Prince of Kedaria.
Dr.Stronetz, a faithful physician, is also very loyal to the prince Demitri. The
Kranitzki Regiment is being loyal to the enemy and the three officers of this
Regiment, Colonel Girnitza, Major Vontieff and Captian Shultz are all set to murder
Prince Dimitri as soon as the loyal Andrieff Regiment leaves from its duty. These
officers of Kranitzki Regiment are disloyal to Prince Dimitri but very loyal to Prince
Karl, who is willing to kill Prince Dimitri and want to become the king of Kedaria.
When the play “The Death Trap” opens where three guards of Kranitazki
Regiment are seen plotting the assassination of Prince Dimitri so that Prince Karl
can ascend the throne. The conversation among the three disloyal guards reveals
Dr.KVSRIT M.D. ABDULLA Associate Professor Of English Page 1
,I-B.TECH II-SEMESTER AIML & DS [COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH MATERIAL]
that they are openly conspire to murder the prince. They are very aware that the
Prince Dimitri is already suspecting them. Yet, they go ahead with murder plan
because they are being backed by the political support of Prince Karl.
Following the conversation between the Prince Dimitri and his loyal physician
Dr. Stronetz, we get to know that Prince Dimitri came to power at his very young
age when he did not know anything about the rules of governance or responsibility.
This shows his helplessness, which is now an advantage to his enemies.
Prince Dimitri is well aware that he is “trapped” and that his own guards are
plotting to kill him. This is a painful realisation for him. He also knows very well that
he would be killed at any moment as soon as his loyal Andrieff Regiment leaves. He
has no weapons to defend himself. No one is allowed to see him except his friend
and personal physician Dr. Stronetz. Out of kindness and loyalty Dr. Stonetz devices
a clever plan as a physician. Instantly, he asks the Prince to remove his robes for a
fake of physical examination, which will help him to fool the officers of the disloyal
Kranitzki Regiment. His efforts are only temporarily delay the murder of the Prince.
But this delay helps the Prince to take revenge on disloyal officers.
However, the hard truth behind the physical examination of the Prince reveals
that he is really suffering from an incurable heart disease. This is another shocking
realization to the Prince.He decides to commit suicide instead of being killed in the
hands of his disloyal guards. He requests Dr. Stronetz to provide him a phial of
poison, which can kill him so that he can invite his death as a ruler without being
killed. Dr. Strontez gives him a phial of poison. But as final act of revenge, when
death is inevitable to him, the Prince Dimitri wants to die only after punishing his
enemies. So he mixes the entire phial of poison in a bottle of wine and invites the
three officers for a final drink. He shares the poisoned wine after drinking it himself.
It is a sight of pity for the Prince but at the same time he shows a clever act of
revenge. The Prince thus overcomes his helplessness by his intelligence even though
he cannot avoid his own death.
Conclusion: The title of the play “The Death Trap” projects how the Prince and
hishelplessness becomes the ‘death trap’ to the officers of Kranitzki Regiment as
result to theirdisloyalty.
Dr.KVSRIT M.D. ABDULLA Associate Professor Of English Page 2
, I-B.TECH II-SEMESTER AIML & DS [COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH MATERIAL]
Summarizing
The Art of Condensation:
The art of condensation is a process to make any piece of writing precise by ignoring
unnecessary elements. This art of condensation in creative writing is synonymous with
précis writing.
Using this technique, we summarize any document to serve the relevant information
only. In brief, we may define it as a compact and logical piece of the passage. It carries
only essential contents, taken out from the original.
The following points must be taken into consideration for an excellent ‘Precis writing.
They are accuracy, clarity of expression, coherence, totality, objectivity, and brevity.
Steps for a Good Precise Writing
a. Read the passage meticulously/ very carefully to apprehend its theme.
b. Underline the main ideas as the underlined portion will help you in knowing the
overall idea about the passage.
c. Remove unnecessary things such as Adverbs and Adjectives.
d. Keep the crux of the matter and maintain word limit 1/3rd of the passage.
e. Make use of indirect narration in a simple way.
f. Maintain an objective approach and write only one paragraph.
g. Finally, prepare the draft. In this way, we shall be able to write a well worded,
compact and decent passage.
Example: We do not know how to manage our machines. Machines were made to
be man’s servants, yet he has grown so independent of them that they are in a fair
way to become his Masters. Already most men spend most of their lives, looking
after and waiting upon machines. And the machines are very stern masters. They
must be fed with coal, and given petrol to drink, and oil to wash with, and must be
kept at the right temperature. And they do not get their meals when they expect
them, they grow sulky and refuse to work, or burst with rage, and blow up, and
spread ruin and destruction all around them. So we have to wait upon them very
attentively and do all that we can to keep them in a good temper. Already we find it
Dr.KVSRIT M.D. ABDULLA Associate Professor Of English Page 3
