Irony is when we say one thing but mean another, usually the opposite of what we say. When someone makes a mistake and you say, “Oh! That was clever!” that is irony. You’re saying ‘clever’ to mean ‘not clever’.

Expressions we often use in an ironic fashion are: • Oh, wasn’t that clever!/Oh that was clever! • You have been a great help, I must say! • You’ve got yourself into a lovely mess, haven’t you? • Oh, very funny!/How funny!

We use a slightly different tone of voice when we use these words ironically.

Read the play carefully and find the words and expressions Gerrard uses in an ironic way. Then say what these expressions really mean. Two examples have been given below. Write down three such expressions along with what they really mean.

What the author says	What he means
Why, this is a surprise, Mr – er –	He pretends that the intruder is a social visitor whom he is welcoming. In this way he hides his fear.
At last a sympathetic audience!	He pretends that the intruder wants to listen to him, whereas actually the intruder wants to find out information for his own use.

(i) Who has been referred to as ‘a poor hunted rat’ here?

(ii) What does the intruder has to gain? How?

(iii) Find the words from the passage which are opposites of:

(a) lose, (b) bounded.

(a) Who is the ‘villain’ in this context?

(b) How has he been luckier?

(i) How will the intruder’s clothes let him down?

(ii) What is extremely interesting?

(iii) Find words which are similar in meaning to the meaning of given words (from the passage):

(a) very much, (b) wisdom.

(i) Why does the intruder want to kill Gerrard?

(ii) Why does Gerrard say it will not help the intruder?

(iii) Find the words from the following passage which mean the same as:

(a) recognition, (b) mislead.

(a) Who spoke these lines?

(b) Whom does ‘you’ refer to? What is likely to happen in case he shoots?

(c) Find a word from the passage which means ‘actually’.

(i) What kind of game does Gerrard talk about? What is the result?

(ii) What trouble is Gerrard expecting and why?

(iii) Find words from the passage which mean the same as:

(a) hoping, (b) by bad luck.

(i) Why can Gerrard not deliver the props in time?

(ii) What does he wish to put in his next play? Why?

(iii) Find words from the passage which mean opposite of the following words:

(a) boring, (b) late.

What is Gerrard’s profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.

Why does the Intruder break in Gerrard’s house?

How does Intruder behave with Gerrard? What does it tell about him?