🎭 The Past in the Present
Summary of the Lesson
Neel’s mother asks him to clean his room and make his bed. Neel is reluctant and gives excuses to avoid these chores. His mother then tells him about his grandfather, who was once in the same situation. Grandfather’s mother had also asked him to clean his room, and when he gave excuses she told him about his grandfather. This starts a chain of Neel’s ancestors, going back from the 1950s to 1910, the 1800s, the 1500s, 1000 CE, 100 CE and finally 3000 BCE. Each story ends the same way, with a mother telling her son to do his daily chores.
Message: The lesson is not only about finishing tasks but about the importance of a routine. Doing daily chores at home builds self-control, determination and a sense of responsibility, and shows Neel how much easier his life is than his ancestors’.
The chain of ancestors (about 5000 years)
Today
1950s
1910
1800s
1500s
1000 CE
100 CE
3000 BCE
Warming Up!
| Detail | Answer |
|---|---|
| Name of the play | Macbeth |
| Important characters | Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, the three witches, Macduff, Banquo, King Duncan and his son Malcolm |
| Famous actors/actresses | Ian McKellen, Judi Dench |
| Theme | Ambition leading to one’s downfall, as Macbeth murders King Duncan to become king |
| Climax | Macduff defeats Macbeth in battle and kills him |
| Ending | Malcolm takes his father Duncan’s place as the rightful ruler |
| Lights and special effects | Smoke and fog when Macbeth meets the witches, the witches disappearing, lightning, Birnam Wood seeming to move towards Dunsinane Hill |
| Background music and sound effects | Storms with thunder and rain, sounds of battle |
| Sets | The castles of Forres, Inverness and Dunsinane Hill |
| Costumes and make-up | Clothes of medieval Scotland, the witches’ ugly looks, Banquo’s ghost |
| Acting | The actors live their roles, so the story feels real and happening right in front of us |
| Own opinion | Macbeth is a classic Shakespearean tragedy that remains relatable to every audience even after more than 400 years |
Rise and Fall: Macbeth’s Ambition
Macbeth is a tragic drama written by the great Shakespeare that still appeals to people after more than 400 years. It is inspired by historical events in medieval Scotland. The main characters are Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, the three witches, Macduff, Banquo, King Duncan and his son Malcolm. One of the best stage adaptations had Ian McKellen and Judi Dench playing Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. It felt less like a drama and more like a real story unfolding before us, as the actors seemed to be the very people they played. Detailed costumes, elaborate sets and immersive sound and visual effects added to their skill. The castles of Forres, Inverness and Dunsinane Hill, as well as Birnam Wood, all felt like real locations. The theme of merciless ambition leading to one’s eventual fall is something we can all relate to. The play reaches its peak in the final battle where Macbeth meets his end at the hands of Macduff. The ending is hopeful as the rightful heir, Malcolm, promises his people to be a good king.
English Workshop
Stage scene and props
Actions / Costumes specified
Live dialogue
Sender’s Address
Leadline is a feature of a News Report. Salutation and Sender’s Address are features of a Letter. Diagram is a feature of Information Transfer.
- The skit covers a period of about 5000 years in the past. (3000 BCE to today)
- Seven characters from Neel’s ancestral lineage make an appearance in the play.
- The task that all boys abhorred was making their beds.
- The skit conveys that doing your daily chores at home inculcates a sense of responsibility.
| Period | Way of Addressing a Mother | Boy’s Costume | Lady’s Costume | Daily Chores | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | Mama | Loose trousers and shirt | Silk saree | Watering the garden, bringing the groceries, dusting the living room, cleaning the bicycle | – |
| 1910 | Mummy | Kurta-pyjamas and cap | Nine-yard saree, nose ring and jewellery | Fetching water and filling up the pots, sweeping the terrace, collecting wood for the stove, cleaning the grinding stones | Riverside with friends |
| 1800s | Mother dear | Dhoti, kurta and turban | Nine-yard saree and traditional jewellery | Washing clothes at the river and putting them up to dry, chopping the wood, fixing the broken fence, taking the goats to graze | Atya-Patya |
| 1500s | My dear mother | Sleeveless loose V-neck top and dhoti | Nine-yard saree | Milking the cows, taking them to graze, fetching vegetables from their farm and stacking them, sweeping both the back yard and the front yard | Ashtapada |
| 1000 CE | Most revered mother | Flare tunic and churidar, waist band and turban | Saree, upper garment and lots of jewellery | Fetching water from the lake and pouring it into the farm channels to water crops, clearing blocked channels, pulling out weeds, patching the mud walls with cracks | Puppet show |
| 100 CE | Matadevi | Dhoti and a waist band, with no shirt | Saree and an upper garment, and beads | Feeding the poultry, tending the sheep, keeping the birds away, plastering the yard | Bagh-chal |
| 3000 BCE | … | … | … | … | Chaupar |
Wooden disc, Mesopotamia
An Autobiography of a Wheel
I am a wheel, and this is my story. My journey began thousands of years ago in ancient Mesopotamia, around 3500 BCE. At first I was just a simple wooden disc, but humans soon realised my potential.
In those early days I rolled alongside carts and chariots, making transportation easier. As time passed I evolved, and different civilisations used me for different purposes: potters shaped clay on me, and millers used me to grind grain.
The Romans made me part of their daily lives, enabling smoother travel across their vast empire. I played a vital role in the Industrial Revolution, powering factories and machines. Eventually I became an essential part of automobiles, revolutionising personal transportation.
Today I still spin my way into every corner of modern life, from bicycles to aeroplanes. My journey has been one of evolution and adaptation, from a simple wooden disc to the versatile device I am today. I have seen the world change, and I have changed with it, remaining a symbol of human innovation and progress.
(Neel is sleeping peacefully and his ancestor Pratap from 1910 visits him in his dream.)
Pratap: Hello, Neel, my name is Pratap. Do you know who I am?
Neel: Pratap was my great-great-grandfather’s name. I hope I remember correctly.
Pratap: Yes, you’re right. I wanted to see how you were doing. As far as I can see, you don’t like cleaning your room any more than I did.
Neel: Yes, Mom has been asking me to clean my room all day. But now that you’ve come to see me, I’ll tidy it up as fast as I can.
Pratap: You’re a good boy, Neel. But what are all these objects in your hands?
Neel: They’re just my gadgets. Would you like to see them?
Pratap: I have never seen anything like these. What are these round things?
Neel: These are headphones. We use them to listen to music anywhere we want.
Pratap: Wow! We only had a gramophone to listen to music when I was your age.
Neel: That’s exactly what these are, small gramophones that you can take along with you.
Pratap: And what’s this small block they’re connected to?
Neel: It’s called a mobile phone. It’s like a telephone, but you can carry it with you.
Pratap: It looks more complicated than that. What else does it do?
Neel: You can take pictures, play the radio, set an alarm and even watch movies.
Pratap: This little block does all this? No wonder your generation is so smart.
Neel: I wish you had all these gadgets in your time too, Grandpa.
Pratap: We didn’t need such objects to have fun. But promise me one thing, Neel. Never let such objects take control of your life. Happiness comes from inside you and from the people you love.
Neel: I promise, Grandpa. I will always treasure my loved ones more than material things.
Pratap: That is all I had to tell you, son. I will go back now. You have my blessings.
Neel: Thank you so much, Grandpa. I will always remember your advice.
Neel’s mom: I love working as a manager in my office, even though it can be tiring. My only concern is that I can’t spend enough time with Neel.
Ashok’s mom (1950s): I love my job too, but I’m not treated equally with the men in my office. However, I can look after the kids and give them some time every day.
Madhav’s mom (1800s): The only work I know is household chores and odd jobs. I wish I could have studied. But I can make sure my children get enough care and comfort.
Uruk’s mom (3000 BCE): I enjoy gathering and hunting with my family. But I want to spend more time doing what I love.
Neel’s mom: At least I can give him a comfortable life where he gets what he wants. Everything except a mother’s constant presence.
Ashok’s mom: I try to give whatever he needs. He works hard to get what he wants.
Madhav’s mom: I can’t give him anything myself, not even knowledge. But I can give him all the warmth and love of a mother.
Uruk’s mom: He has hunted since he was a child. I wish I could do more so he wouldn’t have to.
Madhav’s mom: Isn’t there any era where women are happy doing what they are able to?
Ashok’s mom: Why do we always want to keep doing more, even when we are already doing so much?
Neel’s mom: Maybe that is what makes us good mothers and better people. We never stop trying to better ourselves, for our own sake and for our children’s happiness.
Uruk’s mom: I think you are right. Mothers want to do as much as they can, and even more of what they can’t.
Neel’s mom: We feel this not because we do too little, but because what we want to do never ends. Let us be happy doing what we can, to the best of our capacity.
| Active voice | Passive voice |
|---|---|
| I put the dishes in the dishwasher. (Example) | The dishes have been put in the dishwasher by me. |
| I have watered the garden. | The garden has been watered by me. |
| I have brought home the groceries. | The groceries have been brought home by me. |
| I have dusted the living room. | The living room has been dusted by me. |
| I have cleaned my bicycle. | My bicycle has been cleaned by me. |
| Period | Name |
|---|---|
| 1950s | Ashok |
| 1910 | Pratap |
| 1800s | Madhav |
| 1500s | Malhar |
| 1000 CE | Ramanath |
| 100 CE | Krishnadeva |
| 3000 BCE | Uruk |