Literature Chapter 11 - If I were you

BRIEF INTRODUCTION:

“If I were you” is a play written by Douglas James. The play is an episode involving two main characters – the playwright Gerrard, who is the protagonist; and the Intruder, whose name has not been disclosed throughout the play. Set in a small cottage interior, the play gives off an air of suspense and impending danger.

Summary:

The scene opens with Gerrard, the protagonist, speaking over the phone to some unknown caller. Gerrard is a playwright and has an appointment for the delivery of stage props, and is shown to be packing his bag with the necessary items. As he is about to leave, he is distracted by a sound behind him. This sound was made by the Intruder, as he had bumped into a table. The Intruder had crept up on Gerrard from the back, and as Gerrard turned to look at his unwelcome guest, he noticed that the Intruder was pointing a gun at him.

It was quite clear that the Intruder had no noble intentions. But Gerrard was a shrewd man and did not lose his cool or do anything rash. The Intruder kept asking questions to Gerrard – what his full name was, whether he lived alone or not, etc. Gerrard kept politely answering his questions. After a while, Gerrad asked the Intruder to say something about himself as it was Gerrard who had been speaking about himself since the beginning. The Intruder, however, said he would not be reeled into such traps.

Then the Intruder states that he had planned to steal Gerrard’s identity and live peacefully, after killing the real Gerrard. The cunning Gerrard then suggested that living under his identity would be of no help to the Intruder, as he himself was crook and the police were already after him. Gerrard further suggested that he had fake moustaches and other items in his possession to help him disguise. He further said that he suspected the police of raiding his cottage that very night and that he had stationed an accomplice on the road to warn him beforehand in case of any danger. He further drove his point home into the Intruder’s suspicious mind by saying that he could kill Gerrad if he did not trust him. Soon after, there was a phone call. Gerrard took the call and notified the Intruder that it was time for them to leave as the police were closing in on their cottage. The Intruder did not believe him when Gerrard led him to a cupboard and asked him to see for himself through the “garage door” whether the police were coming or not. As the Intruder went to do so, Gerrard pushed him and trapped him in the cupboard, meanwhile calling a sergeant to get the man caught.

UrbanPro provides you with the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Beehive Chapter 11 that will help you grasp a brief overview of the play  “If I were you”, Class 9 English Chapter 11, and also enable you to check your progress with the help of the “If I were you” Class 9 Question Answers.