‘Men Should Weep’ by Ena Lamont Stewart
How well do you know the play?
Act 1 Scene 1
1. Where is the play set?
2. Draw a ground plan for the opening scene of the play.
3. How many people live in the Morrison’s tenement flat?
4. How old is Maggie?
5. How old is Alec?
6. What is the relationship between Lizzie and Maggie?
7. Who was Lloyd George and why is Granny grateful to him?
8. What illness does Bertie suffer from?
9. Why does Lily say ‘John should think shame o himsel’
10. Who does Lily suggest has rickets?
11. How often do the Morrison children have a bath?
12. What does going TT mean?
13. What is a midden?
14. What evidence does Lily have for suggesting that Maggie lives in a midden?
15. Why does Maggie feel sorry for Lily?
16. Why does Lily think that Jenny is a tart?
17. Who is Nessie Tait?
18. Who does Granny share a bed with?
19. How does Lily help the Morrison family?
20. What was the Buroo?
21. What do the Morrisons have in the way of food?
22. Who has a wireless?
23. What does Maggie suggest that women should do if they suffer from physical abuse from their husbands?
24. How does Maggie discipline her children?
25. Why does Lily disapprove of her nephew, Alec?
26. Why was a ‘swagger coat’ desirable?
27. Who was put on probation?
28. Who are Maggie’s neighbours?
29. Who owes Lily money?
30. Does John like Lily? (How do you know?)
31. What was casual labour?
32. What happened to tenements in Alec’s street?
33. Who says ‘Ye mean the Polis a kens Alec?’
34. How does Ena Lamont Stewart portray the female neighbours?
35. What kind of neighbourhood do the Morrisons live in?
36. Who has nits?
37. Who were the ‘Sanitary’?
38. What was the ‘dunny’?
39. Who is the youngest character that appears in Act 1, Scene 1?
Act 1 Scene 2
1. At what time of night do Alec and Isa appear?
2. What is their demeanour?
3. What does John want to do with his son, Alec?
4. Describe the relationship that Isa has with Alec.
5. What hopes did John have for Alec?
6. Describe the relationship that Jenny has with her father John.
7. Why does Maggie say that ‘Folks like us he tae depend on their neighbours when they’re needing help’/
8. When was the last time Maggie slept in a real bed?
9. Why is John so upset that Jenny is out late?
10. Where does Jenny work?
11. How has jenny changed in her father’s view?
12. How old is Jenny?
13. Ena Lamont Stewart in her stage directions states that jenny is ‘made boldly (for the 1930s). What does she mean by this
14. Why is Jenny going to ‘chuck the shop’?
15. What is Jenny going to do instead?
16. What does John think that Jenny should do out of duty?
17. Why is Jenny unhappy living with her family?
18. Compare Jenny’s life aged 18 with your own. What are the differences? Are there any similarities?
19. How does John discipline Ernest?
Act 2 Scene 2
1. Why is Granny complaining at the start of the scene?
2. Is she justified in her complaints?
3. What ahs happened to Mrs Bone?
4. Why does Lizzie ask to see Granny’s pension book?
5. Is Lizzie married?
6. What does Lizzie do to make money?
7. Is Lizzie an honest character?
8. Describe Isa’s character.
9. Why does Granny get upset with Isa?
10. Why is Maggie sobbing when she appears?
11. How serious was TB in the 1930s?
12. Describe Alec’s character.
13. Why is Maggie worried about people finding out that Bertie has TB?
14. Why does John think that jenny is ‘as good as deid tae us’?
15. Why does John feel sorry for himself?
16. Do you have sympathy for John Morrison?
17. What would the original audiences reaction (1947) have been to Jenny’s departure?
18. What is your reaction?
19. Do you admire Jenny or pity her?
20. How many characters appear in this scene?
Act 2 Scene 2
1. Do you admire Isa? (If so, why? If not, why not?)
2. What does Isa encourage Alec to do to get money?
3. How do Alec and Isa spend their money?
4. Is Alec a strong male or a weak male?
5. What evidence suggests that Alec can be a violent man?
6. Why does Isa think she has ‘..married a rat.’?
7. Is Isa romantic at heart?
8. To what extent is Isa like her mother-in-law?
9. To what extent is Alec like his father?
10. Why do you think Isa married Alec?
11. Why does Maggie complain when she arrives on the scene?
12. Describe the relationship that Alec has with his mother?
13. Does Maggie like her daughter-in-law?
14. What does John think about household chores?
15. What has Maggie been doing all morning?
16. What has John been doing?
17. There is a lot of physical violence in the play. List all the times that people have been hit or beaten so far.
18. What kind of men does Isa respect?
19. Why is John so against alcohol?
20. What is John’s occupation?
21. What is an ‘Armstong-Siddley’?
22. What are the ‘barras’?
Act 3
1. How have things changed for the Morrisons?
2. What kind of music is Ernest listening to?
3. What is Maggie’s mood at the opening of this Act?
4. What is the significance of John’s Christmas present to Maggie?
5. List all the Christmas gifts that each member of the Morrison family is to receive, now that John has a job.
6. What is John’s new employment?
7. What team does Ernest support?
8. Explain the comic elements of this scene.
9. What was La Scala?
10. Who is a reformed alcoholic?
11. What does Lily think about Maggie’s new hat?
12. What present does Lily give Maggie?
13. What was a Sanatorium?
14. What is Alec’s mood in this scene?
15. How does Alec’s mood change?
16. How long is it since Jenny walked out on her parents?
17. What is Mrs Bone’s marriage like?
18. Why is Alec upset with Isa?
19. What is it about Alec that disgusts Isa?
20. How does Alec feel about Isa?
21. Why does Lily put Alec’s knife in her handbag?
22. Why does Maggie believe that she is being punished?
23. How does Maggie feel about Lily in this scene?
24. How does Maggie feel about Jenny’s return?
25. What has happened to Jenny since she left home/
26. What is a ‘sugar-daddy’?
27. What is Maggie’s attitude with regards to hospitals?
28. What was the ‘Corporation’?
29. Why does jenny feel guilty?
30. What does lily think about Jenny’s new relationships?
31. What prevents John from showing any sign of reconciliation with Jenny?
32. Why will the officials at the hospital not let Bertie return to the Morrison’s flat?
33. Why does john refuse to take Jenny’s money?
34. What is the significance of Maggie accepting Jenny’s money?
35. How does Maggie’s words humiliate John?
36. Does the future look bright for the Morrison family?
37. What genre of play is ‘Men Should Weep’?
38. Is this play relevant to a modern day audience? Why? / Why not?