⭐ Facing Death – Complete Notes (Class 12 English)
📌 Summary of “Facing Death”
“Facing Death” by August Strindberg is a tragic one-act play that shows the deep sacrifice and silent suffering of a father fighting poverty, loneliness, and misunderstanding. The play centers on Monsieur Durand, a widower who runs a small, failing pension house in Switzerland. He lives with his three daughters—Adèle, Annette, and Thérèse, who constantly blame him for their poor situation.
The household is drowning in debt. The baker, the butcher, and the grocer refuse to give food on credit anymore because the family has not paid bills for months. Durand struggles with his weak health and poverty, yet his daughters accuse him of wasting their dowry and ruining the family. In reality, their late mother had destroyed both her own and Durand’s inheritance through careless spending and foolish financial decisions.
Durand is emotionally tortured by his daughters’ disrespect and their blind trust in their mother’s lies. Still, he loves them deeply. He worries about their future—especially Thérèse’s relationship with Antonio, a young lieutenant who stays in their pension.
Realizing that no help is coming, Durand makes a heartbreaking decision:
➡ He will sacrifice himself so his daughters can receive 5000 francs from the fire insurance.
➡ He secretly places a candle near flammable material to cause a fire.
➡ He gently says goodbye to each daughter, giving advice, blessings, and expressing his love.
Smoke begins to fill the house. Durand calmly drinks a glass of poisoned milk and waits for the fire to spread. He dies quietly, choosing death to save his daughters from poverty, shame, and social insecurity.
The play ends as a modern tragedy, where a father gives his life to secure his children’s future—an ultimate act of parental love that the daughters understand only too late.
⭐ Main Themes of “Facing Death”
1️⃣ Parental Sacrifice
Durand gives his life to ensure his daughters have money for a better future. His sacrifice is the central theme.
2️⃣ Poverty and Struggle
The play shows how economic hardship destroys relationships and self-respect. The bills, unpaid debts, and empty pension reveal their suffering.
3️⃣ Misunderstanding and Family Conflict
Durand’s daughters misunderstand him and blame him for everything. Their mother’s lies continue to shape their behavior even after her death.
4️⃣ Love and Responsibility
Despite humiliation, Durand continues to love and protect his children. His sense of responsibility pushes him toward his tragic decision.
5️⃣ Modern Tragedy
Instead of kings or heroes, the tragedy is about an ordinary man facing common struggles—poverty, duty, and loneliness.
⭐ Character Sketch: Monsieur Durand
Monsieur Durand is the central and most powerful character in Facing Death. He is:
✔ Loving and Sacrificing Father
Even though his daughters mistreat him, he still thinks only about their future. His final act—setting the house on fire and drinking poison—shows his ultimate sacrifice.
✔ Victim of Misunderstanding
His daughters accuse him based on their mother’s lies. They call him useless, a liar, and irresponsible, but the truth is the opposite.
✔ Responsible and Hard-Working
He manages all the house chores, struggles to maintain the pension, and protects his daughters even when they fail to understand him.
✔ Emotionally Hurt but Strong
He hides his pain to keep peace at home. Despite being insulted daily, he never stops caring for his daughters.
✔ A Tragic Hero
Durand’s death is not due to fate but due to his circumstances—poverty, humiliation, and responsibility. This makes him a modern tragic hero.
⭐ Long Answer (Important Exam Style)
Discuss “Facing Death” as a modern tragedy.
“Facing Death” is a modern tragedy because it deals with the suffering of an ordinary man rather than a king or hero. Monsieur Durand lives in extreme poverty, running a failing pension house. His daughters blame him for their financial problems, though their mother had actually ruined their inheritance. Durand becomes a victim of misunderstanding, emotional neglect, and loneliness.
The tragedy grows when society, financial pressure, and his own family push him to a condition where he sees death as the only solution. Durand chooses suicide so that his daughters can receive 5000 francs from the fire insurance and secure a better future. His sacrifice is not recognized or appreciated during his lifetime.
The play reflects real-world issues—economic pressure, family conflict, and parental sacrifice—making it a truly modern tragedy based on common human struggles rather than heroic myths.
⭐ 10 Short Questions with Answers
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Where does the play take place?
– In Monsieur Durand’s pension house in Switzerland. -
Why do the butcher, baker, and grocer send their bills?
– Because the family has not paid their debts, and the shopkeepers refuse to give credit. -
Why does Durand buy candles during poverty?
– To perform a memorial ritual for his dead son René. -
Why did Durand sell his life insurance?
– He needed money earlier and also sensed irritation from someone when the policy was due. -
What insurance does Durand still have?
– Fire insurance worth 5000 francs. -
How did the family lose their inheritance?
– Durand’s wife ruined both sides of the inheritance through carelessness and bad investments. -
What work does Durand do to survive?
– He runs a small pension house. -
Why does Durand lie about his birthplace?
– To avoid complications related to military conscription. -
What is Durand’s plan to help his daughters financially?
– To die so they can receive money from the fire insurance. -
How does Durand die?
– By drinking poisoned milk as the fire he set begins to spread.