The Verger by William Somerset Maugham is a beautiful and short Prose of AHSEC Class 12 Harmony Alternative English . Here you will get Brief Summary of the prose and Question Answers of The Verger with additional, Previous Year, Important Questions and their answers for Upcoming 2024 Examination. Also you can Download The Verger Complete PDF solution.
About The Author
Among the most popular English writers of the early twentieth century, William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) has to his credit several plays, novels and short stories. Though he was trained as a physician, Maugham began contributing regularly to journals and magazines after the success of his first novel, Liza of Lambeth (1897). Of Human Bondage (1915) and The Moon and Sixpence (1919) are among his best-known novels. Maugham's literary craftsmanship is exemplified in his short stories where he captures the nuances of typical British life in the first half of the last century. The Verger', included in the collection The Cosmopolitans (1936), was first published in 1929.
The Verger Summary
The Verger is a simple but popular short story from the repertoire of one of the greatest practitioners of the craft, William Somerset Maugham. It is centred on the chance discovery of the eponymous verger's inability to read and write, and the events that follow in its wake. Albert Edward Foreman had been a verger at St Peter's, a small church in a fashionable London neighbourhood, for sideen years. During those years, he had carried out his duties with utmost sincerity, diligence and pride. The story begins one afternoon after a christening ceremony when the new vicar, who had been recently appointed, summons the verger into the vestry. In the presence of the churchwardens, who were already in the vestry, the vicar expressed his astonishment at the verger's inability to read or write. Though the vicar ostensibly has no problems with the verger's conduct or record of discharge of his duties, he makes it amply clear that such a situation is untenable at St Peter's. Albert Edward is given three months to learn to read and write or, else, quit his post. The verger does not have a favourable opinion of the new vicar and maintains that the new vicar's appointment at St Peter's was a mistake. He often misses the old vicar, a priest of the old school, who knew how to mingle with the classy parishioners. Though the old vicar knew of Albert Edward's inability to read or write, he did not attach much importance to it. In a surprising move, Albert Edward, on the grounds that he has so far managed reasonably well without being able to read or write, spums the new vicar's proposal, and instead offers to resign the moment his replacement is found.
With a heavy heart and a mind full of pensive thoughts, Albert Edward takes a wrong turn on his way back home. Seized by a desire to smoke, he looks around for a shop to buy cigarettes but is unable to find one in the entire street. An idea brews in his mind immediately, the next day he takes a shop on rent in the same street and enters into business as a tobacconist and newsagent after leaving St Peter's. The business proves successful, and within a few years, he becomes a rich man with a fortune worth more than thirty thousand pounds in the bank. The story ends on an interesting note when, one day, the bank manager discovers, to his utter surprise, that Albert Edward could neither read nor write. He wonders how successful and rich Albert Edward would have been if he were able to read and write.
The Verger Class 12 Questions Answers
Comprehension
A. State whether these sentences are True or False.
1. Albert Edward Was a habitual smoker.
Ans- False.
2. Albert Edward was very particular about his gowns.
Ans- True.
3. The churchwardens were young men.
Ans- False.
4. The verger learnt to read and write only upon entering into business.
Ans- False.
B. Answer these questions in one or two words.
1. For how long had the verger been at St Peter's?
Ans- The Verger had been working for sixteen years at St. Peter's.
2. In the course of how many years did Albert Edward own ten shops?
Ans- In Ten Years.
3. From where did the new vicar hail?
Ans- The new vicar hail from East End.
4. How much money did Albert Edward have at the bank?
Ans- Thirty Thousand Pounds.
5. Which brand of cigarettes did the verger want to buy?
Ans- Gold Flake Cigarettes.
6. How much time did the new vicar propose to give the verger to learn reading and writing?
Ans- Three Months.
