Reunion- W. St. John Tayleur

Reunion

Introduction:

William Tayleur's period is from 10 September 1803 to 5 November 1873. He was an English liberal politician who said in the House of Commons from 1832 to 1835. He died at the age of 70.

Reunion is a one-act play which successfully brings out a man who changes himself according to the circumstances and becomes selfish. The reunion title suggests the reunion of the comrades who survived while serving British Army in Second World War.

Characters:

• George Carter 
• Philip Rowland
• Mark Tallis
• Peter Ransom 
• Vinceto 
• John Grayson 
• Colin Grayson 
• Sergeant Smith 

Theme:

A theme of this play is stated in the words of Grayson,  one of the character in the play, "Will men never learn"?  If man gets into serious trouble, and finds himself face-to-face with death or destruction. He prays to God to be saved making sincere promises to himself in that hour of Crisis. But when he is mercifully spared he is once more his old self- possessive,  destructive and brutal. 

All the blueprints of human wealth which are conveniently forgotten during peace time are rediscovered paraded and traded upon during critical times and armed conflicts between Nation.Four war comrade survivors from a group of seven have met in accordance with a pledge they had taken 10 years ago.The historical event is referred to in the play was the difficult position of the British army after the fall of France in the early stages of the second World War.We are told that a group of seven soldiers were in a ruined farmhouse 20 miles from Dunkirk. The chances to escape seemed very dim to these doomed person. When this abled body decided to leave the enemies place, they made a pact to meet at same place after 10 years and celebrate. Carter informs Vinceto when the play opens that they have assembled to commemorate the date with Destiny.

Based on play:

All four are George Carter,  Philip Rowland,  Marked Tallies and Peter Ransom. They meet up to discuss what they decided and planned after war and where did the reach. Did they get off on the values ethics and plants? Carter is a person with a dominating personality and may be considered to represent the tripe of go-getters. Successful type of men who have come to believe that money is the most important thing in the world. As all is Fair in Love and War,  All is fair in industry and commerce as well. He has no feeling of hesitation in Morality,  He considers it to disagree the law and money only helps him to do so. Then Padre,  Rowland good humorously protests against his philosophy of Life,  Carter replies- "It is the way of the world, you know, there's not much room for our sermon of the mount principles in life today. Blessed are the meek may sound very nice in sermons, but they will take the hinder most is my motto." That in fact is the rule of the large number of people. Successful man of the world like Carter have always dismissed these values of Life which constitute the basis of all civilised life, as impractical and unrealistic. 

And when Grayson  tells him how their comrade Sergeant Smith was squeezed out of business and driven to commit suicide all including Carter were horrified. He protests that,  "if he would know,  he would not have allowed it to happen. He might have saved Sargent Smith because of personal relation." 'But what about all other sergeant Smith and the Brown and the Robinson's and the rest? Only swine would do down an old friend, but if he's just a stranger, it's a smart bit of business. You never stopped to think that he also was somebody's  comrade.' These are the sentiments and ideas which are emerging from the dramatic situation to give it Universality  and make it a moving experience. 

The second character Mark Tallis, he is a writer who to has sold his soul for immediate fame and profit. Before the war he believe in the ideals about an author's duty to the public.But as he became the writer he started writing pornography and felt that- "Authors first duty is to cater for his audience not to preach to them." He was younger with intelligence, but slightly dissipated face. 

The third character is Philip Rowland ,  a pleasant easygoing person of about middle 40s. He was supposed to look after the spiritual welfare of the people. Before the war he considered it his mission to work among the poor in East End and he is now apologetic about the whole thing. He rationalises by saying that- "it's really a young man's job some people seem to think that labouring among the people is the Parsons only proper sphere, a most narrow-minded notion as if the rich did not need spiritual guidance!" But it is evident that he too has rejected Christ and uses the church for his own advancement. 

The fourth character is Peter Ransom,  who is younger in all four of about 28. Whose good looks are rather spoiled by a discontented expressions. He is disgrunted young man who holds debt to his country,  for which he gave some of the best years of his life has ignored him and thrown him on the dunghill. Therefore he has made up his mind to migrate to America for better opportunities. He has a distorted view of things and dissatisfaction is due to the fact that he unlike other comrades has not been provided with a comfortable job. Ideals have no place in his scheme. He represents the unbeatable youth of England and he says' "My generations got nothing except the bitterness of six wasted years.

Grayson delivered his great speech and opened eyes of these comrades. For some time all four were touched of the white dream of peace and Humanity. But Vision soon dispelled when they found out that these Grayson  is not their comrade, but his brother. They all got angry and abused him which showed the stuff they were made of. But Grayson still manages to have a upper head. And clears he is brother of Colin Grayson, John Grayson. He delivers his brothers message from letter. Colin requested john to go for reunion and explained that he is dying for his other comrades. He was happy like sacrificing  his life,  so that other comrades can enjoy and achieve their values in life. Before departing he delivers to them the message of Colin which has an apocalyptic significance. And the last word of Grayson, "But there's still time gentleman!" May be regarded as a prophetic warning to the human race. 

The theme of the play has both Universal as well as particular significance. The story of mankind is a record,  not so much wars and massacres as of man's inability to learn from history. If history repeats itself, It also plants signpost and danger signals in the Corridors of time. The first world war (1914-18) was for to make the world safe for democracy. It was a war to end war but hardly had the ink dried on the peace treaty when the seeds of another wall were sown. The Second World War II failed to awaken mankind as a whole to a realisation that man must change radically if the past disasters were not to be repeated. Consequently,  another War seems to loom large Over the Horizon. The play beautifully dramatised the theme of failure,  theme of treachery,  of betrayed hope and ideals. 

But the dramatist does not present merely negative or pessimist picture of life. There seems to be some hope. The human conscience can still be moved and to do so, he makes use of fantasy in the play. When Grayson is delivering his great speech which is addressed not only to these four person, but to the English nation and the human race in general, the stage is darkened and these four persons under the spell of his voice are transformed.  

Conclusion: 

These four characters are not individuals but symbols the ruling class or capitalist,  the church, the writer who is conscience keeper of society, the youth the vanguard of progressive forces have all forgotten their duty to the nation and towards mankind in general. Therefore Grayson's Cry of Anguish,  "Will men never learn!" is not only Grayson's cry alone, but the Cry of dramatist and On man of good will.