Discuss the significance of the title of the story, “Three Questions”.
The story begins with three questions occurring in Tsar’s mind. The questions were what should be the right time to do a work, who was the right person to deal with and what was the most important thing to do. The Tsar promised to give a reward to the person who would give him the appropriate answers but no one’s answer satisfied him. But his desperation to seek the answer did not suppress which led him to the wise hermit. When he came to the hermit’s hut, he found that the hermit was digging the earth. The Tsar asked his questions but the hermit did not reply. The Tsar helped him in his work but the hermit still kept quiet. Then a wounded man came running and the hermit and the Tsar nursed him and saved his life. The next day before leaving, the Tsar asked his three questions to the hermit for the last time, but the hermit told him that he had already got the answers through his own act. Then he explained that the right time to begin everything is the present, the most important person is the person with whom we are and the most important thing to do is to do them good. Therefore the story is all about the three questions and its importance in a person’s life. Therefore the title of the story ‘Three Questions’ is appropriate.
Assess how much successful is “Three Questions as a short story.
To write a short story it is important to follow a few rules. The story should be simple, providing relevant details. The number of characters must be limited. The plot should be interesting with a gripping climax. Based on these features, we can call ‘Three Questions’ a perfect short story. The story is quite simple. Once a Tsar had three questions in his mind and he asked several learned persons but none could give him a satisfactory answer. So he went to meet a hermit and finally got the answers through his own experience. There are only three main characters the Tsar, the hermit and the bearded man and the characters have a clear picture of them. The story ends abruptly without giving a hint whether the Tsar became satisfied with the hermit’s explanation. The abrupt ending is also a characteristic of a good short story. Therefore, ‘Three Questions can be considered as an ideal short story.
Analyse the character of the Tsar.
The Tsar, unravels the very plot of the story through the questions that intrigued his mind. The Tsar wanted to enhance his efficiency with the help of the wisdom he could achieve through a few reliable replies to his questions from the learned men.
The Tsar was very modest in his approach when he went to meet the hermit in the guise of a common man. The patient nature of the Tsar was evident in allowing the hermit to take as long as he needed to answer his questions.
The sincerity and compassion of the Tsar while nursing the wounded man were praiseworthy. The outburst of the loyalty of the old enemy was only an outcome of the charitable nature and generosity of the Tsar. Even after being aware of the identity of the stranger as his enemy, he not only forgave him but also promised to send his servants and physician to attend him and restore his property.
As the Tsar of a province, his search for knowledge is yearning for an elevated life and his humane perception, made him a stately and honourable figure.
