UNDER FIRE

- LAURENCE HOUSMAN

INTRODUCTION:
Laurence Housman (1865-1959), younger brother of the renowned poet A E. Housman,
is a prolific English playwright, writer and illustrator. Housman became widely known with the
publication of the first of the three collections entitled ‘Little Plays of St. Francis’ in 1922.
ABOUT THE PLAY:
‘Under Fire’, one of the best of Laurence Housman’s one act plays, portrays with scrupulous
adherence to historical facts a sensational episode in the life of Queen Victoria during the early
period of her reign- one of the three assassination attempts made on the life of the Queen by
Edward Oxford, a mad young man. It shows her Majesty displaying amazing courage and
composure in the face of a dire threat to her life.
CHARACTER SKETCH
 Prince Albert – He is the husband and constant companion of Queen Victoria. He is a
German by birth. He is a strong man and gives sensible advice to the queen.
 Uncle Leopold – Leopold I was a German prince, who reigned Belgium from 1831 to
1865. He was Queen Victoria’s maternal uncle.
 George Anson – Private Secretary to Prince Albert.
 Ladies in waiting- Maidservant

THE SILENT ENQUIRY:

 The play opens in Buckingham palace on 30th May 1842. Prince Albert moves
impatiently to the window and he looks at his watch with the slight sound of annoyance. In the
time George Anson, his Private Secretary enters into his room very urgently to convey that the
police urge him, the majesty not to drive out today. So the queen is advised to cancel
her customary ride in the park before cheering crowds of faithful and adoring subjects as the
police suspect the possibility of an attempt on her life. She disregards the danger and goes for
the ride in the company of her husband, Prince Albert, thereby giving the police a chance to
catch the assassin, should he strike.
“Sir they can’t trace the man. So he very urgently begs that her majesty
shall not drive out today
In order to protect her two ladies-in-ladies-waiting Lady Muriel and Lady Grace from the
danger of being in the line of fire, she stops them from accompanying her to the park, which
upsets them no end. The two women, unaware of the Queen’s thoughtful gesture, take pleasure
in criticizing and running down the Queen and her husband.

In-the meantime, they heard a gunshot. Lady Muriel and Lady Grace have seen the
people are running to the Constitution Hill. They thought whether the accident had taken place,
there. The Ladies in waiting informed them that the Queen had been shot near the Constitution
Hill, but she was not hurt. The policeman caught a mad young man Edward Oxford who made
an attempt to murder the Queen from the day before.
 It is towards at the end of the play when the Queen returns safe and sound, the attempt on
her life thwarted, and the assassinations apprehended to the two ladies-in-ladies-waiting
understand the Queen’s grand gesture of solicitude. Their initial irritation at being deprived of a
ride in the Queen’s carriage gives way to the gratitude and admiration. As for Her Majesty, she
takes the whole incident in her stride, as part of the business of being a Queen!

COURAGE OF THE QUEEN’S CHARACTER:

The play reflects different facts of the Queen’s character. Despite being Under Fire’ she
shows no sign of panic in a moment of crisis. She is kind and considerate and bears no ill-will
even to the offender. She jealously adores her husband who stands by her as a tower of strength
in her hour of need. The joyful behaviour of the crowd at the Queen’s narrow escape from the
assassinations bullet reveals an interesting aspect of the ‘royalty worship’ of the British subjects.
The safety of their Queen is of utmost importance to them, for they appear to identify the
Queen’s safety with that of their own.
“what a good thing it was, then, my dear, that you did not think.
queens must not think too much about others-only about themselves”.
CONCLUSION:
 In the end of the play, the Queen has work to write a lot of letters to Uncle Leopold and
others. Even though the Inconvenience of the attempts disturbs her mind she forgets and goes for
the work.