Scene "Flora and Plutzerkern"

Introduction

The scene with Flora Baumscheer and Plutzerkern is short and funny and is therefore suitable for first and second graders. Flora is a widowed gardener who is constantly upset about her lazy gardening assistant Plutzerkern.

Information about the play - The Talisman (Nestroy)
Background knowledge about the author - Johann Nestroy

Context

Number of acts: 3
Position: Act 1, Scene 4. In total, Act 1 consists of 23 scenes.

In the 4th scene of Act 1, we get our first glimpse of the stately home of Frau von Cypressenburg. Her gardener Flora Baumscheer and her assistant make their first appearance.

Roles

Flora Baumscheer: Flora is a widowed gardener who has promised her deceased husband not to remarry. She is often provoked into quarrelling with the gardener's assistant Plutzerkern.

Plutzerkern: gardener's assistant, lazy, quick-witted, provokes Flora Baumscheer with his comments about her remarrying and breaking the promise to her late husband.

Both are in the service of the Lady of Cypressenburg.

Storyline

The characters Flora and Plutzerkern appear on stage for the first time. Flora and Plutzerkern are both in the service of the Countess of Cypressenburg; Flora as a gardener and Plutzerkern as a gardener's assistant. The two quarrel. Flora would like to fire Plutzerkern because he is so lazy and unhelpful.

Flora, who is a widow, claims to remain faithful to her deceased husband, but Plutzerkern does not believe her and prophesies that she will soon marry.

Text

Flora and Plutzerkern (coming out of the background on the left. Plutzerkern is carrying a packed basket)

Flora (annoyed) No, this is really bad! Driving five quarters of an hour out of the city!

Plutzerkern Scold me, take your gall out on me! It won't take much longer like this.

Flora Do you want to leave the service of the madam? That would be smart.

Plutzerkern Oh no; but you will certainly marry soon, then a new field will be opened up for your sectorship, and I will no longer be the playground of your resistance.

Flora Stupid man! I will never marry again, I will remain faithful to my deceased.

Plutzerkern Perhaps he will realise it after his death; he never really wanted to believe it when he was alive.

Flora If I were the madam, I would have chased him long ago.

Plutzerkern (with relation) If I were the madam, not everything would stay in the house.

Flora Who knows if he won't jump soon! I have permission to take in a nimble, spry lad.

Plutzerkern That's right, then the trouble won't be so great! I'll water the winter wheel, I don't ask for more influence.

Flora Now go to father Polz, he wants to recruit a garden servant for me.

Plutzerkern Well, perhaps the servant will become your future master.

Flora Why not! Everyone gets a basket from me.

Plutzerkern Unfortunately, I can feel it! But now you'll have to take it again if I'm to go to the G'vattern. (Gives her the packed basket.)

Flora Do it quickly, boring man! (Off to the garden door.)

Plutzerkern (alone) Hm, hm! The garden is not so neglected after all, and the way they are about the nimble, sprightly garden servant - hm, hm! (Turns right.)

Textarbeit

1. Story: Flora, the gardener on an estate, is unhappy with her lazy servant Plutzerkern. He is also late. Both of them “argue” with each other.

2. What do we learn:

   1. what the two characters are like when they are annoyed

   2. that Flora wants to take in a new garden servant.

   3. that she gives Plutzerkern the next job.

   4. Putzerkern, on the other hand, wants to do as little as possible and likes to annoy Flora.

3. The text can be simplified even further

4. Presentation as a pantomime

5. Presentation in own words

6. Read the text aloud and act it out, see chapter Text Work

7. Can you understand and perhaps explain the names of the two characters?

8. Which other names would fit?

Scenarios

Flora and her dying husband: Flora sits at her husband's sickbed and promises him eternal fidelity. Plutzerkern listens at the door.

The Milk Can: This scenario takes place a few hours before the scene begins. Flora is in the yard and catches Plutzerkern spilling the milk jug. What has happened?