The Power of Women

At the beginning of October, thirty new students gathered at St. Swithin's Hospital Medical
School, London. They went to the Lecture Theatre where the Dean was to deliver his lecture of
welcome and introduction. The writer occupied a back seat. He had a look at other students.
Then a person entered and asked the writer to give him also a seat. He was a tall, good-looking
young man with thick black hair and a small moustache. He was wearing a long jacket, narrow
trousers of corduroy, a green shirt and a yellow square instead of a tie.
He had a polished black walking stick. He took out a monocle and looked at students around him.
He opened a cop "The Times" and began reading it.
Then the Dean came. He was late by half an hour and was in a great hurry. He briefly welcomed
the new comers, hurriedly made a few remarks about history and tradition and ethics of medical
profession etc. He took only seventeen minutes in delivering his address. The student next to the
writer remarked that the Dean had cut three minutes. His address used to last for twenty minutes
but this time he had finished in seventeen minutes. He told the writer that it was the fourth time
that he had heard him. He further added that he was not senior to any one of those present there
but he had earlier managed to remain in the same class. He said that his name was Grimsdyke.
His grandmother was a well-to-do lady. She wanted somebody in the family to be a doctor. She
wrote a will in which she said that Grimsdyke should be paid all the expenses of his medical
education. He thought that he had an excellent opportunity to lead a comfortable life. So, he
managed to fail every year.
About the time that the writer joined the Medical School Grimsdyke fell in love with a girl and
proposed to her. She agreed to marry him provided he became regular in attending the Medical
School and passed the examination.
So, he bought some books and studied hard to pass the examination. He said to the writer that it
was the power of women that made men climb mountains, fight wars, go to work and get ready
to do any unpleasant work. It was at first, his grandmother's money that made him fail in the
examination, but later on, it was the power of his fiancee that he had to work hard to pass the
examination.
Important Questions:
Q1: Describe the atmosphere of the lecture hall before the arrival of the Dean.
The Lecture hall was of St. Swithin's Hospital medical school. The way to the theatre was
through a spiral staircase that end in darkness, thereafter, was drowned or attached to a spring.
This led to the theatre but why does caring cracking noise when it moved. The theatre was full of
narrow wooden benches rising from the lecturers desk like a football stand. There were three
black holes on the walls just behind the lecturers desk. The author try to find a place for himself.
The new students for shyly sitting in an isolated manner. They had scattered themselves here
and there in the hall. Some were sitting in groups and whispering to each other as if they had
some acquaintance. The others seemed to be little impressed by the show of the hall. He tried to
make himself comfortable at a seat in the last row. All of the people or students seemed to be
looking at the blank walls and the blackboards was as if they were waiting for the service in the
church.
Q2: Why did Grimsdyke fold up his newspaper?
The author was a medical student. He was studying in st. swithin's hospital medical school. On
the very first day he had to attend a lecture by the dean.
There he was introduced to a man called Grimsdyke. Grimsdyke was a young man with many
distinctive features. He had thick black hair and a small moustache. He wore a hacking jacket. He
had failed thrice and he had not interested in the dean's lecture. He was attending the same
lecture for the fourth time. He sat in the lecture hall and read a newspaper. The lecture lasted for
seventeen minutes and he kept on reading the newspaper in that time. He folded the newspaper
twice. When the dean had finished the lecture, Grimsdyke remark that this time he had taken
only seventeen minutes.
Q3: Why did the narrator wrongly think Grimsdyke to be a 'senior student"?
The author joined medical profession at st. swithin's hospital medical school.
The very first day he was supposed to be at the lecture hall to listen to the dean's welcome
address. He reached well ahead of the time and Shyly sat down in the last row of benches in the
lecture hall. After a short while, a new gentleman enter the hall and approached the author to
shift by one seat. The author fulfilled the person's demand. The young man was at ease with the
surroundings. He was confident enough about the dean's welcome address. He then open the
newspaper and began reading it. After the dean's welcome speech was over, which took about
seventeen minutes, Grimsdyke told the author that he was listening the lecture for the fourth
time. These reasons made the author think that he was a senior student.
Q4: Characterization in "Power of Women."
"The Power of Women" by Richard Gordon is a well celebrated essay highlighting the power of a
woman in making or ruining a man's life. The characters in the story are very suitably outlined as
per the story.
The first main character of the story is Grimsdyke, a medical student who has failed four times in
anatomy willingly so as to enjoy the benefits given to him as per his grandmother's will.
Meanwhile he fell in love with a girl and the lady demanded him to become a doctor in order to
accept his proposal. So, he started studying seriously to fulfil his beloved's wish. The character
of Grimsdyke as a young stylish, dandy man very well suits the character.
Moreover the narrator of the story, our second character is shown as a new student at St.
Swithin's medical college and accordingly he is presented as a timid, nervous and confused
Swithin's medical college and accordingly he is presented as a timid, nervous and confused
young man. Next, the Dean of St. Swithin's medical college is a typical academician, strict,
middle aged authoritative man of rules.
Q5: Write a note on author's style in the story 'The Power of Women.'
"The Power of Women" by Richard Gordon is an effective yet interesting essay highlighting the
power of women through the character of a man named Grimsdyke whose life is twice influenced
by women.
As one of the most delightful writer of modern times, The power of Women is a broadly
humorous look at a young man's journey to become a doctor in mid-20th century London.
The tone of the writer who is the narrator is quite simple, he narrates the complete story as a
new student of St-Swithin's Medical College. On the very first day of the College, he observed a
very mature fellow who seemed to be their senior but later on he discovered that he was
Grimsdyke, a medical student who has failed four times on purpose. He failed because he
wanted to enjoy the money given to him as a medical student as per his grandmothers will. Later
on he fell in love with a girl. She agreed to accept his proposal only if he would become a full
fledged doctor.
So, in this way Gordon who himself was a surgeon has very beautifully depicted the importance
of women in controlling men's life.
Q6: Justify the title 'The Power of Women' by Richard Gordon.
'The Power of Women' is a very beautiful story by Richard Gordon. It talks about a man named
Grimsdyke who was a medical student. Grimsdyke was author's classmate and had intentionally
failed thrice in examination. He wanted to extract maximum money from the will of his
grandmother which said that he would get money only as long as he was a medical student. He
was leading a life of utter luxury and comfort. But, he fell in love with a girl. He proposed to the
girl who plainly refused it by saying that he had to mend his ways if he wanted to marry her. The
title of the story points towards this power of that one lady who could alter the entire life of
Grimsdyke by just uttering a few words. Thus, the title by the author is appropriate.
Q7: Write a character sketch of the author.
The author was a young man who had joined St. Swithin's Hospital Medical School, London. He
was to attend inaugural lecture of the Dean on the very first day of his studies. He seemed to be
a punctual man who was particular about small things in life. He took a shiny loose-leaf folder
and headed towards the lecture hall. He walked up the stone steps and stepped into the small
entrance hall. Thereafter, he mounted a spiral staircase and reached the much awaited lecture
hall. He was nervous as it was his first day and therefore, he shyly sat in the last row. He seemed
to be a man of good moral values as he swiftly shifted his seat when Grimsdyke requested him to
do so. He even paid full attention to the Dean's welcome address.
Q8: Write a character sketch of Grimsdyke.
Grimsdyke is the main character of the story 'The Power of Women' written by Richard Gordon.
The person who is much talked about in the story is an idler.
He was smart enough to lead his life according to the will of his grandmother. The will stated
clearly that Grimsdyke would get money only as long as he was a medical student. Therefore, the
young man failed in St.
Swithin's Hospital Medical School for three years consecutively. He had bought a flat for himself
at Knights bridge and a two seater car. He had lots of friends and also much spare time.
However, he fell in love with a girl and went on to propose her. The girl refused to accept the
proposal and even suggested a remedy. She wanted Grimsdyke to stop leading a life of luxury
and work hard to pass the medical examination.
Notes
b"
Q9: How was Grimsdyke's life deeply influenced by 'the power of women'?
Grimsdyke had a rich aunt. She used to suffer from many ailments. She was treated well by the
doctors. So, she had a great regard for the medical profession. She wanted a medical gentleman
from her own family. She chose young Grimsdyke for this purpose. She offered to pay his
expenses for the medical course Unfortunately, the grandmother died. Her will left a thousand
pounds a year to Grimsdyke during the course of his medical education.
Grimsdyke began his first year's study at St. Swithin's. He realised that he had an excellent
opportunity to spend the rest of his life in London on a comfortable allowance without doing any
work. He therefore, took pains to fail in the examination every year. He joined the same first year
class every year. He came to the Hospital once or twice a week paid his fees and behaved
himself. He had a flat in London, an old car, a lot of friends and plenty of spare time.
He had already failed four times. The writer Richard Gordon joined the Medical Hospital.
Grimsdyke was again going to start studying in the same first year class. At this time he fell in
love with a girl. He proposed to her. She was a very shrewd girl. She told him strictly that she
would accept his proposal only if he studied hard and passed his medical examination. This was
an ultimatum from the young woman.
Grimsdyke felt that her power on him was very strong. So he decided to study very
enthusiastically for the examination.