cooperative principle reflecting the power relation
TRANSCRIPT
COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLE REFLECTING THE POWER RELATION
IN “VICTORIA AND ABDUL” MOVIE
THESIS
By:
Silviana Chintya Putri
14320106
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
UNIVERSITAS ISLAM NEGERI MAULANA MALIK IBRAHIM
MALANG
2018
COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLE REFLECTING THE POWER RELATION
IN “VICTORIA AND ABDUL” MOVIE
THESIS
Presented to
Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang
In partial fulfillment of the requirements
For the degree of Sarjana Sastra (S.S)
By:
Silviana Chintya Putri
NIM: 14320106
Advisor:
Abdul Aziz, M.Ed., Ph.D
NIP: 19690628 200604 1004
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
UNIVERSITAS ISLAM NEGERI MAULANA MALIK IBRAHIM
MALANG
2018
v
MOTTO
إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
“Surely, with hardship comes ease,"
(Q.S. Al – Insyirah: 6)
vi
DEDICATION
This thesis is proudly dedicated for my mother (Susriani) and
my beloved friend (Irfan Mustofa).
vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
Firstly, all praises to Allah, Lord of the universe, who has given to me an
inspiration, guidance and blessing to finish this thesis entitle “Cooperative Principle
Reflecting the Power Relation in “Victoria and Abdul” Movie”. Peace and
salutation be upon the greatest prophet and messenger, Muhammad SAW, who has
taught a greatest lecture of Islam.
Secondly, I would like to say thank you for my advisor, Mr. Abdul Aziz,
M.Ed. Ph.D., who always give me advices and guidance. Also, he has been really
patient and always supported me in each meeting. In addition, for all the lecturers
in English Letters Department who has been teaching me for four-years.
Next, for the best woman in this world, my mother, who always supporting
me in every situations. As a single parent she never give up to give me higher
education for better life. For my brother, Vicky Andy Hartadi, who always pick me
up to university, especially when there any examination. Also, my big family who
have supported me in achieving my dreams. And, for the one, Irfan Mustofa, who
always keep me struggling in this difficult time of study. Thank you for always keep
me smile and believe that there is always happy ending in every story.
Finally, for all my friends at Maulana Malik Ibrahim Islamic State
University of Malang. My friends in room 56 of Fatimah Az-Zahra building that
always keep in touch with me. My classmate from the first semester: Laila
Manzilatur Rahmah, Lailatul Hasanah, Uzlifatul Jannah, Mazma De Huwrien’in,
and Arfiyan Abdul Ghoffar Ariyanto. Thanks for the support especially the
unforgettable study experiments inside or outside the class.
The last, if there are any errors and inadequacies which remain in this study,
the correction and criticism are welcome.
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TABLE OF CONTENT
COVER....................................................................................................................i
STATEMENT OF AUTHENTICITY..................................................................ii
APPROVAL SHEET............................................................................................iii
LEGIMITATION SHEET...................................................................................iv
MOTTO..................................................................................................................v
DEDICATION.......................................................................................................vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...................................................................................vii
TABLE OF CONTENT......................................................................................viii
ABSTRACT............................................................................................................x
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background of Study.............................................................................1
1.2. Research Question.................................................................................6
1.3. Objective of Study.................................................................................6
1.4. Significance of Study.............................................................................6
1.5. Scope and Limitation.............................................................................7
1.6. Research Method...................................................................................8
1.6.1. Research Design.....................................................................8
1.6.2. Research Object......................................................................8
1.6.3. Data and Data Source..............................................................9
1.6.4. Research Instrument...............................................................9
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1.6.5. Data Collection.....................................................................10
1.6.6. Data Analysis........................................................................11
1.7. Definition of Key Terms......................................................................12
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1. Cooperative Principle..........................................................................13
2.1.1. Observing the Maxim...........................................................14
2.1.2. Flouting Maxims...................................................................17
2.1.3. Violating Maxims.................................................................19
2.2. Sociopragmatics..................................................................................22
2.2.1. Power Relation......................................................................23
2.3. Cooperative Principle and Power Relation..........................................25
2.4. The Synopsis of “Victoria and Abdul” Movie......................................26
2.5. Previous Studies...................................................................................28
CHAPTER III: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
3.1. Findings...............................................................................................30
3.2. Discussion...........................................................................................54
CHAPTER IV: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
4.1. Conclusion...........................................................................................61
4.2. Suggestion...........................................................................................62
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX
x
ABSTRACT
Putri, Silviana Chintya, 2018, Cooperative Principle Reflecting the Power Relation
in “Victoria and Abdul” Movie, Thesis, English Letters Department, Faculty
of Humanities, Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang
Advisor : Abdul Aziz, M.Ed., Ph.D
Keywords : Cooperative Principle, Violating, Flouting, Power Relation,
Social Stratification, Sociopragmatics.
Language is an important feature for human communication and interaction.
Human can follow a certain rule to achieve a successful communication. In purpose
to achieve the goals in interaction, people should makes a good cooperation in
communication to interact smoothly. In study by Grice (1975) the basic elements
to achieve the cooperative in conversation is called cooperative principle. In
addition, the use of language cannot be separated from the social stratification in
society.
The aim of this study was to find out the form of cooperative principle
especially violation and flouting the maxims by two main characters of “Victoria
and Abdul” movie. Additionally, the researcher also found out how violating and
flouting the maxim could reflecting the power relation of the speakers inside the
movie. Because Victoria is a Queen of England and Abdul is a common writer from
India.
The data were collected from the movie video and supported by the
transcript data. The researcher watched, classified and analyzed the data by using
Grice’s theory (1975) and combined it by power relation theory in scope of
sociopragmatics. The design of the study occupied descriptive qualitative method
to answer the research question.
The researcher found out 16 data inside of the movie that produced by
Victoria and Abdul. Victoria produced 13 data which were consist of violating and
flouting the maxims. Instead, Abdul produced 3 data which were consist of flouting
the maxims. To sum up, Victoria who had higher social stratification than Abdul
frequently produced flouting the maxim of relation to show her power. But Abdul
was limited to produce any violating or flouting the maxim, because of his lack of
power.
ABSTRACT
Putri, Silviana Chintya, 2018, Cooperative Principle Reflecting the Power Relation
in “Victoria and Abdul” Movie, Thesis, Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas
Humaniora, Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang
Dosen Pembimbing : Abdul Aziz, M.Ed., Ph.D
Kata Kunci : Prinsip Kerjasama, Pelanggaran, Pelaksanaan, Hubungan
Kekuasaan, Sosial Stratifikasi, Sociopragmatik.
Bahasa adalah sebuah alat yang penting dalam hubungan komunikasi dan
interaksi manusia. Sehingga, manusia dapat mengikuti beberapa peraturan tertentu
yang dapat meingkatkan terjadinya komunakasi yang sukses. Agar manusia dapat
mentransfer informasi dalam komunikasi dengan baik, maka diharuskan
membangun sebuah kerjasama selama proses komunikasi. Berdasarkan studi oleh
Grice (1975) mengatakan bahwa komponen dasar dalam kerjasama percakapan
dapat di sebut Prinsip Kerjasama. Dan juga, penggunaan bahasa tidak dapat
dipisahkan dari social startifikasi dalam sebuah lingkungan masyarakat.
Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui bentuk prinsip
kerjasama terutama pelanggaran dan pelaksanaan maksim-maksim yang dilakukan
oleh dua tokoh utama “Victoria and Abdul” film. Kemudian, peneliti menemukan
bagaimana pelanggaran dan pelaksanaan maksim dapat merefleksikan kekuasaan d
dari pembicara di dalam film. Ini dikarenakan posisi Victoria sebagai seorang ratu
Inggris dan Abdul seorang penulis biasa di India.
Data di dapatkan dari film dan didukung oleh transkrip film. Peneliti telah
melihat, mengklasifikasikan dan menganalisis data dengan menggunakan terori
dari Grice (1975) dan menggabungkannya dengan teori tentang kekuasaan dengan
pandangan ilmu sosiopragmatik. Desain dari penelitian ini adalah metode kualitatif
deskripsi untuk menjawab rumusan masalah.
Peneliti menemukan 16 data dari film “Victoria and Abdul” yang
berhubungan dengan kekuasaan pembicara dalam film tersebut. Victoria
melakukan prinsip kerjasama sebanyak 13 data termasuk pelanggaran dan
pelaksaan maksim sedangkan Abdul hanya melakukan prinsip kerjasama sebanyak
3 data berupa pelaksanaan maksim.
Kesimpulannya, Victoria yang mana memiliki posisi social stratifikasi yang
lebih tinggi dalam masyarakat lebih sering melakukan pelaksaan maksim relevansi
untuk menunjukkan kekuasaanya. Tetapi Abdul terbatasi untuk melakukan
pelanggaran atau pelaksanaan maksim karena posisinya yang rendah dalam
masyarakat, sehingga menunjukkan kurangnya kekuasaan dari Abdul.
المستخلص
، مبدأ التعاون عاكس علاقة السلطة في فيلم فيكتوريا وعبدل ٨١٠٢وتري، سيلفيانا سينتيا، ف
“Victoria and Abdul”، ،بحث جامعي، قسم الأدب الإنجليزي، كلية علوم الإنسانية
جامعة مولانا مالك إبراهيم الإسلامية الحكومية مالانج
المشرف: عبد العزيز، الماجستير
الكلمات الرئيسية: مبدأ التعاون، انخرام، إلصاق، علاقة السلطة، التنضيد الاجتماعي، التداولي
الاجتماعي
اللغة هي الجهاز المهم في الاتصال بين الإنسان. فيتبعون القوانين الخاصة التي ترقي
جودة الاتصال الناجح. وللوصول إلى نجاح تحويل المعلومات عند الاتصال، لابد على
( قال بأن ٠٧٩١المخاطبين أن يبنيا التعاون أثناء الاتصال. واستنادا من دراسة غرايس )
العنصر الأساسي في التعاون التخاطبي يسمى بالمبدأ التعاوني. وأيضا، استخدام اللغة لا ينفصل
.الاجتماعي في البيئة الاجتماعية عن التنضيد
يهدف هذا البحث لمعرفة صورة المبدأ التعاوني خاصة في الانخرام وإلصاق القواعد
بالتالي، وجدت . و”Victoria and Abdul“من بطل الممثلين في فيلم فيكتوريا وعبدل
الباحثة الانخرام وإلصاق القواعد تعاكس السلطة من المخاطب في فليم. هذا بأن موقف فيكتوريا
عبدل كالمؤلف العادي بالهند. ودعمت نسخة الفيلم إلى البيانات المكتسبة. كمالكة الإنجليزي و
( ودمجتها ٠٧٩١ونظرت الباحثة، وطبقت، وحللت تلك البيانات باستخدام نظرية غرايس )
بنظرية السلطة من خلال فن التداولي الاجتماعي. أما التصميم من هذا البحث هو البحث الكيفي
والوصفي لإجابة الأسئلة.
المتعلقة ”Victoria and Abdul“بيانة من فيلم فيكتوريا وعبدل ٠١ووجدت الباحثة
مرة وتشمل على الانخرام ٠١بسلطة المخاطب في ذلك الفيلم. وقامت فيكتوريا بالمبدأ التعاوني
وإلصاق القواعد. أما عبدل فقد قام بثلاثة المبادئ التعاونية فحسب بوجود إلصاق القواعد.
ي أن فيكتوريا الذي يملك بالتنضيد الاجتماعي أعلى من عبدل في المجتمع، والخلاصة ه
فتلصق كثيرا قاعدة الصلة لعرض سلطتها. أما عبدل فمحصور في القيام بالانخرام أو إلصاق
القواعد بسبب موقفه الدنيء في المجتمع. وذلك يدل على انخفاض سلطته.
` 1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background of Study
Nowadays, the cooperative principle becomes the crucial part of human
communication. It is because every single people who speak to others has different
style and variations to share the message or information in certain conversation.
The choice of word and the strategies of communication is influenced by the
situation and the condition such as when, where and with whom the speakers talk
to.
Then, the society can affect the way of people speaking to others. There are
any systems directly or indirectly shape the use of language. In society people has
their own rule to speak for instance a kid to an adult or vice versa. Not only the
matter of ages but also the speakers’ or hearers’ occupation can give specific
treatment in every kind of conversation.
Thus, in purpose to achieve the goals in interaction, people should make a
good cooperation in communication to interact smoothly. In study by Grice (1975),
the basic elements to achieve the cooperative in conversation is called cooperative
principle. Furthermore, cooperative principle has significant point in human
communication even the speakers consciously or unconsciously produce it. During
the communication, the speakers and the hearers want to create a smooth and
meaningful conversation. Moreover, cooperative principle not only to make a good
2
exchanging message between two people or more but also to show their self-
reflection for example power.
To understand about how human try to speak smoothly and naturally,
cooperative principle has four maxims to achieve cooperative conversation. Grice
(1975) claimed that human should create conversational contribution as it needed.
Then, Grice studied about the maxim of cooperative principle which are quantity,
quality, relation, and manner maxim. By doing these kind of maxims the
conversation will run well. However, there are also two aspects to apply the maxims
which are flouting or violating the maxims.
Flouting maxim appears when the speakers share the message indirectly but
expect the hearer can understand the purpose. According to Cutting (2008) the
speakers do not use the maxims but expect the hearer can appreciate the meaning
implied. On the other hand, violating maxim is when the speakers say some
utterances in purpose to make the hearers not know the truth. When the speakers
apply the maxim violation, they intentionally give insufficient information (Cutting,
2008). In addition, the hearers only catch the surface meaning without knowing if
it is the truth or not.
Moreover, cooperative principle always attaches to certain culture. The
differences of culture in every countries can affect the use of cooperative principle.
Furthermore, the cultural aspects can influence the interpretation of meaning by
both speaker and hearer. For example, in Britain if we say “I’ll call you two weeks
later” but and then not call. This kind of action include in violating the maxim of
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quality and cannot be accepted, while in another culture or countries is quite normal
to say that utterance.
In once conversation, the speakers can produce more than one maxim. It
usually called overlap. It can be difficult to say which one is operating, and it would
be more precise to say that there are two or more maxims operating in one utterance
(Cutting, 2008). Thus, cooperative principle also relate to the context when the
speaker is understand with the environment.
By using language as tool of communication to share message and
knowledge, human cannot be separated from power relation when using language
as a weapon of interaction. According to Bourdieu (1991), language is symbolic
power. People produce certain utterances because they have power to influence
others. It is related to their position in society and the level of social stratification.
The level of language power in human interaction is influenced by the social
aspects such as ethnicity, race, class, life stage, and occupation within particular
setting (Butler, 1990). The language in certain level of social stratification can
identify from the language use. For example, the higher education someone has the
more variation of language and better education someone has the more grammatical
the sentences. Therefore, people who has higher status will gain more respect than
the marginalized people.
The power relation can be reflected in the way people interact and
communicate. In cooperative principle people try to smooth their conversation by
using some maxims even it is flouting or violating. Sometimes people use
4
cooperative principle to show their power in society and to influence the others
people perspectives. By using language, it is possible to insult, persuade, command,
compliment, encourage or make a promise (Evans and Mooney, 2015).
For example, a son says “mother, give me those candies” and the mother
replies “tomorrow we will go to the dentist”, this example shows the mother’s
power to her son, she uses flouting the maxim of relation to show her power by
giving indirect command to her son. It means if the son eats a lot of candies his
teeth will hurt and the mother should bring him to the dentist. The mother says that
utterance to make the son understand the meaning implied.
Cooperative principle which is not only can smooth the conversation but
also indicate the power can occur in daily life conversation. Then, the researcher
will use a movie to investigate how cooperative principle reflecting the power
relation. In a movie, the researcher picks the data in form of utterances because they
are imitate the real life condition of communication. The researcher uses “Victoria
and Abdul” movie because the movie tells about Victoria as a Queen of British and
Abdul as a writer from India. The movie gives valid data about the cooperative
principle trough the characters’ dialogue and reflect the power according to the
social stratification of the characters.
In addition, both of the two main characters inside of the movie have
ascription factor which means that the high and low social status that they have
because of the factor beyond of their control such as parents, gender or race. Next,
the movie is based on the real story that happened in 1887 when United Kingdom
5
colonized India. It means, the historical aspect of English or white people have
higher position in society because they colonized the Indian at that moment. This
movie shows the differences of social class which can influence their language use
in communication.
Additionally, there are some previous researchers who have conducted
similar researches on cooperative principle and power relation. Zor (2006) studied
about cooperative principle and its maxims by Grice’s theory to analyze the
coherent of Turkish and English essays. The researcher compared the Turkish and
English essay to understand the differences. Then, He (2012) investigated about the
cooperative principle between English and Chinese culture, he investigated how the
Grice’s maxim only works in maxim of relevance.
Cummins (2009) observed the power in classroom interaction. He
investigated the power relation that happen in classroom by using psycholinguistics
approach. Aini (2015) studied about cooperative principle in conversation that
found in “Little Rascal Save the Day” movie. The actors were children and adult.
Kusumaningrum (2012) studied about a sociopragmatic analysis of the flouting of
cooperative principle maxims done by the main character in Cinderella Man.
In brief, based on the previous studies above the researcher will analyze
about cooperative principle reflects the power relation in human communication
especially in verbal language. The previous studies studied the separated aspect
such as cooperative principle or power itself without combined it.
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However, in this research the researcher identifies that cooperative principle
not only makes the conversation run smoothly and naturally but also can show how
utterances indicate the power. The researcher will investigate the “Victoria and
Abdul” movie to know the relation between applying cooperative principle to
reflecting the power relation which is never observed before.
1.2. Research Question
How is cooperative principle reflecting the power relation of the main
characters of “Victoria and Abdul” movie?
1.3. Objective of Study
To know how cooperative principle reflect the power relation of the main
characters of “Victoria and Abdul” movie.
1.4. Significance of Study
This study provides theoretical contributions. Firstly, the researcher
analyzes about cooperative principle. Secondly, this study will focus only on power
relation in “Victoria and Abdul” movie as the object. Thirdly, this study will explain
that power relation can be related to cooperative principle that indicated from the
use of maxims, flouting or violating. Finally, by doing this research the researcher
7
observes about cooperative principle reflecting the power relation inside of the
movie.
In this study, the researcher analyzes about the cooperative principle which
is become an important aspect in a good understanding of verbal communication.
Human communicates each other to share knowledge and message even truth or lie
by using flouting or violating the maxims of cooperative principle based on Grice’s
theory. Also, the researcher tries to identify the power relation when the speakers
produce any Grice’s maxims. Thus, this study is different from the previous because
the studies only analyze about cooperative principle or power relation without
combine those two field.
This research hopefully has some benefits for all students, especially at
English Letter Department students. From this research, they are expected to be
able to apply their knowledge and comprehend about cooperative principle and
power relation. Besides, this research expectantly can be used by next researchers
who are interested in cooperative principle and power relation as reference
materials.
1.5. Scope and Limitation
The focus of this study is using Sociopragmatics because the researcher
analyzes cooperative principle by Grice’s theory according to pragmatics field. On
the other hand, the researcher also uses sociology field which is explain the power
relation according to social class or stratification. Furthermore, the researcher only
8
analyzes the cooperative principle especially flouting and violating which are occur
in “Victoria and Abdul” movie then analyze the power relation according to the
cooperative principle data.
1.6. Research Method
1.6.1. Research Design
This research is classified as qualitative research because it has few
qualitative points: first, the main purpose of this research is to understand how
cooperative principle reflect the power relation of the main characters of “Victoria
and Abdul” movie. Second, this research uses the researcher herself to investigate
the data. Last, the data in this research is in form of soft data from utterances then
transcribes into phrases and sentences.
In this study, the researcher uses sociopragmatics approach because
the researcher investigates the cooperative principle and power relation in “Victoria
and Abdul” movie. This movie tells about a Queen from British and a writer from
India which each person has different background.
1.6.2. Research Object
This study uses “Victoria and Abdul” movie as the object. The genre of the
movie is biography, history and drama. It takes place in two countries, England and
India. The time is when England colonized India in 1887. At that time, United
Kingdom celebrated the Jubilee for the Queen. Then, the Governor General in India
9
sent Abdul to bring a Mohur, the ceremonial coin, to the Queen. Finally, Victoria
and Abdul made a friendship. However, their friendship had a lot of conflict.
This movie shows the differences of the two main characters. Victoria has
high position in social stratification and Abdul is on the other side, the low one.
Both of the main characters, Victoria and Abdul, have different position in society.
Then, the researcher wants to identify the cooperative principle that reflecting the
power relation inside the movie.
1.6.3. Data and Data Source
The data are utterances that produces by the two main characters of the
“Victoria and Abdul” movie. The researcher focuses on the utterances which are
indicate the cooperative principle reflecting the power relation. Then, the researcher
transcribes the utterances into sentences or phrases and arranges them into a dialog.
The main data source in this research is the video of “Victoria and Abdul”
movie. This video is taken from (http://lk21.top/victoria-abdul-2017/) which was
published on 10th of December 2017 and the English subtitle is taken from
(https://subscene.com/subtitles/victoria-and-abdul/english/1681125) which was
published on 8th of December 2017.
1.6.4. Research Instrument
The main instrument of this research is the researcher herself who collected
and analyzed the data because there was no other instrument that is possibly use.
10
1.6.5. Data Collection
In order to get the data, the researcher does several steps:
1. The first step is the researcher finds the main data which is video of
“Victoria and Abdul” movie. This step is necessary to do in order
to get the background knowledge and the context inside of the
movie.
2. The next step is download the English transcript of “Victoria and
Abdul” movie. Not only download the video as the main data but
also the transcript can help the researcher to get the accurate
utterances.
3. The following step is watching and reading the transcript carefully.
The researcher watches the movie to understand the story and the
context of the movie. By watching and reading the movie, the
researcher observes how the situation and reason that happen when
the main characters produce cooperative principle.
4. After that, the researcher re-watches the movie and reads the
transcripts several times while searching for the maxims of
cooperative principle inside of the movie.
5. Then, the researcher classifies the cooperative principle reflecting
the power relation that produce by the two main characters in
“Victoria and Abdul” movie.
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6. The last step, the researcher transfers the utterances into dialog to
be data for analysis section.
1.6.6. Data Analysis
After collecting the data, the researcher analyzes the data according to
Grice’s theory to answer the research question. The researcher focuses on analyze
the particular cooperative principle which are flouting and violating maxim. In
addition, the researcher analyzes how the cooperative principle reflecting the power
relation by using power relation theories between the two main characters of the
movie.
Next, the researcher will discuss about the findings. Based on the finding
the researcher will discuss how cooperative principle, the Grice’s theory, can
reflecting the power of the speakers. By analyzing the maxims that appear or
produce by two main characters, the researcher investigates the power of the
speakers.
Finally, conclusion and verification. Based on the topic discussion and the
data collection, the researcher makes conclusion and verification about the
cooperative principle that can reflect the power relation inside the movie. Then, the
researcher concludes the kind of maxim that appear in the movie and the correlation
with power relation.
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1.7. Definition of Key Terms
To avoid misunderstanding, the researcher defines the following key terms
below:
1. Cooperative Principle
The rules of conversations makes the participants in a conversations
normally attempt to be informative, truthful, relevant, and clear. This theory was
created by H. Paul Grice in 1975, he said “make your conversational contribution
as is required, at the stage at which it occurs, by the accepted purpose or direction
of the talk exchange in which you are engaged”. It means that to achieve the aim of
conversation people can produce cooperative principle inside of their conversation.
2. Power
In social science and politics, power is the ability to influence or outright
control the behavior of people. Power is an authority to control others in order to
make it as what it wants. In addition, in society power has relation with social
stratification and class.
3. Sociopragmatics
Sociopragmatics is the interface of sociology and pragmatics and refers to
“the social perceptions underlying participants’ interpretation and performance of
communicative action”. Sociopragmatics encompasses the knowledge of the
relationships between communicative action and power, social distance,
imposition, and the social conditions and consequences of what you do, when, and
to whom.
13
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
In this chapter, the researcher presents theories related to the study which
includes cooperative principle, flouting and violating the maxims, sociopragmatics,
power relation, the correlation between cooperative principle and power, synopsis
of the movie and previous studies.
2.1. Cooperative Principle
Human has a special tool to communicate and to share the ideas through
language. Then, language itself becomes the crucial part in human interaction
verbally or non-verbally. In the way to catch the goals of communication Grice
created a theory in conversation to smooth the message delivery. Grice (1975), in
his book “Logic and Conversation”, stated that “make your conversational
contribution as is required, at the stage at which it occurs, by the accepted purpose
or direction of the talk exchange in which you are engaged”. Then, this theory well-
known as “Cooperative Principle”.
Then, by following the cooperative principle between the hearer and the
speaker can share the message successfully. In studied by Grice, he created four
maxims which are quantity, quality, relation and manner maxim. It usually called
observed the maxim. On the other hand, there are flouting and violating the maxims.
14
In conversation, usually the speakers produce flouting the maxims in order
to share the meaning implied. The speakers expect the hearer will understand
without say the message directly or must to understand by the hearer. In contrast,
when the speakers produce violating the maxim it means that the speakers try to be
untruthful and ambiguous. The speakers want the hearer to catch the surface
meaning without knowing the truth.
To clearly understand the theory of cooperative principle, there are some
definitions and examples below:
2.1.1. Observing the Maxim
2.1.1.1. Quantity
This maxim supposes the speakers to give specific information
neither too much nor too little for the hearer. Quantity maxim expects not
to give less information or too much information to the hearer to avoid
the risk boring them.
Example:
Windy : How is the weather outside?
Sunny : It’s raining.
From the example above, Sunny gives specific answer for Windy
who asks about the weather. Sunny answers with the informative
situation according to the exact situation. By saying nor too much nor too
15
little information, Sunny tries not to give ambiguous answer so Windy is
able to identify the information.
2.1.1.2. Quality
In this maxim the speakers should say the truth according to the
reality. They are assumed not to say something that they believe to be
false or anything for which they lack evidence. So, the speakers are
expected to tell the truth.
Example:
Laura : I’ll come to your house tomorrow
Betty : Okay, as far as I know I will be home tomorrow, but my
sister will visit me. Usually she takes me around the town.
Betty gives the answer according to the reality that happen
tomorrow. However, if Laura comes to Betty’s house and realizes that
she is not in home, Betty is protected from being a liar because she gives
uncertain information to Laura.
2.1.1.3. Relation
This maxim expects the speakers to give the relevance answer to
the previous utterances. If the speakers do not give the relevance answer
or reaction, it can make a misunderstanding or miscommunication
between the speakers and the hearers.
16
Example:
Romeo : I slept yesterday, can you forgive me?
Juliet : Of course, I always forgive you.
In the conversation above, Juliet gives relevance answer to
Romeo’s question. So, Juliet’s answer matches the Romeo’s question.
Juliet tries to give straight answer according to Romeo’s question to
avoid misunderstanding if she gives irrelevance reply and being
cooperative during the conversation.
2.1.1.4. Manner
This maxim makes the speakers avoid ambiguity and obscurity
by giving clear and brief utterances without makes the hearer confuse
with the answer.
Example:
Nanny : Do you understand?
Nancy : No, I don’t
From the example above, Nancy gives the brief answer to
Nanny’s question. Nancy gives the clear and brief answer to avoid the
misleading interpretation for Nanny. Nancy can say “umm, yeah,, sort of
I understand but sometimes.. yeah yeah I understand” to show her
understanding, but it will make Nanny uncertain and confuse with
Nancy’s statement.
17
Therefore, by following the theory of maxims both speaker and
the hearer will get any benefit. Both the speaker and the hearer can catch
the message without any misleading and misunderstanding.
2.1.2. Flouting Maxim
The speakers say to flout the maxim if the speakers appear not to
follow the maxims but expect hearers to appreciate the meaning implied. Cutting
(2008) stated that by producing flouting the maxim the speakers implies a function
different the literal meaning of form. The speakers use indirect speech to share the
message to the hearers, and the hearers should catch the implied meaning by their
own interpretation.
2.1.2.1. Flouting Quantity
The speaker who flouts the maxim of quantity seems to give
too little or too much information. By doing this action, the speaker
expects the hearer catch the implicit message.
Example:
Peter : Well, how do I look?
Mary : You’re shoes are nice.
Here, Peter knows that Mary is not impressed with the rest
of what he is wearing. Mary says her impression to say that Peter is
not look good by implicit meaning. Then, Mary expects Peter will
change his clothes.
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2.1.2.2. Flouting Quality
The speaker flouting the maxim of quality may do it in
several way. Firstly, they may quite simply say something that
obviously does not represent what they think. Speaker may flout this
maxim by exaggerating as in hyperbole, for example “I could eat a
horse” than say the straight word “I’m starving”. Similarly, the
speaker can flout the maxim of quality by using a metaphor, as in
“My house is a refrigerator in January”. Conventional euphemisms
can also be put into this category too, for instance “I’m going to wash
my hand” meaning “I’m going to urinate”.
The last two ways of flouting the maxim of quality are irony
and banter. For example, “If only you knew how much I love being
woken up at 4. A.m. by a fire alarm”, she is being ironic and
expecting her friends to know that she means the opposite. Sarcasm
is a form of irony that is not so friendly, for example “This is a lovely
undercooked egg you’ve given me here, as usual. Banter, on the
contrary, expresses a negative sentiment and implies a positive one.
2.1.2.3. Flouting Relation
The speakers flout the maxim of relation if they expect that
the hearers will be able to imagine what the utterance did not say and
make the connection between their utterance and the preceding one.
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Example:
Luna : There’s somebody at the door
Sirius : I’m in the bath
Sirius expects Luna to understand that his present location is
relevant to her comment that there is someone at the door, and that
he cannot go and see who it is because he in the bath.
2.1.2.4. Flouting Manner
Those who flout the maxim of manner, appearing to be
obscure, are often trying to exclude a third party.
Example:
Husband : I was thinking of going out to get some of that
funny white stuff for somebody.
He speaks ambiguous way because he is avoiding saying
“ice-cream”, so that his little daughter does not become excited and
ask for the ice cream before her meal.
2.1.3. Violating Maxims
The speakers can be said to violate a maxims when they know the
hearer will not know the truth and will understand the surface meaning of the words.
The speakers deliberately supply insufficient information, say something that
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insincere, irrelevant, or ambiguous, and the hearer wrongly assumes that they are
cooperating.
2.1.3.1. Violating Quantity
If a speakers violate the maxim of quantity, they do not give
the hearer enough information to know what is being talked about,
because they do not want the hearer to know the full picture.
Example:
Husband : How much did that new dress cost, darling?
Wife : Less than the last one
She ambiguously covers up the price of the dress by not
saying how much less than her last dress.
2.1.3.2. Violating Quality
If a speakers violate the maxim of quality, they do not give
the hearer sincere answer and give the wrong information.
Example:
Child : Where is mom?
Dad : Mommy’s gone on a little holiday because she needs a
rest.
In the conversation above, Dad gives the wrong information
to his child rather than says the truth that they are divorce.
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2.1.3.3. Violating Relation
If a speaker violates the maxim of relation, she or he distract
and change the topic with another topics.
Example:
Husband : How much did that new dress cost, darling?
Wife : I know, let’s go out tonight.
Based on the example above, the wife produces violation of
maxim relation. She tries to change and distract the conversation by
giving irrelevance answer. She expects that her husband does not
know about the dress cost and forget about it by changing the topic.
2.1.3.4. Violating Manner
The speaker tries to avoid giving a brief and orderly answer
such as “A tiny fraction of my salary, though probably a bigger
fraction of the salary of the woman that sold it to me”. In the hopes
that it could be taken as an answer.
In communication, human makes a pattern that can be identified as the effort
of exchanging message such as using cooperative principle theory. In brief,
cooperative principle has significant aspect in daily communication to make a good
and success conversation. Then, the researcher will use cooperative principle theory
to analyze and identify the cooperative principle which is produced by the main
22
characters inside of the movie whether flouting or violating maxims to know how
the maxims reflecting the speakers’ power.
2.2. Sociopragmatics
Sociopragmatics is the interface of sociology and pragmatics and refers to
“the social perceptions underlying participants’ interpretation and performance of
communicative action”. Sociopragmatics encompasses the knowledge of the
relationships between communicative action and power, social distance,
imposition, and the social conditions and consequences of what you do, when, and
to whom. According to Leech and Thomas (1983), sociopragmatics has concern in
more specific local conditions on language use, which is mean that sociopragmatics
deals with any aspect of social context to the pragmatics meanings of particular
language use.
The term sociopragmatics basically comes from a linguistics branch,
Pragmatics. According to Leech (1983) observed that there are two kind of general
pragmatics which are devided into two parts, pragmalinguistics and
sociopragmatics. Pragmalinguistics concerning the particular resources which a
given language provides for conveying particular illocutions and related to
grammar aspect. On the other hand, sociopragmatics concerning in the specific
condition of language use which related to sociology.
Sociopragmatics which is combination between pragmatics and sociology
not only learn about the language use to achieve a better understanding and
23
successful communication but also understanding the norms. A focal point for
sociopragmatics is the way in which speakers exploit more general norms to
generate particular meanings, take up particular social positionings, and so on
(Culpeper, 2009). In sociopragmatics field, social situations can provide a link
between micro, more linguistically-oriented considerations and macro, more
sociologically-oriented considerations.
2.2.1. Power Relation
Language has its own function in human communication for example to
show the power. According to Bourdieu (1991), language as symbolic power. It
means that language can have power that can influence other people perspectives.
For example, when a president has speech in front of the people and he or she
creates a new rule all of the audience will follow the new rule.
Power relation closely relates to society when society contain of social
classes. Society has its structure that called social stratification. It means that
inequality has been hardened or institutionalized and there is a system of social
relationship that determined who gets what, and why. Kerbo (2006) stated that
social stratification helps to shape how people live, the opportunities, the mental
health, life expectation and more. In addition, social stratification gives power to
the language users to influence the others by her or his position.
In society, there is a people who gain many respect from the others because
of her or his class in society and the other people who has lower class will life with
less respect. In order to make differences between the influence people and who are
24
not, there are 3 parts of social stratification. In study by Kerbo (2006) there are
higher, middle and lower class.
First, the upper class will be used to signify those families high in property
ownership, with high authority flowing from such ownership. This kind of class has
old established families with significant ownership of major corporations, such as
presidents, vice presidents and so on. The upper class members has important role
to influence the lower class in the society.
Next, the middle class will be used to signify those with relatively little
property, but high to middle positions in occupation and authority. Furthermore, in
the middle class there are upper middle class (lesser corporate managers, doctors,
lawyers, and so forth) and lower middle class (office workers, clerks, salespeople,
and etc.).
The last, the lower class is the lowest class in society usually attach to
signify those individuals with no property, who are often unemployed and have no
authority. The people of this class has no power and lack of important role in
society.
Therefore, the social stratification has power to influence the language of
the speakers. The higher, middle, and lower people has its own language to express
the feeling of freedom and the language has power to attract the around attention.
Language is sometimes pressed into service as a surrogate channel for expressing
views about race, education, power, and access to state resources (Suleiman, as
cited in Omoniyi, 2006).
25
Language has power to control people around by producing certain
utterances. According to Sallabank (as cited in Omoniyi, 2006), more powerful
languages exert symbolic power and intimidation. People from higher social class
can intimidate the lower class social people by using language for example the
choice of words, intonation, or other aspects of language.
2.3. Cooperative Principle and Power Relation
Cooperative principle has a rule to make the conversation runs smoothly
and naturally so between speakers and the hearers will catch the meaning and
understand the message. The speakers can use the flouting maxim or violating
maxim to achieve the purpose of communication. The indicators of success or fail
in conversations can be identified from the understanding of the conversations.
Then, power relation can be reflected from the language inside of human
communication, for example in cooperative principle. The power of language use
can be identified from the language style of the speakers. The speakers can use one
or more maxims to show his or her power to intimidate the hearer.
Example:
Lecturer : Any question?
Students : No ma’am.
Lecturer : For deeply understanding about our material today, I suggest
you to read another references. As you know that the library
26
always open daily. When I was a student my teacher gave me an
advice to read a lot of book and asked the students to collect the
resume. I hope you can do it. Understand?
Students : Pardon ma’am?
Lecturer : Collect it to me in the next meeting.
In the example above, the teacher produces flouting the maxim of manner
by give long sentence that difficult to understand or obscure for the students. Then,
when the students ask for the clarification, the teacher gives brief answer which is
become the flouting maxim of quantity. The teacher has power to produce that kind
of utterance and influence the students to follow the instruction.
Then, by making the flouting maxim of manner and quantity, the statement
reflects the teacher’s power which is has higher social class than the students. If the
speakers has no higher class in society then the utterance becomes weak and the
students can deny the instruction.
2.4. The Synopsis of “Victoria and Abdul” Movie
The year is 1887, the 50th year of Queen Victoria’s reign. For her Golden
Jubilee celebration, two random Indian Muslim, Abdul and Mohammad, are chosen
to travel to England and present the Queen with a Mohur, a Mughal commemorative
coin.
27
The plan is to have the liveried Indians present the coin to Victoria at a
Windsor Castle banquet and quickly depart for India, but the plans go horribly awry
when Abdul Karim, the taller and handsomer of the two men, catches the Queen’s
attention. Then, she requests that the two Indians stay on as footmen for the
remainder of the Jubilee.
Unpredictably, Abdul Karim becomes one of Victoria’s favorite and the
most trusted confidants. He gradually introduces the lonely and jaded Queen to
India, its costumes and cuisines, and its social problems under British rule. He also
teaches the Queen to read and write in Urdu. Basically, the Queen decide to promote
him as a teacher or Munshi for her.
In doing so, Abdul attracts the jealousy and hatred of the Royal Household,
particularly Prince Albert, Victoria’s dissolute and idle son and heir to the throne.
Then, the high attention of the Queen to Abdul makes the whole member of
household individually and collectively try to against him. But, Victoria steadfast
and obstinate in the face of their antagonism.
Abdul Karim accompanies the Queen on her journeys to Osborne House,
Balmoral Castle, Florence, and the French Riviera. Victoria also builds Durbar
Room which is inspired from the Indian architecture to reflect her authority in India.
The conflict happens when the Queen wants to give a knighthood to Abdul and the
entire member of household house refuse to accept the Queen’s idea.
When, the Queen asks the doctor to examine Abdul’s wife to find the reason
why he and his wife cannot have children yet. The doctor finds that Abdul has
28
gonorrhea and quickly tells the fact to the Queen in purpose to send Abdul away.
But, the Queen still believe in Abdul. Then, Prince Alfred tells that the one who
against British imperialism in India is Muslim. Victoria feels betrayed by Abdul
and asks him to leave England immediately.
However, the night comes go by, the Queen changes her mind and decides
to make Abdul stay beside her. She likes Abdul like her own son. Unexpectedly,
Mohammad who is chosen together with Abdul suddenly pass away because of
sick. Then, the Queen’s condition is also decreasing time by time.
Upon Victoria’s death in 1901, Albert’s vengeance is swift and merciless.
The heartbroken and grieving Abdul Karim is summarily evicted from his royal
cottage along with his wife and family. He is put aboard a ship and sent back to
India, never to return. All correspondence between Victoria and Abdul is burned
along with anything else that hints of an intimate relationship between them. The
relationship remained a little-known curiosity until the release of the movie in 2017.
2.5. Previous Studies
There are some previous researchers who have conducted similar researches
on cooperative principle and power relation. Zor (2006) studied about cooperative
principle and its maxim by Grice theory to analyze the coherent of Turkish and
English essay. The researcher compared the Turkish and English essay to
understand the differences. His result identified that Turkish essay lack of writing
skill so the maxim can effect to the coherences of the essays.
29
Then, He (2012) investigated about the cooperative principle between
English and Chinese culture, he investigated how the Grice’s maxim only works in
maxim of relevance. The other Grice’s maxim could not explain the Chinese
cultural communication.
Cummins (2009) observed the power in classroom interaction. He
investigated the power relation that happened in classroom by using
psycholinguistics approach. The power relation occurred in this study because of
the identity of the students and the teacher influence the classroom activities.
Aini (2015) studied about cooperative principle in conversation that found
in “Little Rascal Save the Day” movie which the actors were children and adult.
The result was the violating maxim occurred because the speaker was nervous, the
speaker was not want to hurt, and the speaker tried to change the topic.
Thakur (2016) observed about cooperative principle of conversations in
Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy based on sociopragmatic assessment. Then, he found
that the speakers produce a lot of flouting maxim to achieve the successful and
smooth conversation. By observing this study, the writers knew that the meaning
implied can help to understand better perspective.
Finally, according to the previous studies above the researcher chooses to
investigate cooperative principle that reflect the power relation in “Victoria and
Abdul” movie. It is because the lack of studies in cooperative principle and power
relation, so the researcher wants to enrich the knowledge about the relation between
using cooperative principle and the reflection of power relation.
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CHAPTER III
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
This chapter discusses the finding and discussion. The finding consists of
the presentation of data and the analysis of data. The result of analysis is further
discussed in later part.
3.1. Findings
This research focuses on analyzing the utterances which are produced by
two main characters in “Victoria and Abdul” movie. Also, the data focuses on
finding out the conversation that consist of the cooperative principle especially in
flouting and violating the maxims. Then, after knowing the flouting and violating
the maxim inside of the movie, the data have been analyzed to understand the
reflection of power by producing that kind of cooperative principle. However the
researcher did not analyze the observe maxims type.
After watching the movie, classifying and analyzing the data, the researcher
finds sixteen data in “Victoria and Abdul” movie. In addition, the data are both
flouting and violating of the maxims and they were reflect the power relation. The
data are in form of utterances that produced by Victoria and Abdul as the two main
characters. Victoria produces thirteen data and Abdul produces three data.
31
Then, the data are transcribed in form of dialogue and supported by the
describing of the context when the data occurred in order to make the data easily
understand. In addition, the data were arranged according to the kind of flouting
and violatingfurth of the maxim to clearly know the reflecting power that produced
by the two main characters of “Victoria and Abdul” movie.
3.1.1. Violation the Maxim
a. Maxim of Relation
Datum 1 (00:14:44 – 00:14:58)
Ponsonby : A gift from the Indian Empire. A Mohur, Your
Majesty.
Victoria : A ... What? (Lazily look at the coin that Abdul serves to
her)
Ponsonby : A Mughal coin, Your Majesty. In honor of your service to
the subcontinent.
Victoria : (Ignore the coin and clear her throat) Have we finished?
Ponsonby : We still have coffee, Your Majesty.
Context: Victoria as a Queen of England should follow the daily
activities list according to that have made by her secretary. In the beautiful
morning, Victoria attends the Banquet in the Hall with her family and
guests. In addition, Victoria feels bored and tired with her monotonous
activities. She eats the food in rush and immediately sleep in the middle of
the banquet. Sir Henry Ponsonby as her secretary wakes Victoria up and
tells her about the gift from India. While the marching band is playing a
song and, Abdul and Mohammed enter the room to serve the ceremonial
32
coin. Furthermore, Abdul and Mohammed are standing next to the Queen.
Mr. Ponsonby tells about the Mohur to Victoria.
Analysis: The datum above shows that Victoria violates the maxim
of relation. In this occasion, Victoria tries to change and distract the topic
of the conversation by giving irrelevance statement. She makes this kind of
cooperative principle especially violating the maxim to know the ending of
the banquet. She uses violating the maxim of relation, so Ponsonby does not
know her implicit meaning and takes it as ordinary question.
Furthermore, she can violate the maxim of relation because she has
power to lead the conversation. As a Queen of England, Victoria has the top
position of social stratification in society. Thus, all of her statement are
comments, promises, compliments or commands. Mr. Ponsonby as her
secretary has lower position in the Kingdom rather than the Queen. In
addition, he cannot push his opinion to the Queen, even the Queen will reject
or accept it.
Then, by producing violation the maxim of relation Victoria shows
her great power to change the topic without any permission. It is normal and
acceptable for her to jump from one topic to another topic. Also, Mr.
Ponsonby who has the lower social status than the Queen, should accept and
answer it properly without giving comment or complain about Victoria’s
utterance.
33
Datum 2 (00:16:33 – 00:16:56)
Dr. Reid : And your movements, Your Majesty? (Bow his body
toward the Queen)
Victoria : Nothing to speak of, Dr. Reid.
Dr. Reid : Not even during the day? (Try to persuade Victoria)
Victoria : We last moved on Sunday evening.
Dr. Reid : I fear these celebratory dinners are taking their toll, Your
Majesty. Might I suggest some Benger’s mixture?
Victoria : I refuse to eat Benger’s. It’s a baby food.
Dr. Reid : But it is imperative, Your Majesty, that the Royal colon
receives a little roughage.
Victoria : Anything else? (Turning her head into from Dr. Reid and
look another direction)
Context: One morning in the dining room, Victoria is eating with
Lady Churchill and Miss Phipps while Dr. Reid is standing beside the Queen
and Sir Henry Ponsonby is reading the following Victoria’s activities. Then,
Dr. Reid asks about the Victoria’s movement and suggests the best food for
the Queen’s health. Victoria seems enjoying her food and quiet comfort with
the situation.
Analysis: Based on the conversation, Victoria violates the maxim of
relation. Again, she uses this kind of violation to change and distract the
topic. She wants Dr. Reid to accept her answer as final decision and starts
new conversation so Dr. Reid only knows the surface meaning of her action.
It is because she does not want to continue talking about any treatments for
her healthiness again.
34
Victoria’s social stratification gives her a lot of power to distract or
close the topic without any agreement from the hearer. Victoria’s position
in society is absolutely the highest than the others person in England or
specifically in that room. She can close the topic by using particular
expressions freely.
Therefore, when Victoria violates the maxim of relation, she also
reflecting her power as a Queen. Victoria can change the topic directly and
bring another topic inside to the conversation. So, Dr. Reid should accept
her commend even she does not say it clearly. Her social stratification
influences her language use to communicate with the others.
Datum 3 (00:18:18 – 00:18:29)
Salisbury : There’s another famine in India. More trouble in Ireland.
I’m afraid. Suez is a perennial nightmare. And I’m afraid the
Boers are at it again.
Victoria : Is there any good news, Prime Minister?
Salisbury : Well, we’ve decided to annex Zululand, Your Majesty.
Context: In the other morning banquet, the Queen sit together with
the Prime Minister. On the other tables the guests are eating the food and
the servants are walking around the table to serve the food. Then, the Prime
Minister, Lord Salisbury, gives political information to Victoria. The Prime
Minister looks interest in talking about the political issues. In contrast,
Victoria looks bored with the bad issues and asks for the good one.
35
Analysis: Victoria produces violation the maxim of relation. She
tries to change the topic by asking another topic in the conversation above.
Moreover, Victoria blocks the statement of the Prime Minister because she
does not like to talk about bad political news. To avoid the topic she tries to
ask about the good news.
Furthermore, this datum clearly shows how Victoria as a Queen has
higher class in social stratification so the Prime Minister should accept the
Queen’s utterance. Instead, the Prime Minister wants to continue the news,
he should immediately change the news. He does not want to destroy the
mood of the Queen in the morning and serves her with the good one.
Based on the datum above, Victoria produces the cooperative
principle especially violation the maxim of relation to reflect her power.
Victoria changes the topic and tries to start another topic without finishing
the previous topic can be indicated as her power to choose the topic during
the conversation. Then, the hearer should accept any utterances as a
command for her position. Even, England is managed by the Prime
Minister, the Queen still has any power to everyone who has lower position
in social stratification.
Datum 4 (01:19:23 – 01:20:29)
Mrs. Phipps : Your Majesty
Victoria : Out with it.
Mrs. Phipps : (Standing and trembling)
36
Victoria : Girl, cannot you see, I’m busy.
Mrs. Phipps : There is something I must say that...
Victoria : What is the meaning of this? Stop shaking!
Mrs. Phipps : I have come to ask you to reconsider the...the elevation
of...of Mr. Karim.
Victoria : What did you say?
Mrs. Phipps : I’ve come to ask you not to give Mr. Karim a knighthood,
Your Majesty.
Victoria : Why the devil not?
Mrs. Phipps : The members of the Household demand that you abandon
your plans, Your Majesty.
Victoria : Demand?
Mrs. Phipps : We believe that it degrades the very concept of knighthood.
He comes from a very low family, You Majesty and he is
colored.
Victoria : Get out of my sight.
Context: The royal faces the internal conflict between the Queen
and the members of Household because Victoria wants to give a knighthood
to Abdul. However, all of the staff of Household refuse her idea because
Abdul has different social stratification, cultural background and race.
Behind the Queen, all of the staff of Royal Household discuss and look for
a way to escape from this confusing situation. And they choose Ms. Phipps
to talk with the Queen. At that time Victoria is working alone in her room.
Then, Mrs. Phipps enters her room to talk that the entire Household staff
against the knighthood for Abdul.
Analysis: Based on the conversation above, Victoria produces
violates the maxim of relation. She tries to distract the conversation by
giving a command to Mrs. Phipps, so she should leave the room.
Furthermore, by violating the maxim of relation, Victoria expresses her
angry emotion and tries to stop the conversation.
37
Victoria shows her power by producing violation the maxim of
relation. According to her power, Victoria freely changes the topic.
Suddenly, she asks Ms. Phipps to out from her room can be indicated as an
action that she wants to stop the unimportant conversation. Her power in
front of Mr. Phipps is stronger and absolute to be destroyed by any reasons
because Mrs. Phipps only Victoria’s dress assistant.
In brief, even Ms. Phipps wants to deny Queen’s arguments, Victoria
still has bigger power to decide the decision. This kind of cooperative
principle which is produced by Victoria reflecting her power because she
changes the topic and give an imperative statement to the hearer.
3.1.2. Flouting the Maxim
a. Maxim of Relation
Datum 5 (00:17:01 – 00:17:08)
Ponsonby : Was Your Majesty pleased with the Mohur?
Victoria : What?
Ponsonby : The Mohur. The ceremonial coin. Presented by the two
Indian servants.
Victoria : I thought the tall one was terribly handsome.
Context: The context takes place where the Queen is eating together
with her companions. After discussing her health condition with Dr. Reid,
Ponsonby asks the Queen’s opinion about the gift of Indian Empire.
Analysis: The conversation above shows how the Queen flouts the
maxim of relation. Victoria answers the previous utterance from Ponsonby
38
by giving implicit meaning. The answer of Victoria does not relate with the
Mohur but she gives an opinion about the servant, Abdul, which is serve her
by the Mohur. By doing this action, Victoria expects the hearers around can
figure out that she likes the tall one.
Then in the next scene, without any direct instruction of the Queen,
Ponsonby, as her secretary, asks the two Indian servants to stay in England.
This action indicating the Victoria’s power. The differences of the social
stratification make the high class and the lower class create their own way
in communication. The people who has low social status in society should
understand the implicit meaning of upper class’ utterances.
Thus, by flouting the maxim of relation Victoria shows her power
and expects the hearer will catch the implied meaning of the statement
without say her desire directly. As a Queen, Victoria implicitly asks her
secretary to make Abdul and Muhammad stay in England because she likes
the tall one, based on the conversation.
Datum 6 (00:18:29 – 00:18:41)
Victoria : Is there any good news, Prime Minister?
Salisbury : Well, we’ve decided to annex Zululand, Your Majesty.
Victoria : Whatever for?
Salisbury : We really have to box in the Boers if we possibly can.
Victoria : Oh, Prime Minister, you really are terribly depressing.
Salisbury : Yes
39
Context: The context is still continuing the previous situation in
datum 5 when Victoria attends another morning banquet. Victoria and the
Prime Minister are talking about the political news. Previously, Victoria
rejects the topic about a bad political news and asks the Prime Minister to
tell her about the good one. Victoria feels horrible because of the bad news.
In addition, the Prime Minister still interests in talking the political news.
Analysis: Victoria produces flouting the maxim of relation in the
conversation above. She wants to stop the conversation by saying
irrelevance statement which does not have any relation to topic. In this case,
Victoria indirectly share the message that she is not in a good mood to talk
about the political news by saying “Oh Prime Minister, you really are
terribly depressing”.
In addition, Victoria shows her power as the person on the top of the
monarch. Even if she is a Queen, Victoria can reject the political
information that has given by the Prime Minister. In social stratification,
Victoria has different position with the Prime Minister even both of them
live in the same environment which is the Kingdom. In fact, the Prime
minister has lower position in vertical relation inside of the kingdom. Then,
the Prime Minister should follow the conversation based on the Queen’s
topic.
The reason Victoria flouts the maxim of relation is she wants to
reflect her power by using cooperative principle. She has an occasion to
40
freely flouts the maxim of relation especially to the hearer which is has
lower position than her. Victoria can produce irrelevance statement with the
preceding statement and expects the hearer understand the implied meaning
without saying her truly conditions and purposes.
Datum 7 (00:28:04 – 00:28:14)
Victoria : Sir Henry, I would like a mango. (Entering the room)
Ponsonby : A mango?
Victoria : Yes, I would like to taste a mango.
Ponsonby : That’s impossible, Your Majesty. (Uncertain) They only
grow in India.
Victoria : Well, I’m Empress of India, so have one sent.
Context: Victoria has a little take a walk around the palace with
Abdul. Abdul tells about his country, India, such as Shah Jahan and the
Indian food. Victoria which is never visit India curious about mango, the
queen of fruit. Immediately, after arriving in the palace, Victoria asks
Ponsonby to taste a mango.
Analysis: Based on the conversation above, Victoria flouts the
maxim of relation. Previously, Ponsonby tells that mango only grow in India
and it is very impossible to take and bring it for the Queen. However,
Victoria says “I’am Empress of India” which has irrelevance topic with
Ponsonby’s statement. She produces the statement in order to share the
meaning implied. It means that she is the queen of India, so she should eat
the fruit from India, mango.
41
Victoria shows her power by using flouting the maxim of relation.
She expects Ponsonby as the hearer will accept her power and passion.
Ponsonby cannot reject Victoria’s desire because as her secretary Ponsonby
has lower position in kingdom environment.
The flouting maxim of relation is made by Victoria reflecting her
power in giving a command inside of the kingdom. Her top position in
hierarchy structure of the kingdom allows her to make an instruction for her
staff.
Datum 8 (00:30:46 – 00:31:15)
Ponsonby : Good morning, Your Majesty. (Enter the room). The boxes,
Your Majesty.
Victoria : Thank you.
Ponsonby : And the blank journal Your Majesty requested. (Sit in the
chair in front of the Queen)
Victoria : You may go. I’m perfectly capable of working through the
boxes. Abdul is very helpful with his blotter.
Ponsonby : But these are parliamentary papers, Your Majesty.
Victoria : I’m aware of that. (Confidently)
Ponsonby : But Abdul is a servant. He cannot assist with the boxes.
Victoria : And I am the Queen of England.
Context: In the morning after visiting Balmoral Estate, Victoria is
working in the office and accompanied by Abdul. Then, Ponsonby and his
guard enter the room. They bring the boxes of paper for Victoria. Ponsonby
wants to stay in the office and helps the Queen with the paper. However,
42
Victoria refuses the favor of Ponsonby because she is already accompanied
by Abdul. Ponsonby tries to argue the Queen’s decision.
Analysis: According to the transcript above, Victoria flouts the
maxim of relation in order to emphasize and to give the implied meaning
that she has a freedom to choose anyone she wants to be her assistant.
Victoria states irrelevance utterance with Ponsonby’s statement. By saying
“And I am the Queen of England”, she expects Ponsonby can accept and
understand her decision.
The Queen uses this kind of cooperative principle especially flouting
the maxim of relation to show that she has superior power than the hearer.
Even if Ponsonby tries to argue with Victoria’s opinion, he has less power
to stop her because his lower position as a secretary of a Queen. Also,
Ponsonby insists Victoria about the parliamentary papers cannot be finished
by a servant.
Based on the conversation, the gap between high and low class
members are clearly showed. When Ponsonby says “Abdul is a servant”
indicates that Abdul has less power or inappropriate to touch or to enter the
royal activities. Then, Victoria says “And I am the Queen of England”, she
emphasizes her status to Ponsonby. It means she has all access to make any
decision whether the others like or dislike.
In order to reflecting her power, Victoria produces flouting the
maxim relation. She expects Ponsonby will understand her authority inside
43
of the kingdom to choose everyone she wants to work with. The cooperative
principle that she uses during the conversation reflecting her power as a
Queen.
Datum 9 (01:28:03 – 01:29:25)
Victoria : I’m so sorry, Abdul. I think it’s time you went home, Abdul.
Abdul : This is my home
Victoria : I’ve been short-sighted and selfish. (Silent). You are a
young man. You have your whole life ahead of you. It’s not
safe here.
Abdul : Your Majesty.
Victoria : The vultures are already circling. How can I protect you if
I’m not here?
Abdul : Your Majesty, you will reign for many years to come.
Victoria : No, Abdul. (Silent). I’m sick. All these ceremonies will kill
me. You have been a very good friend. But you must leave
me.
Abdul : I’m your servant. And as long as I shall live, I shall be by
your side. Every single day. Nothing... nothing will stop me.
Victoria : Abdul, I am your Queen.
Context: After attending Mohammed’s funeral, Abdul and Victoria
back to the palace by a cart. The weather is foggy. It is surround them in the
way home. Both Victoria and Abdul are grieving because of the funeral.
Finally, Victoria tells to Abdul that she feels sick of all these ceremonies.
She wants Abdul to go back to his own country because without Victoria
there is no one can protect him. She feels her time in this world is reaching
its limit.
Analysis: In this conversation, Victoria produces flouting the
maxim of relation in order to make Abdul understands the implied meaning.
By saying that utterance, Victoria wants Abdul accept the Queen’s decision
44
without directly speak the command that she gives. She wants Abdul to
catch the implicit meaning from her imperative utterance and to leave
England immediately. Because Victoria is her Queen and Abdul should
follow the instruction.
Here, the cooperative principle clearly reflects the social status
between Victoria and Abdul. Abdul who has lower social stratification
cannot reject the Queen’s decision. On the other hand, Victoria emphasizes
her position as Queen to Abdul. She indirectly shows the differences
between her and Abdul so Abdul wants to do her command.
Datum 10 (00:53:12 – 00:53:33)
Victoria : My dear Munshi, I’m so glad you’re back. It’s been
dreadfully dull without you. And I’m so glad to meet Mrs.
Karim. There is just one thin g I’ve been curious about the
whole afternoon. What does she look like behind her veil?
Abdul : You must see her
Victoria : Is that allowed?
Abdul : You’re a lady. And the Empress of India.
Context: Abdul’s wife and mother-in-law have arrived in England.
The Queen feels happy to welcoming Abdul and his little family. Victoria
gives a small cottage for Abdul’s family as a gift. Then, Victoria and her
family visit Abdul’s cottage in the beautiful morning. She wants to meet
Abdul’s wife. She feels excited. In the end of the visit, Victoria asks to
45
Abdul to see his wife’s face because during the introduction she always
covers her face by Burqa (A long dress and has a face cover for the user).
Analysis: According to the bold sentence above, Abdul produces
flouting the maxim of relation. It happens when Abdul answers the Queen’s
question but the answer has no relation. Abdul should answer the question
using yes or no but he gives irrelevance reply. Abdul expects Victoria accept
and understand the implicit meaning that she is allowed to see her wife.
Abdul also shows her respect to the upper class of hearer when he
calls Victoria with “lady”. Based on Collins Dictionary, the term “lady” is
a woman from the upper classes especially in former times. The Indonesia
translation also translates it into the word “Ratu”. He shows his lower
position in his choice of word.
Then, Abdul produces flouting the maxim of relation reflecting his
less power in front of the Queen. He cannot directly answer with full
information in order to avoid rudeness and risking of bothering the Queen.
By saying “You’re a lady” Abdul realizes his social stratification compare
to the Queen’s position.
b. Maxim of Quality
Datum 11 (00:20:39 – 00:20:45)
Victoria: Don’t worry. I’m not going to eat you.
46
Context: After the afternoon banquet with the Prime Minister and
other guests, Victoria works in her office. She asks Mr. Ponsonby to invite
Abdul and Mohammed to keep her while she is working. Mohammed stays
outside the room and Abdul stays inside the room next to the Queen. When,
Mr. Ponsonby wants to stay inside the room, the Queen asks him to leave
her alone with Abdul. Then, Abdul should accompany her while she is
working. This is the first time Abdul and Victoria have their private time
and place. Abdul is shaking because he fells nervous. However, Victoria is
sitting quietly and finishing her work.
Analysis: According to the statement above, Victoria flouts maxim
of quality. Victoria flouts the maxim by exaggerating the expression and
makes a hyperbole utterances. In simple way, by speaking that kind of
utterance Victoria means that Abdul is fine to stand near the Queen. Abdul
cannot catch her statement literally but he should understand the implicit
meaning. Also, Victoria wants to show her friendly behavior that can create
a comfortable situation.
In addition, she shows her power by choosing the word “eat” which
means she has the control to hurt Abdul. The literary meaning of “eat” is
put something in the mouth, chew it and swallow it. However, the statement
that is produced by Victoria has implicit meaning which is control someone.
She has an appropriate position to create that statement because she has
authority to control and to harm Abdul by her highest social stratification.
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In brief, Victoria can reflect her power by producing flouting the maxim of
quality. Her language can influence the hearer not to being worry.
c. Maxim of Quantity
Datum 12 (00:42:51 – 00:43:28)
Victoria : Abdul. (Push the bad in front of her and take a locket behind
her) I have something for you.
Abdul : (Sit in the bed in front of Victoria)
Victoria : To celebrate your visit to Florence and for becoming my
Munshi. It is a locket. (Victoria gives the locket). With a
picture of me.
Abdul : How can I ever thank you, Your Majesty? (Touching)
Victoria : Keep me safe.
Abdul : Forever.
Context: One day Victoria, Abdul and their family are going to
Florence for vacation. Abdul is relaxing in his own room with Mohammed.
Then, Mohammed tells that he hates being in England because of the low
temperature. However, Abdul believes that being the servant for the Queen
of England is an honor for ordinary people. Then, he pulls the emergency
breaker to show that everything will be okay.
Immediately, Abdul asks a forgiveness to Victoria because of his
mistake and Victoria gives apologize for him. In addition, Victoria gives a
locket with her photograph to Abdul to celebrate his first vacation to
Florence and for becoming her teacher or Munshi.
48
Analysis: The bold sentence is the Victoria’s utterance. She flouts
the maxim of quantity. She answers Abdul’s question with short answer and
lack of explanation but she expects the hearer, Abdul, understand what she
wants. When Abdul asks the way to say thank you for the Queen’s kindness,
Victoria says “Keep me safe”. It means even she does not give the full
instruction and explanation to Abdul, Abdul is expected to fill her answer
with appropriate actions to repay the gift.
Then, Abdul with his lower position in society must do the best thing
for the Queen who is the top person in social stratification. Abdul should do
anything to show his respect for the Queen. In addition, Victoria and Abdul
have different cultural background and national identity. However, Victoria
can ask anything from Abdul because of her position. It is also because of
India become one of the colonized country by England. Then, even Victoria
is not her Queen in India, she has power to make a decision for Abdul. This
is vertical relation from the bottom to the top social stratification.
Based on the data, Victoria flouts the maxim of quantity to reflect
the power that she has. By giving short answer to Abdul, she wants Abdul
always stay by her side. Before Victoria and Abdul going to Florence,
Victoria invited Abdul to go to Glassalt Shiel. In there, Victoria told that
she is feeling lonely and tired. Her son and the others only wants her position
without understanding her feeling. In fact, with Abdul she feels like she has
a lovely son. So, “keep me safe” indicating the implicit meaning of Queen’s
49
desire and reflecting her power as a Queen to have what she wants from
Abdul.
Datum 13 (00:46:06 – 00:46:15)
Victoria : Oh, well. Maybe just one. (Stand from her chair). From
Pinafore, Bertie?
Bertie : Do I have to?
Context: Victoria, Abdul and the other guests are sitting in the Hall
and watching Signor Puccini sings a song. Victoria looks so happy attending
this event. In contrast, the other guests including Bartie, Ponsonby, Dr. Reid,
Ms. Phipps and others are look bored with the activities. In the end of the
singing time of Signor Puccini, Victoria asks about Gilbert and Sullivan’s
song to Signor Puccini. But, he does not know about the song. Abdul and
the other guest asks the Queen to sing the song. Finally, Victoria accepts the
request and sings in front of them. Victoria asks Bertie to accompany her
with the piano.
Analysis: From the conversation above, Victoria produces flouting
the maxim of quantity. Victoria gives too little information that possibly
cannot understand by the hearer. But, she expects Bartie as the addresser
understand and catch the implied meaning of her utterance. Sometimes, the
massage only can be understood by the limited person with same
background knowledge. So, the hearer will catch the meaning or message
50
even the speaker gives too little information. Finally, Bartie catches the
message from her mother and wants to accompany her with his piano skill.
Instead, Prince Bartie is her son, he doesn’t have another option to
refuse but accept Victoria’s idea because in society he has less power than
Victoria. In royal hierarchy, Bartie is the crowned prince and Victoria is the
Queen, in another perspective which is family Victoria is Bertie’s mother.
According that two perspectives Victoria has higher position than Bartie.
So, Victoria can change the imperative sentence into a command by using
her power and position in royal and family environment.
By producing flouting the maxim of quantity, Victoria wants to
reflect her power in front of the other guests and expect Bartie to follow her
direction willingly. Her sentence contains flouting the maxim of quantity
reflecting her power.
Datum 14 (01:07:12 – 01:07:19)
Victoria : I want you to examine Mrs. Karim.
Dr. Reid : Examine Mrs. Karim?
Victoria : Mm. Just, um, make sure that everything’s working.
Context: In the morning, Victoria is eating on her bed. She is in a
good condition after having a conflict with Abdul last night. She has decided
to let Abdul stay in England to accompany her. At the moment in her
bedroom, Mrs. Tuck, Sir Henry Ponsonby and Dr. Reid are standing around
51
Victoria. Then, Victoria asks Dr. Reid to examine Mrs. Karim because in
the previous night Victoria talked to Abdul about having a child.
Analysis: From the conversation above, Victoria flouts the maxim
of quantity. The queen produces the flouting maxim to expect the hearer
will understand even the Queen has given short explanation and instruction.
Victoria does not exactly give detail explanation about the action, but wants
the hearer catch the implied meaning. She means about giving a serious
examination and treatment for Abdul and his wife.
Then, the hearer, Dr. Reid, cannot deny the request because of the
Queen’s position is upper than him. His position as a royal doctor cannot
refuse or reject Victoria statement. No matter Dr. Reid like or dislike the
command he should do it perfectly.
In addition, Victoria can flout the maxim of quantity which is
reflecting her power to intimidate Dr. Reid. She expects Dr. Reid understand
her short utterance and do the instruction. Even Victoria does not give detail
information about the steps of examination, she expects Dr. Reid can make
sure that everything, both Abdul and his wife, have good health condition.
Datum 15 (00:02:16 – 00:02:43)
Mr. Tyler : Mr. Karim. I wanted to speak to you about the carpets we sent
to the British Exhibition. (Smiling)
Abdul : There is a problem, sir? (Looks worry)
Mr. Tyler : No, no. The carpets went down very well. Infact, the Governor
General has received a letter from the Royal Household
52
thanking him personally. It’s all been such as success, he has
decided to present the Queen with a “Mohur” as part of the
Jubilee.
Abdul : A “Mohur”, sir?
Mr. Tyler : A Mohur. Apparently, it’s some sort of ceremonial coin.
Context: In the morning, Abdul, a staff administration in prison, is
invited by Mr. Tyler. Mr. Tyler is a Governor from British Empire in India.
Abdul enters Mr. Tyler’s room happily, then he stands up in front of Mr.
Tyler which is sitting in his chair. Then, Mr. Tyler says that Abdul is chosen
to represent India and give a Mohur to the Queen as a gift of the Jubilee in
England. Abdul is happier listen to the information.
Analysis: Based on the conversation above, Abdul produces
flouting the maxim of quantity. Abdul says “A Mohur, sir?” which indicates
the flouting the maxim of quantity by producing short statement. Thus, he
implicitly tries to ask further about the Governor’s explanation by repeating
a certain word to gain better understanding and clarification.
In this case, Abdul makes that kind of flouting to impliedly asking
detail information without directly ask the reason to Mr. Tyler. Abdul
realizes his lower position cannot rudely ask to the Governor because of
their differences in social status. Also, Mr. Tyler is a white man who comes
from England, in contrast Abdul is colored man. At this moment, India was
colonized by England, so Indian people has high respect for white people.
This data shows Abdul, who is a writer in a prison, flouts the maxim
of quantity because of his less power in society. He cannot ask detail
53
information with longer statement because he avoids rudeness in his choice
of word. Abdul’s position prevents inappropriate action by directly asking
further information. In addition, by flouting the maxim of quantity Abdul
reflecting his lack of power.
Datum 16 (00:19:39 – 00:19:51)
Bigge : What the hell were you thinking?
Abdul : You said “present the jelly”, sir.
Bigge : I didn’t say kiss the feet of the Empress of India! (Punch Abdul
with his hat)
Abdul : I thought it would cheer her up.
Bigge : Cheer her up? They’ll have me court-martialed!
Context: After Abdul serving the pudding to the Queen and kissing
her foot to represent his respect, Arthur Bigge angrily asks Abdul about his
actions to the Queen. Arthur Bigge, the Queen’s assistant, does not like
Abdul’s action and he picks Abdul out from the canopy. On the other hand,
Abdul thinks his action is the best respect for Victoria. Not only to show his
gift but also how the culture of Indian people respect the people which are
have higher position in society. Abdul feels confuse because he only does
the direction from Mr. Bigge.
Analysis: In this case, Abdul produces flouting the maxim of
quantity. By saying “You said “present the jelly”, sir”, he expects Bigge will
understand the implied message by giving a short answer without explain
his detail reason. Abdul wants Bigge accept his short answer without asking
54
any further information about his reason because all Abdul’s actions is sort
of his respect to the Queen.
Furthermore, Abdul makes that statement to protect his wrong
position. Also, by producing this kind of flouting the maxim of quantity and
repeating Bigge’s instruction as his answer, Abdul shows his lack of power.
As the colored man who is invited as a guest in the Kingdom, Abdul has no
power but the protection from the Queen. Mr. Bigge who always stay next
to the Queen has more power in society than Abdul according to the social
status. In addition, Abdul attaches the word “sir” in the end of his statement
to emphasize his lower position.
Then, the flouting maxim of quantity which is produced by Abdul
reflecting his lack of power in society. According to Abdul’s position in the
kingdom environment, his race and occupation influence his social status
even Victoria likes him so much. By producing the flouting of maxim
quantity he wants to avoid from being make a mistake.
3.2. Discussion
Based on the findings, the researcher finds out that Victoria produces both
violating and flouting the maxim. Victoria produces violation the maxim of relation
four times and flouting the maxim of relation five times, maxim of quality once and
maxim of quantity three times. It means that she uses a lot of flouting the maxim of
relation to show her power to the hearer.
55
Furthermore, the data indicate how cooperative principle can reflect the
power relation of the speakers. The first finding is violation the maxim of relation.
There are four data which are produced by Victoria. She produces those kind of
utterances in order to distract or change the topic because she dislikes the topic and
wants to talk about others topic. She directly says something irrelevance in hopes
the hearer will understand the surface meaning and accept her statement.
By doing that kind of cooperative principle especially violation the maxim
of relation, Victoria reflects her power in society as a Queen. Victoria’s position is
on the of social stratification in society particularly in royal environment, so she
can easily changes the topic because people with lower position should give
appropriate behavior with follow her statement as a command even she indirectly
state what she wants to the hearer. Moreover, Victoria can produce violation the
maxim of relation because of her social status in the social stratification pyramid
accuses her to change the topic.
The second finding, the data show the flouting maxims are produced by
Victoria and Abdul. There are six data of flouting the maxim of relation. Five data
are made by Victoria and one datum is made by Abdul. It is indicate that Victoria
has bigger opportunity to produce flouting the maxim especially relation than
Abdul.
According to the data, Victoria frequently produces flouting the maxim of
relation because she wants the hearer catch the implied meaning of her utterances.
In five data that are produced by Victoria show how she implicitly state her opinion
56
about something. By doing this kind of action, she expects the hearer will do
appropriate and correct action after hearing her utterances. For example, in datum
5, when Ponsonby asks about Victoria’s opinion about the Mohur. She gives
irrelevance statement by giving opinion about Abdul which is the servant who
serves the Mohur to her. In this case, Victoria implicitly asks her secretary to make
Abdul stay in England. Then, without any direct command of the Queen, her
secretary asks Abdul to stay in England little bit longer.
In addition, Victoria frequently give irrelevance statement by saying “I am
the Queen of England”. It is because she wants to make the hearer understand that
her position is stronger than the hearer. She gives that kind of irrelevance answer
so the hearer will understand the implied meaning of her every statement. This kind
of flouting the maxim of relation that produces by Victoria indicating her power in
her environment. As a female who roles the entire area of England she has power
to emphasize her position in front of the hearer even she does not directly answer
or giving detail information.
As a Queen, Victoria expects the hearer will understand the implied
meaning during the conversation. She is the one who has the highest position. As
stated by Burdieu in his study (1991), language is a symbolic power. Language can
become a weapon for the speaker to influence and shape the decision. Someone
who has higher or upper class in society deserves a greater share of valued goods
and services. Moreover, she does not need to say directly but in form of implicit
meaning.
57
On the other hand, Abdul only produces one flouting the maxim of relation.
He produces flouting the maxim of relation when the Queen asks her about the
permission to look his wife’s face. Abdul does not give direct answer such as yes
or no, but he prefers to say “You are a lady. And the Empress of India”. By giving
his irrelevance answer, Abdul wants Victoria understand his implied meaning that
she can freely see his wife’s face. Also, Abdul shows his less power in front of the
lady. The meaning of lady can be understood as a woman with honor status. In
addition, Abdul wants to show his respect to the upper social stratification people.
Then, the other flouting the maxim that is produced by the main characters
of “Victoria and Abdul” movie is flouting the maxim of quality. In this movie, only
Victoria who is produce the maxim. It is because her position in society is higher
than the others character, then she allows to hyperbole her utterances to smooth her
conversation. For example in datum 11, Victoria says “I’m not going to eat you”,
this sentence shows the flouting of the maxim quality because Victoria cannot eat
Abdul in reality. She makes a hyperbole sentence to give the implied meaning to
Abdul. She means that she will not harm Abdul in any way. Victoria realizes that
her position in front of Abdul bigger than Abdul, so she can make Abdul scared.
Moreover, Victoria can give a hyperbole statement during the conversation to
smooth the sharing message process. Her position in social stratification can
indirectly say what she want even she does not explain it clearly.
The last flouting the maxim is maxim quantity. In this case, both of the main
characters usually produce the flouting maxim of quantity. Victoria as a Queen
produces the flouting maxim of quantity inside of her conversation to emphasize
58
the implied meaning that only can be understood by the hearer by giving too much
or too little information. For example in datum 13, Victoria asks Bertie to
accompany her by his piano skill. However, without saying anything about what
kind of songs, instead she says “From Pinafore, Bertie?”. As the hearer Bertie
should catch the meaning of Victoria’s question. She does not asking something but
she on the other hand give a command to Bertie to follow her with that song.
Victoria flouts the maxim of quantity to reflecting her power in society
because as the Queen she can give any statement and the hearer should catch the
meaning implied and do appropriate behavior to response her statement. Even
Victoria gives too little information she expect the hearer will understand without
any further explanation. In addition, her high social stratification in society
influences the language use.
The others data are made by Abdul. Abdul produces flouting the maxim of
quantity by giving too little information to the hearer. By giving short explanation,
he expects that the hearer will understand. In contrast with Victoria, Abdul produces
flouting the maxim of quantity to reflecting his less power inside of society. He tries
to avoid being rude to the hearer who is has higher social status. The two flouting
the maxim of quantity reflect his lack of power in the environment. For instance,
the first datum shows that Abdul repeat the Governor statement to gain any further
information.
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In brief, the reason why Victoria produces flouting the maxim of relation is
reflecting her power using her top position in social stratification. Victoria uses the
flouting of relation to reflect her power and by making irrelevance statement and
she expects the hearer will interpret the meaning in their own perspective. Victoria
frequently produces flouting the maxim of relation to reflect her superior power to
the hearer. In addition, she often says “I am a Queen of England” to emphasize her
position in social stratification and shows the weaker position of the hearer.
Furthermore, people who has high social stratification in society usually use
flouting the maxim of relation to reflect the power. They give irrelevance statement
in order to make the hearer understand the implicit meaning. People who have
higher social stratification deserve more respect and do not need directly say what
they want to say.
On the other hand, Abdul, the other main character of “Victoria and Abdul”
movie produces limited cooperative principle both of violation or flouting. He
focuses on being cooperative with the hearer by making observe maxims. For
example, when Victoria asks about Shah Jahan, Abdul gives not too much or too
little information by saying “He was overthrown by his son and died in Agra Fort”.
From the example above, he tries to being cooperative by making maxim of
quantity.
To sum up, when lower people talk with the higher class people they should
follow the rule of cooperative principle, and according to the findings Abdul as
lower class people has no freedom to violate of flout the maxim. Abdul, cannot
60
produce any statement of violation the maxim of relation because of his lower
position in society. Abdul should follow and being cooperative when having
conversation with other characters. His less power is influenced by his occupation
and race compare with the royal environment.
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CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
This chapter covers the concluding remark and suggestion of the study. The
researcher provides conclusion and future directions regarding the topic for those
who interested in researching in the same area of cooperative principle and power
based on sociopragmatics field.
4.1. Conclusion
After analyzing the data, the researcher found that two main characters of
“Victoria and Abdul” movie have different way to show their power according their
social stratification. Victoria as a Queen frequently produces the cooperative
principle especially violating and flouting the maxims. On the other hand, Abdul
seldom produces violation or flouting the maxim. In order to show his respect to
the higher people, he follows the rule of cooperative principle to be cooperative
with the hearer.
Based on the finding, the higher people can produce flouting the maxim of
relation to reflect their power to the lower society. The higher social stratification
people expect that the hearers will be able to imagine what the utterance did not say
and make the connection between their utterance and the preceding one. Then, the
lower class of social stratification should react appropriate to the implied meaning.
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In addition, the use of cooperative principle especially violation and flouting
the maxim can reflect the speakers’ power according to the class in society. The
study of Bourdieu (1991) stated that language as a symbol of power. By using
language as tool of communication, people can see the power of the speakers.
4.2. Suggestion
This research examines the cooperative principle especially in violation and
flouting the maxim of two main characters of “Victoria and Abdul” movie. It
includes the language use and the power relation in scope of sociopragmatics.
Hopefully, there will be other next researchers who are interested in the same or
even different studies. The researcher hopes this study can inspired other
researchers and give addition explanation. Further, the researcher suggests to find
another subject such as novels, shows or play about cooperative principle especially
if the subject has related to power in society.
Besides, the researcher recommends to investigate the modern movie that
can show the differences between the past and present time. Because, language is
dynamic tool of communication. There is always new feature of language for reach
the goals of communication. Especially, in this millennial era.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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APPENDIX
Table of the Violating and Flouting the Maxim in “Victoria and Abdul” Movie
Character Utterance Violation Flouting
Victoria Ponsonby : A gift from the Indian Empire. A Mohur, Your
Majesty.
Victoria : A ... What? (Lazily look at the coin that Abdul
serves to her)
Ponsonby : A Mughal coin, Your Majesty. In honor of your
service to the subcontinent.
Victoria : (Ignore the coin and clear her throat) Have we
finished?
Ponsonby : We still have coffee, Your Majesty.
Maxim of relation
Dr. Reid : And your movements, Your Majesty? (Bow his
body toward the Queen)
Victoria : Nothing to speak of, Dr. Reid.
Dr. Reid : Not even during the day? (Try to persuade Victoria)
Victoria : We last moved on Sunday evening.
Dr. Reid : I fear these celebratory dinners are taking their
toll, Your Majesty. Might I suggest some Benger’s
mixture?
Victoria : I refuse to eat Benger’s. It’s a baby food.
Dr. Reid : But it is imperative, Your Majesty, that the Royal
colon receives a little roughage.
Victoria : Anything else? (Turning her head into from Dr.
Reid and look another direction)
Maxim of relation
Ponsonby : Was Your Majesty pleased with the Mohur?
Victoria : What?
Ponsonby : The Mohur. The ceremonial coin. Presented by the
two Indian servants.
Victoria : I thought the tall one was terribly handsome.
Maxim of relation
Salisbury : There’s another famine in India. More trouble in
Ireland. I’m afraid. Suez is a perennial nightmare.
And I’m afraid the Boers are at it again.
Victoria : Is there any good news, Prime Minister?
Salisbury : Well, we’ve decided to annex Zululand, Your
Majesty.
Maxim of relation
Victoria : Is there any good news, Prime Minister?
Salisbury : Well, we’ve decided to annex Zululand, Your
Majesty.
Victoria : Whatever for?
Salisbury : We really have to box in the Boers if we possibly
can.
Victoria : Oh, Prime Minister, you really are terribly
depressing. Salisbury : Yes
Maxim of relation
Victoria: Don’t worry. I’m not going to eat you.
Maxim of quality
Victoria : Sir Henry, I would like a mango. (Entering the
room)
Ponsonby : A mango?
Victoria : Yes, I would like to taste a mango.
Ponsonby : That’s impossible, Your Majesty. (Uncertain) They
only grow in India.
Victoria : Well, I’m Empress of India, so have one sent.
Maxim of relation
Ponsonby : Good morning, Your Majesty. (Enter the room).
The boxes, Your Majesty.
Victoria : Thank you.
Ponsonby : And the blank journal Your Majesty requested. (Sit
in the chair in front of the Queen)
Victoria : You may go. I’m perfectly capable of working
through the boxes. Abdul is very helpful with his
blotter.
Ponsonby : But these are parliamentary papers, Your Majesty.
Victoria : I’m aware of that. (Confidently)
Ponsonby : But Abdul is a servant. He cannot assist with the
boxes.
Victoria : And I am the Queen of England.
Maxim of relation
Victoria : Abdul. (Push the bad in front of her and take a
locket behind her) I have something for you.
Abdul : (Sit in the bed in front of Victoria)
Maxim of quantity
Victoria : To celebrate your visit to Florence and for
becoming my Munshi. It is a locket. (Victoria gives
the locket). With a picture of me.
Abdul : How can I ever thank you, Your Majesty?
(Touching)
Victoria : Keep me safe.
Abdul : Forever.
Victoria : Oh, well. Maybe just one. (Stand from her chair).
From Pinafore, Bertie?
Bertie : Do I have to?
Maxim of quantity
Victoria : I want you to examine Mrs. Karim.
Dr. Reid : Examine Mrs. Karim?
Victoria : Mm. Just, um, make sure that everything’s
working.
.
Maxim of quantity
Mrs. Phipps : Your Majesty
Victoria : Out with it.
Mrs. Phipps : (Standing and trembling)
Victoria : Girl, cannot you see, I’m busy.
Mrs. Phipps : There is something I must say that...
Victoria : What is the meaning of this? Stop shaking!
Mrs. Phipps : I have come to ask you to reconsider the...the
elevation of...of Mr. Karim.
Victoria : What did you say?
Maxim of relation
Mrs. Phipps : I’ve come to ask you not to give Mr. Karim a
knighthood, Your Majesty.
Victoria : Why the devil not?
Mrs. Phipps : The members of the Household demand that you
abandon your plans, Your Majesty.
Victoria : Demand?
Mrs. Phipps : We believe that it degrades the very concept of
knighthood. He comes from a very low family, You
Majesty and he is colored.
Victoria : Get out of my sight.
Victoria : I’m so sorry, Abdul. I think it’s time you went
home, Abdul.
Abdul : This is my home
Victoria : I’ve been short-sighted and selfish. (Silent). You
are a young man. You have your whole life ahead of
you. It’s not safe here.
Abdul : Your Majesty.
Victoria : The vultures are already circling. How can I protect
you if I’m not here?
Abdul : Your Majesty, you will reign for many years to
come.
Victoria : No, Abdul. (Silent). I’m sick. All these ceremonies
will kill me. You have been a very good friend. But
you must leave me.
Abdul : I’m your servant. And as long as I shall live, I shall
be by your side. Every single day. Nothing... nothing
will stop me.
Maxim of relation
Victoria : Abdul, I am your Queen.
Abdul Mr. Tyler : Mr. Karim. I wanted to speak to you about the carpets
we sent to the British Exhibition. (Smiling)
Abdul : There is a problem, sir? (Looks worry)
Mr. Tyler : No, no. The carpets went down very well. Infact, the
Governor General has received a letter from the Royal
Household thanking him personally. It’s all been such
as success, he has decided to present the Queen with a
“Mohur” as part of the Jubilee.
Abdul : A “Mohur”, sir?
Mr. Tyler : A Mohur. Apparently, it’s some sort of ceremonial
coin.
Maxim of quantity
Bigge : What the hell were you thinking?
Abdul : You said “present the jelly”, sir.
Bigge : I didn’t say kiss the feet of the Empress of India! (Punch
Abdul with his hat)
Abdul : I thought it would cheer her up.
Bigge : Cheer her up? They’ll have me court-martialed!
Maxim of quantity
Victoria : My dear Munshi, I’m so glad you’re back. It’s been
dreadfully dull without you. And I’m so glad to meet
Mrs. Karim. There is just one thin g I’ve been
curious about the whole afternoon. What does she
look like behind her veil?
Abdul : You must see her
Maxim of relation
Victoria : Is that allowed?
Abdul : You’re a lady. And the Empress of India.
APPENDIX 2
Transcript of “Victoria and Abdul” Movie
English man: Idiot!
Mr. Tyler: Ah! Mr. Karim! I wanted
to speak to you about the carpet we
sent to the British Exhibition.
Abdul: There is a problem, sir?
Mr. Tyler: No, no. The carpets went
down very well. In fact, the
Governor General has received a
letter from the Royal Household
thanking him personally. It's all been
such a success, he has decided to
present the Queen with a "Mohur" as
part of the Jubilee.
Abdul: A "Mohur," sir?
Mr. Tyler: A Mohur. Apparently, it's
some sort of ceremonial coin. I have
been asked to find someone tall to
present it. You're the tallest person
here.
Abdul: When will she be arriving,
sir?
Mr. Tyler: Not in Agra... In England!
You will travel to England and
present the Mohur at an official
function. Like an equerry.
Abdul: On a horse?
Mr. Tyler: I don't think there'll be a
horse.
Abdul: Equerry always has a horse,
Mr. Tyler, sir.
Mr. Tyler:Well, maybe not like an
equerry, exactly.
Mr. Tyler: Morning!
Bigge: Ah! Morning!
Mr. Tyler:This is Major Bigge...
Extra Groom-in-Waiting to the Royal
Household, Windsor, who will be in
charge of your journey. This is
Abdul.
Bigge: Top hole! And this is
Mohammed, who will also be
presenting the Mohur.
Mr. Tyler: He's very short.
Bigge: We had to swap him at the
last moment. The tall chap had an
accident
with an elephant.
Ms. Tuck: Good morning, Your
Majesty.
Bigge: At the head is the Lord
Chamberlain, then the Private
Secretary,
the Deputy Private Secretary, the
ladies-in-waiting, the upper
servants,the lower-upper servants.
Then the members
of the Household. One, the Head
of the Bedchamber. Two, the
Personal
Head of Staff. Three, the Butler in
Chief, who is in charge of the
Household Butler, the kitchen
factotum, the Head Chef,
the head of waiting staff, the
ordinary waiting staff, Windsor, the
table maids, then you. Any
questions?
Abdul: Uh-huh. Who will have the
Mohur, sir?
Bigge: I'm not exactly sure as yet. I
suspect you'll both carry it on a
cushion.
Mohammed: Do we both get a
cushion?
Bigge: I really don't know. The key
to good service is standing still and
moving backwards. The most
important thing
is you must not look at her.
Mohammed: Have you any idea how
cold it is in England? We're gonna
die there.
Abdul: Why did you agree to come?
Mohammed: The tall one fell off an
elephant. I wasn't given a choice.
Ugh! Five thousand miles to present
a bloody medal to the oppressor of
the
entire Indian subcontinent.
Abdul: You don't realize what a great
honor this is for us.
Mohammed: Have you ever tasted
English food? They eat pigs' blood.
Abdul: They do not eat pigs' blood.
I'm telling you.
Mohammed: They put pigs' blood in
the sausages and brains of sheep.
Abdul: Ugh!
Mohammed: The place is completely
barbaric.
Beggar: Give me some money.
Please, sir.
Bigge: Civilization!
Beggar: Give us a farthing. Give us a
farthing, sir.
Ms. Tuck: Arms.
Taylor: Arms. We copied them from
some
drawings in the British Museum.
Bigge: Splendid!
Abdul: You do know a sash is not
traditional, sir?
Taylor: The Indian drawings didn't
look very... "Indian." So we made
somei nnovations. The important
thing
is to look authentic.
Bigge: Looks jolly good to me.
Ponsonby: Jubilee celebrations. 9:00,
breakfast in London. Quarter to
10:00, changing of the guard. 11:00,
meeting with
the Swedish Ambassador. 12:00,
luncheon with Oscar II, King of
Sweden and Norway, the Norwegian
Ambassador,
the Chief Under-Secretary of State
for the Southern Norwegian
Provinces, the Junior
Under-Secretary of State for the
Northern
Norwegian Provinces. 2:00,
ceremonial
drive down the Mall. Half past 2:00,
tea party at Hyde Park for 30,000
children. Half past 4:00, Household
departs on
the Royal train for Windsor. Half
past 6:00, dinner in the Great Hall.
Bigge: Come on, men! Chop, chop!
Ponsonby: And the ceremonial
presentation of a Mohur.
Bigge: The Hindus, sir!
Yorke: But they're completely
different sizes.
Bigge: There was an incident, sir,
with an elephant.
Yorke: Hmm. The Queen arrives.
Fanfares. Ceremonial entrance. The
Royal Entourage make their way to
the table to be seated thus. Her
Majesty. Sir Henry Ponsonby,
Private Secretary, the Secretary of
State for India, the Emperor of
Russia, Dr. Reid, Lady Churchill,
Miss Phipps, et cetera, et cetera.
Grace. Soup, potage Saint-Germain
with purée de madeleine. Fish
course, morue aux huîtres. Fanfare.
Entrée, quenelle with regency sauce,
et cetera, et cetera. Dessert, pain
d'épinards, tartelettes à la suisse,
profiteroles. Always profiteroles.
You will come from the
northwest service entrance. Process
together. And you will stand here.
No!
A little bit. That's it. Presenting the
tray thus.
Abdul: Tray? I thought it was a
cushion.
Yorke; You will present the tray...
Mohammed: Excuse me. Do I get a
tray?
Yorke: No. We've only got one tray.
Mohammed: So, what do I do?
Yorke: You'll just have to improvise.
Whatever you do, you must not look
at Her Majesty. You will bow again.
Then moving backwards, you will
turn to your left, you will lead thus,
and you will
process down the hall to be met by
Mr. Bigge, who will walk you to the
north
wall, where you will stand till the
end of the meal. Would you like me
to run through that again?
Little page boy: Mr. Yorke, she's
heading to Paddington!
Yorke: Everybody out!
Bigge: You two, stairs, now!
Chef: Jesus Christ! Where are the
quenelles? Oi, you two, out of it!
Little page boy: She's at the station,
sir!
Chef: Jesus H Christ, she's at the
station!
Yorke: For God's sake, just wait
where you were told. Open the door.
Little page boy: Open the doors!
Open the doors! Open the doors!
She's here. Soup.
Little page boy: Soup! Soup! Soup!
Soup!
Chef: Soup!
Victoria: Thank heavens!
Yorke: Soup, Your Majesty.
Woman: What, are you taking it all?
I haven't finished yet.
Dr. Reid: I'm afraid you have to be
quick. They take it off you as soon as
she's done.
Yorke: One down, six to go.The
morue aux huîtres, and then the
quenelle.
Little page boy: Yes, sir. "The morue
aux huîtres, and then the quenelles."
Mohammed: This is bloody
ridiculous. Two months in a boat,
and I haven't even got a tray?
Woman: Yes. Apparently you have
to chew it 32 times.
Bigge: I have the Mohur.
Yorke: Is that it?
Ponsonby: Your Majesty? Your
Majesty? The, uh... The profiteroles.
Yorke: Profiteroles have gone.
Gentlemen, process, turn, bow,
present, and absolutely no eye
contact whatsoever.
Ponsonby: A gift from the Indian
Empire. A Mohur, Your Majesty.
Victoria: A what?
Ponsonby: A Mughal coin, Your
Majesty. In honor of your service to
the subcontinent.
Victoria: Have we finished?
Ponsonby: We still have coffee, Your
Majesty.
Yorke: Eyes!
Ms. Tuck: Good morning, Your
Majesty.
Ponsonby: Breakfast with the Royal
Princes of Belgium. 11:00, an
audience
with the Sultan of Dubai where Her
Majesty will be presented with the
Diamond of Ooojay. Garden party
where
Her Majesty will receive Oscar II,
King of
Sweden and Norway, again. And
Queen Lili'uokalani.
Victoria: Who on Earth is she?
Ponsonby: A monarch and sole
Queen Regnant of the Kingdom of
Hawaii,
Your Majesty. She has composed
a song for you. On the ukulele. But
we have managed to put her off.
Then you will eat with the Prime
Minister, and, at 7:00, the banquet in
the State Dining Room.
Dr. Reid: And your movements,
Your Majesty?
Victoria: Nothing to speak of, Dr.
Reid.
Dr. Reid: Not even during the day?
We last moved on Sunday evening. I
fear these
celebratory dinners are taking their
toll,
Your Majesty. Might I suggest
some Benger's mixture?
Victoria: I refuse to eat Benger's. It's
baby food.
Dr. Reid: But it is imperative, Your
Majesty, that the Royal colon
receives a little roughage.
Victoria: Anything else?
Ponsonby: Was Your Majesty
pleased with the Mohur?
Victoria: What?
Ponsonby: The Mohur. The
ceremonial coin. Presented by the
two Indian servants.
Victoria: I thought the tall one was
terribly handsome.
Bigge: Stop! Slight change of plan.
You must not talk to any of the
guests. Nod or bow, but, please, do
not interact with anybody other than
the serving staff. I will come to you
when the Queen is seated, and you
will present the Royal pudding as
requested.
Mohammed: Excuse me, sir... But
what is it?
Bigge: That is a jelly. A pudding
made from the liquor of fruit.
Abdul: How do they get it so stiff?
Bigge: Gelatine, a by-product of cow
bone.
Salisbury: : There's another famine in
India. More trouble in Ireland, I'm
afraid. Suez is a perennial nightmare.
And I'm afraid the Boers are at it
again.
Victoria: Is there any good news,
Prime Minister?
Salisbury: Well, we've decided to
annex Zululand, Your Majesty.
Victoria: Whatever for?
Salisbury: We really have to box in
the Boers if we possibly can.
Victoria: Oh, Prime Minister, you
really are terribly depressing.
Salisbury: Yes.
Victoria: Ah, sandwiches! Mm!
Ms. Phipps: Splendid!
Woman: That's wonderful.
Victoria: Oh!
Ponsonby: Splendid! Jelly, Your
Majesty.
Victoria: I suddenly feel a great deal
better.
Bigge: What the hell were you
thinking?
Abdul: You said, "Present the jelly,"
sir.
Bigge: I didn't say kiss the feet of the
Empress of India!
Abdul: I thought it would cheer her
up.
Bigge: Cheer her up? They'll have
me
court-martialed!
Ponsonby: What on Earth is going
on? Her Majesty has requested Mr.
Karim and Mr. Baksh be her
personal footmen for the rest of the
Jubilee.
Ponsonby: Ah, gentlemen. You can
wait here by the door. Her Majesty
wants you to stand in here, by the
writing desk. Go on.
Victoria: Thank you. You may go.
Ponsonby: Oh, thank you, Your
Majesty.
Victoria: Don't worry. I'm not going
to eat you. “Dr. Reid,a very
successful movement at 8:00 this
morning."
Bigge: What the hell is going on in
there?
Victoria: Thank you, Mr...
Abdul: Abdul. Abdul Karim. I am
always writing. In India, I'm writing
all day, every day.
Victoria: So in India, you are not a
servant?
Abdul: No. In India, I'm writing in
my very big book.
Victoria: You're writing a book?
Abdul: Yes. I'm writing every name,
who they are, what they have done.
This is my life. Every day, I'm
writing, from morning to night.
Victoria: And is this fiction?
Abdul: No. It is the very truth.
Victoria: I don't understand. If you
are an author, why are you here?
Presenting me with a...
Abdul: The Mohur. It is my humble
privilege to serve Her Majesty. I was
the one who chose your carpets.
Victoria: Carpets?
Abdul: Yes. The Viceroy asked Mr.
Tyler,
sir, but actually it was me. You have
to have a very good eye for the
carpets. Like, this is a very nice one,
for example. Very, very tight knots.
The art of carpets came to India from
Persia with the great Emperor Akbar.
The skill of a carpet is to bring all the
different kinds of threads together
and weave something we can all
stand on.
Victoria: You seem to know a great
deal about it.
Abdul: My family were carpet
makers, but now I write in the book.
Life is like a carpet. We weave in
and out to make a pattern.
Victoria: That is a very beautiful
image.
Abdul: Look. Here is the bird of
freedom
caught forever in the design.
Victoria: So, in India you are a poet?
Abdul: No. In India, I make a ledger
of the prisoners.
Victoria: We are all prisoners, Mr.
Karim.
Ms. Phipps: Apparently, he's a poet.
Mohammed: These people are the
exploiters of a quarter of all of
mankind. Do you really think they
give a hoot about us, huh? We'll
bloody well freeze to death at this
rate. Cut all the nicey-nicey crap,
and let's get the hell out of here.
Agreed?
Abdul: I promise. Good night.
Mohammed: Will you stop doing
that?
Ponsonby: You realize this is the
third day in a row.
Victoria: So, Mr. Abdul, may I ask
what part of India you're from?
Abdul: I'm from Agra.
Victoria: The Taj Mahal?
Abdul: You have been to the Taj
Mahal?
Victoria: No.
Abdul: It is the most marvelous
building in the entire world, Your
Majesty. The crown of Palaces. It
was built by Shah Jahan to remember
his dead wife who died at childbirth
during their fourteenth child.
Victoria: Goodness!
Abdul: He was so upset with grief,
he brought the greatest architects
from Persia, Afghanistan, to build
the Taj Mahal.
Victoria: It certainly sounds a
handsome building. I'd very much
like to see it.
Abdul: Oh, it is beautiful, Your
Majesty! It's all white marble. All
that beauty for the dead Queen.
Victoria: Mmm. How romantic.
Abdul: Shah Jahan also built the Red
Fort, the Gardens of Shalimar, the
Peacock Throne.
Victoria: The Peacock Throne?
Abdul: It is the most beautiful throne
in all the world. And inside the
throne was the Koh-i-noor.
Victoria: But I have the Koh-i-noor. I
wear it as a brooch.
Abdul: Do you?
Victoria: Yes!
Victoria: It wasn't very shiny, so
Albert had it recut. What happened
to the Peacock Throne?
Abdul: They smashed it up.
Victoria: How awful.
Abdul: They're always smashing
things up. The British soldiers have
taken the jewels from the Taj Mahal.
Victoria: British soldiers?
Abdul: Yes, after the Mutiny.
Victoria: But this is terrible.
Dr. Reid: What can they be talking
about? A servant and an Indian.
What on Earth
does she see in him?
Lady Churchill: Well, he is rather
handsome.
Victoria: What happened to Shah
Jahan?
Abdul: He was overthrown by his
son and died in Agra Fort. The
wickedness of children. They buried
him in the Taj Mahal with his wife,
Mumtaz. They also wrote an
inscription. "Here lies Shah Jahan
"who left this world for the Banquet
Hall of Eternity."
Victoria: "The Banquet Hall of
Eternity." I rather like that idea. You
seem very well
informed.
Abdul: Ah, these are famous stories
of Uttar Pradesh. You should go
there.
Victoria: Oh, I can never go there.
I'm forbidden.
Abdul: Forbidden?
Victoria: They fear I would be
assassinated.
Abdul: So, you have never seen an
Indian street? Or a stall of spices?
Victoria: No.
Abdul: Oh... Oh, the spices! Cumin,
coriander, garam masala.
Victoria: Garam masa... What is
garam masala?
Abdul: It is what you put into the
sauce. You have never tasted Indian
food? Dal? Rogan josh? Biryani with
mango chutney.
Victoria: Mango chutney?
Abdul: Chutney made out of mango.
Victoria: What is mango?
Abdul: Mango is the queen of fruit.
Victoria: What does it taste like?
Abdul: Like an orange and a peach.
Victoria: Hm. Sir Henry, I would like
a mango.
Ponsonby: A mango?
Victoria: Yes, I would like to taste a
mango.
Ponsonby: That's impossible, Your
Majesty. They only grow in India.
Victoria: Well, I'm Empress of India,
so have one sent.
Victoria: Here!
Mohammed: Your Majesty?
Victoria: Oh! Thank you. Another
one.
Thank you. How do you like
your new Scottish costumes?
Abdul: They're very scratchy, Your
Majesty.
Victoria: Everything in Scotland is
scratchy. Sir Henry? When does
Bertie arrive?
Ponsonby: Tomorrow, Your Majesty.
He's on his way from Monte Carlo.
Dr. Reid: It's all right for her. She's
upholstered. Oh, God, I hate
Scotland!
Scottish: Ah... You must be the
Hindus! Very nice to meet you. You
must be the Hindus. You must be the
Hindus.
Victoria: More, more! More! More.
Scottish: I wish she'd bloody well go
to bed.
Ponsonby: Good morning, Your
Majesty. The boxes, Your Majesty.
Victoria: Thank you.
Ponsonby: And the blank journal
Your Majesty requested.
Victoria: You may go. I'm perfectly
capable of working through the
boxes. Abdul is very helpful with his
blotter.
Ponsonby: But these are
parliamentary papers, Your Majesty.
Victoria: I'm aware of that.
Ponsonby: But Abdul is a servant.
He cannot assist with the boxes.
Victoria: And I am the Queen of
England. I will have whatever help I
require with the boxes. And, Sir
Henry, would you get some gloves
for the Hindus? They're suffering
terribly from the cold.
Ponsonby: He's helping her with the
boxes.
Victoria: I want you to teach me
Indian.
Abdul: Indian?
Victoria: Hindu, or whatever it is you
speak.
Abdul: Are you sure?
Victoria: Of course I'm sure.
Abdul: But why would you like to
learn Hindi, Your Majesty?
Victoria: Well, I'm Empress of India.
Look, I've ordered a book. I want
you to give me private lessons.
Abdul: I can't teach you Hindi, Your
Majesty.
Victoria: Why ever not?
Abdul: You are the Empress of India.
You should learn Urdu, language of
the Mughals. There are a thousand
languages in India. But Urdu is the
most noble. In Hindi, you write like
this. But in Urdu,
you write like this. "I am the Queen."
Victoria: I see.
Lady Churchill: He's teaching her
Hindu.
Ms. Phipps: Is that allowed?
Mohammed: I think you will find it
is Urdu. The Muslim version.
Ms. Phipps: Oh, my goodness me!
Abdul: That's it. You are the Queen.
The Queen is very wise. You see?
Now, you write it down.
Dr. Reid: She's writing in her
journal. And she's speaking in
Hindustani.
Ponsonby: No, it's Urdu, actually.
The Muslim version.
Abdul: Knee. Knee. Knee. Yes! Yes!
Victoria: Thank you, Abdul. You are
an excellent teacher.
Victoria: Bertie!
Bertie: Mother!
Victoria; Were you spying on me?
Bertie: Were you learning Urdu?
Victoria: Yes, I was, as a matter of
fact.
Bertie: You think that's entirely
appropriate?
Victoria: Well, I'm Empress of India.
What could be more appropriate?
Bertie: But in front of the entire
Household? You're absolutely right. I
have no privacy here. Sir Henry, I
would like to go with Abdul to
Glassalt Shiel.
Ponsonby: Glassalt Shiel?
Victoria: Alone.
Bertie: But I've only just got here!
Victoria: Oh, to be by oneself and
live a
simple, rudimentary existence. They
don't
understand anything, those stupid
aristocratic fools. Toadying around.
Jockeying for position. I've had it all
my life. They couldn't bear me
bringing dear John Brown here. Yet I
was happier here than anywhere in
the entire world. Oh, I miss him,
Abdul. And Albert. It's 30 years now,
and I think of him every day. I'm so
lonely. Everyone I've really loved
has died, and I just go on and on.
Abdul: Your Majesty.
Victoria: It's an impossible position.
No one really knows what it's like to
be Queen. I'm hated by millions of
people all over the world. I have had
nine children, all vain and jealous,
and at loggerheads
with each other. And Bertie's a
complete embarrassment. And look
at me! A fat, lame, impotent, silly old
woman. What is the point, Abdul?
What is the point?
Abdul: Service.
Victoria: Service?
Abdul: I think we are not here to
worry about ourselves. We are here
for a greater purpose. In the Koran it
says, "We are here for the good of
others."
Victoria: The Koran?
Abdul: Yes, I am a hafiz. I know the
Koran by heart.
Victoria: By heart? Isn't it very long?
Abdul: 114 surahs, containing 6,236
verses.
Victoria: And you know every word?
Abdul: Many Muslim people know
the Koran.
Victoria: I thought you were Hindu.
Abdul: I am a Muslim, Your
Majesty. I learnt the Koran from my
father. He's my munshi.
Victoria: Munshi?
Abdul: Yes. Munshi. My teacher.
Victoria: Well, we would like you to
be the Queen's munshi.
Abdul: But I'm only a servant, Your
Majesty. A servant cannot be a
munshi.
Victoria: Well, you are a servant no
longer. You are my teacher. You will
teach me Urdu, and the Koran, and
anything else
you can think of.
Bertie: So... What the hell is a
munshi?
Ponsonby: Well, apparently it's some
sort of a spiritual teacher, Your
Royal Highness.
Bertie: Has she completely lost her
mind? She's the head of the Church
of England, for God's sake. What's
the Archbishop
of Canterbury going to say?
Lady Churchill: I say he's the
"brown" John Brown.
Dr. Reid: Oh, my God!
Bertie: Your Majesty.
Victoria: Good evening, Bertie.
Bertie: Mother.
Servant: Dinner is served!
Bertie: Lady Churchill was
absolutely scandalized sitting next to
a servant. And a Hindu to boot!
Victoria: The Munshi is a Muslim
scholar and knows the Koran off by
heart. And for your information, he's
a servant no longer. He's to be given
a staff of his own.
Bertie: What do you mean, "a staff"?
Victoria: The little fat one.
Bertie: Oh, this is absurd! Letters,
invitations to supper... You're
treating him
like a member of the family.
Victoria: No, I like Abdul. Lady
Churchill had better get used to the
fact as the Munshi is coming on
holiday with us. As a member of the
Household.
Bertie: You can't take a Muslim to
Florence.
Victoria: I can take a Muslim
wherever I like.
Victoria: Good night, Bertie.
Mohammed: Munshi?
Abdul: Yes.
Mohammed: A spiritual advisor?
You haven't an idea in your head!
You promised to get us out of here,
and now we're going to bloody
Florence.
Abdul: You don't see what a
privilege it
is to see the glories of Italy with all
these
wonderful people.
Mohammed: You complete bloody
idiot! Do you think they're just going
to stand there and let her promote a
wog? I did not come here to carry
your bloody cases.
Abdul: What are you complaining
about? We have our own carriage
with a bathroom. They've made a
very nice bed
for you on the floor.
Mohammed: Oh, I'm dying here. I
want to go home.
Abdul: I'm getting sick of your
negative attitude. Life is a big
adventure. You just need to open up
and enjoy it. We're on holiday. And
what? What on Earth
can possibly go wrong? "Do not
pull." I would like to apologize for
the emergency brakes, Your Majesty.
And I hope you did not get injured.
Victoria: Oh, Abdul! It was nothing.
It was a perfectly understandable
mistake. I'm so glad you're with us.
What a treat to show you Florence.
Bertie: What's he doing here?
Victoria: Abdul came to explain
what happened earlier.
Bertie: I really don't see why I have
to share your bathroom.
Victoria: I shared a bed with my
mother until I became Queen.
Bertie: I am 57 years old. The
Munshi has got his own bathroom.
Abdul: Yes, very fine bathroom.
Bertie:Yes, yes! Good night, Mama.
Abdul: Good night, Mr. Bertie.
Victoria: Bertie, make sure you shut
that door. Abdul, I have something
for you. To celebrate your first visit
to Florence and for becoming my
munshi. It is a locket. With a picture
of me.
Abdul: How can I ever thank you,
Your Majesty?
Victoria: Keep me safe.
Abdul: Forever.
Victoria: Oh, Abdul. You will love
Florence. Such wonderful views.
Isn't it glorious? Albert loved it here.
He so admired the Medicis, that they
commissioned the greatest artists of
the day in order to leave something
astonishing behind.
Abdul: In India also, we commission
great artists. Each emperor would
bring the greatest craftsmen to make
great glories for their durbar room.
Victoria: Durbar room?
Abdul: Yes. Every emperor had a
durbar room, full of the finest things
known to man.
Victoria: Well, I'm the Empress of
India,
I should have a durbar room.
Abdul: That's a wonderful idea, Your
Majesty.
Abdul: But where would you put it?
Victoria: Oh, the Isle of Wight,
obviously.
Ponsonby: Your Majesty, Signor
Puccini has arrived.
Victoria: Oh! Where did you say it
was from, Mr. Puccini?
Puccini: From my new opera, Your
Majesty, Manon Lescaut. About two
lovers who are separated by the class
divide. But they run away together.
Victoria: Oh, it sounds marvelous!
Puccini: But she is imprisoned for
her love.
Victoria: Oh...
Puccini: But they escape.
Victoria: Bravo!
Puccini: But finally she dies, and he
is utterly bereft.
Victoria: I'm not sure we do like the
sound of it after all. We prefer comic
opera. Do you know any Gilbert and
Sullivan?
Abdul: Perhaps Your Majesty will
sing us a song? Please?
Victoria: Oh, no, I couldn't possibly.
Puccini: Of course, of course, yes,
Your Majesty!
Victoria: No, really.
Abdul: Yes, Your Majesty.
Victoria: Oh, well. Maybe just one.
From Pinafore, Bertie?
Bertie: Do I have to?
Victoria: I'm called Little Buttercup.
Dear Little Buttercup. Though I
could never tell why. But still I'm
called Buttercup. Poor Little
Buttercup. Sweet Little Buttercup,
I've snuff and tobaccy. And excellent
jacky. Of...I was taught by
Mendelssohn, you know?
Puccini: To the Queen! To the
Queen!
Victoria: To me! We shouldn't have
had so much champagne.
Abdul: May I?
Victoria: Oh, Abdul! I haven't been
as happy as this for years.
Abdul: When I first came to
England, I was terrified of you. But
you're a very kind lady. You're a
very unique lady to me.
Victoria: And you are very, very
unique to me, Abdul.
Abdul: I know that you are much
older than me, and you are the Queen
of England, and the Empress of
India, and I'm just a humble munshi.
But I think you are the most special
person in my whole life. Even more
special than my wife.
Victoria: Wife?
Abdul: Yes.
Victoria: You're married?
Abdul: Of course.
Victoria: Where is your wife?
Abdul: In India.
Victoria: Why didn't you tell me you
were married?
Abdul: I didn't think it mattered.
Victoria: Well, of course it matters. It
changes everything. You must return
to India immediately. And bring her
back at once.
Mohammed: Bloody hell.
Ms. Tuck: He's coming!
Victoria: How terribly exciting.
Yorke: It's Ali Baba!
Bertie: Look at the size of him.
Where'd he get those medals? What
the devil is she wearing?
Ms. Phipps: You can't even see her
face.
Victoria: She looks rather splendid.
Ms. Tuck: But you cannot actually
see her, Your Majesty.
Victoria: I think it's rather dignified.
Dr. Reid: Who the hell is that?
Mohammed: Get the bags, boy.
Ms. Phipps: He's brought a serving
boy.
Lady Churchill: Good God, another
one! How many has he got in there?
Bertie: Ruddy sod's a bigamist.
Victoria: I do hope they like their
little cottage.
Abdul: Your Majesty.
Victoria: I hope it's not inconvenient.
I just thought we'd pop round for tea.
This is my granddaughter, Sophia,
Queen of Greece. And this is Grand
Duchess Sophie of Saxe-Weimar-
Eisenach. And my daughter, Princess
Helena Augusta Victoria of
Schleswig-Holstein- Sonderburg-
Augustenburg.
Abdul: This is my wife, Mrs. Karim.
And this is my mother-in-law. Your
Majesty, Sophia, Queen of Greece,
Grand Duchess Sophie of Saxe-
Weimar-Eisenach, Princess Helena
Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-
Holstein- Sonderburg-Augustenburg,
I would like to take this opportunity
on behalf of myself, my wife, and
my wife's mother to thank Her
Majesty for accommodating us. We
are very grateful for her infinite
kindness and interior decoration. The
gift of hospitality
and friendship to strangers is of very
high importance in our culture. And
so we are honored to repay it in our
own small way. What is ours is
yours.
Bertie: Quite literally.
Abdul: Alhamdulilah.
Victoria: My dear Munshi, we are so
glad to have you here, my children.
We have missed you enormously. I
can't wait to show you the Durbar
Room.
Bertie: Children? Ponsonby, you will
have to do something about this.
Victoria: My dear Munshi, I'm so
glad you're back. It's been dreadfully
dull without you. And I'm so glad to
meet Mrs. Karim. There is just one
thing I've been curious about the
whole afternoon. What does she look
like behind her veil?
Abdul: You must see her.
Victoria: Is that allowed?
Abdul: You're a lady. And the
Empress of India.
Victoria: Oh...
Bertie: Well, where the bloody hell's
she going now?
Abdul: Your Majesty.
Victoria: Oh... You really are
beautiful.
Salisbury: What on Earth is a durbar
room?
Ponsonby: It's a celebration of all
things Indian, Prime Minister,
inspired by the Mughal emperors.
Salisbury: But I don't understand.
Who gave her permission to build
this in the first place?
Ponsonby: Don't blame me, I was in
Monte Carlo. I'm afraid she's a law
unto herself, Prime Minister.
Salisbury: For God's sake! She'll be
wearing a burqa next.
Victoria: Prime Minister, you are
late.
Salisbury: I'm terribly sorry, Your
Majesty.
Victoria: Well, let us begin. This, as
you can see, is the Indian corridor.
The Durbar Room was designed by
Mr. Bhai Ram Singh.
Bertie: The place is crawling with
them.
Victoria: We have commissioned a
series of portraits of eminent Indians.
This... Princess Gowramma. And this
of course, is the Munshi.
Abdul: An honor to meet you, Mr.
Prime Minister, sir.
Victoria: A good likeness, don't you
think? Abdul: I asked him to take a
few pounds off. This is my wife, Mr.
Prime Minister, sir. And that is my
mother-in-law. At least I think that's
the right way round. These are my
servants, Mohammed and Ahmed.
Victoria: And this is the Durbar
Room.
Salisbury: What the hell is going on
here, Ponsonby?
Victoria: The carvings are from Uttar
Pradesh. And the carpet was woven
in a jail in Agra. Perfect, I think, for
the tableau. But the pièce de
résistance is the Peacock Throne. An
exact copy of the one at Agra. And,
of course, the Koh-i-noor. Now I
really do feel like the Empress of
India.
Bertie: I thought she was supposed to
be dying.
Salisbury: It really is a remarkable
addition to the house, Your Majesty.
Victoria: We have Abdul to thank for
the whole idea.
Ponsonby: To celebrate the
completion of the Durbar Room, a
little surprise, Your Majesty.
Victoria: What is it?
Ponsonby: A mango, Your Majesty.
Abdul: One moment, Your Majesty.
Uh... It's off.
Victoria: Sir Henry. This mango is
off.
Ponsonby: I'm terribly sorry, Your
Majesty.
Dr. Reid: Take one of these
whenever you see the Munshi.
Victoria: I can't wait to show you the
tableau, Prime Minister.
Lady Churchill: A line has
definitively been crossed.
Mohammed: I can't go on stage like
this. I'm absolutely sick.
Abdul: But you have to. The Prime
Minister will be watching.
Mohammed: This is a complete and
utter disaster.
Abdul: I don't know what you're
talking about.
Mohammed: They've been waiting
for this.
Abdul: Who? Who have?
Mohammed: Ponsonby, Reid, the
whole damn lot. Don't you see? She's
been rubbing their noses in it, but
now it's going public. I'm telling you,
they're not going to stand for it.
They'll rise up and chop your bloody
balls off.
Abdul: I haven't done anything.
Mohammed: You stupid bloody
Uncle Tom. You can't win on their
terms.
Victoria: Mrs. Munshi. Bertie.
Lady Churchill: I've never been so
humiliated in my entire life.
Ms. Phipps: Actually, I'm rather
enjoying it.
Yorke: Beginners on stage, please. A
scene in Ancient Persia.
Abdul: I am the Sultan of Persia. The
King of all Kings.
Lady Churchill and Ms. Phipps:
Your Highness! We bestow upon
you all the
riches of the Orient.
Abdul: You are now under my
power!
Victoria: Bravo, bravo, the Munshi!
Salisbury: What the hell is this,
Ponsonby? Munshi-mania? I'm
trying to keep an empire together,
looks like they're running the place. I
want this whole sodding mess
knocked on the head. Or you're
finished. Understood?
Victoria: Oh, Sir Henry. Tell us what
exactly did the Prime Minister say
about the tableau?
Ponsonby: To be entirely frank, Your
Majesty, he seemed to be a little
perturbed.
Victoria: Whatever for? He must
have liked the Munshi.
Ponsonby: I think the Munshi was
the problem, Your Majesty.
Victoria: Really? I thought he was
rather good.
Ponsonby: I think he meant his
position,
I think he was rather alarmed he had
such a prominent role in the
Household.
Victoria: Of course Abdul has a
prominent role in the Household. He
is my munshi.
Ponsonby: But he's an Indian, Your
Majesty.
Victoria: I am aware of that.
Ponsonby: Given current sensitivities
in the subcontinent, Your Majesty,
the Prime Minister was concerned
that it might be sending the wrong
message.
Victoria: I should have thought it
was a jolly good message.
Ponsonby: But he's a Muslim, Your
Majesty.
Victoria: Precisely. We owe them so
much, do we not? For their role in
the Mutiny, for example.
Ponsonby: The Mutiny, Your
Majesty?
Victoria: Yes, for the help they gave
us with the Hindus.
Dr. Reid: But the Mutiny was a
Muslim-led revolt, Your Majesty.
Victoria: Are you sure?
Dr. Reid: Of course. The Muslim
soldiers revolted when it was
rumored that their rifles were greased
with pork fat.
Victoria: Really?
Dr. Ponsonby: The Grand Mufti,
himself, put out a fatwa against you
personally, Your Majesty. And
Muslim soldiers murdered over two
thousand British personnel.
Bertie: Who have you been talking
to, Mother?
Abdul: Ta-da!
Victoria: I have opened my heart to
you. I brought your family from
India. I promoted you in the face of
considerable opposition and disquiet
from the Household. I even turned a
blind eye when you failed to tell me
that you were married, which, as you
know, came as quite a surprise. How
could you let me
humiliate myself in front of the entire
Household?
Abdul: I am deeply sorry, Your
Majesty.
Victoria; You said the Hindus were
behind the Mutiny.
Abdul: I didn't say it was only the
Hindus.
Victoria: You told me categorically
the Muslims were my friends.
Abdul: We are your friends, Your...
Victoria; Abdul, there is a fatwa
against me. It was the Muslims who
started the whole thing. This is
completely unacceptable. Abdul, I
thought you were outstanding as the
Sultan of Persia, but I'm afraid you
have to go home.
Dr. Reid: Hallelujah!
Victoria: You've hurt my feelings
very much indeed. Don't you see the
position
you have put me in? Thank you for
everything you've done for me. I will
miss you a very great deal.
Mohammed: So, we're going home?
Bertie: Good night, Mother.
Victoria: Good night. Mrs. Tuck?
Mrs. Tuck.
Victoria: Abdul. You've been an
utter fool. And I'm absolutely furious
with you. It is unconscionable that as
my munshi you should have lied to
me in any way. But... It would be
also completely churlish of me not to
recognize the considerable kindness
and devotion you have shown. I
suppose in some way you thought
you were protecting me. But as the
monarch I realize that nothing can
really protect me. And so, in that
light, I have decided, although I'm
very disappointed, that I want you to
stay.
Abdul: Your gracious Majesty.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Victoria: Abdul, there is something
we must sort out. I am deeply
concerned about Mrs. Karim.
Abdul: Mrs. Karim?
Victoria: By now, one would have
expected to hear the pitter-patter of
little Muslim feet along the corridors
of Osborne House. I am concerned
that everything is functioning below
stairs. I want you to examine Mrs.
Karim.
Dr. Reid: Examine Mrs. Karim?
Victoria: Mm. Just, um, make sure
that
everything's working.
Dr. Reid: But, Your Majesty, I
thought the Munshi and his family
were leaving us.
Victoria: Whatever gave you that
impression? The Munshi and his
family are integral parts of the Royal
Household.
Bertie: As far as I'm concerned, this
is war. We're going to dig up every
last bit of dirt this blackguard's ever
done. I want someone in India raking
through the family coals. Your son's
out there, isn't he, Ponsonby?
Ponsonby: I couldn't possibly be
involved in subterfuge, Your Royal
Highness.
Bertie; Look, very soon I am going
to be King. You will bloody well do
as you're told! You'll leave no stone
unturned. You will make a dossier,
and you put it all down in black and
white. And put an end
to all this shit! For good.
Dr. Reid: Well, I'd better go and
examine Mrs. Munshi.
Abdul: Dr. Reid. Do come in.
Dr. Reid: She'll have to uncover her
face.
Abdul: That is impossible, sir.
Dr. Reid: I need to see her tongue.
Abdul: Well?
Dr. Reid: She's fine.
Ponsonby: Mr. Mohammed. We have
come here because we are not
unaware of your predicament. That
you arrived in the first place almost
by accident, and now find yourself
stuck here through a bizarre set of
circumstances, none of your own
making. Nor is it beneath our notice
that the inclement English weather
has been the cause of a precipitous
decline in your general health. What
is more, you continue to suffer the
vast indignity of being a servant to
someone who is in many ways your
inferior. So, it occurred to us that,
um, we might be able to offer you
some help.
Mohammed: Help?
Ponsonby: Travel home. Perhaps a
modest pension. In return, of course,
for, um... A little information.
Mohammed: You want me to dish
the dirty?
Ponsonby: In a manner of speaking.
Mohammed: What would you like
me to say?
Bertie: Anything, really.
Ponsonby: Well, we need details.
What he says. What he does.
Mohammed: Abdul does what
everyone else does. He, uh... He
looks for preferment. He curries
favor. He crawls up
the stinking greasy pole of the shitty
British Empire. Making fools of all
of you,
because he is a servant. An Indian
Muslim servant, and you are all
quaking in your boots because he's
beating you at your own game.
Bertie: No one is quaking in their
boots. We are the most powerful
nation on Earth. At the height of our
influence.
Mohammed: In that case, the only
way is down. So stick your stupid
British Empire up your stinky royal
bottom hole, Mr. Bertie Prince, sir. I
hope he makes the whole damn thing
come tumbling down.
Bertie: I will see to it that you die
here.
Ponsonby: He didn't say anything.
Dr. Reid: What do you mean, "He
didn't say anything"?
Bertie: We did our best with him, but
he spoke most intemperately.
Ponsonby: The man is an absolute
shit.
Victoria: Dr. Reid. I'm not a fool. I
know there is some skullduggery
afoot. Something's going on here,
and I'm not going to stand for it. Dr.
Reid, I asked you to get to the
bottom of Mrs. Karim's fertility
issues. It seems that nothing has been
done.
Dr. Reid: Well, actually, Your
Majesty, it was impossible to make a
conclusive judgment for religious
reasons.
Victoria: Did you examine the
Munshi?
Dr. Reid: No, Your Majesty.
Victoria: Well, examine the Munshi.
Bertie.
Dr. Reid: I did not do seven years at
Edinburgh University to look at
Indian dicks! Trousers. Eureka! He is
riddled with the clap!
Ponsonby: Well, well.
Bertie: Mother, we have to see you.
Alone.
Victoria: I'm in the middle of my
Urdu lesson.
Bertie: Mother, we come with very
important news of a highly personal
matter.
Victoria: I've nothing to hide from
Abdul.
Abdul: Please, Your Majesty.
Ponsonby: Your Majesty... I'm afraid
our news concerns the Munshi. We
have proof beyond any doubt that
Abdul Karim is a low-born impostor,
Your Majesty.
Victoria: The Munshi is from a noble
family and a long line of teachers.
Ponsonby: No, I'm afraid he was a
mere clerk in a common jail. My
own son has sent word from India
and has actually spoken to his
immediate superior. His family are
completely uneducated. His father is
a lowly apothecary.
Bertie: The Munshi never even went
to school, Mother. The man's a
complete fraud. And here he is,
overlooking the boxes.
Ponsonby: I'm afraid it's true, Your
Majesty. Abdul and his father are
completely common. We have
prepared a dossier.
Victoria: You despicable toads!
Racialists! Spying? Dossier? Picking
on a poor defenseless Indian? Of
course he doesn't
have qualifications. They do things
completely differently out there.
Bertie: Don't you see, Mama? He's
using his position for his own gain.
Victoria: And how does that make
him
any different from any of you? How
dare you look down on Abdul? How
dare you defame his poor father?
Bertie, I'm ashamed that you're part
of all this. Abdul is a loyal, wise,
sympathetic human being, who has
raised himself on his own merits.
Bring Abdul in here. Bring him in!
Now, I want you to repeat after me,
"I will be courteous to the Munshi."
Ponsonby: I will be courteous to the
Munshi.
Victoria: You.
Dr. Reid: I will be courteous to the
Munshi.
Victoria: Bertie. All of you.
Berite: "I will be courteous to the
Munshi."
Ponsonby, Dr. Reid and Berti: I will
be courteous to the Munshi.
Victoria: It has become apparent that
in order to get any respect from the
Household, one needs to be formally
recognized. In which case, Abdul. I
intend to give you a knighthood in
the next honors list.
Dr. Reid: Enough! This is absurd!
We cannot protect you from this any
further. The man is riddled with
gonorrhea!
Victoria: Gonorrhea?
Dr. Reid: Yes. Your Majesty.
Victoria: Well, you are a doctor.
Why don't you treat him? Now get
out of my sight, all of you!
Dr. Reid: Listen, you pox-ridden
Indian shit! Why don't you bloody
well leave her alone?
Ponsonby: Dr. Reid! Dr. Reid! Be
courteous!
Lady Churchill: Knighted?
Bigge: Surely there is some law
against it.
Lady Churchill: The man's a
common Indian, for God's sakes.
Yorke: Well, she can't just do what
she likes.
Dr. Reid: That's right. We are the
ones who make this palace work, and
we are being ignored and exploited.
Yes. We have to stand up to this
wanton bullying.
Ms. Phipps: But she's the Queen.
She's our sovereign.
Lady Churchill: Her position is based
entirely on the implicit contract she
makes with us. If she does not drop
this preposterous insult, we should
all leave!
Entire Household: Yes.
Dr. Reid: Somebody has to tell her.
Lady Churchill: We should make a
deputation. I think you should go.
You're the head of the Household.
Ponsonby: Oh, no, I couldn't possibly
go. It would bring the position into
disrepute.
Yorke: Mrs. Tuck. You know her
very well, don't you?
Mrs. Tuck: But I'm just her dresser.
What about you, Miss Phipps?
Lady Churchill: Off you go. And
don't take "no" for an answer.
Ms. Phipps: Your Majesty.
Victoria: Out with it. Girl, can't you
see,
I'm busy.
Ms. Phipps: There is something I
must say that...
Victoria: What is the meaning of
this? Stop shaking!
Ms. Phipps: I have come to ask you
to reconsider the... The elevation of...
Of Mr. Karim.
Victoria: What did you say?
Ms. Phipps: I've come to ask you not
to give Mr. Karim a knighthood,
Your Majesty.
Victoria: Why the devil not?
Ms. Phipps: The members of the
Household demand that you abandon
your plans, Your Majesty.
Victoria: Demand?
Ms. Phipps: We believe that it
degrades the very concept of
knighthood. He comes from a very
low family, Your Majesty. And he is
colored.
Victoria: Get out of my sight. Did
you not hear me?
Ms. Phipps: Your Majesty, I must
inform you that if you refuse, the
entire Household will resign.
Victoria: Treason! Treason! Treason.
Bertie: Mummy, enough is enough.
You will drop this Munshi business
forthwith. Do you hear me? Did you
really think the Household would
countenance such an insult?
Victoria: I will not be disobeyed.
Bertie: No. No. I have put up with
you for over 50 years! You will drop
this forthwith or...
Victoria: Or, or, or, or, Bertie?
Bertie: Or we will have you certified
insane! And removed from office
immediately. Here are the papers
signed by Dr. Reid.
Victoria: I am 81 years of age. I've
had nine children, and 42
grandchildren, and have almost a
billion citizens. I have rheumatism, a
collapsed uterus. I'm morbidly obese
and deaf in one ear. I have known
eleven Prime Ministers and passed
2,347 pieces of legislation. I've been
in office 62 years, 234 days. Thus, I
am the longest-serving monarch in
world history. I'm responsible for
five households and a staff of over
3,000. I am cantankerous, boring,
greedy, fat, ill-tempered, at times
selfish and myopic, both
metaphorically and literally. I am
perhaps disagreeably
attached to power and should not
have smashed the Emperor of
Russia's egg. But I am anything but
insane. If the Household wish to
disobey me, so be it. Let them do it
to my face. I will see everyone in the
Durbar Room at once.
Ponsonby: Her Majesty the Queen.
Victoria: I understand there is some
concern over my desires on
preferment. I understand feelings
have run high. And I understand you
have decided to resign, rather than
withstand my decision. If any one of
you wishes to tender their
resignation, it will be accepted
without any unfortunate
consequences. But at least have the
decency to do it to my face! Anyone
wishing to resign, please step
forward. I would like to inform you
that I have decided against awarding
any knighthoods at this moment.
Instead, you'll be delighted to know
that I have decided to make the
Munshi a Commander of the Royal
Victorian Order as a special token
of my personal esteem for his
services to the Empire. That is all.
Abdul: Your Majesty. Your Majesty!
Dr. Reid: Your Majesty, are you all
right?
Ahmed: Dr. Reid! Dr. Reid! Dr.
Reid! Dr. Reid, you must come
quick!
Ms. Phipps: No, no, not now.
Ahmed: Dr. Reid! It's Mr.
Mohammed!
Lady Churchill: Get that boy out of
here.
Dr. Reid: Your Majesty, can you
hear me? Your Majesty?
Victoria: All right,
Dr. Reid: Let's get you up.
Victoria: I'm so sorry, Abdul. I think
it's time you went home, Abdul.
Abdul: This is my home.
Victoria: I've been short-sighted and
selfish. You are a young man. You
have your whole life ahead of you.
It's not safe here.
Abdul: Your Majesty.
Victoria: The vultures are already
circling. How can I protect you if I'm
not here?
Abdul: Your Majesty, you will reign
for many years to come.
Victoria: No, Abdul. I'm sick. All
these stupid ceremonies will kill me.
You have been a very good friend.
But you must leave me.
Abdul: I'm your servant. And as long
as I shall live, I shall be by your side.
Every single day. Nothing... Nothing
will stop me.
Victoria: Abdul, I am your Queen.
Abdul: Your Majesty, I'm your
munshi. And I will never leave you.
Abdul: You are a fool. But I adore
you.
Dr. Reid: I think you should inform
the Kaiser.
Victoria: Abdul... Abdul... Abdul...
Bertie: It's me, Mummy. And your
grandson, Wilhelm.
Victoria: Where is my munshi?
Bertie: The Kaiser.
Victoria: I need my munshi.
Bertie: Hush, hush. Everything will
be all right.
Victoria: I want the Munshi.
Dr. Reid: Don't you dare upset her.
Victoria: I want to talk to
the Munshi alone.
Ponsonby: I think perhaps, Your
Majesty...
Victoria: I said alone. When I was
young, I used to long for death. Now,
when there is
nothing to live for, I cling to life with
every breath. I'm scared, Abdul.
Abdul: Don't be scared. "Listen, little
drop, give yourself up without regret
and in return you will gain the ocean.
Give yourself away and in the great
sea you will be secure." Rumi.
Victoria: You are a teacher, Abdul.
Abdul: Everybody knows Rumi.
Allah is the teacher. Love is the
whole. We are only pieces.
Victoria: Alhamdulilah. I keep
thinking I'm falling. Fall.
Abdul: All will be well. You are
about to go to a much safer place.
"The Banquet
Hall of Eternity."
Victoria: Yes.
Abdul: Goodbye, my Queen.
Victoria: Goodbye. Take care, my
sweet son.
Dr. Reid: Let her sleep.
Ponsonby: Someone's coming.
Bigge: I grieve to say Her Majesty
passed away at 6:30 precisely. Long
live the King.
Man: Out the way!
Bertie: I want every last thing that's
connected to her.
Rashida: Abdul! Abdul!
Bertie: I want you out of here.
Immediately.
Abdul: Your Majesty!
Abdul: Good morning, Your
Majesty. How are you today?