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Amazing Grace · 2006 — 第 18 / 18 章 · 2'15" · B2

Wilberforce Visits a Dying Pitt, Explained：pushing at an open door

Wilberforce calls on the ailing Prime Minister, and Pitt has already arranged his own succession. The talk of Granville, Fox and a neutral court is Pitt clearing the way for one last fight: "Next time you will be pushing at an open door."

あらすじ

At the bedside of the dying Prime Minister, Wilberforce listens as Pitt details the succession: Granville will take over as PM, Charles Fox becomes foreign secretary, and the palace has guaranteed neutrality on the slave trade. Pitt urges him to stop making excuses and "finish them off" before admitting, "I'm scared... I wish I had your faith."

Goodbyes & funeralsPersuasionPersuadingConfessingFriendsB2slowbritishClean
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注目の表現

pushing at an open doorI wish I hadcracked crownsremain neutral

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このシーンの表現

pushing at an open door

facing no real resistance

On his deathbed, Pitt tells Wilberforce the next attempt will meet no resistance.

With the new policy, you will be pushing at an open door.

このシーンの他の表現

  • I wish I had

    I envy what you have

  • cracked crowns

    knocked heads as boys

  • remain neutral

    take no side

このシーンのメモ一覧

17 行のセリフに 22 件のメモ

表現 · A2leave someone alone

let us be alone

Please leave us now.
スラング · A2Billy

a nickname for William — A family or old-friends nickname, never in formal address.

They tell me you're improving, Billy.
スラング · B1Bull

nonsense — Blunt dismissal, fine among friends, rude in formal settings.

Bull.
表現 · C1crack crowns

knocked heads as boys

The two old friends recall boyhood fights; Pitt jokes that they cracked each other's crowns.

We cracked crowns, didn't we?
文法 · B1didn't we

tag question: The tag turns the memory into a shared one his friend must confirm.

We cracked crowns, didn't we?
発音cracked crowns

The d in cracked almost disappears before crowns.

We cracked crowns, didn't we?
表現 · B2leave something intact

kept it unbroken

- We left the heads intact. - Because we're so pathetically English.
表現 · C1so pathetically + 形容词

hopelessly British

- We left the heads intact. - Because we're so pathetically English.
表現 · B1agree on something

settled on

- We have agreed on a succession. - You're not gone yet.
表現 · A2not ... yet

still here

- We have agreed on a succession. - You're not gone yet.
表現 · B1be replaced by someone

be succeeded by

I will be replaced by Lord Granville as prime minister, and the foreign secretary will be Charles Fox.
文法 · B2I will be replaced by

future passive: Future passive plus by names the successor without making him the subject.

I will be replaced by Lord Granville as prime minister, and the foreign secretary will be Charles Fox.
表現 · C1secure something from someone

obtained a promise

And Wilber, Fox has already secured a guarantee from the palace.
スラング · A2Wilber

a short form of Wilberforce — A private short form used only between old friends.

And Wilber, Fox has already secured a guarantee from the palace.
表現 · B2the issue of something

the matter of

They will remain neutral in the issue of the slave trade.
表現 · C1push at an open door

facing no real resistance

On his deathbed, Pitt tells Wilberforce the next attempt will meet no resistance.

Next time you will be pushing at an open door.
発音pushing at an

Link pushing, at and an into one smooth run.

Next time you will be pushing at an open door.
文法 · B2I wish I had

unreal wish: Wish with the past tense marks an unreal present: he does not have that faith.

At this moment, I wish I had your faith.
発音wish I had

Wish and I run together; had weakens and faith takes the stress.

At this moment, I wish I had your faith.
表現 · B1no more excuses

stop making excuses

No more excuses now, Wilber.
表現 · B1finish someone off

finish the job

Finish them off.
表現 · A2make an exception

a one-off case

But today's an exception.

「Wilberforce Visits a Dying Pitt」を読み解く

What's really going on

Pitt is not really talking politics; he is settling his affairs and passing the cause to his oldest friend. The cold list of names and the palace's promise to "remain neutral" are his parting gift: he is telling Wilberforce that the wall he spent his career hitting is finally gone. Then the mask slips. "I wish I had your faith" is a dying man admitting he has none of Wilberforce's certainty, while "No more excuses" and "Finish them off" are his way of saying he will not be around to help. Under the business of state runs a simple farewell between two old friends.

Theme

DutyPitt hands his unfinished cause to Wilberforce, who is told to stop making excuses and finish the fight.
FaithThe dying Pitt confesses he wishes he had Wilberforce's faith, admitting what keeps his friend fighting is something he lacks.

このチャプターで学べること

  • An open door promises the next attempt meets no resistance.
  • I wish I had admits envy without claiming the virtue.
  • Finish them off hands the cause to a living friend.

発音のポイント

  • cracked crowns — The d in cracked almost disappears before crowns.
  • pushing at an — Link pushing, at and an into one smooth run.
  • wish I had — Wish and I run together; had weakens and faith takes the stress.
Next time you will be pushing at an open door.

The next attempt will meet no real resistance; the political door is already open, so Wilberforce should push.

At this moment, I wish I had your faith.

Pitt admits he is afraid and envies Wilberforce's certainty, the very conviction that has kept the abolition fight alive.

- We left the heads intact. - Because we're so pathetically English.

Their boyhood fights never did real damage; they joke that even as children they were too restrained to hurt each other.

They tell me you're improving, Billy.

Wilberforce greets the sick Pitt with a hopeful report about his health, trying to brighten a grim bedside visit.

このシーンについての質問

Why does Pitt talk about the succession while he's still alive?

Because he knows he is dying and wants Wilberforce to know the next government will not block abolition. Fox and Granville will be in power, and the palace has promised to stay neutral, so the next vote is Wilberforce's to win.

What does "pushing at an open door" mean here?

It means the hard part is already over: the next time Wilberforce brings the slave trade bill, he will meet little resistance. Pitt is telling him the obstacle he spent years fighting has finally been removed by the new government.

Is Pitt being cruel when he says "Finish them off"?

No. It is blunt encouragement from a friend who is running out of time. He wants Wilberforce to stop hesitating, defeat the opposition for good, and see the abolition through before Pitt is gone.

Why does Pitt wish he had Wilberforce's faith?

Pitt is afraid of dying and has no comforting belief to hold on to. Wilberforce's faith is what gives him the courage to keep fighting; Pitt admires that certainty even as his own life ends.

Amazing Grace · 全 18 章

すべて見る →
第 1 章anything butWilberforce Meets Barbara in Bath第 2 章ran away withWilberforce Tells Richard He Found God第 3 章where your heart liesPitt Asks Wilberforce to Return第 4 章my business is youWilberforce Meets the Abolitionists第 5 章gentle drizzleWilberforce Visits John Newton第 6 章have something made upThe Man in the Box第 7 章died of kindnessWilberforce and Barbara Fake a Fight第 8 章with a heavy heartWilberforce Denounces the Slave Trade第 9 章mean businessCharles Fox Joins the Abolitionists第 10 章have a confession to makeAbolitionists Show MPs a Slave Ship第 11 章scrape the bottom of the barrelAbolitionists Present a Huge Petition第 12 章a wave of good intentionsPitt Warns a Friend Over Cards第 13 章run with bloodPitt Warns Wilberforce About War第 14 章by halvesNewton Gives Wilberforce His Confession第 15 章flag of convenienceThe Neutral Flag Trick第 16 章side windAbolitionists Come at a Side Wind第 17 章find me as myselfWilberforce Quits Laudanum再生中 · 第 18 章pushing at an open doorWilberforce Visits a Dying Pitt
この作品の 18 章はここまでです