The Relationship Between Thomasina And Septimus

The play opens up in Derbyshire, England in April 1809. Thomasina and Septimus, teacher and student, are sitting in a room. Thomasina asks about “carnal embrace” and Septimus says it is the act of throwing your arms around beef. Thomasina asks for the real answer and Septimus explains that it is the act of sex. Jellaby, the butler, interest bearing an urgent letter from Mr. Chater. Septimus then says that he can wait. Jellaby leaves and Thomasina proceeds to ask why you can't reverse stir something. They then begin to discuss Newton's Theories and about stopping time and “writing the formula for the future”. Mr. Chater barges in and says that Septimus insulted his wife. Septimus dismisses Thomasina and corrects Mr. Chater; he had sex with his

Chater. We are then transported to present day. Hannah Jarvis is researching a hermit that lurked on the grounds. Bernard Nightingale enters with Chloe Coverly and they meet up with Hannah. Hannah and Bernard begin to discuss Bernard's research on the house and the poet, Chater, who previously occupied it. Hannah finds out the Bernard is guy who trashed her last book and becomes angry, but she says she will help him with research. Bernard believes that Chater was killed in a duel with Lord Byron. The play then goes back in time, and we see Septimus and Thomasina studying again. They are translating latin texts, and are sidetracked by Thomasina who wishes to talk about the loss of knowledge because of the Alexandria Library fire. Captain Brice and Chater re enter, Chater having another quarrel with Septimus. Chater found out that Septimus gave a bad review on his last work and is furious. He again challenges Septimus to a duel. This time, after much argumenting, Septimus agrees to a duel. In the next scene we are taken back to the present time where Hannah and Chloe’s brother Valentine are looking through old Journals and notebooks that belonged to

Bernard sits everyone down and begins reading his theory and all his evidence. People begin to poke holes in his argument and Bernard and Valentine begin to argue. Bernard then asks if Hannah will leave for London with him, and have sex, but is denied. Hannah and Valentine discuss how research shows the hermit she is writing about was obsessed with math. Back to the past we hear from Jellaby that the Chater’s and Brice and Byron all left because Lady Croom was jealous when she found Mrs. Chater with Lord Byron. Mr. Chater is revealed to be a botanist who is now going with his wife and Captain Brice on an exploration.This causes the duel between to be cancelled, but not before Lady Croom discovers a love letter written by Septimus for her in case he were to die. In the final scene we see both the past and the present times collide and unfold side-by-side. Chloe and Valentine discuss a newspaper article about Bernard's theory. They also discuss Thomasina's theory and of course how sex plays a part in it. Valentine is completely blown away by the genius behind the theory, and compares it to entropy. Thomasina asks Septimus to tutor her on dancing, and then talks about the laws of