The Verger
Welcome, dear ASSEB Class 12 students! In this lesson of HSLC Guru, we present a complete study guide for Chapter 3 — “The Verger” by W. Somerset Maugham, prescribed in the Class 12 Alternative English textbook. This story is a brilliant example of irony, where misfortune turns into opportunity. Below you will find a detailed introduction to the author, a summary of the story, the main characters, themes, textbook question answers, MCQs, fill in the blanks, true/false statements and a glossary — all crafted to help you score top marks in your ASSEB Class 12 Final Examination.
About the Author — William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965)
William Somerset Maugham was a celebrated English novelist, playwright and short-story writer, born in Paris on 25 January 1874 and educated at King’s School, Canterbury, and Heidelberg University. Trained originally as a doctor, he abandoned medicine for literature after the success of his first novel, Liza of Lambeth (1897). Maugham became one of the most popular and highest-paid writers of his time. He is widely regarded as a master of the well-made plot, noted for his lucid prose, sharp characterisation and ironic insight. His famous works include Of Human Bondage, The Moon and Sixpence, The Razor’s Edge and short stories like “The Verger” and “The Luncheon.”
Summary of “The Verger”
“The Verger” tells the story of Albert Edward Foreman, who has served faithfully as the verger of St. Peter’s Church in Neville Square, London, for sixteen years. He is a man of dignity, immaculate in his manners and devoted to his duties. After a christening service one afternoon, the new vicar, accompanied by two churchwardens, asks Albert Edward to step into the vestry. There, to his shock, the vicar reveals that he has just discovered Foreman cannot read or write. Although the verger’s record of service is spotless and the churchwardens speak in his favour, the new vicar declares it impossible to keep an illiterate man in such a position and gives him three months’ notice — unless he agrees to attend school and learn. Albert Edward, with quiet pride, refuses to learn at his age and accepts dismissal.
Heart-broken and bewildered, Foreman walks slowly down the long street outside the church. He feels a strong urge to smoke a cigarette to calm his nerves, but searches in vain for a tobacconist’s shop along the entire street. The thought suddenly strikes him: if there is no tobacconist on such a busy road, why should he not open one himself? With his savings, he rents a small shop on that very street and starts a modest tobacco and sweet business. The shop prospers beyond expectation. Within a short time, he opens a second shop, then a third, and eventually owns ten flourishing shops in different streets of London.
Years pass. One day, the manager of his bank requests a meeting and informs Albert Edward that he has accumulated the impressive sum of thirty thousand pounds, lying idle in his current account. The manager urges him to invest the money in stocks and securities and pushes a form across the desk for him to sign. Foreman calmly replies that he cannot sign because he can neither read nor write. The astonished bank manager exclaims, “Good God, man, what would you have been if you had been able to?”
To this, with a gentle, ironic smile, Albert Edward Foreman gives his immortal reply: “I’d be the verger of St. Peter’s, Neville Square.” The story closes on this ringing punch line — illiteracy, which once cost him his cherished post, became the very cause of his fortune. Maugham thus paints a memorable picture of the irony of life, where what appears a misfortune may secretly carry the seed of greater success.
Main Characters
- Albert Edward Foreman — The protagonist; verger of St. Peter’s Church for sixteen years; illiterate but dignified, hardworking, intelligent and shrewd in business; later becomes a wealthy shop-owner.
- The New Vicar — A young, energetic and rigid-minded clergyman who insists on educational qualifications and dismisses Foreman.
- The Bank Manager — A polite professional who advises Albert Edward to invest his savings; he is amazed to discover his client’s illiteracy.
- The Two Churchwardens — Sympathetic gentlemen who try to defend Foreman before the new vicar but cannot save his job.
- The Old Vicar (mentioned) — The previous vicar who tolerated Foreman’s illiteracy because of his faithful service.
Major Themes
- Irony of Fate — Misfortune unexpectedly opens the door to fortune.
- Illiteracy and Success — Education is valuable, but is not the sole measure of intelligence or capability.
- Opportunity from Misfortune — Every setback may carry the seed of opportunity for the resourceful.
- Prejudice of Education — Society often judges worth by formal literacy, ignoring practical wisdom.
- Class and Social Mobility — A humble servant rises into the prosperous middle class through enterprise.
- Dignity of Labour — Foreman’s pride in his work, whether as verger or tobacconist, remains undiminished.
Textbook Question Answers — 1 Mark Questions
Q1. Who is the author of “The Verger”?
Answer: William Somerset Maugham is the author of “The Verger.”
Q2. Who is the protagonist of the story?
Answer: Albert Edward Foreman, the verger of St. Peter’s Church, is the protagonist.
Q3. Where is St. Peter’s Church located?
Answer: St. Peter’s Church is located in Neville Square, London.
Q4. For how many years had Foreman served as a verger?
Answer: He had served as the verger of St. Peter’s for sixteen years.
Q5. Why was Albert Edward dismissed from his post?
Answer: He was dismissed because the new vicar discovered that he could neither read nor write.
Q6. What business did Foreman start after losing his job?
Answer: He started a tobacconist’s and sweet shop on the long street near the church.
Q7. How many shops did he eventually own?
Answer: He eventually owned ten flourishing shops.
Q8. How much money had Foreman saved in the bank?
Answer: He had saved thirty thousand pounds (£30,000) in the bank.
Q9. What did the bank manager urge Foreman to do?
Answer: The bank manager urged him to invest his savings in stocks and securities.
Q10. What was Foreman’s famous reply at the end of the story?
Answer: He replied, “I’d be the verger of St. Peter’s, Neville Square.”
Textbook Question Answers — 2-3 Marks Questions
Q1. Describe Albert Edward Foreman’s appearance and manner as a verger.
Answer: Albert Edward Foreman was a dignified, well-built man with an air of solemn importance. He wore his black gown with grace and discharged his duties at St. Peter’s with quiet pride. His manners were polished, his speech respectful, and he conducted weddings, christenings and funerals with dignity. He was the very model of a faithful and reliable servant of the Church.
Q2. How did the new vicar discover Foreman’s illiteracy?
Answer: After a christening, the new vicar handed Foreman a slip of paper to glance at. Noticing his hesitation, the vicar enquired and discovered that the verger could not read. To verify, he asked him to sign his name, but Foreman politely admitted that he could neither read nor write. This shocking revelation led to the meeting in the vestry where his fate was sealed.
Q3. Why did the churchwardens speak in favour of Foreman?
Answer: The churchwardens spoke in favour of Foreman because his sixteen years of service had been spotless. He was honest, punctual, dignified and dutiful, and the previous vicar had been fully satisfied with his work. They argued that since his illiteracy had never harmed his duties, it should not now be a reason to remove him.
Q4. What proposal did the new vicar make and how did Foreman respond?
Answer: The new vicar proposed that Foreman should attend school and learn to read and write within three months, after which he could continue his work. Foreman, however, calmly refused, saying that he was too old to begin schooling and that he had managed perfectly well without it. He chose dignified resignation over forced education.
Q5. How did the idea of opening a tobacco shop come to Foreman?
Answer: While walking sadly down the long street after his dismissal, Foreman felt the need for a cigarette to soothe his nerves. He searched the entire street but could not find a single tobacconist. It struck him that such a busy road without a tobacconist offered an excellent business opportunity. With his savings, he soon rented a shop and turned the idea into reality.
Q6. Why does the bank manager call Foreman?
Answer: The bank manager calls Foreman to his office because thirty thousand pounds — a very large sum — was lying in his current account, earning no interest. The manager wished to advise his prosperous client to invest the money safely in stocks and securities so that it might earn a good return.
Textbook Question Answers — 5-7 Marks Questions
Q1. Discuss the irony in the story “The Verger.”
Answer: Irony forms the very heart of “The Verger.” The first irony lies in Foreman’s dismissal: an illiterate man, despite sixteen years of devoted and spotless service, is removed from a humble church post because he cannot read or write. The second irony is even sharper — this very illiteracy, which the new vicar regarded as a fatal weakness, becomes the foundation of an extraordinary commercial success. Had Foreman been literate, he would have remained a poor verger; being illiterate, he became a wealthy businessman with ten shops and £30,000 in savings. The crowning irony arrives in the bank manager’s exclamation, “What would you have been if you could read?” and Foreman’s calm reply, “I’d be the verger of St. Peter’s, Neville Square.” Maugham masterfully shows that fate often turns society’s expectations upside down. The story is a perfect example of situational and verbal irony, exposing the limits of conventional judgement and celebrating the unexpected workings of life.
Q2. Sketch the character of Albert Edward Foreman.
Answer: Albert Edward Foreman is one of Maugham’s most memorable creations. As verger of St. Peter’s, he is dignified, polite, conscientious and devoted to duty. His sixteen years of service prove his loyalty, while his refusal to attend school at his age shows his self-respect and quiet pride. He accepts dismissal without anger, displaying admirable composure. Yet beneath his humble exterior lies a sharp, practical mind. The very moment he notices the absence of a tobacconist on a busy street, he sees opportunity where others see only inconvenience. With courage, common sense and steady hard work, he builds a small empire of ten shops and accumulates a fortune of thirty thousand pounds. Despite his success, he remains modest, simple and unassuming, never pretending to be more than he is. His final reply to the bank manager reveals his calm humour, his clear-sighted self-knowledge and his unshaken dignity. Foreman thus stands as a symbol of native intelligence, enterprise and the triumph of practical wisdom over formal education.
Q3. What lesson does the story “The Verger” teach about education and success?
Answer: The story powerfully challenges the common belief that formal education is the only road to success. Albert Edward Foreman, although illiterate, possesses qualities far more valuable than book learning — keen observation, business sense, integrity, perseverance and the courage to begin afresh after misfortune. The new vicar, who represents the rigid, educated establishment, equates literacy with worth and dismisses Foreman simply because he cannot read. Yet life proves the vicar wrong: Foreman’s illiteracy does not stop him from rising to wealth and standing in society. Maugham does not condemn education; rather, he warns against confusing formal qualifications with real intelligence. True success, the story suggests, lies in alertness to opportunity, hard work, honesty and self-belief. The tale reminds students that the human spirit, when armed with determination and common sense, can rise above any handicap. It is finally a tribute to practical wisdom, dignity of labour and the limitless possibilities of the resourceful mind.
Q4. Comment on the title of the story “The Verger.”
Answer: The title “The Verger” is brief, simple and yet deeply suggestive. A verger is a humble church officer who looks after the building and assists at services. By using this single word, Maugham fixes our attention on Albert Edward Foreman’s identity as a man defined by long, faithful service to St. Peter’s Church. The title also carries a strong note of irony, for the man called “the verger” is no longer a verger when the story ends; he has become a successful tobacconist with ten shops and a fortune. Yet his self-image remains that of a verger, as his final reply to the bank manager proves: “I’d be the verger of St. Peter’s, Neville Square.” The title therefore points both to what he was and to what he never ceased to feel he was. It also highlights how life can transform a man’s outer fortunes while his inner identity stays unchanged. Thus, the simple title “The Verger” effectively captures the heart of the story — the irony, the dignity and the quiet humanity of its hero.
Q5. How does the conversation in the bank reveal the central message of the story?
Answer: The conversation in the bank forms the climax of the story and brings out its central message in a single brilliant exchange. When the manager learns that Foreman, owner of so much wealth, can neither read nor write, he is dumbfounded. He exclaims, “Good God, man, what would you have been if you had been able to?” — implying that with literacy, Foreman would have risen even higher. Foreman’s reply, “I’d be the verger of St. Peter’s, Neville Square,” instantly overturns the manager’s assumption. It shows that had he been literate, he would not have lost his job, would not have walked down that long street, would not have noticed the absence of a tobacconist, and would not have become a businessman at all. Thus the very lack he was punished for became the secret of his fortune. The exchange exposes the irony of conventional judgement, celebrates the unpredictability of fate and underlines the story’s main message: misfortune and opportunity are often two sides of the same coin.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Q1. Who wrote “The Verger”?
(a) Charles Dickens (b) W. Somerset Maugham (c) O. Henry (d) R. K. Narayan
Answer: (b) W. Somerset Maugham
Q2. The verger’s full name is —
(a) Albert Foreman (b) Edward Albert Foreman (c) Albert Edward Foreman (d) Albert Edwards
Answer: (c) Albert Edward Foreman
Q3. St. Peter’s Church is in —
(a) Neville Square (b) Trafalgar Square (c) Oxford Street (d) Hyde Park
Answer: (a) Neville Square
Q4. Foreman had served as verger for —
(a) 6 years (b) 10 years (c) 16 years (d) 26 years
Answer: (c) 16 years
Q5. The new vicar dismissed Foreman because —
(a) he was lazy (b) he stole money (c) he could not read or write (d) he was rude
Answer: (c) he could not read or write
Q6. What kind of shop did Foreman open?
(a) Bakery (b) Tobacconist’s shop (c) Bookshop (d) Cloth shop
Answer: (b) Tobacconist’s shop
Q7. How many shops did he own in the end?
(a) Five (b) Eight (c) Ten (d) Twelve
Answer: (c) Ten
Q8. How much money was lying in his bank account?
(a) £3,000 (b) £13,000 (c) £30,000 (d) £3,00,000
Answer: (c) £30,000
Q9. The bank manager wanted Foreman to —
(a) close the account (b) invest in stocks and securities (c) borrow money (d) donate to the church
Answer: (b) invest in stocks and securities
Q10. “I’d be the verger of St. Peter’s, Neville Square” — these words were spoken by —
(a) the vicar (b) the bank manager (c) Albert Edward Foreman (d) the churchwarden
Answer: (c) Albert Edward Foreman
Fill in the Blanks
Q1. Albert Edward Foreman served St. Peter’s Church for ______ years.
Answer: sixteen
Q2. The new vicar dismissed Foreman because he could neither ______ nor write.
Answer: read
Q3. Foreman opened a ______ shop on the long street.
Answer: tobacconist’s
Q4. Foreman finally owned ______ shops.
Answer: ten
Q5. Foreman had ______ pounds in his bank account.
Answer: thirty thousand (£30,000)
True or False
Q1. Albert Edward Foreman was a literate verger. — False
Q2. The new vicar gave Foreman three months to learn reading and writing. — True
Q3. Foreman agreed to attend school to save his job. — False
Q4. Foreman became a successful tobacconist. — True
Q5. The bank manager said Foreman would have risen higher if he had been literate. — True
Glossary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Verger | An attendant in a church who takes care of the interior and assists at services |
| Vicar | A clergyman in charge of a parish in the Church of England |
| Vestry | A small room in a church where the clergy change into vestments |
| Churchwarden | A lay officer who assists the vicar in church affairs |
| Christening | A ceremony of baptism, especially of an infant |
| Tobacconist | A shopkeeper who sells tobacco, cigarettes and related goods |
| Notice | A formal warning of the end of an agreement or employment |
| Stocks and securities | Financial investments such as shares and bonds |
| Current account | A bank account from which money may be withdrawn at any time |
| Spotless | Without fault or blemish; perfectly clean |
| Dismissal | The act of removing someone from a job |
| Dignified | Having or showing a serious, calm and worthy manner |
| Solemn | Formal and dignified; serious in tone |
| Illiterate | Unable to read or write |
| Irony | An outcome opposite to what is expected |
| Punctual | Acting or arriving exactly at the time appointed |
| Resourceful | Able to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties |
| Enterprise | Bold initiative; a business undertaking |
| Composure | The state of being calm and in control of oneself |
| Pound (£) | The basic unit of British currency |
HSLC Guru hopes this complete study guide on “The Verger” by W. Somerset Maugham helps you master Chapter 3 of your ASSEB Class 12 Alternative English textbook. Keep practising the question-answers, MCQs, fill in the blanks and true/false items to score the highest marks in your final examination. Best wishes from HSLC Guru!