CHAPTER XXVIII
THE INDIRECT OBJECT
Function.—Many verbs are followed by two substantives, both of which are called objects; for example, “Abbot Samson read his monks a severe lecture.”—Carlyle. “I will tell you a common case.”—De Quincey. “For this did God send her a great reward.”—De Quincey. If we ask the questions read what? will tell what? did send what? the answers are the direct objects of the verbs, namely, a severe lecture, a common case, a great reward.
If we go farther and ask the questions, read a severe lecture to whom? will tell a common case to whom? did send a great reward to whom? the answers are—to his monks, to you, to her. But in the sentences as quoted the preposition to is not expressed, the meaning being evident without it. A word used like monks, you, her, is called the indirect object of the verb. It is not a complement, for the meaning of the verb is complete without it; but it is brought into the sentence by the verb, and is therefore its adjunct.
The indirect object is usually defined as denoting the one to whom or for whom something is done. It is not always, however, a personal word, as is seen in Shakespeare’s sentence,—“Give thy thoughts no tongue nor any unproportioned thought his act.”
Position of the Indirect Object.—The position of the indirect object is next to the verb. If its position is changed, the preposition is expressed, as is seen in the sentences,—“Mother made me a dress,” and “Mother made a dress for me.” The logical use of the word me is identical in the two sentences, but the sentences are built differently. It prevents confusion if we call me in the second sentence the object of the preposition for, the phrase for me being an adjunct of the verb just as the one word me is an adjunct of the verb in the first sentence.
The Indirect Object in a Passive Sentence.—When sentences containing direct and indirect objects are changed to the passive form, the direct object should become the subject, and the indirect object should remain after the verb or should become the object of an expressed preposition. If we change the sentence, “Abbot Samson read his monks a severe lecture,” we should have, “A severe lecture was read to his monks by Abbot Samson.” But it is a common practice to make the indirect object the subject of the passive verb and leave the direct object unchanged; thus, “The monks were read a severe lecture by Abbot Samson.” In this sentence lecture is called a residual object of the passive verb were read.
Sentences arising in this way are often extremely awkward, and should not be tolerated; for example, “I was sold a horse.”
Verbs that take an Indirect Object.—The most common are bring, build, cost, cut, do, fling, forgive, get, give, grant, hand, leave, make, offer, pay, play, pledge, promise, reach, read, sell, send, show, teach, tell, throw, weigh, win, wish, yield.
Since the indirect object is not a necessary sentence-element, it follows that it is frequently omitted, so that we find these verbs taking only the direct object. On the other hand, we occasionally find verbs followed by an indirect object and no direct object. This comes about in several ways.—
(a) When the sentence is changed to the passive form and the preposition to or for is not supplied; as, “This chance was never offered me before.”—James Thomson.
(b) When the direct object is omitted, being unimportant or else well known; as, “After he had earned the reward the committee refused to pay him.”
(c) When the verb is intransitive; as, “The effort cost him his life.” The word life is not a direct object but an answer to the question how much? therefore an adverbial noun.
Exercise 35
Dispose of all indirect objects in the following sentences. Account for the sentences in the passive form.
1. The constant sight of chilblains among people who bring you bread, cut you cheese, and weigh you out sugar, by no means reconciles the Northern stomach to their prevalence.—Howells.
2. Give a busy man ten minutes to write a letter, and he will dash it off at once.
3.
Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul,
As the swift seasons roll.—Holmes.
4. The boy believes there is a teacher who can sell him wisdom.—Emerson.
5. The amiable manners of the Indian girl had won her the regard of the wife of one of the caciques.—Prescott.
6. He was allowed abundance of food and liberty to walk in the courtyard of the tower.—Shorthouse.
7. I think the old fellow has hitherto had scant justice done him in the main.—Lowell.
8. But since he was denied speech, he scorned the inarticulate mouthings of the lower animals.—Warner.
9. Paul, seeing a servant in the yard, ordered the boy something to eat.—R. H. Dana, Sr.
10. In Venetian streets they give the fallen snow no rest—Howells.
11. There is the large wooden reel which the blear-eyed old Deacon sent the minister’s lady.—Holmes.
12. We are shown the power of our country growing and expanding.—Froude.
13. It costs a beautiful person no exertion to paint her image on our eyes, yet how splendid is that benefit.—Emerson.