GCSE English Literature- Post 1914 drama coursework



GCSE English Literature- Post 1914 drama coursework

How do Russell’s use of language and dramatic devices in scenes 6 and 7 convey to the audience the ways n which Rita and Frank are changing, their feelings towards each other, and the significance of the play’s ideas about class and culture?

I would say that there are three main developments in Willy Russell’s Educating Rita. Firstly, the development of Rita and Frank’s relationship, secondly the development of ideas concerning differences between the culture of the middle class and the culture of the working class and thirdly the development of the exploration of whether the changes that occur in Rita and those that she seeks are for the better, for the worse, or neither. There is much of significance in terms of each of these three themes in scenes 6 and 7.

One of the things I think Willy Russell wants the audience to explore in scene 6 is the different ways in which different classes approach and relate to literature, and ‘higher’ culture. Frank and Rita each epitomise the class from which they come; Frank is from the upper ‘educated’ class, and in being a professor at a university epitomises the high values this class place on education, whereas Rita comes from a working class background, dropping out of school at the first opportunity and “(get quote) getting through the whole of school without ever sitting an examination”. Both characters are dissatisfied with their lives; Frank having suffered the breakdown of his marriage and now turning to drink, and Rita believing she has missed opportunities and now wanting to ‘find’ herself through education. It is the very literature and way of life and thought that Rita strives to discover, that have become dry and empty to Frank, whose life revolves around them.

How dispassionate about his work Frank has become is conveyed to the audience through the stage directions at the start of scene 6. Frank is alone on the stage and so to the audience his actions are an accurate representation of how Frank acts when he believes no-one else can see him. Because the entire play is set in Frank’s study, whenever the audience see him he is always at work, yet in this scene Frank ‘dumps’ his essays and briefcase and seems to switch off, by switching on the radio, eating and reading. He is dispassionate, and this is manifested when Rita bursts through the door full of energy and passion.

I think scenes 6 and 7 are also significant within the context of the play in its entirety because they portray the transition of Rita and Frank’s relationship from one that is exclusively professional to one that is more than that. The first line in scene 6 (Frank’s) suggests that at this point Frank still sees his relationship with Rita as an entirely professional one as he expresses surprise to see Rita outside of the arranged session. When Rita tells Frank she has something she needs to tell someone Frank assumes it is something negative, and when she explains about going to the theatre he says he “thought it was something serious” which again enforces the idea that Frank is no longer concerned with literature (he does not see it as something ‘serious’). However, he did switch off the radio signifying ‘tuning in’ to Rita. His negative reaction also suggests he has a negative outlook on life.

It seems from the way that Rita talks about Macbeth that she appreciates it in the same way that she appreciated the pulp fiction novels discussed in the first scene; she values the entertainment perhaps rather than the rich thematic values and the beauty of the language that the upper classes are taught to appreciate. I think this gap between the ways the two different classes react to Shakespeare is evident in the line “Wasn’t his wife a cow, eh?” This line is funny because of the informal nature of the statement. However, I think this line expresses perfectly the emotional involvement she felt with the characters in the play, and her excitement. Rita recognizes the difference between the way she is expressing her ideas and the way that Frank would and attempts to elevate her language, but her speech immediately becomes disjointed, no longer effusive.

When Frank asks Rita what play she went to see, rather than just saying, she shows off by reciting a section of it. The fact that she shows off suggests that she feels she has something to show off about; she is proud of having seen the play and has been so invigorated by the experience that she has spent extra time learning some of it off by heart.

Once Rita starts talking about Macbeth, Frank puts his feet up of the desk, his relaxed stance I think signifying that he is now of familiar ground, as opposed to his agitation when Rita first arrives. Perhaps too familiar and this is why Frank is largely unresponsive, manifestly so compared to Rita’s passion and effusion. For example when Rita asks him a literary question (“Macbeth’s a tragedy, isn’t it?”) he only nods, the absolute bare minimum. However, he remedies this later by explaining to Rita the difference between a tragedy and something that is tragic. Perhaps this is provoked by Rita’s line “I just had to tell someone who’d understand” to which Frank replies “I’m honoured that you chose me”. Frank’s response could be interpreted in many ways. One way is that Frank’s formality shows he is being sarcastic and perhaps slightly mocking Rita. He could also be seen to be reminding Rita that their relationship is a formal one, and this could also explain why he goes on to expand on his nod from earlier; he reminds himself of his duties as Rita’s teacher. His response could also be interpreted to be a flippant dismissal perhaps suggesting that he sees Rita as an irritation, and again this would explain why he simply nods in response to her question; he wants to get rid of her. Alternatively Frank could be seen to be genuinely touched by Rita’s comment and perhaps slightly embarrassed and hence using the formal language as a way of hiding behind the veneer of high culture. Perhaps he is impelled by Rita’s comment to help her and so gives the explanation on the difference between tragic and tragedy.

Though it could seem from Frank’s nod, and his overly formal line “I am honoured that you chose me” that Frank is nonchalant towards Rita because he doesn’t care, I do not think this is the case. At the start of scene 6 when Rita comes in Frank is concerned and anxious, and I believe this shows that Rita has a profound effect on Frank given his nonchalance in the face of his divorce and apparent unconcern that his current relationship is rocky. It could also be said that Frank is focusing here on the personal dimension of their relationship whereas Rita is focusing on the professional dimension.

Scene 7, rather than exploring the different methods of thought and relationships with literature between the middle and lower classes, explores different customs, traditions and fashions. Also, it shows how to Rita, the two seem to be blurred so that she is equally intimidated by both. Rita tells Frank about going to the pub with her working class friends and family. This is significant in exploring the differences between the two classes in that the working class drink openly, together and for all to see, whereas Frank is a private drinker. Rita says she came back to the college because she wants to learn a better song. This is also significant because I think one of the main themes of the play and what Willy wants us to explore is whether Rita is learning to sing a better song or simply to sing a different one.

In terms of Rita and Franks relationship, I think there is much in scene 7 to support the idea that Frank is more focused on the personal side of their relationship whereas Rita is more focused on the professional side, but I would argue that this is not a direct reflection of the pairs fondness towards each other. It is evident in scene 7 when Rita gives her reason for not coming to the dinner party that she is greatly intimidated by Frank and his middle class friends and this will likely have hindered the relationship. On the other hand, we know that Rita is passionate about literature and that to Frank it has become dry and boring, and so perhaps it could be said that Frank focuses on the personal dimension of their relationship because it is to him comparatively more interesting rather than simply because he is excessively fond of Rita. However, I do not in anyway doubt that the fondness Rita and Frank feel towards each other is genuine.

In fact, we know that Rita and Frank go on to develop a strong relationship that changes them both, and that is successful both on a professional and personal level. Through scenes 6 and 7 we better understand the characters themselves, and witness the first few occasions that I would say are the initiation of their friendship.

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