Opening Scene of Educating Rita
Explore the ways in which Russell engages the audiences interest in
the main characters and themes in the opening scene of Educating Rita
and explain whether you think the play written in 1979 is still
relevant to 2005.
Willy Russell’s play, Educating Rita, written in 1979, is a story
about a typical lower class woman called Rita who decides she wants to
lead an ‘educated life’ and she tries to do this by getting a private
tutor called Frank to teach her, but learning to lead an educated
life proves to be not what she expected.
Willy Russell introduces Frank and Rita in two very different ways.
Frank is introduced as a well read university tutor who seems to like
his drink; this is shown when Russell writes ’the walls are lined with
books’ making him appear educated. But then writes: “pulls out a pile
of books to reveal a bottle of whisky” which makes the audience
question their first impression of him as a typical university
teacher, is he an alchoholic? Does he drink too much? Is this
important?
Rita is introduced as an uneducated, loud, rude young woman. The first
impression Russell gives the audience is Rita saying: “I’m comin’ in,
aren’t I?” to someone she has never met before, which shows a lack of
manners or simply a casual upbringing. He then shows her going to a
chair and “dumping her bag”. By using the verb “dump” Russell
immediately suggests that Rita is not a ladylike person, and this
follows the impression that she is ill mannered.
Russell presents the play as a two-hander so that the audience is
focused on the clash between Frank and Rita and the entire play is
focused on Frank and Rita’s point of view. The two very contrasting
personalities seem t...
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... or missing
something in his life, and Rita also says ‘ I want to be free’ which
means she feels trapped in her life and wants to escape and she wants
to do this by getting educated. They both seem to change through the
play almost into totally different people, Rita changes her name to
susan as she thinks it sounds ‘proper’. The play has a certain humour
about it as the two characters personalities and views are almost
opposite, this creates chaos, as neither of them knows what the other
is talking about which is amusing to the audience, and Rita is very
loud and uses a lot of swearing and slang which is not what you would
expect in a university. In conclusion, Russell uses the contrast
of the two characters in Educating Rita to create humour and engage
the audience, whilst facing issues and views that are still a problem
and relevant to today in 2005.
seems insecure due to the fact that he repeats himself often. It seems as though he
In the opening line of his song his girlfriend leaves him, but he goes for a drive to clear his mind and his life takes a turn. He
At the time of his life, he was not quite ready to be obligated to such a woman. Maxwell contained lust for other women and wanted to prolong his spinster ways. He was not entirely ready for a monogamous relationship. Within their correlation, with his significant other, he had multiple sexual relations with numerous promiscuous women. He says, "You played me dirty, your game was so bad, toyed with my affliction...( Pretty Wings by Maxwell Songfacts)". Within this song, he acknowledges his unfaithfulness and untrustworthiness infliction. He concedes, in fact, that he toke his spouse for granted. He sounds remorseful as he reflects on his wrong doings. He utters, "I was wrong, you were right, I turned your love into a lie, baby believe me, I 'm sorry I told you lies (Pretty Wings by Maxwell Songfacts)". Eventually, the relationship came to a halt and ended, leaving Maxwell chastened. He liberates his significant other from the pain he has inflicted, allowing gives her the opportunity to be happy with someone other than himself who can give her the love and appreciation she requires. He articulates, "If I can 't have you, Let love set you free, To fly your pretty wings around ("Pretty Wings by Maxwell Songfacts) ". As time continues, his involvement with other women fades as his appreciation and gratitude of what he once had increases. He realized he had
Women are often bound to the idea of modesty. Should a woman be judged for the way she talks or looks? The answer is no. Women should feel like a woman should feel without being judged. In chapters 14 and 15 of A Lesson Before Dying, Vivian can be characterized as optimistic, responsible, and caring.
There are certain traits that many great professors possess, and one of the most important traits is having good communication skills. Other elements that contribute to a great teacher are integrity, positive personality, and being able to inspire your students. In the case study, Equity in Academia, Melinda Wilkerson should keep her job at the university so she can continue to encourage and educate her students. Wilkerson is a model example of a professor because she has a good understanding of ethics, uses a human relations approach to her teaching and uses feedback to continue to improve her communication with her students. The use of communication skills used in Wilkerson’s classroom are what make her a great professor.
...d the freedom of pleasing herself instead of others. All of this is accomplished by the combined effort of Rita and Frank.
Ah jus’ loves dis freedom.’ Sh-sh-sh! Don’t let nobody hear you say dat, Janie. Folks will say you ain’t sorry he’s gone.” I used this quote because it’s obviously saying what I just wrote, she wasn’t sorry for her lost. For her that meant a new opportunity in life to be
With Rita she is shown as a boisterous person. This is clearly exposed with the words “Bleed’n…You wanna get it fixed” as these words are commanding techniques and it shows to the audience in a short amount of time that Rita is in control. This would shock them as Rita is speaking improperly towards the teacher. Also with “I think your marvellous…you’re the first breath of fresh air that has been in this room for ages.” Russell now presents Frank as a flirtatious person who is attempting to chat up Rita.
A guy who feels like he got zapped over in that shithole. A guy who can’t get his act together and just drives around town all day and can’t think of any damn place to go and doesn’t know how to get there anyway.
He is a lazy man, bored and frustrated by his life he too does not
In the end when he see’s that his wife is dead he the little speech he says is :
The play follows just over a year in Rita's life and shows her gradual progress in an English Literature course. At first Rita knows she wants to do the course but not how to do well in it. It seems that she would rather do anything but talk about literature in the early lessons but she gradually gains confidence and skill in her speech and writing. A good example of her progress is her response to Macbeth. Initially she does not understand how to write about it and produces a 'crap' essay. Frank explains that the essay is not bad in terms of a personal response to the play but it does not fulfil the criteria of the course she is doing. Rita accepts this and resolves to write the essay again.
...the book goes on you can really see the change in Rita and how she doesn’t want to be part of the working class culture anymore. You can see this because she changes her dress sense, the way she talks, her husband and her friends. Rita feels that just because she has become ‘Educated’ she now feels in a position to move class because she feels at home amongst the middle class, she thinks she knows ‘The rules’ or ‘How to act’ around the middle class. Denny (Rita’s husband) doesn’t like the new Rita and they end up getting a divorce. Denny feels this is partly due to Frank. If it wasn’t for him, she wouldn’t have been educated and she would never have changed class. Frank comes from the middle class but he has grown to be bored of this and desperately wants a change, you can tell because he drinks an excessive amount of alcohol, maybe trying to drink his sorrows away.
he says in the last line that, “come live with me and be my love”
Rita's appearance and her approach to literature are refreshing. Her reactions to literature are as unspoiled by received literary opinions as his were before. Frank will have to question his own understanding of his work and of himself. Although he refuses to, he will have to change Rita. He is afraid that she will loose her uniqueness. Yet he is unaware of the sacrifices and the difficulties she has to face concerning her background. He doesn't care for the working class.