What is the significance of the French play with 'The History Boys' in relation to characterisation and thematic concerns?
Next week??
Mr. D
15 comments:
Francesca
said...
The significance of teh French play in History Boys for characterisation shows the way in which the bos have respect for Hector. This is shown when the headmaster comes into the room and the boys chnage the play that they were acting out to a different one so Hector would not get told of by the headmaster. Hector comes across in this french play as very comfortable with the boys as Dakin takes of his trousers and Hector does not flinch to tell him to put them back on. Later on in the play we find out that Hector is a pervert and he touches the boys, this may be the reason in which why he is redundant to Dakin taking of his trousers. The significance with Characterisation in the French play of the brothel with Posner shows the way in which he may have feelings for Dakin, the taking off the trousers and that he tells Dakin to lay down suggest maybe he has some feelings towards Dakin. The forshadowing of this suggest that later on as a reader we will see if he actually does feel for Dakin. When reading on we read that Posner does but nothing comes from it.
The thematic views throughtout this french play shows the significance theme of innocence and experience as the first french play in which the boys act out is first at a brothel. This shows the theme of innocence as the boys would loose innocence here as a brothel is a place of sexual experience. The second play in which the boys act out is the innocence theme of world war one. Innocence is shown here as when boys would go into war they would loose their innocence of humanity.
What is the significance of the French play within the History Boys for characterisation and also for thematic concerns?
Within the History Boys the two main methods of characterisation are dialogue(speech)and action. Through these methods the reader is enabled to make certain judgements on the characters introduced. Firstly - the introduction of Hector enables the reader to make the assumption that Hector himself is a strange character. Normally, a teacher would not allow - even in impersonations of characters in plays - a student to remove his trousers. Hector's dialogue portrays him as a playful and undisciplined teacher: he does not seem to recognise that there are boundaries set between teachers and students. Posner - who is introduced singing a song written by a female - comes across as being quite feminine, his actions later on in the play and the revelation that he has an interest in Dakin also back the fact that - like a female - Posner is in touch with his feelings. Whilst events within the play help the reader to make judgements on the characters they meet, the plays within in this play (Not necessarily literary allusions but allusions none the less) also help the reader with this. During a class, the boys all start to act out a part from a Brothel in French. The fact that Dakin plays the character who is hiring the prostitute and the only male within the play (Or the part they portray) gives him a certain masculinity and the assumption can be made that he is already sexually active - His actions within the play helps the reader characterize him. Once being caught by the Headmaster and Irwin the boys quickly lie and say that they were acting parts out from a Hospital in Belgium, the significance of this particular play ties in with the title, History Boys, - they are acting out a play which is based on events during world war one. These plays are also significant because they show the passage from innocence to experience. In the French play, the loss of innocence is relayed through sexual activities and in the second play the loss of innocence and the gain of experience is shown through activities during war - where boys would have to kill others to survive (A loss of their humanity/ a loss of innocence).
PS: I'm sorry of this isn't correct but I've written to my own understanding of this. PPS: Sorry for how bloomin' long this is. :'). I think you people should post more jokes. XD
No way did Fran post this first haha. Anyways, erm yeah
The significance of the french play, in relation to chartacterisation shows the relationships and actions between the boys and Hector, and how Hector is respected by the boys but is a suspicious figure to other members of staff (for example, the Headmaster). this is clearly shown in the role of Hector. He seems very confident infront of the boys as he knows he is stepping over boundaries. It is not clear that it is naivety that keeps the boys from telling the truth once Irwin and the headteacher come into the room, it is a matter of respect and possibly influential force. It is very clear to the audience that what Hector is doing is wrong when the classroom door is shut, and he gets a shock when Irwin and the headmaster come in the classroom to find such a scene going on. His actions at this part, as a method of characterisation, he shouts confidently and continues to speak in french so he does not have to explain himself. He then influences the boys answers by cutting them out when they almost told the headteacher what was really going on! It is significant to note the actions and roles of Hector in this part of the play, because soon after, we find out hes 'fiddling' with the boys, this then makes up for his strange, over-comfortable behaviour!
The thematic views throughout this French play show the transition from innocence to experience, as the booys would tend to lose all innocence once going into a brothel- a place of sexual activity. Even though it is just role-play, they are developing their knowledge and they are not as naive as they were before they knew what a brothel and all sorts of sexual activity was. This adds to their gain of experience, as it is shown though activities taken place during the war, this takes away their innocence and humanity.
i dont think its QUITE finished.... but im read for you to criticise it sir haha... Sorry, but my mums cooked apple crumble and custard... so erm, yeah thats my number 1 priority right now, not this. Ever so sorry ;-)
The French play in the history boys is very useful as it highlights Hector’s inappropriateness before he even begins to fiddle with the eight male students. This therefore suggests that the play acts as an indicator to the behaviour that is yet to come, foreshadowing the immoral acts of Hector. This also leads on to Posner and his request for Dakin to tale his trousers off. This kind of request is clearly very wrong, and obviously underlines what kind of a teacher Hector is as what self respecting teacher would allow this request to be said let alone be followed through? The fact that Hector allows this to happen in his class sets a wrong example for the students and therefore within the teaching that is going on the students are learning bad life lessons. The behaviour within the classroom is fully recognized as wrong as when the head teacher walks into the class interrupting what is supposedly teaching Hector soon changes the theme of the play from being based upon a brothel to World War One, all the students play along with this change in theme suggesting that they have enormous respect for their teacher, which furthermore could link to their innocence with experience. This also brings me to the point that whilst these students are only young and therefore are still quite innocent and inexperienced, both of the themes within the French play signify a loss of innocence and bring with them much experience. Therefore suggesting that if Hector hasn’t already robbed the young lads of their innocence he soon will as he has based a whole lesson upon this theme.
The French and the WW1 scene is useful in the audience learning about Hector. Hector is willing to let the boys act out a brothel scene despite it being inappropiate. He also knows this as he lies to the headmaster and covers it up. This may be to cover up for the boys also. The boys do have respect to him for this however as they join in showing they would not complain about his inappropiateness with them. It also shows the relationship wanted from Posner with Dakin as he is the one that makes Dakin takes off his trousers. While this may be percieved as a joke Dakin says 'watch it' suggesting there is more to this and they have a understanding. Having said this, this particular line of dialouge is taken out of the film suggesting that others find less significance to this or they did not want to give any hints away about Posner's feeling. This links in with the thematic concerns such as innocance to experience because in both scenes it is a way for them to lose their innocence either by sleeping with a prostitute or killing someone is war. Either way once the innocence is gone it is gone forever. The WW1 is particulary mentioned again and the boys do recite a poem where they talk about innocence lost forever in the war before Dakin taking this back to losing innocence sexually when talking about Fiona.
Within the History Boys of the french play the author shows different types of characterasation through the two different scenes of the World War One and the bruffle. Characterasation is reflected through the way the boys talk and the tone of their voice;the use of emotions,facial expressions and their body language to reflect on both scenes that are dramatically touched on the loss of innocence through experience. The Bruffle scene was thematic within the use of parody and humour when Dakin takes his trousers off with no emmbarestment and another boy comes along acts to be one of the women at the bruffle. This scene illustrates the significance between the two; the drama within the innocence through experience which is also linked in with the WW1 drama scene where the boys experience the pain and loss of innocence within the war. Both of these scenes illustrate the loss of innocence; WW1 how innocent people were experiencing the deaths/loss of people they love which was shown by the boys and more significantly the second scene in a bruffle where back in the day men used to go to lose their virginities which represent the loss of innocence through characterisation.
The significance of the French play within History boys is that it shows how the boys and Hector are perceived by one and other. Also this is the introduction of Irwin. By Hector letting Dakin remove his trousers and the boys pretend to work in a brothel, shows his strange and unorthodox ways of teaching! His way of teaching mimics his own personality traits, rather weird and questionable. The French play shows how the boys are willing to go that extra mile in order to make learning bearable and quite humorous. It also shows an unspoken respect for Hector, they clearly enjoy his methods of teaching and eccentric ways. When the head teacher almost catches the class acting rather inappropriately , all of the characters are willing to lie to protect Hector, which is quite ironic as the probably need protecting from him. This also shows how the head teacher is willing to believe Hector and the boys, even though he is quite disturbed by what he see’s. The french play is most important i feel because this is where Irwin is first introduced.It symbolises the differences between Hector and Irwin, Irwin is clean cut and wouldnt dream of letting the boys act in that manner and Hector is rather flexable on what he allows.
In The History Boys the allusion of Posner singing 'Bewitched' isnt similar to jenette finding out about the 'Jane arye' book in Oranges, however both allusions show the theme of coming of age. Posner, being a boy, is in love with the other by Dakin. Posner sings 'Bewitched' which is a love song, raditionally sang by women. Posner being 'in love' with Dakin shows how he is coming of age but futhermore, being he is in love with a boy, showing he is gay which is a much more grown up thing to do. also because he is jewish it adds the pressure not to be gay, but he is anyways, showing his corrage which shows more coming of age. In oranges jennettes mother changed the end of the story 'Jane Eyre' so that in the story jane marries St.John which was what her mother wanted to happen. when jennette reads the book herself she finds out her mother lied to her, it shows jennette finding things don’t always work out as her mother wants and is finding stuff out on her own, linking to when she found out about her adoption papers, which would be a more traumatic thing to find, but Jeannette is linking that with the book. This shows the way through innocence to experience because before you read this part she though her mother was always right and now she realises she was lieing, linking it to the traumatic feeling to finding her adoption papers, knowing her mothers lied could be a long term traumatic effect as in not being able to trust her again, even though it was just over a story.
What is the significance of the French play with 'The History Boys' in relation to characterisation and thematic concerns?
The significance of the French play in History Boys is an important part within the whole play as, in relation to characterisation, the action and dialogue used portrays the situation between Hector and the boys. The actions Dakin make in the French play, such as stripping down to his underwear, enlighten the audience that both Hector and the boys are comfortable together and it shows how the relationship between them in natural. Hector and the boys are able to joke around and change the scene in the classroom from something formal to something more relaxed and enjoyable. Another thing that comes to light in the French play is the obsession that Posner has with Dakin. Posner has strong feelings towards Dakin and this is highlighted in the way he orders Dakin about. These feelings are not discouraged by Dakin making Posner more hopeful and unrealistic about his chances. This is significant as it allows the audience to understand more about both Posner and Dakin. Posner a confused and obsessive boy who after the French play goes on to singing Bewitched which explores his feelings about Dakin further. Dakin himself is someone who wants attention and action which is shown after the French play too when he describes his experience with Fiona.
At the time the French play comes within the whole play, the audience are not yet aware of the incidents that take place on Hectors motorbike. However, a thematic concern of the play is a message of sexual preference among people and in particular men. The topic of the French play being a brothel suggests that there is a connection between that and the events on the bike that follow after class the same day and this reflects the reference to sexuality one of the messages throughout History Boys. When the Headmaster enters the classroom with Irwin and the boys and Hector change the scene from the brothel to a war time hospital, it not only shows the respect and support between them but also causes the audience to notice something curious and suspicious about Hector in that he is secretive about the events concerning him and the boys.
It is the French play which is the first major demonstration of the characters individual hopes and feelings portrayed mainly through dialogue and action.
In History Boys, chracterisation is used through the two plays within the play (The brothel and the WW1). The first is the brothel seen in which Hector shows his "playful" side towards them as he allows Dakin to take off his trousers with out a second thought. This shows that he is not a strict (disaplined) with the boys. During the brothel scene Posner impersenates the lady which allows him to ask dakin to take off his trousers. This could represent the underlieing feelings posner has. Dakin acknowledgesyet still submits to takin off his trousers. When the headteacher enters with irwin the talk in french and the boys get Hector out of trouble by playing a WW1 scene instead.this shows that the boys respect and dont want him in trouble.
The thematic views towards these to play are both innocence and experince. The french brothel scene is through sex where as the WW1 scene is through going to war and having to kill people. This could be a way to represent that teh boys have lost there innocence to hector.??
(slightly confused for soem bits) sorry it was late
The French scene within ‘The History Boys’ is significant because it is one of the key moments that enlightens the audience about the relationship between Hector and the boys. The French scene is one of two parts. Firstly, the boys are acting out a scene in a brothel, conveyed through the French language. Within the scene various actions and words, spoken both by the boys and Hector, convey the personal yet inappropriate relationship they share. This scene is key to understanding the relationship between Hector and the boys, although shocking; various parts of this scene are amusing, and contrary to later in the play, we see the ‘goings on’ as merely young boys and an eccentric teacher. A significant action which truly captures the relationship is the moment when Dakin strips down to his underwear; this clearly conveys the openness and comfort of the relationship between Hector and the boys.
The second part of this scene, although not an actual second half, there is a clear change in the nature of the scene, is when the headmaster enters with Irwin. Hector is quick to explain how the boys are acting out a French war scene as opposed to the actual scene where the boys were in a brothel. The trust and ease of the relationship is clear conveys here, as the boys are willing to follow Hectors lead in lying to the Headmaster. This, to the audience may seem strange, and they may wonder why Hector felt the need to lie. Even though the audience may feel that the actions and nature of the French brothel scene is inappropriate, they are not yet enlightened about the motorbike incident and so remain oblivious to any hint of sexual feelings from Hector or the boys, although, the feelings of Posner are clearly portrayed, through his singing of ‘bewitched’ at the beginning of this scene.
This scene is significant to the play as a whole as it is enlightens the audience in a shocking, yet amusing way, to the relationship between hector and the boys. The way characterisation is used in this scene, is vivid and clearly defines the relationship between Hector and the boys. Within this scene there are hints at inappropriateness, Dakin in his underwear and Hector lying, however, this scene is merely looked at as inappropriate, there is no real concern from the audience. However when looking back on this scene, once the play has progressed to and past the motorbike incident, we can identify that there are subtle hints of a sexual reference that we miss, as we are not intentionally looking for them.
Sorry it's late but better late than never I say :) It won't paste all I've written again so i'll have to do it in two parts again ..
In terms of characterisation the French play is significant in highlighting and building upon certain aspects to characters and their behaviours which are somewhat of a large hint of things to come, particularly when looked back upon in hindsight. Here we begin to see more of Hector’s somewhat questionable behaviour as a teacher, as boundaries are again pushed beyond what would be considered acceptable limits. The boys perform a scene from a “maison de passe”, which though is not thought of as an idea by Hector, is also not challenged by him. As the scene progresses, Dakin proceeds to remove his trousers to just his pants in the classroom, which again leads you to question his thought process as a teacher, and what possesses him to believe that this is an acceptable thing to permit in a school environment. However, when the headteacher enters the room it is made evident that Hector clearly knows that the topic the French Play focused on is clearly not appropriate, as he feels the need to lie and say that Dakin is an injured soldier from the war. This shows that Hector clearly knows that the limits he allows with the boys are wrong, yet he still chooses to do them anyway. At this point we are unaware of the underlying sub-plot which consists of Hector’s inappropriate “ball groping”, but this scene is inarguably a hint towards things to come. However, it must also be said that the scene also shows a strong element of trust between both the boys and Hector, even if it is in questionable circumstances. Here, Hector knows he can allow the boys to perform a play of a somewhat unacceptable nature for school purposes and trust them to not mention it to anyone that could jeopardise Hector’s job. As well as this, when the headmaster enters the classroom Hector also knows he can lie about what the boys were doing, and rely on them to go along with it, as if the cover up is true. The trust also runs both ways. The boys know they can push for a somewhat controversial topic within Hector’s class and not face repercussions of it. It is the running of trust in both directions that is key in shielding the inappropriate behaviour of Hector. If Hector was the behave in such manners he does throughout the play without the boys respect, his inappropriate behaviour and questionable actions would be much more questionable to the reader from a much earlier point within the play and the boys trust and respect for Hector also leads to the reader feeling perhaps more sympathetic of Hector at the end of the play, rather than feeling disgust or hatred towards him for things he has done which, inarguably, for a man of his position, was wrong. Dakin’s choice of workplace being a ‘maison de passe’ also highlights key aspects to his character. He is evidentially the most openly sexually charged of the group, and this is highlighted through such a choice. His lack of hesitation to remove his trousers also builds upon the idea of his being somewhat egotistic is some manners, as he clearly feels he has nothing to hide. It also hints towards his enjoyment of being the centre of attention and being a flirt, as it is Posner who asks Dakin to remove his trousers. This combination builds upon much to come further in the play, including Dakin’s desire to ‘conquer’ Fiona’s ‘western front’, his gay admirer Posner and most unexpectedly his flirting with Mr.Irwin, which leads to him quite openly asking for a blow job.
In all however, the scene is another example of an incredibly strong amount of trust and respect amongst the boys, not only for Hector but for one another. Openly they perform a somewhat controversial play for school standards, and have no fear of consequences of their behaviour in front of one another, and in front of Hector.
In regards to thematic concerns the French play again holds high significance. The play highlights the questionable behaviour of Hector, who not only permits a performance based upon prostitutes but also condones a pupil removing his trousers within his class, it touches upon an element of homosexuality although it is not directly overt, as the boys are performing as women, however are still in fact men, and Posner’s request for Dakin’s trousers to be removed, it brushes across the idea of love, with the opening of the play being Posner singing “some Piaf”, world renowned for her love ballads, teen love/lust and coming of age also running through the play in regards to Dakin and Fiona, Posner’s ‘love’ for Dakin, Scripps’ love for God and also in some ways Irwin and Dakin. Irwin’s introduction during the play can also be linked to the educational theme which runs through the play, as Irwin is seen as a solution to get the boys into Oxford and Cambridge.
The French 'mini-play' within History Boys is significant for a number of reasons. Firstly, it introduces the integral character of Irwin to the boys, and it is in the context of this first meeting between teacher an pupils which will shape the way that the boys initially see Irwin - as an outsider who has crashed into their world of Hector-infused knowledge - in the same way that he 'gatecrashes' their play. The play also relates to the underlying thematic concerns that the 'main play' deals with - "innocence to experience".
The seedy, or plain immoral, setting of a brothel - a place where one loses sexual 'innocence', so to speak - is obscured by the innocence of its context; a school lesson intended to improve the boys' grasp of the French language. By subverting the educational 'experience' into one of immorality or sexuality, Bennett is making a clever commentary on the degradation of society, and how this causes decay of innocence, and he does this subtly by hiding this criticism in a 'play-within-a-play' structure, which requires more effort and analaysis to decode. The experienced Hector has seemingly corrupted the 'innocent' boys with his unconventional teachings, in the same way that society corrupts the innocence of youth.
In regards to characterisation, this play also establishes the characters to a more substantial degree for the duration of the wider play. Here, we see yet more evidence of Hector's eccentricity and blurred boundaries between right and wrong. He does not, as a teacher perhaps should, dissuade Dakin's French brothel, but in fact indulges the adolescents in their ludicrous, carnal fantasy, and shows further abscence of morality when he lies to the Headmaster in order to save his own skin. Irwin, in contrast to this, is shown as perhaps a bit of a 'know-it-all', a spanner in Hector's works. He chimes in with "shell-shock", exposing Hector's momentary ignorance to the boys, and so injects some semblance of logic and education into the farcical situation. Posner's attraction to Dakin is also first discussed in this pivotal scene, which is important to both the thematic concerns and both character's characterisations in how they deal with this. The Headmaster's distaste for Hector, along with certain tensions, are highlighted in this scene also as a method of foreshadowing; with the Headmaster's last word ("fuck"), we know that he clashes with Hector, and that there will be more said on the matter in subsequent pages.
What is the significance of the French play within History Boys for characterization and also for thematic concerns?
The way a reader can make an assumption of a character in History Boys is by speech (duologue, dialogue, monologue etc.) or action. Of course assumptions can be very wrong or entirely right as the play progresses. For example with Hector, the reader assumes that he is a playful and undisciplined character from the start. Yet at the scene of the French brothel which in itself is a peculiar permission granted by the teacher to act out. When Dakin takes of his trousers and Hector still allows it this is frowned upon by critics yet ridiculed by the audience, it shows Hectors hidden agenda. Which as the play develops reveals that Hector is in fact practising paedophilia (or as Donovan says what the Romans were used to as it was perfectly normal, yet the rest of us think it is paedophilia.) Dakin acting out the brothel scene in front of everyone: being the only male surrounded by 'prostitutes' shows a certain confidence within him that hints upon him having sexual experience beforehand which he later confirms when talking of 'the loss of innocence in the war'. Which is also a references to his loss of sexual innocence with the secretary Fiona. Dakin seems like a heart breaker, overconfident, self aware and all categorized by his actions. Yet his innocence is challenged by his developing curiosity for Irwin. Unfortunately for Posner, he falls in love with Dakin. Posner's actions e.g. singing a passionate female song proves to hint on homosexuality as he chooses to sing it regardless it being written for a male. In the French play Posner jumps to the opportunity to offer Dakin to take his trousers off, pretending to be his sex slave/prostitute in the play. Posner's action reveal him to be a homosexual and the French play proves it correct. When the headmaster catches them in the middle of this inappropriate scene the boys cover up by saying they were in fact acting out a WW1 scene. The headmaster is already cautious of Hectors actions, this is proven by when the boys want to cover up for him not to get him in trouble. This is an innocent action to prevent bad experiences they might associate with Hectors actions. The play is significant for thematic concern because the French brothel leads to the loss of innocence because it is known for its sexual activities. Hence the boys trying to cover it up to prevent trouble. Yet by covering the scene up with WW1 theme it also shows the loss of innocence due to the horrific events that went on that writers like Owen would describe. The tragic events lead to the loss of the soldiers innocence and the gain of experience due to the mass murders committed by previously pure and innocent souls.
15 comments:
The significance of teh French play in History Boys for characterisation shows the way in which the bos have respect for Hector. This is shown when the headmaster comes into the room and the boys chnage the play that they were acting out to a different one so Hector would not get told of by the headmaster. Hector comes across in this french play as very comfortable with the boys as Dakin takes of his trousers and Hector does not flinch to tell him to put them back on. Later on in the play we find out that Hector is a pervert and he touches the boys, this may be the reason in which why he is redundant to Dakin taking of his trousers. The significance with Characterisation in the French play of the brothel with Posner shows the way in which he may have feelings for Dakin, the taking off the trousers and that he tells Dakin to lay down suggest maybe he has some feelings towards Dakin. The forshadowing of this suggest that later on as a reader we will see if he actually does feel for Dakin. When reading on we read that Posner does but nothing comes from it.
The thematic views throughtout this french play shows the significance theme of innocence and experience as the first french play in which the boys act out is first at a brothel. This shows the theme of innocence as the boys would loose innocence here as a brothel is a place of sexual experience. The second play in which the boys act out is the innocence theme of world war one. Innocence is shown here as when boys would go into war they would loose their innocence of humanity.
What is the significance of the French play within the History Boys for characterisation and also for thematic concerns?
Within the History Boys the two main methods of characterisation are dialogue(speech)and action. Through these methods the reader is enabled to make certain judgements on the characters introduced. Firstly - the introduction of Hector enables the reader to make the assumption that Hector himself is a strange character. Normally, a teacher would not allow - even in impersonations of characters in plays - a student to remove his trousers. Hector's dialogue portrays him as a playful and undisciplined teacher: he does not seem to recognise that there are boundaries set between teachers and students. Posner - who is introduced singing a song written by a female - comes across as being quite feminine, his actions later on in the play and the revelation that he has an interest in Dakin also back the fact that - like a female - Posner is in touch with his feelings.
Whilst events within the play help the reader to make judgements on the characters they meet, the plays within in this play (Not necessarily literary allusions but allusions none the less) also help the reader with this. During a class, the boys all start to act out a part from a Brothel in French. The fact that Dakin plays the character who is hiring the prostitute and the only male within the play (Or the part they portray) gives him a certain masculinity and the assumption can be made that he is already sexually active - His actions within the play helps the reader characterize him. Once being caught by the Headmaster and Irwin the boys quickly lie and say that they were acting parts out from a Hospital in Belgium, the significance of this particular play ties in with the title, History Boys, - they are acting out a play which is based on events during world war one.
These plays are also significant because they show the passage from innocence to experience. In the French play, the loss of innocence is relayed through sexual activities and in the second play the loss of innocence and the gain of experience is shown through activities during war - where boys would have to kill others to survive (A loss of their humanity/ a loss of innocence).
PS: I'm sorry of this isn't correct but I've written to my own understanding of this.
PPS: Sorry for how bloomin' long this is. :').
I think you people should post more jokes. XD
No way did Fran post this first haha.
Anyways, erm yeah
The significance of the french play, in relation to chartacterisation shows the relationships and actions between the boys and Hector, and how Hector is respected by the boys but is a suspicious figure to other members of staff (for example, the Headmaster).
this is clearly shown in the role of Hector. He seems very confident infront of the boys as he knows he is stepping over boundaries. It is not clear that it is naivety that keeps the boys from telling the truth once Irwin and the headteacher come into the room, it is a matter of respect and possibly influential force. It is very clear to the audience that what Hector is doing is wrong when the classroom door is shut, and he gets a shock when Irwin and the headmaster come in the classroom to find such a scene going on. His actions at this part, as a method of characterisation, he shouts confidently and continues to speak in french so he does not have to explain himself. He then influences the boys answers by cutting them out when they almost told the headteacher what was really going on!
It is significant to note the actions and roles of Hector in this part of the play, because soon after, we find out hes 'fiddling' with the boys, this then makes up for his strange, over-comfortable behaviour!
The thematic views throughout this French play show the transition from innocence to experience, as the booys would tend to lose all innocence once going into a brothel- a place of sexual activity. Even though it is just role-play, they are developing their knowledge and they are not as naive as they were before they knew what a brothel and all sorts of sexual activity was.
This adds to their gain of experience, as it is shown though activities taken place during the war, this takes away their innocence and humanity.
i dont think its QUITE finished.... but im read for you to criticise it sir haha...
Sorry, but my mums cooked apple crumble and custard... so erm, yeah thats my number 1 priority right now, not this.
Ever so sorry ;-)
The French play in the history boys is very useful as it highlights Hector’s inappropriateness before he even begins to fiddle with the eight male students. This therefore suggests that the play acts as an indicator to the behaviour that is yet to come, foreshadowing the immoral acts of Hector. This also leads on to Posner and his request for Dakin to tale his trousers off. This kind of request is clearly very wrong, and obviously underlines what kind of a teacher Hector is as what self respecting teacher would allow this request to be said let alone be followed through? The fact that Hector allows this to happen in his class sets a wrong example for the students and therefore within the teaching that is going on the students are learning bad life lessons. The behaviour within the classroom is fully recognized as wrong as when the head teacher walks into the class interrupting what is supposedly teaching Hector soon changes the theme of the play from being based upon a brothel to World War One, all the students play along with this change in theme suggesting that they have enormous respect for their teacher, which furthermore could link to their innocence with experience. This also brings me to the point that whilst these students are only young and therefore are still quite innocent and inexperienced, both of the themes within the French play signify a loss of innocence and bring with them much experience. Therefore suggesting that if Hector hasn’t already robbed the young lads of their innocence he soon will as he has based a whole lesson upon this theme.
The French and the WW1 scene is useful in the audience learning about Hector. Hector is willing to let the boys act out a brothel scene despite it being inappropiate. He also knows this as he lies to the headmaster and covers it up. This may be to cover up for the boys also. The boys do have respect to him for this however as they join in showing they would not complain about his inappropiateness with them. It also shows the relationship wanted from Posner with Dakin as he is the one that makes Dakin takes off his trousers. While this may be percieved as a joke Dakin says 'watch it' suggesting there is more to this and they have a understanding. Having said this, this particular line of dialouge is taken out of the film suggesting that others find less significance to this or they did not want to give any hints away about Posner's feeling. This links in with the thematic concerns such as innocance to experience because in both scenes it is a way for them to lose their innocence either by sleeping with a prostitute or killing someone is war. Either way once the innocence is gone it is gone forever. The WW1 is particulary mentioned again and the boys do recite a poem where they talk about innocence lost forever in the war before Dakin taking this back to losing innocence sexually when talking about Fiona.
Within the History Boys of the french play the author shows different types of characterasation through the two different scenes of the World War One and the bruffle. Characterasation is reflected through the way the boys talk and the tone of their voice;the use of emotions,facial expressions and their body language to reflect on both scenes that are dramatically touched on the loss of innocence through experience. The Bruffle scene was thematic within the use of parody and humour when Dakin takes his trousers off with no emmbarestment and another boy comes along acts to be one of the women at the bruffle. This scene illustrates the significance between the two; the drama within the innocence through experience which is also linked in with the WW1 drama scene where the boys experience the pain and loss of innocence within the war. Both of these scenes illustrate the loss of innocence; WW1 how innocent people were experiencing the deaths/loss of people they love which was shown by the boys and more significantly the second scene in a bruffle where back in the day men used to go to lose their virginities which represent the loss of innocence through characterisation.
Skaiste Pakalnyte
I realise this homework is very very late!
The significance of the French play within History boys is that it shows how the boys and Hector are perceived by one and other. Also this is the introduction of Irwin. By Hector letting Dakin remove his trousers and the boys pretend to work in a brothel, shows his strange and unorthodox ways of teaching! His way of teaching mimics his own personality traits, rather weird and questionable. The French play shows how the boys are willing to go that extra mile in order to make learning bearable and quite humorous. It also shows an unspoken respect for Hector, they clearly enjoy his methods of teaching and eccentric ways. When the head teacher almost catches the class acting rather inappropriately , all of the characters are willing to lie to protect Hector, which is quite ironic as the probably need protecting from him. This also shows how the head teacher is willing to believe Hector and the boys, even though he is quite disturbed by what he see’s. The french play is most important i feel because this is where Irwin is first introduced.It symbolises the differences between Hector and Irwin, Irwin is clean cut and wouldnt dream of letting the boys act in that manner and Hector is rather flexable on what he allows.
In The History Boys the allusion of Posner singing 'Bewitched' isnt similar to jenette finding out about the 'Jane arye' book in Oranges, however both allusions show the theme of coming of age. Posner, being a boy, is in love with the other by Dakin. Posner sings 'Bewitched' which is a love song, raditionally sang by women. Posner being 'in love' with Dakin shows how he is coming of age but futhermore, being he is in love with a boy, showing he is gay which is a much more grown up thing to do. also because he is jewish it adds the pressure not to be gay, but he is anyways, showing his corrage which shows more coming of age. In oranges jennettes mother changed the end of the story 'Jane Eyre' so that in the story jane marries St.John which was what her mother wanted to happen. when jennette reads the book herself she finds out her mother lied to her, it shows jennette finding things don’t always work out as her mother wants and is finding stuff out on her own, linking to when she found out about her adoption papers, which would be a more traumatic thing to find, but Jeannette is linking that with the book. This shows the way through innocence to experience because before you read this part she though her mother was always right and now she realises she was lieing, linking it to the traumatic feeling to finding her adoption papers, knowing her mothers lied could be a long term traumatic effect as in not being able to trust her again, even though it was just over a story.
Daaaisy.
What is the significance of the French play with 'The History Boys' in relation to characterisation and thematic concerns?
The significance of the French play in History Boys is an important part within the whole play as, in relation to characterisation, the action and dialogue used portrays the situation between Hector and the boys. The actions Dakin make in the French play, such as stripping down to his underwear, enlighten the audience that both Hector and the boys are comfortable together and it shows how the relationship between them in natural. Hector and the boys are able to joke around and change the scene in the classroom from something formal to something more relaxed and enjoyable. Another thing that comes to light in the French play is the obsession that Posner has with Dakin. Posner has strong feelings towards Dakin and this is highlighted in the way he orders Dakin about. These feelings are not discouraged by Dakin making Posner more hopeful and unrealistic about his chances. This is significant as it allows the audience to understand more about both Posner and Dakin. Posner a confused and obsessive boy who after the French play goes on to singing Bewitched which explores his feelings about Dakin further. Dakin himself is someone who wants attention and action which is shown after the French play too when he describes his experience with Fiona.
At the time the French play comes within the whole play, the audience are not yet aware of the incidents that take place on Hectors motorbike. However, a thematic concern of the play is a message of sexual preference among people and in particular men. The topic of the French play being a brothel suggests that there is a connection between that and the events on the bike that follow after class the same day and this reflects the reference to sexuality one of the messages throughout History Boys. When the Headmaster enters the classroom with Irwin and the boys and Hector change the scene from the brothel to a war time hospital, it not only shows the respect and support between them but also causes the audience to notice something curious and suspicious about Hector in that he is secretive about the events concerning him and the boys.
It is the French play which is the first major demonstration of the characters individual hopes and feelings portrayed mainly through dialogue and action.
Bobbie
In History Boys, chracterisation is used through the two plays within the play (The brothel and the WW1). The first is the brothel seen in which Hector shows his "playful" side towards them as he allows Dakin to take off his trousers with out a second thought. This shows that he is not a strict (disaplined) with the boys. During the brothel scene Posner impersenates the lady which allows him to ask dakin to take off his trousers. This could represent the underlieing feelings posner has. Dakin acknowledgesyet still submits to takin off his trousers. When the headteacher enters with irwin the talk in french and the boys get Hector out of trouble by playing a WW1 scene instead.this shows that the boys respect and dont want him in trouble.
The thematic views towards these to play are both innocence and experince. The french brothel scene is through sex where as the WW1 scene is through going to war and having to kill people. This could be a way to represent that teh boys have lost there innocence to hector.??
(slightly confused for soem bits)
sorry it was late
Ashley Nicholson
The French scene within ‘The History Boys’ is significant because it is one of the key moments that enlightens the audience about the relationship between Hector and the boys. The French scene is one of two parts.
Firstly, the boys are acting out a scene in a brothel, conveyed through the French language. Within the scene various actions and words, spoken both by the boys and Hector, convey the personal yet inappropriate relationship they share. This scene is key to understanding the relationship between Hector and the boys, although shocking; various parts of this scene are amusing, and contrary to later in the play, we see the ‘goings on’ as merely young boys and an eccentric teacher. A significant action which truly captures the relationship is the moment when Dakin strips down to his underwear; this clearly conveys the openness and comfort of the relationship between Hector and the boys.
The second part of this scene, although not an actual second half, there is a clear change in the nature of the scene, is when the headmaster enters with Irwin. Hector is quick to explain how the boys are acting out a French war scene as opposed to the actual scene where the boys were in a brothel. The trust and ease of the relationship is clear conveys here, as the boys are willing to follow Hectors lead in lying to the Headmaster. This, to the audience may seem strange, and they may wonder why Hector felt the need to lie. Even though the audience may feel that the actions and nature of the French brothel scene is inappropriate, they are not yet enlightened about the motorbike incident and so remain oblivious to any hint of sexual feelings from Hector or the boys, although, the feelings of Posner are clearly portrayed, through his singing of ‘bewitched’ at the beginning of this scene.
This scene is significant to the play as a whole as it is enlightens the audience in a shocking, yet amusing way, to the relationship between hector and the boys. The way characterisation is used in this scene, is vivid and clearly defines the relationship between Hector and the boys. Within this scene there are hints at inappropriateness, Dakin in his underwear and Hector lying, however, this scene is merely looked at as inappropriate, there is no real concern from the audience. However when looking back on this scene, once the play has progressed to and past the motorbike incident, we can identify that there are subtle hints of a sexual reference that we miss, as we are not intentionally looking for them.
Sorry that its late :(
Sorry it's late but better late than never I say :) It won't paste all I've written again so i'll have to do it in two parts again ..
In terms of characterisation the French play is significant in highlighting and building upon certain aspects to characters and their behaviours which are somewhat of a large hint of things to come, particularly when looked back upon in hindsight. Here we begin to see more of Hector’s somewhat questionable behaviour as a teacher, as boundaries are again pushed beyond what would be considered acceptable limits. The boys perform a scene from a “maison de passe”, which though is not thought of as an idea by Hector, is also not challenged by him. As the scene progresses, Dakin proceeds to remove his trousers to just his pants in the classroom, which again leads you to question his thought process as a teacher, and what possesses him to believe that this is an acceptable thing to permit in a school environment. However, when the headteacher enters the room it is made evident that Hector clearly knows that the topic the French Play focused on is clearly not appropriate, as he feels the need to lie and say that Dakin is an injured soldier from the war. This shows that Hector clearly knows that the limits he allows with the boys are wrong, yet he still chooses to do them anyway. At this point we are unaware of the underlying sub-plot which consists of Hector’s inappropriate “ball groping”, but this scene is inarguably a hint towards things to come. However, it must also be said that the scene also shows a strong element of trust between both the boys and Hector, even if it is in questionable circumstances. Here, Hector knows he can allow the boys to perform a play of a somewhat unacceptable nature for school purposes and trust them to not mention it to anyone that could jeopardise Hector’s job. As well as this, when the headmaster enters the classroom Hector also knows he can lie about what the boys were doing, and rely on them to go along with it, as if the cover up is true. The trust also runs both ways. The boys know they can push for a somewhat controversial topic within Hector’s class and not face repercussions of it. It is the running of trust in both directions that is key in shielding the inappropriate behaviour of Hector. If Hector was the behave in such manners he does throughout the play without the boys respect, his inappropriate behaviour and questionable actions would be much more questionable to the reader from a much earlier point within the play and the boys trust and respect for Hector also leads to the reader feeling perhaps more sympathetic of Hector at the end of the play, rather than feeling disgust or hatred towards him for things he has done which, inarguably, for a man of his position, was wrong.
Dakin’s choice of workplace being a ‘maison de passe’ also highlights key aspects to his character. He is evidentially the most openly sexually charged of the group, and this is highlighted through such a choice. His lack of hesitation to remove his trousers also builds upon the idea of his being somewhat egotistic is some manners, as he clearly feels he has nothing to hide. It also hints towards his enjoyment of being the centre of attention and being a flirt, as it is Posner who asks Dakin to remove his trousers. This combination builds upon much to come further in the play, including Dakin’s desire to ‘conquer’ Fiona’s ‘western front’, his gay admirer Posner and most unexpectedly his flirting with Mr.Irwin, which leads to him quite openly asking for a blow job.
In all however, the scene is another example of an incredibly strong amount of trust and respect amongst the boys, not only for Hector but for one another. Openly they perform a somewhat controversial play for school standards, and have no fear of consequences of their behaviour in front of one another, and in front of Hector.
In regards to thematic concerns the French play again holds high significance. The play highlights the questionable behaviour of Hector, who not only permits a performance based upon prostitutes but also condones a pupil removing his trousers within his class, it touches upon an element of homosexuality although it is not directly overt, as the boys are performing as women, however are still in fact men, and Posner’s request for Dakin’s trousers to be removed, it brushes across the idea of love, with the opening of the play being Posner singing “some Piaf”, world renowned for her love ballads, teen love/lust and coming of age also running through the play in regards to Dakin and Fiona, Posner’s ‘love’ for Dakin, Scripps’ love for God and also in some ways Irwin and Dakin. Irwin’s introduction during the play can also be linked to the educational theme which runs through the play, as Irwin is seen as a solution to get the boys into Oxford and Cambridge.
The French 'mini-play' within History Boys is significant for a number of reasons. Firstly, it introduces the integral character of Irwin to the boys, and it is in the context of this first meeting between teacher an pupils which will shape the way that the boys initially see Irwin - as an outsider who has crashed into their world of Hector-infused knowledge - in the same way that he 'gatecrashes' their play. The play also relates to the underlying thematic concerns that the 'main play' deals with - "innocence to experience".
The seedy, or plain immoral, setting of a brothel - a place where one loses sexual 'innocence', so to speak - is obscured by the innocence of its context; a school lesson intended to improve the boys' grasp of the French language. By subverting the educational 'experience' into one of immorality or sexuality, Bennett is making a clever commentary on the degradation of society, and how this causes decay of innocence, and he does this subtly by hiding this criticism in a 'play-within-a-play' structure, which requires more effort and analaysis to decode. The experienced Hector has seemingly corrupted the 'innocent' boys with his unconventional teachings, in the same way that society corrupts the innocence of youth.
In regards to characterisation, this play also establishes the characters to a more substantial degree for the duration of the wider play. Here, we see yet more evidence of Hector's eccentricity and blurred boundaries between right and wrong. He does not, as a teacher perhaps should, dissuade Dakin's French brothel, but in fact indulges the adolescents in their ludicrous, carnal fantasy, and shows further abscence of morality when he lies to the Headmaster in order to save his own skin. Irwin, in contrast to this, is shown as perhaps a bit of a 'know-it-all', a spanner in Hector's works. He chimes in with "shell-shock", exposing Hector's momentary ignorance to the boys, and so injects some semblance of logic and education into the farcical situation. Posner's attraction to Dakin is also first discussed in this pivotal scene, which is important to both the thematic concerns and both character's characterisations in how they deal with this.
The Headmaster's distaste for Hector, along with certain tensions, are highlighted in this scene also as a method of foreshadowing; with the Headmaster's last word ("fuck"), we know that he clashes with Hector, and that there will be more said on the matter in subsequent pages.
- Becky Boakes
What is the significance of the French play within History Boys for characterization and also for thematic concerns?
The way a reader can make an assumption of a character in History Boys is by speech (duologue, dialogue, monologue etc.) or action. Of course assumptions can be very wrong or entirely right as the play progresses.
For example with Hector, the reader assumes that he is a playful and undisciplined character from the start. Yet at the scene of the French brothel which in itself is a peculiar permission granted by the teacher to act out. When Dakin takes of his trousers and Hector still allows it this is frowned upon by critics yet ridiculed by the audience, it shows Hectors hidden agenda. Which as the play develops reveals that Hector is in fact practising paedophilia (or as Donovan says what the Romans were used to as it was perfectly normal, yet the rest of us think it is paedophilia.)
Dakin acting out the brothel scene in front of everyone: being the only male surrounded by 'prostitutes' shows a certain confidence within him that hints upon him having sexual experience beforehand which he later confirms when talking of 'the loss of innocence in the war'. Which is also a references to his loss of sexual innocence with the secretary Fiona.
Dakin seems like a heart breaker, overconfident, self aware and all categorized by his actions. Yet his innocence is challenged by his developing curiosity for Irwin.
Unfortunately for Posner, he falls in love with Dakin. Posner's actions e.g. singing a passionate female song proves to hint on homosexuality as he chooses to sing it regardless it being written for a male. In the French play Posner jumps to the opportunity to offer Dakin to take his trousers off, pretending to be his sex slave/prostitute in the play. Posner's action reveal him to be a homosexual and the French play proves it correct.
When the headmaster catches them in the middle of this inappropriate scene the boys cover up by saying they were in fact acting out a WW1 scene. The headmaster is already cautious of Hectors actions, this is proven by when the boys want to cover up for him not to get him in trouble. This is an innocent action to prevent bad experiences they might associate with Hectors actions.
The play is significant for thematic concern because the French brothel leads to the loss of innocence because it is known for its sexual activities. Hence the boys trying to cover it up to prevent trouble. Yet by covering the scene up with WW1 theme it also shows the loss of innocence due to the horrific events that went on that writers like Owen would describe. The tragic events lead to the loss of the soldiers innocence and the gain of experience due to the mass murders committed by previously pure and innocent souls.
Post a Comment