Many definitions of comedy claim that at the end of the play a happy conclusion will have emerged. How far do you think Educating Rita has a happy conclusion?
Many definitions of comedy claim that at the end of the play a happy conclusion will have emerged. How far do you think Educating Rita has a happy conclusion?
Educating Rita is a play by Willie Russell, set in 1983. It is a semi-autobiographical play about Rita, a young working class Liverpool hairdresser who decides wants to gain an education using an Open University. Her tutor is the disillusioned and alcoholic Frank, who teaches at the Open University to pay for his drinking habits. Rita decides she wants to learn everything, even if it means ‘abandoning her originality’. With Rita’s marriage break down, and Frank’s alcoholism, will either of them ever receive their happy ending?
In some ways, I think the Educating Rita does have a happy ending. This is due to many incidents throughout the play which shows Frank and Rita can have a good life and can now move on with it. At the beginning of the play, Rita says that she “wants to learn everything”. By the end of the play, she fulfils this dream as she passes her exams and can now be seen as an “educated woman”. She can now be herself, a working class hairdresser, yet have an education at the same time, which she didn’t think she could have before, as she thought she was “out of step.” Furthermore, nearing the end of the play, Frank gives Rita a dress that he bought for her. “Well, it’s er – it’s a dress really”. This is significant as she says that she’s not going to buy a new dress until she has learnt everything and passed her exams. When Frank gives Rita the dress, he says it’s for an “educated woman friend” of his. Therefore, this could show that the play has a happy conclusion as Rita has done what she wanted to do and, with Franks help, learnt “everything.” Also, Frank gains self-confidence. This is because Rita convinces him that he is a good teacher. “I came to tell you you’re a good teacher.” This shows that Frank, although a few hiccups along the way, gained a lot throughout the play. This shows
Educating Rita is a play by Willie Russell, set in 1983. It is a semi-autobiographical play about Rita, a young working class Liverpool hairdresser who decides wants to gain an education using an Open University. Her tutor is the disillusioned and alcoholic Frank, who teaches at the Open University to pay for his drinking habits. Rita decides she wants to learn everything, even if it means ‘abandoning her originality’. With Rita’s marriage break down, and Frank’s alcoholism, will either of them ever receive their happy ending?
In some ways, I think the Educating Rita does have a happy ending. This is due to many incidents throughout the play which shows Frank and Rita can have a good life and can now move on with it. At the beginning of the play, Rita says that she “wants to learn everything”. By the end of the play, she fulfils this dream as she passes her exams and can now be seen as an “educated woman”. She can now be herself, a working class hairdresser, yet have an education at the same time, which she didn’t think she could have before, as she thought she was “out of step.” Furthermore, nearing the end of the play, Frank gives Rita a dress that he bought for her. “Well, it’s er – it’s a dress really”. This is significant as she says that she’s not going to buy a new dress until she has learnt everything and passed her exams. When Frank gives Rita the dress, he says it’s for an “educated woman friend” of his. Therefore, this could show that the play has a happy conclusion as Rita has done what she wanted to do and, with Franks help, learnt “everything.” Also, Frank gains self-confidence. This is because Rita convinces him that he is a good teacher. “I came to tell you you’re a good teacher.” This shows that Frank, although a few hiccups along the way, gained a lot throughout the play. This shows