Significant Themes in Murmuring Judges by David Hare
The purpose of this essay is to identify the significant themes in Murmuring Judges by David Hare and to show how these themes have been presented to the audience.
David Hare graduated from Cambridge University in 1968; that same year he co-founded the Portable Theatre Company with his friend Richard Bicat. Ironically he was to launch his writing career because the Company was left in the lurch by a playwright just four days before rehearsals were due to start. Hare jumped into the breach and penned a short satirical piece on the unlikelihood of revolution in Britain. This rather hasty first attempt at writing turned out to be a resounding success; which inspired Hare to further writings. (http://www.imagi-nation.com/moonstruck/COSC52.html: accessed 15/03/2010). Hare’s career flourished; he became adept in all aspects of the theatre; managing, directing, writing and producing. His satirical style of writing has become acclaimed for its sharp wit and conceptualisation of key British institutions.
Significant themes in Murmuring Judges are the Judiciary System, the Police Force, class distinction and corruption within both the Judiciary System and the police force. Hare’s portrayal of these themes leaves his audience in no doubt of his perceptions.
Although Hare is seldom overtly humorous in his writing; there is a degree of levity in his character portrayal; which lends the audience some insight to his observations of the people he presents in the play. This is most evident in Hare’s introduction of Sir Peter; who relates his belief that the entire country is united by its compulsion to tune into ‘Dessert Island Discs’ at Sunday lunchtime every week.
“I do sometimes think it’s the last remaining thing the British all hold in Common. It’s the only time we’re really one nation.”
Such a notion would of course be to the public at large quite laughable, however Hare has cunningly planted the notion that in saying something so obviously untrue; this man
David Hare graduated from Cambridge University in 1968; that same year he co-founded the Portable Theatre Company with his friend Richard Bicat. Ironically he was to launch his writing career because the Company was left in the lurch by a playwright just four days before rehearsals were due to start. Hare jumped into the breach and penned a short satirical piece on the unlikelihood of revolution in Britain. This rather hasty first attempt at writing turned out to be a resounding success; which inspired Hare to further writings. (http://www.imagi-nation.com/moonstruck/COSC52.html: accessed 15/03/2010). Hare’s career flourished; he became adept in all aspects of the theatre; managing, directing, writing and producing. His satirical style of writing has become acclaimed for its sharp wit and conceptualisation of key British institutions.
Significant themes in Murmuring Judges are the Judiciary System, the Police Force, class distinction and corruption within both the Judiciary System and the police force. Hare’s portrayal of these themes leaves his audience in no doubt of his perceptions.
Although Hare is seldom overtly humorous in his writing; there is a degree of levity in his character portrayal; which lends the audience some insight to his observations of the people he presents in the play. This is most evident in Hare’s introduction of Sir Peter; who relates his belief that the entire country is united by its compulsion to tune into ‘Dessert Island Discs’ at Sunday lunchtime every week.
“I do sometimes think it’s the last remaining thing the British all hold in Common. It’s the only time we’re really one nation.”
Such a notion would of course be to the public at large quite laughable, however Hare has cunningly planted the notion that in saying something so obviously untrue; this man
References: http://www.imagi-nation.com/moonstruck/COSC52.html: accessed 15/03/2010