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A review by readingisadoingword
The History Boys by Alan Bennett
challenging
funny
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I loved this play!
It's the mid 80s and a group of history students from a regional grammar school are trying to get into Oxford. Their eccentric English teacher Hector is filling their brains with quotes from plays, films, poetry - anything! He's erratic and unconventional but somehow has an aspiration to enrich the boys' souls rather than just getting them through an exam.
"I count examinations even for Oxford and Cambridge as the enemy of education. Which is not to say that I don’t regard education as the enemy of education, too."
His counterparts are Mrs Lintott and Mr Irwin.
Mrs Lintott has taught the boys to succeed academically and Mr Irwin is brought in to teach them specifically, how to pass an Oxbridge entrance exam. They both contrast with Hector in their goal orientated ways of teaching.
"Mr. Hector’s stuff’s not meant for the exam, sir. It’s to make us more rounded human beings."
"Shall I tell you what is wrong with Hector as a teacher? It isn’t that he doesn’t produce results. He does. But they are unpredictable and unquantifiable and in the current educational climate that is no use."
I loved Hector's irreverence and his giving equal weight to long passages from popular films as to those from classical literature. Encouraging the boys to learn by heart, he's furnishing them with little jewels for future enjoyment but not for academic inspection.
“I don't always understand poetry!'
'You don't always understand it? Timms, I never understand it. But learn it now, know it now and you will understand it...whenever.'
'I don’t see how we can understand it. Most of the stuff poetry’s about
hasn’t happened to us yet.'
'But it will, Timms. It will. And then you will have the antidote ready!”
There's a lot of cynicism around how to spin answers for the exam. Irwin focuses on differentiating oneself rather than on being genuine or truthful. Despite his ability to get the boys through the exam he somewhat tarnished the magic of their random learnings with Hector.
As much as I enjoyed this play, and perhaps it's indicative "of its time", I felt uncomfortable with the off-hand way in which Hector's inappropriate sexual behaviour towards the boys was dealt with, also also other Senior/Staff relationships within the school. These are almost laughed off and little examination given to the impact on the victims. While this may not be what this play is "about", it's a significant element and one that lands differently in today's context.
All in all a thought-provoking read but perhaps not always for the reasons intended.
It did make me want to learn more poetry by heart though!
It's the mid 80s and a group of history students from a regional grammar school are trying to get into Oxford. Their eccentric English teacher Hector is filling their brains with quotes from plays, films, poetry - anything! He's erratic and unconventional but somehow has an aspiration to enrich the boys' souls rather than just getting them through an exam.
"I count examinations even for Oxford and Cambridge as the enemy of education. Which is not to say that I don’t regard education as the enemy of education, too."
His counterparts are Mrs Lintott and Mr Irwin.
Mrs Lintott has taught the boys to succeed academically and Mr Irwin is brought in to teach them specifically, how to pass an Oxbridge entrance exam. They both contrast with Hector in their goal orientated ways of teaching.
"Mr. Hector’s stuff’s not meant for the exam, sir. It’s to make us more rounded human beings."
"Shall I tell you what is wrong with Hector as a teacher? It isn’t that he doesn’t produce results. He does. But they are unpredictable and unquantifiable and in the current educational climate that is no use."
I loved Hector's irreverence and his giving equal weight to long passages from popular films as to those from classical literature. Encouraging the boys to learn by heart, he's furnishing them with little jewels for future enjoyment but not for academic inspection.
“I don't always understand poetry!'
'You don't always understand it? Timms, I never understand it. But learn it now, know it now and you will understand it...whenever.'
'I don’t see how we can understand it. Most of the stuff poetry’s about
hasn’t happened to us yet.'
'But it will, Timms. It will. And then you will have the antidote ready!”
There's a lot of cynicism around how to spin answers for the exam. Irwin focuses on differentiating oneself rather than on being genuine or truthful. Despite his ability to get the boys through the exam he somewhat tarnished the magic of their random learnings with Hector.
As much as I enjoyed this play, and perhaps it's indicative "of its time", I felt uncomfortable with the off-hand way in which Hector's inappropriate sexual behaviour towards the boys was dealt with, also also other Senior/Staff relationships within the school. These are almost laughed off and little examination given to the impact on the victims. While this may not be what this play is "about", it's a significant element and one that lands differently in today's context.
All in all a thought-provoking read but perhaps not always for the reasons intended.
It did make me want to learn more poetry by heart though!