This article explores Alan Bennett’s The History Boys, as a contemporary play, which manages to be highly entertaining and at the same time educationally enriching. While not written for adolescents, they have flocked to see the play onstage. Among other topics, the author focuses on the different methods of teaching history of three teachers at a secondary school in the North of England in the 1980s. Dramatic conflict and humour derive from the way the author pits against each other the view of history held by his teacher-protagonists, often throwing the students into a state of intellectual confusion. Which teacher are they to believe? Through a close reading of the play, it would appear that the spectator, including an adolescent spectator, is left free. He or she can choose to identify with one of the teachers and the view of history she or he is purporting, or simply watch the play, appreciating the challenging intellectual debate it sets forth.
Alan Bennett's The History Boys / M. Rose. - In: CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES. - ISSN 1224-239X. - 2014:19(2014), pp. 113-121. ((Intervento presentato al convegno History, Culture and Memory tenutosi a Milano nel 2013.
Alan Bennett's The History Boys
M. RosePrimo
2014
Abstract
This article explores Alan Bennett’s The History Boys, as a contemporary play, which manages to be highly entertaining and at the same time educationally enriching. While not written for adolescents, they have flocked to see the play onstage. Among other topics, the author focuses on the different methods of teaching history of three teachers at a secondary school in the North of England in the 1980s. Dramatic conflict and humour derive from the way the author pits against each other the view of history held by his teacher-protagonists, often throwing the students into a state of intellectual confusion. Which teacher are they to believe? Through a close reading of the play, it would appear that the spectator, including an adolescent spectator, is left free. He or she can choose to identify with one of the teachers and the view of history she or he is purporting, or simply watch the play, appreciating the challenging intellectual debate it sets forth.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
---|---|---|---|
bennett history boys essay pending publication 8.11.14.pdf
accesso riservato
Descrizione: main article
Tipologia:
Pre-print (manoscritto inviato all'editore)
Dimensione
161.12 kB
Formato
Adobe PDF
|
161.12 kB | Adobe PDF | Visualizza/Apri Richiedi una copia |
Pubblicazioni consigliate
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.