Comparing Act One Scene One and Act Two Scene One of Educating Rita

Comparing Act One Scene One and Act Two Scene One of Educating Rita

In willy Russell's play "educating Rita" the first scenes of each acts

are very different from each other. In act two scene one there is

almost a complete reverse in characters attitude, status and behaviour

from the first scene of act one. This is because in act one, Rita

really admires Frank and wishes she could be just like him because of

his vast knowledge. However in act two Frank admires the change in

Rita but at the same time he is also upset because he has lost the

Rita he used to know and he thinks that Rita no longer needs him

because she knows 'what wine to buy and what clothes to wear' but Rita

doesn't realise that there's more to education than just this!

ACT ONE FRANK

From the first scene of act one the first character we begin to learn

about is Frank. Frank is middle aged, uses standard English and is

well spoken. He appears to be a stereotypical middle class academic

but he has hidden qualities. Frank likes to drink; "Yes I suppose I

did take it on to pay for the drink." He constantly refers to the

drink and drinks throughout the play which suggests that Frank is an

alcoholic. He drinks to help him step delicately through the pressures

of his life- Not only is he teaching a course he doesn't want to

teach, He's got a girlfriend who is constantly getting him.

As well as drinking, Frank also smokes which makes him quite a weak

character because in scene one, Rita offers him a cigarette and he has

one even though he has supposed to have given up; "I made a promise

not to smoke."

Throughout the play Frank's frustration is shown by his sarcastic

humour ; "I like my lamb done to the point of abuse... You could

incinerate ratatouille and it still wouldn't burn!" Like this, Frank's

attitude towards most things is negative ;" I'm actually an appalling

teacher." Like the alcohol, Franks negativity is brought on by his

life. Frank gets no enjoyment from teaching, he'd much rather be with

his friends at his local pub. But besides Frank's negativity, Frank

doesn't patronise Rita ;" What would you like to know... Everything?

That's rather a lot... where would you like to start?" He listens and

empathises.

ACT ONE RITA

In the first act, Rita comes across as a stereotypical working class

Liverpudlian woman! She is twenty six, working class, speaks with a

scouse dialect and lives in a council house with her husband Denny.