In the first scene of Educating Rita, we are introduced to two characters: Rita, a 26-year-old hairdresser, and Frank, a middle-aged university professor. From the very beginning, it is clear that there is a significant age and social class difference between the two.
Rita is portrayed as a brash, working-class woman who is eager to better herself through education. She is determined to break free from her mundane, working-class life and to learn as much as she can. This desire is evident in the way she speaks, using colloquial language and expressing her enthusiasm for learning in a way that is both naive and endearing.
Frank, on the other hand, is depicted as a jaded and disillusioned intellectual who has lost his passion for teaching. He is hesitant to take on a new student, especially one as unconventional as Rita, but he ultimately agrees to be her tutor.
The first scene sets the stage for the rest of the play, establishing the characters of Rita and Frank and the dynamic between them. It is clear that Rita's desire for education will clash with Frank's apathy and cynicism, leading to a series of conflicts and misunderstandings throughout the play.
Despite their differences, however, it is evident that Rita and Frank have a deep respect for one another. Frank recognizes Rita's intelligence and potential, and Rita looks up to Frank as a mentor and guide. In many ways, Educating Rita is a story about the transformative power of education and the ways in which it can bring people from different walks of life together.
Educating Rita Act One, Scene Seven Summary & Analysis
He sits in his ivory tower and cares nothing for the poor. Rita asks if he is putting his foot down, he assents, and she grumbles that he is impressive when angry and will turn to Forster now. Lots of questions, I'm afraid. Act 1, Scene 5 Frank enters his office to eat his lunch. Rita is able to maintain her practice of freedom through the help of Frank, whom provides her with a welcoming and encouraging learning environment. She insists that what she learns about art and literature from Frank sustains her throughout the week, even though Denny tries to stop her from coming to the lessons. A telephone call tells us that Frank has a partner.
Educating Rita act 1 scene 1
What I don't know is if he is not aware of the other choices he has because of not wanting to or because of not being faced with them. A nude religious painting hangs on the wall. The audience might conclude that Frank need not worry. She expresses an understanding both that her marriage is in trouble and that she is the cause. Rita was given dialogue describing her hairdressing job in greater detail, and the text in which she criticizes her social group was rewritten. What she is trying to say, in my opìnion, is that she used to ignore many things, but now, she has realised that there was something else apart from getting up everyday, working and going to sleep.
Educating Rita Act One, Scene Three Summary & Analysis
Frank laughs and Rita becomes indignant. Behind this façade Frank is a very intelligent and well educated man. Explaining further, he says that his wife pointed out to him that he only wrote poetry about their coming together, and that she would leave him and give him fresh fire. She is married to a man named Rita leaves sadly, closing the door behind her. Out of the blue, Rita asks Frank to define the term assonance. Indeed, she is making herself vulnerable by seeking out an education, which means that coming to Frank as a student is most likely intimidating.
Educating Rita Scene Summaries
Summary After some difficulty opening the door, Rita asks for permission to smoke, and when Frank gives it, she lights up a cigarette and offers him one. This is important because he is otherwise so fed up with academia and his job as a professor. She could not take school seriously because then she would be different from everyone else and no one would have allowed it. Without the scenes in act three, the play could have a drastically different ending. She changes the topic, asking Frank if he thinks she can really do this.
