How does Willy Russell present the relationship between Frank and Rita?

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Ben Little

How does Willy Russell present the relationship between Frank and Rita?

At the start of the play, Frank and Rita can be seen as opposites; Frank is a middle aged male academic, while Rita is a young, female hairdresser. Any relationship between the two seems unlikely, but they warm to each quickly and the audience realises that Frank and Rita are not quite as different to one another as first appearances show. They are both involved in unsatisfactory relationships and want more from life than it seems to offer. The main difference between the two is that, whereas Rita has recognised her unhappiness and is determined to change it through becoming educated, frank is a pessimist and tends to down his sorrow through drinking. Frank and Rita become good friends in the play because Rita needs Frank to teach her, and he needs the freshness and vitality that she brings to his life. Willey Russell presents Frank and Rita’s relationship, and how it changes, in a variety of ways.

At the start of the play when Frank and Rita meet, Rita is very outgoing and forward. The first thing Rita says to Frank is ‘it’s that stupid bleedin’ handle on the door. You wanna get it fixed!’ you wouldn’t expect a new student to speak to her tutor like this the first time she ever met him. This also shows that Rita doesn’t care what his first impressions of her are. She then gets into a deep conversation with him about one of the paintings on his wall. The convocation is about how the painting is erotic; you wouldn’t expect two people who have just met to be talking about how the painting turns people on. This point adds to the fact that Rita is very forward and extrovert.

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Frank is very different when they first meet; he is very quiet and hardly speaks at all. After Rita asks him questions and speaking for quiet a long time he makes short simple reply’s like ‘erm – probably’ and ‘erm – yes’. This shows he is a reserved person and is not very enthusiastic about his job. He is the complete opposite to Rita and this is why the audience get the feeling that a deep relationship between them is unlikely.

Frank and Rita’s relationship develops because Rita is different to the other students Frank has to teach. She doesn’t ...

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