Re-read Act 2 Scene 6 of Murmuring Judges. Discuss Hares presentation of the position of women in the police force and the legal profession in this extract and the play as a whole.

Re-read Act 2 Scene 6 of 'Murmuring Judges'. Discuss Hare's presentation of the position of women in the police force and the legal profession in this extract and the play as a whole. Throughout 'Murmuring Judges', women are portrayed in varying, often dichotomous ways, having either much or little power, and being either assertive or submissively coquettish. In Act 2 Scene 6, women are presented as having their own secret culture, running parallel to the dominant culture of the men pervading the police force. For example, after Sandra light-heartedly laments the fact that Irina has chosen to speak to a woman, the stage directions dictate that "For the first time they both smile." The fact that the first time they smile is inspired by Sandra's referring to a liaison exclusively between women evinces that the women have their own kind of female culture which they are aware of. In addition, the form of dialogue which is taken by the entire scene facilitates the presentation of a female secret culture as the only speakers in this scene are female, hence no males are involved, making this a purely female affair. Also, no other characters enter the scene as it progresses, so the conversation between Sandra and Irina, and the issues appertaining secrecy and injustice which it raises, are more well-received by the audience, who focus their attention totally on the speech and

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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The History Boys. Consider the significance of finding your way in life, in relation to the characters in the play.

Essay « Most of the stuff poetry's about hasn't happened to us yet » Timms Essay question: Consider the significance of finding your way in life, in relation to the characters in the play. The History Boys is a play written Alan Bennett. It premiered on the 18th may 2004. The action of the play takes place in a all-boys grammar school in Sheffield, in the 1980's. It’s also important to keep in mind the fact that back then, England was under Thatcher’s conservative regime. The play follows a group of history pupils preparing for the Oxbridge entrance examinations under the guidance of three teachers (Hector, Irwin and Mrs Lintott) with contrasting styles. The play doesn’t just follow the boys is education, it also talks about love and there sexual inclinations. The writer's intention is to show the different opinions on education and the different ways of teaching. The opposite ways of teaching are represented by Hector and Irwin. Missus Lintott is a middle ground between the two. Alan Bennett also shows us what the education was like in the north of England in the 1980's. The aim of this book is also to prove that you can succeed, even if you are from a working class background. Bennett proves this with the fact that all the boys got in to either Cambridge or Oxford. Alan Bennett was inspired by his life when he wrote this novel because in some way, he has

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  • Word count: 2658
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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