Within a few minutes of dialogue Frank is confessing his admiration of her attitude and style of speech,
Frank says, “Because - I think you’re marvellous. Do you know, I think you’re the first breath of fresh air that’s been in this room for years?”
As Rita’s confidence in Frank grows she expresses her feelings about her husband. Especially how he will view her personal development, she says,
“No. he’s not thick, he’s blind, he doesn’t want to see”.
So now Frank and Rita are an equal footing. They have both explained their personal relationships and problems and so have prepared the ground for the growth of their own relationship.
In Scene 2 their relationship begins to deepen. Rapidly Rita states her initial intent and we can see as the play develops that she remains truthful to her intention towards him. Frank responds to her, “My God, you think you’ve reformed me?” Rita affirms, “ I don’t wanna reform y’. Y’can do what y’like.”
She talks openly about the attitudes to education she endured at school. She feels confident enough with Frank to admit her desire to change herself for the better; Out of the blue she challenges Frank, “Are y’ (married) ? What’s y’ wife like?” Frank then dismisses his wife as an irrelevance, “Well, she’s not relevant. I haven’t seen her for a long time. We split up. All right?”
For the first time Frank hints at positive feelings for Rita. He says, ”Ah, but Rita, if I was yours would I stop out for days?”
He moves on to explain his own lack of self-confidence.“…it’s myself I’m not too fond of…But I’m afraid Rita, that you’ll find there’s less to me than meets the eye “. This is a self-prophecy, as Frank’s stature deteriorates just as Rita’s improves.
In Scene 3 Rita’s confidence is clearly blossoming. She enters the stage, flouncing, She announces, “…this Forster, honest to God, he doesn’t half get on my tits.”Frank retorts “Good, you must show me the evidence.” Rita replies in a good-natured way, “Y’ dirty sod “
The banter is one of a comfortable, relaxed relationship including a mild degree of sexual allusion.
In Scene 5 there is a moment when Rita confesses that Denny has burned her text books in a violent expression of anger. She says,” You’d think I was havin’ a bloody affair the way he behaves.” Frank questions her – “And aren’t you?” There are two possible explanations for this pointed question. He may be referring to her passion for literature or possibly hinting that they are in a budding romantic relationship. While Rita initially ignores this reference she goes on to explain what it is about their relationship that she appreciates so much.” I’ve tried to explain to him how you give me room to breathe. Y’ just, like feed me without expecting anythin’ in return. “I feel this is a thoughtless remark to make. Frank has made several comments that suggest he would like their relationship to develop. It seems that as Rita grows in spirit, Frank diminishes.
From hereon Frank begins to make his sexual signals more obvious. He refers to her as “ravishing Rita” and an “irresistible thing “. Rita continues to keep the mood humorous – she refers to his attitude to life as “evading (it) with jokes an’ that.”
As Act One nears closure Frank is discussing the concept of dramatic tragedy in Macbeth, “You see he goes blindly on and on. With every step he’s spinning one more piece of thread which will eventually make up the network of his own tragedy. Do you see?”
I see this as a further reference to Frank’s final outcome to which Rita remains oblivious.
In the final scene of Act One there is a further development of their relationship. Denny has offered Rita an ultimatum and she has chosen to leave him. Frank wants to comfort her but she is adamant they discuss her future as an academic only. He explains to her that if she is to achieve success then he must change her, but it is clear this goes against his own wishes.” But don’t you see, if you’re going to write this sort of thing – to pass examinations, you’re going to have to suppress, perhaps even abandon your uniqueness. I’m going to have to change you.” Rita storms “But, don’t you realize I want to change! “Rita is gaining rapidly in self-confidence and is escalating further away from Frank with every scene.
By the beginning of Act 2 I believe Frank is showing the first signs of understanding that he will lose the battle for Rita. There have already been a couple of references made to windows, but in scene1 Frank jokily compares himself to Dracula and his aversion to light. He then says,” If you must open a window then go on, open it.” This suggests he recognises her need to blossom and wishes to encourage her to fly sooner, rather than later.
Frank’s dependence on alcohol is increasing and he is becoming rapidly more bitter. He says “Life is such a rich and frantic whirl that I need the drink to help me step delicately through it.” Rita demonstrates the briefest hint of tender concern for him, “Just that I thought you’d started reforming yourself.” Frank responds “Under your influence.” Rita is unsure how she should handle this development but Frank continues his display of honesty (and tragedy), He questions “What do I do when your influence is no longer here? “This sounds as though he may be near despair, but this is a turning point for Frank, He has begun to see that losing Rita is inevitable. He begins to rejoice in her intellectual achievements.
In Scene 3 we witness a watershed in the relationship between Frank and Rita. At the opening of this scene we see an implication of role reversal as Rita is sitting in Frank’s armchair reading a weighty book. Frank enters, puffing and blowing and swearing like a trooper, just as Rita used to do. He is complaining bitterly about the injustice of his situation, as she interrogates him. She goes on to criticize his analysis of her work on “The Blossom”. She suggests the reason he doesn’t like her essay is that there is nothing of him in it. The scene peaks when Rita passionately explains to Frank, I’m not an idiot now…Just don’t - don’t keep treatin’ me as though I’m the same as when I walked in here.”
Rita is now the most self-confident of women and Frank is reaching a state of full understanding. The end of the scene reflects the beginning with Rita returning to sit in Frank’s chair. She speaks in an authoritative style, asking for his understanding. The reversal of roles is complete when Frank offers his opinion on Rubyfruit Jungle. Rita confirms her confidence in her role as an intellectual.“Oh go way Frank. Of its type it’s quite interesting. But it’s hardly excellence.”
