1. Compare and Contrast How, and for What Dramatic Purpose, the Writers of the History Boys and Oleanna Present Characters Who Display Both Vulnerability and Villainy. Essay
1. Compare and contrast how, and for what dramatic purpose, the writers of The History Boys and Oleanna present characters who display both vulnerability and villainy.
In both Oleanna and History Boys the writers include many controversial subjects to portray the characters in the plays to be both vulnerable and villainy. In Oleanna, Mamet involves sexual harassment and power throughout the play. Although, instead of using scenarios of sexual harassment near the time of the play (Clarence Thomas vs. Anita Hill) Mamet elects to centralize the subject of sexual harassment within the relationship of John being a college professor and Carol who is Johns student. However, the understanding of sexual harassment, and moreover rape doesn’t…show more content… I need to know.” The dramatic use of a flash-forward with the use of “man” instead of Posner shows that Posner is revealed as becoming villainous in an unlike circumstance of the Posner in School. This is further supported with the dramatic pause before Irwin questions Posner, “Why? Why?” this moreover shows that Posner’s betrayal towards Irwin is monstrous coming from the Posner that was in school in the past. On the other hand, hitherto for Posner to still be concerned with Dakin shows Posner’s vulnerability in still being damaged into wondering as to why Dakin would want to appeal to another man but not him. This shows that despite time passing Posner is the opposite of relativism as he still goes with the belief that he must know everything about Dakin even though he comes across as invading people’s privacy, which therefore goes against the concept of nothing being right or wrong.
John and the Headmaster both like to be in control in order to feel omnipotent. In the History Boys the Headmaster is debatably viewed as a villain due to wanting Hector to be ousted from the school. The Headmaster in Act 1 is recognisably seen as having a lack of power over Hector whereby he is unable to speak French to the extent of Hector. This could be seen as the Headmaster being vulnerable as he is unable to grasp the authority over the boys despite being the Head of the school. Although this isn’t the majority (who would be the audience) view as you are more warmed to
