Educating Rita essay

Focus on these ideas to make your Educating Rita essay different

• Would you call the character Rita, ‘culturally impoverished?’ – This is an idea that requires a great deal of thought. Does the lack of education in the play’s principal character make a difference to her overall nature? Once she is exposed to a whole new world of education and culture, does it alter her standing in life? Your essay could explore this and comment on whether or not she is really enriched or otherwise.
• The character of Frank Bryant. Though he is an academician and supposedly a worldly-wise person, there is an element of surprise and cynicism that he exhibits as the play progresses. By studying and describing his character, you could present an insightful commentary on what ‘true education’ is all about.
• Interpersonal relationships. This play emphasizes the fact that one cannot classify or categorize relationships easily. There are always shades of grey in interpersonal associations; it would therefore be interesting to do a study on them.
• If this play has been classified as a comedy, what is the serious element in it that can be focused upon and studied in depth? Most comedies have an underlying serious theme that can be singled out and examined. It would throw some light on the actual ideas that have played around in the author’s mind while he wrote the play.
• A replica of Pygmalion. Educating Rita is supposedly based on the famous story, Pygmalion. Here, a sculptor falls in love with his own work and wonders what it would be like if he could breathe life into her. The film, My Fair Lady is another piece of work that is also closely associated with Pygmalion. Your essay could study these similarities and comment on the sections that denote them.