(Educating Rita - Willy Russell) --- Russell uses the contrast between Frank and Rita's cultural backgrounds to make both comic and serious points. Which of these do you find more effective?

Educating Rita deals with many cultural issues. Some of these are addressed in a serious manner, while others are presented humorously. By such cultural issues, the play is given an ambiguous tone, with a mood which is serious yet in many places comic. By examining examples of both comic and serious points we may understand more clearly which are more effective, and central to the play, as a whole. ~ At very beginning of Educating Rita, …

…the sense that it is a flaw in his character that leads to his ruin, this play is, for Frank, a tragedy. Of course, the reverse holds true for Rita. ~ The play is made more enjoyable by various humorous outbursts, from clever witticisms to amusing misunderstandings. However, it is the serious points and issues raised which are more effective. It is fundamentally a serious play dealing with many serious issues. [essay written by Jonathan Kenton]