Download Dead Poets Society: Unconventional Teaching and Student Rebellion and more Study notes Poetry in PDF only on Docsity!
Dead poets’ society
New England, the 1950s. Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke), a lonely and painfully shy teenager, who is under pressure by his stern parents because he must live up to his older brother's reputation to attend Yale and become a lawyer, arrives for the new semester at the Welton Academy for boys. This semester begins during an orientation gathering with a speech given by the stern Headmaster Nolan (Norman Lloyd), who states the academy's four pillars: Tradition, Honor, Discipline, and Excellence. Todd meets Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard) an ambitious student whom becomes his dorm roommate. Later in his dorm, Neil is ordered by his grumpy and domineering father (Kurkwood Smith) to drop an extracurricular class in order to maintain good grades so the boy may become a doctor much as he has done. Neil is under pressure from his stern father's will. Also, Mr. Perry tells Neil that Mrs. Perry also wants him to become a doctor, which further worries the boy. A little later, Todd tells Neil that he is in a similar situation with his parents involving his older brother who also attended Welton a few years ago, graduated, and attended Yale Law School and became a lawyer and his parents want the exact same thing for him. But Todd does not have the courage to tell his parents that he instead wants to be a writer, not a lawyer. During the first day of classes Todd and Neil experience the various teaching methods which include speeches by the trig teacher, as well as the Latin teacher, and the math teacher who states that "all 20 questions at the end of the first chapter are due tomorrow". But in contrast to these orthodox teaching methods, the guys see a different side of the school when they attend English class taught by the newly arrived and liberal Mr. Keating (Robin Williams), whom they met briefly during the orientation in which Keating was a student at Welton himself many years ago. Keating enters his class whistling the 1812 Overtune, and he first takes the boys out in the hallway and tells them that they are powerful individuals, which no teacher in the academy would do. These two actions show his difference from the other teachers because no other teacher would commit the actions he does. Also, he tells the boys they may call him "Oh Captain, my Captain", if they dare. These examples of Mr. Keating's teachings show the boys how to think for themselves. Mr. Keating then tells the boys "Carpe Diem", which is Latin for "seize the day". In addition to Todd and Neil, a small group of other students whom include the lovesick Knox Overstreet (Josh Charles), the flip Charlie Dalton (Gale Hansen), the pragmatic Richard Cameron (Dylan Kussman), liberal Steven Meeks (Allelon Ruggiero) and the moderate Gerard Pitts (James Waterston), also react to the first day's lesson with comments from "that was weird" to "neat". The next day, Keating, however, starts the class with a traditional teaching approach by having Neil read out loud the introduction to their poetry textbook, which describes how to rate the quality of poetry. Keating finds such mathematical criticism ridiculous and instructs his pupils to rip out the essay which is one of three ways that he demonstrates freedom of expression and non- conformity. When some students hesitate, he tells them "this is not the bible. This is a battle, a war. You will have to learn to think for yourselves." He later has the students stand on his desk as a reminder to look at the world in a different way. A few days later, Knox Overstreet is asked to attend a dinner party at the Danburry household. When he arrives, a beautiful girl answers the doorbell and intently captures his attention. Later, he learns that the girl, Christine, has boyfriend named Chet, but does not give up the hope of dating her.
One day, Neil finds an old Welton yearbook with Mr. Keating in it. After seeing that Mr. Keating listed "Dead Poets Society" as one of his activities at the school, the boys ask Mr. Keating what this was. He replies that the DPS was a secret club
dedicated to taking the meaning out of life. To do so, the members would sit in a cave near a certain pond less then a mile from school grounds and recite poetry. With this new idea in their head from asking Mr. Keating what the DPS was, Neil and the boys decide to start up the DPS once again. While coming inside after recess, Neil convinces the boys to join the DPS and meet at midnight by the creek to start their first meeting. Todd tells them that he will come along to the meeting as long as he does not have to read any poetry. When they arrive at the cave, the boys hold their first meeting. Knox shows up so that he can build confidence, like learning pretty poetry, to swoon Christine Danburry. During their next poetry class, Mr. Keating makes the boys stand on a table to see the world from a different perspective, which is another way he demonstrates non-conformity and freedom. At the end of class, Mr. Keating assigns the boys a poem for homework which must be made up, and will be read aloud during Monday's class. Keating's unorthodox teaching methods soon circulate quietly among the other teachers who scorn his liberal and ideal methods. During a dinner, the Latin teacher tells Keating, "you are taking a big risk in making your students think they are artists". Keating replies: "I'm only trying to make them free thinkers". The Latin teacher rebukes him by saying, "free thinkers at age seventeen? Not really. Be a realist!" Neil attempts to seize the day by trying out for a part in the play A Midsummer Nights Dream. Knox goes to a public High School football game and sees Christine in the arms of Chet, who is a football player. Back in English class, Mr. Keating has the boys kick soccer balls while yelling poetry aloud, and is the final way that he demonstrates freedom and non- conformity. Then, Neil receives a letter that says he got the part of Puck in the play. Now he must write a letter of permission to the headmaster and Mr. Perry, along with their signature of approval. The next day in class, Mr. Keating tells Todd to stand up and recite his poem. When Todd tells his teacher that he did not write a poem, Mr. Keating tells the boy to make one up right now on the spur of the moment. Todd's new poem is about the picture of a madman on the wall, and Mr. Keating seems to have an astounding affect on Todd. By pulling the boy out of his seat in front of the class and create his own poem, Mr. Keating successfully reaches out to Todd and builds his confidence. That night, the boys meet at the cave to hold another DPS meeting, and afterwords Knox gets the courage to call Christine, who invites him to a party at her house. The following day, Mr. Keating teaches tells the boys not to conform, and Todd gets the same desk from his parents that they got him last year for his birthday. When Knox goes to Christine party that night, he attempts to seize the day by kissing her, but only gets beat up by Chet. The day after the DPS meeting, which is also attended by girls, Dalton writes a letter to the school asking if girls may be admitted to Welton Academy. During a meeting which addresses this letter, Dalton speaks out of line and is paddled by the headmaster. He is asked to tell the man about the DPS meetings, but Dalton refrains from doing so. Thus at this point, the boys begin to abuse the transcendental philosophy by bringing girls to the DPS meetings, drinking freely, smoking freely, attending parties, publish an offensive and profane article, going against the school policy, and kissing other girls. When Keating is lectured by Headmaster Nolan about the DPS meetings, Mr. Keating tells the boys to "be wise, not stupid" about protesting against the system. When Neil's father arrives at Welton on an unexpected visit, he scolds Neil for joining the play and orders him to quit. Neil tells Mr. Keating about the incident,
emotionally defeated. Seeing that his work at the school had not been in vain, a visibly touched Keating says, "thank you boys. Thank you." With Todd and the other the students looking on, Keating then happily leaves the classroom with tears in his eyes, and walks out of the school for good.
Cast
Robin Williams ... John Keating Robert Sean Leonard ... Neil Perry Ethan Hawke ... Todd Anderson Josh Charles ... Knox Overstreet Gale Hansen ... Charlie Dalton Dylan Kussman ... Richard Cameron Allelon Ruggiero ... Steven Meeks James Waterston ... Gerard Pitts Norman Lloyd ... Mr. Nolan Kurtwood Smith ... Mr. Perry Carla Belver ... Mrs. Perry Leon Pownall ... McAllister George Martin ... Dr. Hager Joe Aufiery ... Chemistry Teacher Matt Carey ... Hopkins
Selected memorable quotes (with notes on difficult vocabulary)
John Keating : We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, "O me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless... of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?" Answer. That you are here
- that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be? pursuit = occupazione, attività; amid = in mezzo, tra
John Keating : Sucking the marrow out of life doesn't mean choking on the bone. to suck = succhiare; marrow = midollo; to choke = strozzare
John Keating : There's a time for daring and there's a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for. to dare = osare; caution = cautela; which is called for = (qui) quale è richiesto (nel caso specifico)
Dalton : [ answering phone ] Welton Academy, hello. Yes he is, just a moment. Mr. Nolan, it's for you. It's God. He says we should have girls at Welton.
John Keating : Language was developed for one endeavor, and that is - Mr. Anderson? Come on, are you a man or an amoeba? [ pause ] John Keating : Mr. Perry? Neil : To communicate. John Keating : No! To woo women! endeavor = impresa; to woo = corteggiare
Neil : [ quoting Henry David Thoreau ] "I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life." Dalton : I'll second that. Neil : "To put to rout all that was not life; and not, when I had come to die, discover that I had not lived." To second = appoggiare; to rout = espellere, scacciare.
McAllister : "Show me the heart unfettered by foolish dreams and I'll show you a happy man." John Keating : "But only in their dreams can men be truly free. 'Twas always thus, and always thus will be." McAllister : Tennyson? John Keating : No, Keating. unfettered = senza vincoli/restrizioni
John Keating : Close your eyes, close your eyes! Close 'em! Now, describe what you see. Todd Anderson : Uh, I-I close my eyes. John Keating : Yes. Todd Anderson : Uh, and this image floats beside me. John Keating : A sweaty-toothed madman. Todd Anderson : A sweaty-toothed madman with a stare that pounds my brain. John Keating : Oh, that's excellent! Now, give him action - make him do something! Todd Anderson : H-His hands reach out and choke me. John Keating : That's it! Wonderful, wonderful! Todd Anderson : And all the time he's mumbling. John Keating : What's he mumbling? Todd Anderson : Mumbling truth. John Keating : Yeah, yes. Todd Anderson : Truth like-like a blanket that always leaves your feet cold. John Keating : [ some of the class start to laugh ] Forget them, forget them! Stay with the blanket. Tell me about that blanket! Todd Anderson : Y-Y-You push it, stretch it, it'll never be enough. You kick at it, beat it, it'll never cover any of us. From the moment we enter crying t-to the moment we leave dying, it'll just cover your face as you wail and cry and scream. [ long pause then class applauds ] John Keating : Don't you forget this. sweaty = grondante, madido; that pounds my brain = (qui) che mi assilla; to choke = soffocare; to mumble = mormorare; to wail = (detto di persona) gemere
Neil Perry : I just talked to my father. He's making me quit the play at Henley Hall. Acting's everything to me. I- But he doesn't know! He- I can see his point; we're not a rich family, like Charlie's. We- But he's planning the rest of my life for me, and I- He's never asked me what I want! John Keating : Have you ever told your father what you just told me? About your passion for acting? You ever showed him that? Neil Perry : I can't. John Keating : Why not? Neil Perry : I can't talk to him this way. John Keating : Then you're acting for him, too. You're playing the part of the dutiful son. Now, I know this sounds impossible, but you have to talk to him. You have to show him who you are, what your heart is! Neil Perry : I know what he'll say! He'll tell me that acting's a whim and I should forget it. They're counting on me; he'll just tell me to put it out of my mind for my own good. John Keating : You are not an indentured servant! It's not a whim for you, you prove it to him by your conviction and your passion! You show that to him, and if he still doesn't believe you - well, by then, you'll be out of school and can do anything you want. Neil Perry : No. What about the play? The show's tomorrow night! John Keating : Then you have to talk to him before tomorrow night. Neil Perry : Isn't there an easier way? John Keating : No. Neil Perry : [ laughs ] I'm trapped! John Keating : No you're not. whim = capriccio; to be trapped = essere in trappola
Sources: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt
