Themes in The History Boys

The Purpose of Education

Throughout the play, the members of staff debate the point of education:

Character	View on education
Hector	He believes in education for its own sake, rather than to pass exams or lead to a particular career. As Mrs Lintott says, “Hector never bothered with what he was educating these boys for.” Perhaps tellingly, Bennett gives Hector the last words in the play, where he urges the boys to “pass it on” to new generations, likening it to a game of “pass the parcel”. No one knows who will do something significant with the education they have received.
Irwin	Irwin sees education more as a game to impress others and persuade them of the validity of unconventional views. He is greatly impressed with the literature and film quotes that Hector has taught the boys. However, he cynically looks for ways that it can be used to further their cause with the Oxbridge interviews.
Headmaster	He sees the boys’ education purely in terms of the success that it will bring to the school and himself. He does not care about the boys themselves, or how much of a lasting education they would gain from his exam-centric approach. As a result, he is ridiculed by students and staff alike for his attitude.
Mrs Lintott	She believes in teaching the boys straightforward facts and views education as a direct transfer of knowledge, rather than presenting the information given in unconventional ways. She also attempts to educate the boys on the struggles of women throughout history, seeing this as a truth that deserves more attention than it gets.

Sexual Attractions and Relationships

Bennett depicts several inappropriate relationships in the play:

• Hector and the boys

• Dakin and Fiona

• Irwin and Dakin

• The Headmaster and Fiona

Bennett has been criticised for the way that he presents relationships between the staff and the boys. Although Hector and Irwin are condemned by other characters, they are still treated more tolerantly than is comfortable for most people.

For example, Dakin often acknowledges that he doesn’t like Hector groping him, saying that he won’t miss the teacher’s “genital massage” when he leaves. He also wonders if they are all “scarred for life.” However, Dakin also makes light of Hector’s sexual abuses, and offers to ride on his motorcycle at the end as a “reward” for keeping his job.

Posner does try to get a recorded confession from Irwin about having a relationship with Dakin. However, it is difficult to say whether he wants to expose him for his inappropriate conduct or whether he is acting out of jealousy because he desperately wanted a relationship with Dakin himself.

History and Truth

The play opens with Irwin, in his role as a government spin doctor, encouraging MPs to use propaganda when presenting a controversial bill to the public. This establishes a theme of distorting the truth for self-serving means. This theme is further highlighted when Irwin is revealed to have lied about studying for his degree at Oxford University.

Irwin encourages the boys to experiment with concepts of history and truth to discover unique viewpoints and impress others. We see most of the boys adopt this method, even an initially reluctant Posner, who does well in his entrance interview when taking an unconventional view of the Holocaust.

Rudge also initially expresses a desire to stay true to his authentic self. However, he follows Irwin’s contrary approach by telling the examiners that “Stalin was a sweetie and Owen was a wuss”, for which he is commended as someone who thinks “for himself.”

Outsiders

Bennett explores different aspects of British society that cause some of the characters to feel like outsiders:

Class	Rudge is from a working class background, and because of this he is often underestimated and patronised. The teachers even give him little hope of passing the entrance exam. This is perhaps a comment on how education has often been more closed off for those from the working class. It also emphasises how such prejudicial attitudes continue to be a problem.
Gender	Mrs Lintott talks about being sidelined due to her gender, observing from a “patient and not unamused” position the “predilections and preoccupations of men.” She feels patronised by the men, unappreciated by the boys, and even ignored by the playwright himself – complaining that she has “not hithero been allotted an inner voice” until she is given one in Act 2.
Sexuality	Posner is openly homosexual and in love with Dakin. However, the futility of this unrequited love perhaps points to the difficulties of being homosexual in a society where it is not totally accepted. This is highlighted by Irwin’s hesitation to acknowledge his own homosexuality and the fact that Hector is married to a woman.