6:1: David Seidler, The King’s Speech

Question 1

What is the audience?

Answer 1

• The actors and the director
• People interested in history.
• People with anxiety or speech impediments themselves.
• Wider audience in general due to the use of Hollywood stars.
• Fans of the director
• Film and acting community as a whole as Colin Firth won an Oscar for it.

Question 2

What is the purpose?

Answer 2

• To inform of the history behind King George and Lionel.
• To entertain and inspire others to overcome hardship.
• To tell the story to a new generation who may not be as aware of this part of history.
• To raise awareness about stutters and similar conditions.

Question 3

What is the genre?

Answer 3

• Screenplay
• Drama
• Comedy
• Biography

Question 4

Context: The actual history

Answer 4

• After his father died and his brother abdicated, Bertie was unexpectedly crowned King George VI.
• Though he already had to do so, this meant he had to speak publicly more frequently.
• Due to his stutter, this posed a large problem as it was a less accepting time (during WW2)
• a king or any royal family member could not afford to appear weak in any way.

Question 5

Context: David Seidler

Answer 5

• Born 1973 - so he lived through the events even if he was fairly young.
• Was a stutterer himself as a child.
• British-American playwright, film and TV writer.

Question 6

Voice: What is Lionel’s voice?

Answer 6

• Incredibly informal, likely to reinforce that he isn’t of the same status as Bertie.
• There is also a tone of surety of self, which Bertie lacks, creating a large juxtaposition and bringing further emphasis to Bertie’s condition and anxieties due to this contrast.
• It also shows that Lionel is the authority in this conversation, in spite of the class divide.

Question 7

Voice: What is Bertie’s voice?

Answer 7

• His tone contrasts what he says, as most of his lines are incredibly formal and appear confident.
• However, there is a tone of insecurity and scepticism towards Lionel.
• This contrast may reflect his inner turmoil, as he knows that he must have the persona of a powerful King, but he is secretly seeking help in a time where men were expected to “man up”.

Question 8

“Know any jokes?”

Answer 8

• Lionel opens the conversation(“Know any jokes?”), immediately telling the audience he has the upper hand.
• This shatters preconceived ideas that the King, being the King, would have the authority.

Question 9

“Timing isn’t my strong suit”

Answer 9

• Bertie also destroys expectations when he responds with a humorous line
• This could be interpreted as either a joke or a self deprecating comment, which humanises him.

Question 10

THE USE OF STICHMYTHIA (dialogue where two characters speak one after the other) AND ADJACENCY PAIRS

Answer 10

• creates a fast paced scene, giving it the nature of an interrogation.
• This creates a tense atmosphere, and it conveys to the audience the importance of the event.

Question 11

CLINICAL SEMANTIC FIELD

Answer 11

• “Doctor”, “Dr Logue”, “treating”, “treated”, “physicians”, “lungs”, “throat”
• This emphasises that Bertie’s stammer is a medical condition which can be helped.

Question 12

LIONEL’S REPETITION/ECHOING OF “I prefer”

Answer 12

• when they’re speaking about names
• once again establishes he has the upper hand
• it is mocking and perhaps a dig at the royal family and all their titles.

Question 13

COLLOQUIAL LANGUAGE BY LIONEL (e.g. “Cuppa tea?)

Answer 13

• This further conveys to an audience the massive social divide between the two characters
• it shows how much they will have to overcome to see each other as equals.
• This specific example also uses “tea”, a British stereotype. This may emphasise the national divide, and how the two characters are from completely different ends of the Earth

Question 14

SEMANTIC FIELD OF ROYALTY/AUTHORITY

Answer 14

• “Your Royal Highness”, “Sir”, “knighted”, “official” and “castle”
• This may be the author trying to remind the audience that even if Lionel doesn’t regard it, Bertie is still a prince
• the juxtaposition of this semantic field and Lionel’s actions is a great way of conveying this.
• The constant reinforcement of this throughout the text is also a reminder of how unusual the proceedings are, as you would never usually find a prince in a non-royal practitioner’s office.

Question 15

“Don’t do that.”

Answer 15

• This is already a very harsh line, seeing as it is imperative and towards the prince, the supposed authority in this scene.
• Not only that, but every word is monosyllabic, creating an even more imperative and commanding sentence
• shows once again who really has the upper hand in the situation.

Question 16

“Sucking smoke”

Answer 16

• sibilant and consonant - gives a harsh sound, emphasising the danger of smoking.

Question 17

“(flushes)”

Answer 17

• When Bertie “flushes” is significant as the word has several connotations.
• “Flushes” may suggest illness, which even further tells the audience that this is a clinical setting, even if it doesn’t appear so.
• “Flushes” also has connotations of embarrassment as well as anger, two very different emotions, which may suggest the inner conflict Bertie is going through.