Women

Question 1

“History is a commentary on the various and continuing incapabilities of men.”

“What is history? History is women following behind with the bucket.”

Answer 1

Mrs Lintott, p.85

as the only woman with a voice in the play, mrs lintott voices the exclusion of women in main roles throughout history

Question 2

“I have not hitherto been allotted an inner voice, my role a patient and not unamused sufferance of the predilections and preoccupations of men. They kick their particular stone along the street and I watch.”

Answer 2

Mrs Lintott, p.68

soliloquy - said after the headmaster leaves and before irwin enters
suggesting women have to follow men’s path of life whilst sitting by without any chance of input
here, mrs lintott represents the role of women throughout mainstream history; sidelined and forced to submit to the social superiority of men

Question 3

“…that I should be assumed to be so discreet is in itself condescending. I’m what men would call a safe pair of hands.”

Answer 3

Mrs Lintott, p.69

synecdoche ‘safe pair of hands’ suggests men don’t believe her to be bold or important enough to tell others their secret - in this case, the headmaster expects her to be discreet about why hector is leaving

Question 4

“It’s not our fault, miss. It’s just the way it is.”

Answer 4

Timms, p.84

referring to sidelining of women throughout history
vocative ‘miss’ highlights their relationship
timms, as with any of the other boys, isn’t going to challenge this view or suggest something should change - history is in their favour

Question 5

“There are no women historians on TV, it’s because they don’t get carried away for a start, and they don’t come bounding up to you with every historical notion they come up with.”

Answer 5

Mrs Lintott, p.84

dynamic verb “bounding” has connotations of dogs/puppies; suggesting men are too excitable, go off on tangents, and are always seeking attention

Question 6

“What women know or don’t know has always been a mystery to me.”

Answer 6

Hector, p.52

temporal verb “always” is present tense and shows that women are still a “mystery” that he is unable to solve
shows general views towards women in the social context of an all boys’ school

Question 7

“A husband on a low light, that’s what they want, these supposedly unsuspecting wives, the man’s lukewarm attentions just what they married them for.”

Answer 7

Mrs Lintott, p.92

adverb “supposedly” suggests the wives pretend not to know or notice anything different about their husbands
pronoun “they” implies that mrs lintott is not one of these women