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‘’The comedy in The History Boys centres around the opposition between the two
teachers, Hector and Irwin
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Their personality clash and contrasting teaching ideologies, are used to
explore the impact teachers can have on their students
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Bennett uses physical comedy in this
flamboyant entrance and already establishes Hector’s control and power over the boys
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However, Irwin is presented by Bennett as the polar opposite of
Hector, a man of about ‘’twenty-five or so’’, compared to Hector ‘’a schoolmaster of fifty or
so’’
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This contrast is
developed further through Irwin’s abrupt and gruff replies to the headmaster; for example,
his uncomplicated answer of ‘’Oxford, Jesus’’, showing how much the two differ
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When the two meet for the first time, a sense of conflict is created
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’’ ‘’Très bien’’),
something that is usually seen as highly inappropriate in a school setting
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Though the Head’s linguistic prowess is somewhat lacking, ‘’est sans
ses…trousers?’’, Irwin remarks ‘’il est commotionné, peut-être?’’ which is met by an
awkward reaction as no one understands, resulting in Irwin having to explain himself, thus

outsmarting Hector
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During the boys’ first encounter with Irwin, they take to mocking his authority and trialling him
through the excessive use of the word ‘’Sir’’
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Bennett uses this theme of age throughout the
play for comedic effect (particularly in Irwin’s case) and also as a serious issue (especially,
regarding Hector’s odd encounters with the boys)
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For example, Akthar says, ‘’Mr Hector doesn’t care
for it’’
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The audience will notice a sense of comedy being developed
through these emerging parallels which already imply that the two are not as wildly different
as they initially seemed
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A sense of comedy is developed by Bennett through
these lexical choices as it almost unknowingly places the boys on the same wavelength as
Irwin, and these similarities in dialogue could suggest to the audience that a shift in loyalties
is to be anticipated
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He often quotes literature, even in the most dire of moments, such as when the
headmaster is accusing him of touching the boys: ‘’The tree of man was never quiet
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’’ Hector views Literature as providing the boys with an
‘’insulation’’ against life’s disappointments
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Despite this approach, he is not a strong believer in telling the truth, remarking ‘’What has
[the truth] got to do with anything?’’ Whereas, Hector, ironically, seems to be an advocate of
the truth, asking ‘’Why can they not all just tell the truth?’’ This is ironic as the audience
learns beforehand that Hector is not very truthful in his conversation with the Headmaster
having ‘’no idea’’ if his wife knows of his groping of the boys
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As well as differing practical teaching styles, the two men also feel differently about exams
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) Just like the stark
contrast in the way their personalities are presented by Bennett, these teaching methods are
also presented as polar opposites to challenge the audience’s own opinions
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The two are held in different regard by the students throughout the play’s entirety; these split
loyalties shift at times
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It is revealed towards the end of the play
that he suffers ‘’periodic breakdowns’’, perhaps because of the two mind-sets he had to
adopt throughout school had confused and split him in two
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Bennett uses Posner’s breakdown to show the damaging potential of teachers’ ideologies
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This
brings about an even greater sense of division between the students and the teachers and,

as Dakin remarks, ‘’We don’t know who we are, Sir
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’’ This meeting
was arguably used by Bennett as the centrepiece of the two’s conflict
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Decorum
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Dakin especially seems to have disconnected from Hector the most throughout the play,
saying ‘’That would be your answer to lots of questions, though, wouldn’t it, Sir?’’ showing
that he has lost respect for him
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He says ‘’I
don’t think it’s true, for a start…’’ to which Scripps replies ‘’But what has truth got to do with
it?’’ practically echoing Irwin’s previous words, showing his influence over the boys
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Another revealed similarity between the two teachers is their homosexual tendencies
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It is revealed by the
Headmaster that his wife has seen a man of Hector’s description ‘’fiddling’’ with boys whilst
on a motorbike
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Whilst Irwin is contemplating this offer, however, Dakin asks if his reluctance is
due to him not wanting ‘’to be like Hector’’, and brands him as a ‘’joke’’
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He isn’t
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Bennett has
started to soften this opposition, showing that even those who appear drastically different on
the surface, can be very similar when scrutinised
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It is said that Irwin ‘’leaned out instead of in, so unbalanced Hector’’

whilst the two were on the motorbike (this shows their progressing harmonious relationship
being brought to a halt)
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Bennett breaks away from comedic normalities by using this dark subject to express the final
opposition of the two
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Though the two seem to
juxtapose one another initially by dividing – and even damaging – the boys, as well as
challenging one another, beneath the surface they are gradually revealed to be far more
alike than they originally anticipated
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