Dead Poet’s Society

Released in 1989, Dead Poet’s Society is an American Drama film. Directed by Peter Weir and written by Tom Schulman. The film was nominated in the Academy Awards for the Best Picture, Best Director and Best actor for Williams, Schulman received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his work.

The film is set 1959 at the fictional elite boarding school, Welton Academy. It is a story about a progressive English teacher, John Keating played by Robin Williams who encourages his students to break free from the norm, go against the status quo and live life unapologetically.

The students in the Welton Academy are struggling with their own insecurities and want to accomplish their or their parent’s dream. In an environment of strict rules, Keatings asks them to break the norm and himself does by not following the conventional classroom teaching methods.

Keating, in his student days was a part of Dead Poet’s Society, a student made group where the boys would go out and read poems to each other breaking the norm of the Welton Academy. His students are inspired by the idea of Dead Poet’s Society and follow the same. With the help of Keatings the students fought their insecurities and battles and gained confidence.

A still from Dead Poet’s Society, *Source: quotemaster.org*

“O Captain! my Captain! ” is a quote frequently used in the movie. It is an extended metaphor poem written by Walt Whitman in 1865 about the death of Abraham Lincoln, former US president. Keatings introduces his students to this poem in the first class. Later he was expelled by the authorities in charge of influencing the students to against the authorities and their parents. When he comes to the class to take his belongings, the students stood on their desks and addressed their innocent teacher with the same quote “O Captain! My Captain!”.

Carpe Deim or seize the day is another phrase which Keatings uses to encourage the boys to make their lives extraordinary. The movie depicts how the society is rigid and reluctant to change. how the society sees things at mere surface level and tries to nip the bud if it goes against the general notion or understanding.

The movie is an apt presentation by the director accompanied by the actors of the lives of teenage students trying to achieve their goals and the struggles that come their way.

~Riddhima Agarwal~

Riddhima is currently pursuing BA LLB from Institute of Law, Nirma University. She has an interest in reading, economics, social work and human rights.