Why The History Boys Is Often Categorized as a Tragicomedy. Amelia Coen 11th Grade

It is often speculated as to why Alan Bennett’s The History Boys has endured as a successful comedy despite the play’s often disturbing undertones and tragic themes such as the political state of Thatcherite Britain. However, it is in fact the comedic and witty manner that Bennet uses to convey these themes, such as his use of repartee, black humour, and satire, that enhances the overall darker mood of the play; thus, allowing The History Boys to be characterised as a Tragicomedy. A Tragicomedy is a literary genre that blends the tragic and the comedic, describing a play that contains enough comedic elements to lighten the mood of what would otherwise be a tragedy. This essay will argue that it is this unconventional structure and combination of genre that has made The History Boys the successful play that it is considered to be, and that the play cannot simply be considered a comedy.

Arguably, one of the most prominent reasons why the play has survived as a successful comedy is due to Bennett’s conspicuous use of comedic devices. Bennett frequently uses repartee between the boys and Hector, and between the boys themselves, to create comic relief from the more serious themes of the play. This is demonstrated in the first scene...