By Mivasa Chowdhury Mohiya
Student of Public Administration, University of Chittagong
Dead Poets Society is an impressive, layered film, released in 1989 and directed by Peter Weir. The cast includes Robin Williams as John Keating, an unconventional English teacher, and his students at the prestigious Welton Academy: Ethan Hawke as Todd Anderson, Robert Sean Leonard as Neil Perry, and Gale Hansen as Charlie Dalton. Peter Weir’s film heavily emphasizes poetry. There are brief quotations from Tennyson, Herrick, Whitman, and even Vachel Lindsay, plundered for slogans to exhort the students toward more personal freedom from the shackles of the academy’s four pillars.
The film begins as John Keating returns to the school where he once was a star student, this time as an English Teacher. He decides to devote his time to broadening his students’ minds with poetry, literature, and unorthodox teaching methods like standing on desks to encourage them to see the world from a different perspective, ripping out textbook pages, and shouting poetry while kicking footballs. He uses poetry to preach the importance of individuality and nonconformity. This mirrors the free-verse poetry of Walt Whitman, who rejected formal structure and strict rules, making it evident why his poems are included in the film. However, his teaching manners are hated by the orthodox authorities. Nevertheless, Keating’s students find a safe space with his ideas and mentality.
The students fall under the influence of Keating’s way of life and, eventually, are introduced to the Dead Poets Society. The society pushes students to challenge the established quo and to reject societal norms. In this journey of self-discovery, Todd Anderson transforms from a self-doubting boy into a confident individual, leading to the film’s powerful final scene. Robert Sean Leonard’s portrayal of Neil Perry captures the struggles of a young man torn between passion and parental expectations, leading to one of the film’s most tragic arcs. Josh Charles adds warmth as Knox Overstreet, a romantic idealist learning to navigate love and courage, while Gale Hansen’s Charlie Dalton, or “Nuwanda,” fully embodies rebellion, showcasing both the thrill and consequences of nonconformity. Nevertheless, we see Keating picking out lines of poetry that appeal most to his life’s philosophy without fully considering the original context, which leads to a tough ending.
However, the storyline is captivating. If someone is into cinematography and films with beautiful scenery, this is a wonderful one to add to the watchlist. It can spark a love for poetry. From dealing with parents’ expectations to questioning authority, the struggles of these 16-17 year old students feel super relatable, even decades later, making this film a timeless classic.
