Twelve Angry Twelve Angry Men Men

Reginald RoseReginald RoseYear 12 English and ESL

Text Study Reading and Responding

Ekaterina Xanthopoulos

‘‘The true administration of justice is the The true administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good government’ firmest pillar of good government’

Scales of JusticeScales of Justice

Images – discuss theseImages – discuss these

And moreAnd more

Life in the1950sLife in the1950s

Reginald RoseReginald Rose1920-2002 and born/grew up in New

YorkEnlisted and served in WWII until 1946Wrote since being a teenager, for TV

plays, many plays made into films and TV series

1954 – first time called for jury duty – manslaughter case – eight hours before unanimous vote – wrote Twelve Angry Men as live one-hour legal drama which later became a film

Won many awards, such as Emmys

SettingSetting1957 - ‘A very hot summer afternoon’In a jury room of a New York Court of

LawDescribed as ‘scarred table’‘a large, drab bare room in need of

painting’Oppressive, stifling: ‘The Guard exits

and in the silence the sound is heard of the door being locked.’

‘It has grown considerably darker in the room and it’s oppressively still.’

Jurors at times move to washroom

Plot/synopsisPlot/synopsisYoung man accused of ‘murder in the

first degree – premeditated homicide’Twelve jurors locked in a jury room to

determine if there is a ‘reasonable doubt’Initially all but one juror find him “Guilty”

but with discussion, arguments and persuasion – all change to “Not guilty”

Question ability of defence counsel and accounts of witnesses as well as use of evidence – also strip away layers of prejudice, artifice, ‘fancy’…

What is reasonable doubtWhat is reasonable doubt“Reasonable Doubt” is explained thusly:

“That state of minds of jurors in which they cannot say they feel an abiding conviction as to the truth of the charge.”

Source: Charles Montaldo

In the play, both the jurors and audience must decide in the end if they agree – never given proof of the defendant’s innocence 100%

GKRGKR: “Guilty”: “Guilty”Oxford English Reference

Dictionary definition: ‘Law: adjudged to have committed a (specified) offence, especially by a verdict in a trial’ (1995)

1.PARAPHRASE THIS MEANING2.WHAT IS YOUR MEANING?3.LIST 3 SYNONYMS and ANTONYMS

Vocabulary – add more to Vocabulary – add more to listlistword meaning synonym

defendant

counsel

witness

prosecutor

hung jury

premeditated murder

METALANGUAGE

script

dialogue

props

stage directions

CharactersCharactersWhy are they anonymous?Why are there 12 people in a jury? Why is the first juror called FOREMAN

and what are his duties?

In groups of three, quickly research and discuss these questions and report back to class – 10 minutes

What motivates a What motivates a character? character?

 Fear

 

 Relationships

 Desire

 Values/Morals

 

 Actions

 Family

 Security

 

 Politics

 Greed

 Money

 

 Status

 Power/Authority

 Love/Lust

 

 Hatred

 Gender

 Culture/History

 

 Emotion

 Understanding/Interest

 Spiritual/Religious

 

 Ignorance

 Experiences

Themes/Ideas/Views and Themes/Ideas/Views and ValuesValuesJustice and the court/jury system –

jury’s deliberation and decisionWhat is truth – is it fallible?Memory – witness accountsWhat is a fact – can details be

‘twisted’?PrejudiceStereotypes and class‘Reasonable doubt’ VS certaintyHistorical Context: McCarthyism -

use of trials in 1950s AND use of television drama

Genre and structureGenre and structureDrama – serious play Realism and Naturalism – explore

daily life – a ‘slice of life’ – 1950s movement

Legal drama but also about interactions between characters

Two acts and all characters remain on stage despite washroom visits

Employs Aristotle’s ‘unity of action, place and time’ – less than a day

Language and DialogueLanguage and DialogueNatural – language patterns of era

and geographical setting of the playWorking-class men yet different ie

some ‘white collar’, share cultural interest in sport and film – same vernacular: ‘…ought to be down in Atlantic City at that hairsplitters’ convention.’

Use legal terms comfortably: ‘reasonable doubt’, ‘defendant’, ‘counsel’, ‘evidence’

Play TechniquesPlay TechniquesSetting – description of roomProps/sets – bare, minimalCostume – clothing of JURORsStage directions – what they doStage – of jury room and washroomLighting – darkening ‘It is now

darker than before’ – due to weather and atmosphere of tension

Sound – Judge’s voice, etc.

What to do:What to do:1. Read the play at least twice 2. Summarise in point form each scene3. Takes notes on each character4. Collect quotes and group them under headings5. Ask yourself: What is the message or point of

this play? What questions does the plot raise?6. Answer the set questions7. Vocabulary8. Reflect upon each reading and how your

views/readings change9. Which character do you like/dislike the most?

Why?10. How does the language in the play influence

and position the audience? What about the stage directions and props?