The History Boys - Mrs Lintott

Mrs Lintott: They know their stuff. Plainly stated and properly organised facts need no presentation, surely.
Headmaster: Oh, Dorothy. I think they do. 'The facts: serving suggestion.'
Mrs Lintott: A sprig of parsley you mean? Or an umbrella in the cocktail? Are dons so naive?

Mrs Lintott shows confidence in her teaching “they know their stuff” she knows her teaching is good because she teaches them “organised facts” and that is what Mrs Lintott is, she is very factual, she is associated with facts. When she says “plainly stated and properly organised” it is like she is describing herself here, how she is organised within herself and her teaching. When the headmaster states “the facts: serving suggestion” he means that the facts are the recipe for success but the “serving suggestion” means she needs that je ne sais quoi that Hector and Irwin have while teaching. This shows the headmaster agrees that she is “plainly stated”. Mrs Lintott mocks this and extends his imagery metaphor by saying “a sprig of parsley you mean? Or an umbrella in cocktail?” it is like she is being told to spice up her teaching.

Durham was very good for history; it's where I had my first pizza. Other things, too, of course, but it's the pizza that stands out.

This shows Mrs Lintott went to university but her parties, relationships and education wasn’t very exciting or was quite rubbish. It’s the “pizza that stands out” showing that nothing was very exciting for her.

Mrs Lintott: The new man seems clever.
Hector: Depressingly so.
Mrs Lintott: Men are, at history, of course.
Hector: Why history particularly?
Mrs Lintott: Story-telling so much of it, which is what men do naturally. My ex, for instance. He told stories.
Hector: Was he an historian?
Mrs Lintott: Lintott? No. A chartered accountant. Legged it to Dumfries.

This section shows Mrs Lintott’s view on men and reveals a little bit about her husband. She states the new man “seems” clever, this shows her certainty towards Irwin’s intelligence. She then reveals her thoughts on men and how they are clever at history but at the “story-telling” part, she states it is “what men do naturally” she then relates it to her ex-husband. Mrs Lintott states he was good at story—telling, this may imply he lied to her and made up stories due to his unfaithfulness. This explains Mrs Lintott’s views and feelings towards men.

On Dakin: Actually I wouldn't have said he was sad. I would have said he was cunt-struck.

Mrs Lintott is the only women in the play; she represents all women. For Mrs Lintott to use the word “cunt-struck” is very surprising because it is seen as offensive towards women. The fact that she uses, really challenges the norm of society, where men use that word to offend women, instead she uses it too.

Rudge: You've force fed us the facts; now we're in the process of running around acquiring flavour.

Rudge describes Mrs Lintott as forceful in the way she teaches. “You’ve force fed us” this shows she is aggressive in teaching and education. Rudge also states they are “running around acquiring flavour” this links to earlier in the play, where Mrs Lintott describes herself as “plainly stated and organised” as she is associated with “organised facts”. However Rudge states how Irwin and Hector are so original and unique that Lintott lacks originality and spontaneous teaching. Her teaching includes plain, organised facts.