Task 3. Answer the question.

1. Characterize the epoch: clothes, traditions, manners.

2. What is “Kensington system of education”?

3. Tell about reason for the wrangle between:

· Victoria and Sir John Conroy;

· the Duchess of Kent (mother of the Queen) and the King of England.

4. How did Leopold I become the monarch of Belgium? And why did he need the help of GB?

5. Describe the political situation in Great Britain (what party was ruling the country, political preferences of Victoria, main rivals of Lord Melbourne, etc.)

6. What was the problem with the court of Victoria and the Parliament? Why did Sir Peel think that this cause great problems in politics of the country? Who were maids of honour?

7. What did Victoria let Albert do in the palace to authorize him?

8. How many regents were in Great Britain?

9. How many children were in Victoria and Albert’s family? Find the information about their future life? What royal families were they in relationships with?

“The QUEEN”

Release date: 2006

Director: Stephen Frears

Genre: Biography | Drama

Summary.

The Queen is a 2006 British drama film directed by Stephen Frears, written by Peter Morgan, and starring Helen Mirren as the title role, HM Queen Elizabeth II. Released almost a decade after the event, the film depicts a fictional account of the immediate events following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales on 31 August 1997.

The main plot focuses on the differing views in how to deal with the death of Diana. The Royal Family, while on their summer residence at Balmoral Castle, sees her death as a private affair, not to be treated as an official Royal death, in contrast with newly-appointed Prime Minister Tony Blair and Diana's ex-husband Prince Charles, who attempt to reflect the public wish for an official expression of grief. Matters are further complicated by the media, royal protocol regarding Diana's official status, and wider issues about republicanism. The views of Diana's two sons throughout the film are only portrayed through other characters.

The film's release coincided with a revival of favourable public sentiment with respect to the monarchy and a downturn in fortunes for Blair, whose resignation came less than a year later. Michael Sheen reprised his role as Blair from the Channel 4 television film The Deal, and did so again in The Special Relationship. The film also earned critical and popular acclaim for Mirren, and some controversy as she had originally refused appointment into the Order of the British Empire in 1996, only to accept the offer in 2003. Mirren praised the Queen in her Academy Awards acceptance speech and was invited to dinner at Buckingham Palace on 10 May 2007, but declined to attend due to filming commitments in the United States.

Task 1. Give examples of the usage of the following words (remember the episodes from the film).

Establishment, Queen's speech, recount, anti-Monarchist sympathies, execute constitutional responsibility, to pay tribute to her life and achievements, polling day, curtsey, to fall on bended knee

Task 2. Read and translate the following words. Create your own sentences with them:

absentee ballot, ballot, ballot box, ballot paper, by-election, cabinet, canvassing, constituency, electoral register, exit poll, establishment, first past the post, franchise, general election, hung parliament, landslide, marginal constituencies, MP, opinion poll, party Election Broadcast (PEB), polling day, polling station, recount, seat, tellers, turnout, conference speech.

Task 3. Answer the following questions:

1. Is there a notable inaccuracy in the film? What is it?

2. What do you think about historical accuracy of the film?

3. Was the film approved by the Royal family? Why/why not?

4. Do you agree with the cast of the film? If not, who would better meet the role of the Queen, Prince Philip, Prime Minister Tony Blair and others?

5. What was the manifesto of Tony Blair? Why the Queen was no so glad of it?

6. Who is EQUERRY?

7. What does it mean “be in the Presence”?

8. What did Blair do wrong meeting with the Queen for the first time?

9. Who is the Lord Chamberlain? Tell about his duties.

10. What is a plan Tay Bridge for? Why was it so unpleasant for the Queen and her mother?

11. Why did the royal family argue about the flag?

12. Why does Mrs. Blair dislike monarchy? What’s her position?

13. What are the days of Trooping the Colour?

14. What were the main topics of last meeting with the Queen?

15. How can you interpret a scene with a deer?

Task 4. Additional tasks

1. Write down the Queen’s speech. Try to be as accurate as it’s possible.

2. Create a family tree of the Royal family.

3. Make a presentation about premiership in Britain. Tell about the system of premiership, the most famous PMs of Britain, etc.

“The Iron Lady”

Release date: 2011

Director: Phyllida Lloyd

Genre: Biography | Drama | History

Summary.

The film begins circa 2008 with an elderly Lady Thatcher buying milk unrecognized by other customers and walking back from the shop alone. Over the course of three days we see her struggle with dementia and with the lack of power that comes with old age, while looking back on defining moments of her personal and professional life, on which she reminisces with her (now dead) husband, Denis Thatcher. She is shown as having difficulty distinguishing between the past and present. A theme throughout the film is the personal price which Thatcher has paid for power. Denis is portrayed as somewhat ambivalent about his wife's rise to power, her son Mark lives in South Africa and is shown as having little contact with his mother, and it is implied that Thatcher's relationship with her daughter Carol is at times strained.

In flashback we are shown Thatcher's youth, working in the family grocery store in Grantham, listening to the political speeches of her father, whom she idolized - it is also hinted that she had a poor relationship with her mother, a housewife - and announcing that she has won a place at the University of Oxford. She remembers her struggle, as a young lower-middle class woman, to break into a snobbish male-dominated Tory party and find a seat in the House of Commons, along with businessman Denis Thatcher's marriage proposal to her. Her struggles to fit in as a " Lady Member" of the House, and as Education Secretary in Edward Heath's cabinet are also shown, as are her friendship with Airey Neave, her decision to stand for Leader of the Conservative Party, and her voice coaching and image change.

Further flashbacks examine historical events during her time as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom including the rising unemployment related to her monetarist policies and the tight 1981 budget (over the misgivings of " wet" members of her Cabinet – Ian Gilmour, Francis Pym, Michael Heseltine and Jim Prior), the Brixton Riots of 1981, the miners' strike of 1984–5, and the bombing of the Grand Hotel during the 1984 Conservative Party Conference, when she and Denis were almost killed. We also see her decision to retake the Falkland Islands following the islands' invasion by Argentina in 1982, the sinking of the ARA General Belgrano and Britain's subsequent victory in the Falklands War, her friendship with Ronald Reagan and emergence as a world figure, and the economic boom of the late 1980s.

By 1990 Thatcher is shown as an imperious but ageing figure, ranting aggressively at her Cabinet, refusing to accept that the Community Charge (the " Poll Tax" ) is regarded as unjust, and fiercely opposed to European Integration. Her deputy Geoffrey Howe resigns after being humiliated by her in a Cabinet meeting, Michael Heseltine challenges her for the party leadership and her loss of support from her Cabinet colleagues leaves her little choice but to resign as Prime Minister, about which she is shown as still angry and bitter twenty years later.

Eventually, Margaret is shown packing up her late husband's belongings, and telling him it's time for him to go. Denis's ghost leaves her – in spite of her cries that she is not yet ready to lose him – fully dressed but without his shoes, and she is left alone washing up a teacup.

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