French Without Tears

Themes and Meanings (Survey of Dramatic Literature)

French Without Tears is a lightperhaps very lightcomedy, and an analysis of its meaning
should be approached with caution. It is precisely this resistance to meaning, however, that is at
the heart of the play. Terence Rattigans expert manipulation of pace, rhythm, entrances, exits, and
plot turns is often noted; indeed, Rattigan is usually seen as one of the last practitioners of the wellmade play, which relied for its effect on a rather machinelike construction. In Britain the well-made
play had been firmly tied to the social drama and problem play created by such dramatists as
George Bernard Shaw, Henry Arthur Jones, and Arthur Wing Pinero. In Rattigans piece, however,
the plot twists and the realignment of relationships among the characters defy any such social or
philosophical interpretation.
Early in the play, for example, professional and romantic rivalries seem to be established: Kenneth,
Kit, and Alan are preparing for an entrance exam which only one of them is likely to pass; ironically,
that person is Alan, who least wants the job. Kit and Rogers quickly become rivals for Dianas
affections, along with the again reluctant Alan. Unexpectedly, any tension is quickly dispelled: The
impending exam does not become a feature of the plot, and the rivalry among the men is
transformed into camaraderie in response to Dianas machinations.
It becomes apparent that Rattigan, while creating a play that is surprisingly plotless, has taken care
that numerous opportunities for plot development are raised, only to be let dangle after being
shown to be insignificant. Alan, who would seem to be the central character, offers what might be a
crucial idea when he outlines the plot of his much-rejected novel. In the story of two conscientious
objectors who refuse to fight, and flee to Africa only to fight over a woman, Alan asserts the
importance of an ideal, even one that cannot be achieved: In a hundred years time men may be
able to live up to our ideals even if they cant live up to their own. The necessity of the ideal
appears again in Alans description of the perfect woman and in the comical play on reason and
emotion that takes place among the men. The ideal, however, is without power in this play. Its
value is posited in the pages of a rejected manuscriptby a man at the mercy of the most unideal
of women. While bearing the marks of the well-made play, French Without Tears derives its
comedy from a denial of the problem or idea traditionally at the heart of such plays.

Characters Discussed (Great Characters in Literature)

Kenneth Lake
Kenneth Lake, one of a number of students attending a summer foreign-language school on the
French Riviera, in an idyllic existence upper-class students enjoyed in pre-World War II England.
He is about twenty years old and good-looking in a vacuous way. He joins his friends in romantic
frolics that involve the ladies of the town. The circle of students, of which he seems to be the
leader by virtue of his droll wit, is untouched by the domestic or foreign problems looming on the
English horizon.
Alan Howard
Alan Howard, another of the students, about twenty-three years old. He is dark, saturnine, and
serious. The only student to resist the seductive Diana, he makes it clear that his ideal woman will
be able to converse intelligently on various subjects, will possess all the masculine virtues and no
feminine vices, should be just attractive enough to be desirable and to remain faithful to him, and
will be in love with him. He is interested in becoming a writer despite his parents wish that he
follow in his fathers footsteps as a diplomat; he thus serves as the authors surrogate. The play
ends with his departure for London, Diana following closely on his heels.

Diana Lake
Diana Lake, Kenneths sister, a beautiful seductress about twenty years old who lives up to her
mythical name. She joins her brother and his fellow students at the French-language school merely
because her parents are in India. She snares males as different as Kit, Commander Rogers, and
Brian. Pursuing Alan despite his resistance to her charms, she is a delightful shadow of the
Shavian woman who pursues her man until he catches her. Her foil in the romantic intrigue of the
play is the more stable and slightly less attractive Jacqueline Maingot, who, in this happy world,
finally convinces Kit that he is not in love with Diana.
Jacqueline Maingot
Jacqueline Maingot (zhahk-LEEN mahn-GOH), the attractive daughter of Monsieur Maingot, about
twenty years old. She assists her father in his instructional duties and serves as a complicating
factor in the romantic interest of the plot. Straightforward and serious, she confronts the wily Diana,
who is bent on making victims of the males. Jacqueline resents Diana, whom Kit prefers.
Eventually, Kit comes to his senses and admits his real love for Jacqueline.
Monsieur Maingot
Monsieur Maingot, the affable host and instructor of French for English students. His ferocious face
and dark beard belie the affable earnestness with which he conducts the instruction of his pupils.
Kit Neilan
Kit Neilan, who is about twenty-two years old, fair, good looking, and easily ensnared by Dianas
charms. He eventually comes to his senses, admitting to loving Jacqueline without having known it.
Brian Curtis
Brian Curtis, a thickset, carelessly dressed Scotsman about twenty-three years old. He is
immodest and a zestful participant in the youthful pranks of the students. He takes advantage of
the green light given him by Diana at one point but receives only a sharp buffet on the kisser; he
laughs about the experience afterward.
Commander Rogers
Commander Rogers, a sober man of about thirty-five, with a dark complexion. Studying French in
preparation for an interpretership, he is a stereotype of the admirable, stiff-upper-lipped
Englishman. His ensnarement by Diana ends when she admits her love for Alan.
Lord Heybrook
Lord Heybrook, a bright young schoolboy of fifteen. Awaited by Diana as her next possible
conquest, he appears at the very end, only to disappoint her, his age causing her to pursue Alan to
London.
Marianne
Marianne, the requisite maid in a farce.

Critical Context

French Without Tears was Rattigans first success on the stage, running for more than one
thousand performances. The popularity of this play would establish Rattigan as an adept craftsman
in the drama: His reputation would remain that of a talented wielder of theatrical devices who
persistently avoided the emphasis on ideas evident in such contemporary playwrights as J. B.
Priestley. Rattigans career was a long one: His last West End success was Cause Clbre (pr.
1977, pb. 1978), produced in the year of his death. Rattigan followed French Without Tears with
such comic pieces as While the Sun Shines (pr. 1943, pb. 1944) and Love in Idleness (pr. 1944,
pb. 1945); both of these rely for humorous effect on the persistent spurning of ideas or problems,
a technique much in evidence in the earlier play.
It was after World War II that Rattigan began to produce serious plays, most notably The Winslow
Boy (pr., pb. 1946), which offers a more thoughtful analysis of the function of the ideal than is found
in French Without Tears. Nevertheless, certain continuities are evident between this early play and
the later drama. The character of Diana is the earliest of Rattigans dangerous women, whose
obsessive need for love (and its inevitable frustration) leads to chaos. The tragic possibilities in
such a character are explored frequently in Ratigans serious drama, in such plays as The Deep
Blue Sea (pr., pb. 1952), The Browning Version (pr. 1948), and Separate Tables: Table by the
Window and Table Number Seven (pr. 1954, pb. 1955).
By the end of his career, Rattigan suffered from an identification of his plays with the older,
conventional problem play of the late Victorian and Edwardian years. In Rattigans work,
however, one can seeeven in this early playa rejection of many of the qualities of the older
drama. Rattigan would explore the vitality of specific dramatic forms and devices while rejecting
their traditional uses and context. Thus a play such as The Winslow Boy clearly relies on such
legal dramas as Henry Arthur Joness Mrs. Danes Defense (pr. 1900), and French Without Tears
on such Shavian comedies as Man and Superman (pr. 1903); both Rattigan plays, however, make
a point of denying the specific social or political concerns of their models, and their characters are
more ciphers than symbols.
The Play (Survey of Dramatic Literature)
French Without Tears opens in the living room of a seaside villa in the South of France. It is
summer. Kenneth is preparing a French lesson when he is joined by Brian. They discuss career
prospects: Kenneth fears he will not pass the French exam required for a diplomatic post he seeks;
Brian tells him that Alan is the likely one to win the job. Alan enters and suggests that he might not
want the job at all: It is his parents wish that he become a diplomat. He jokes with the others about
his prospects as a novelist, admitting that he has not yet had a manuscript accepted. The
conversation turns to the arrival, the previous evening, of a new visitor, Commander Rogers.
Maingot enters and reminds the men that their conversation should be in French. He then reads
his newspaper, exclaiming on the doings of Adolf Hitler, before leaving with Kenneth for a French
lesson.
Rogers enters. He has come to the establishment to study for an interpretership exam. He and
Alan are quickly at odds: Rogers resents Alans joking and sarcasm, and Alan dislikes Rogerss
military demeanor. Alan warns him about Diana, Kenneths fast sister, who is currently pursuing
Kit. Diana enters in a bathing suit, followed by Kit. Alan and Diana insult each other politely, but
when the others leave the room their insults take on a more gentle and romantic tone. Alan insists
that she should stop toying with Kit and not make a new conquest of Rogers. After he exits, Rogers
walks in looking for a phrase book. Diana flirts with him, telling him to ignore Alans warnings, since
he is really in love with her. She and Rogers agree to go walking.
Act 2 opens a fortnight later, as the household is finishing lunch. Maingot reminds the group that
the Bastille Day celebrationsa costume ball and battle of flowerstake place that evening. Kit
asks Diana for a game of billiards, but she has already agreed to play with Rogers. Kit announces
that he is taking Jacqueline to the ball and that Diana is going with Rogers. He tells Jacqueline that
he likes her and hardly thinks of her as a woman. Alan enters, and he and Kit argue over Diana,

with Kit insisting that Diana really loves him, not Rogers. Diana and Rogers enter, and the others
leave. Rogers asks Diana why she will not tell Kit that she does not love him. She insists that she
is trying to spare Kits feelings. She finally promises to tell Kit; at this moment Jacqueline enters
and overhears. The others wander in, and Alan discovers that his novel has been rejected again.
He describes the plot of his novel: Two conscientious objectors go to Africa when war breaks out,
but they end up fighting over a woman and, realizing that they cannot achieve their ideals, go back
to fight in the war. The subject of competition over a woman causes a fight between Rogers and
Kit. A general brawl quickly breaks out among the men, which ceases abruptly as Maingot enters
and begins the days lecture on the Near East.
The next scene begins six hours later, with preparations for the evening out. Diana is seated in the
living room; Jacqueline enters in a Bavarian costume. Diana offers to fix a piece of loose braid on
the dress, and as she does so the two women begin to argue over Kit. Diana insists that she wants
both Rogers and Kit. Having men fall in love with her, she says, is her one gift, whereas
Jacqueline is intelligent and likable. The arrival the next day of another prospect, a Lord Heybrook,
is discussed. Diana states that she does not intend to go to the ball after all. Kit enters, halfdressed in a Greek costume. He tells Jacqueline that he, too, would rather stay home; he has
asked Kenneth to take her to the ball. Jacqueline quickly leaves. Kit asks Diana to tell Rogers that
she does not love him, but loves Kit. Diana, repeating her words to Rogers in the previous scene,
claims that she feels sorry for Rogers and does not want to hurt his feelings. Rogers enters as Kit
is kissing Diana. Just as a fight is about to begin, Maingot enters in a Scottish Highland costume.
He leaves for the ball, followed by Jacqueline and Kenneth. Alan, Brian, and Diana go out for a
drink, leaving Kit and Rogers. The two men prepare to fight, but instead begin to laugh at Kits
costume. They agree to discuss the matter rationally. In their discussion they realize that Diana has
said exactly the same words to each of them and made fools of both of them. Alan enters, and the
three men decide to go into town to get drunk.
Act 3 opens a few hours later, after the three men have returned from the local casino. They
drunkenly discuss their problems with women, then the conversation turns to Alans career: He
would like to go back to England and become a writer. It is then agreed that all the men must face
Diana together. When Diana enters, Alan tells her that Kit and Rogers demand to know who it is
she really loves, and he prevents her from leaving until she answers. After a pause, Diana
announces that she loves Alan, then departs. Alan becomes suddenly fearful and asks the other
men to protect him from Diana; in particular, they must never leave him alone with her. He goes on
to reveal that Jacqueline is in love with Kit.
Maingot and Jacqueline soon return, still in costume. Kit and Jacqueline are left alone, and he tries
to kiss her. Alan returns, confessing that he has told Kit of Jacquelines feelings. She is angry with
both of them, but forgives them. Alan is left alone, and Diana enters. She tries to convince him that
she does indeed love him, but he keeps attempting to flee the room. Finally, they kiss, and Alan
admits that he loves her. Brian enters as Diana leaves, telling Alan of a failed pass he made at
Diana and of a new prostitute he has discovered in town. Alan decides that Brians is the right and
sensible approach to women and sex, and he resolves that he will ask Diana bluntly for sex; if she
refuses he will return to England. Alan exits, a door slams upstairs, and Alan returns to say that he
is going to England.
The final scene opens the next morning, after breakfast; Alans departure is being discussed.
Jacqueline reminds Diana that Lord Heybrook is arriving that morning. Alan enters, guarded by
Rogers, who refuses to leave. Diana tries to convince Alan that she is sincere, and Alan tells
Rogers to go. Rogers reminds Alan to be rational, and they both leave together, with Diana
throwing books after them. Diana goes out for a swim. As Jacqueline gives Kit his French lesson,
they circle the subject of a possible romance, and, half-jokingly, half-seriously, they kiss again.
Gradually the household assembles to await the arrival of Lord Heybrook, with Diana entering at
the last moment. Lord Heybrook enters: He is a boy of fifteen. Everyone laughs but Diana, who
announces her intention of going to London. The play ends with Alans cry, Stop laughing, you
idiots. It isnt funny. Its a bloody tragedy.

More Content: Analysis (hide)

Dramatic Devices (Survey of Dramatic Literature)
Bibliography (Great Characters in Literature)
French Without Tears Dramatic Devices (Survey of Dramatic Literature)
In French Without Tears Rattigan emphasizes the unfixed quality of the characters and action by
subverting anticipated dramatic conventions. The well-made play attached specific meaning to
objects and used clear-cut distinctions in type and characterization. In French Without Tears such
objects as clothing, money, and books feature prominently in the action, but it is noteworthy that
they finally have no decisive role in the play and are used interchangeably by the characters. The
altered nature of ownership and allegiance is of central interest, and this continuous shifting in the
nature of the characters and action extends to friendships, romantic relationships, language, and
nationality. One source of the plays comedy is the inept use of French by the students at the villa;
for the Bastille Day celebration, French characters don kilts and Bavarian costume, and English
characters wear Greek and German costume.
The dialogue in the play is self-consciously dramatic. In act 2 Diana has love scenes with both
Rogers and Kit. In each scene the dialogue is nearly identical: The effect is to deny both the
distinctions between characters and the connection between character and language. In the last
act, Kit and Jacqueline begin their romance by describing what they would say if they were in love,
in terms that are deliberately theatrical and trite: Ive loved you all the time without knowing it,
says Kit. Again, the comedy is in the insistence upon artificiality at the expense of naturalism.
If the characters come close to being mere props in this play, and the language persistently
appears dramatic, the setting of the play seems no wider than the stage itself. There is little
specific social or political background to the play, and this lack points up another contrast with
Rattigans precursors in the British theater. Again, the appropriate possibilities are raised: Hitler is
explicitly mentioned, Maingots history lessons are a running joke, war is central to the plot of
Alans failed novel, and the characters are mainly upper-class men seeking careers in diplomacy.
Maingots history lessons provide a clue to the relevance of this political background, since most
of the characters have no idea what he is saying, and the audience is led to believe that he is a
weak teacher with no great understanding of his subject. Rattigan has written a play which blithely
denies the importance of the social and political context which it does indeed contain. It is a
carefully constructed theatrical piece whose humor is based on escape from the heavy significance
of its dramatic precursors.