Exploring the Social, Political and Historical Context of Blood Brothers

Exploring the Social, Political and Historical Context of Blood Brothers

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson you will be able to understand the social, political and historical context of the play Blood Brothers.

Explain the learning objective of the lesson to the students.

What do you already know about the social, political and historical context of Blood Brothers?

Introduction

Blood Brothers is a play that explores social, political and historical themes. To fully appreciate the play, it is important to understand the context in which it was written.

Introduce the topic and explain why understanding the context is important.

The 1980s

Blood Brothers was written in the 1980s, a decade of great political and social change in the UK.

Explain the political and social context of the 1980s in the UK.

The Thatcher Era

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of the UK from 1979 to 1990. Her policies had a major impact on British society and are reflected in Blood Brothers.

Explain the policies of Margaret Thatcher and how they influenced British society.

Class Divide

Blood Brothers explores the theme of class divide. The play looks at how social class can impact a person's life chances and opportunities.

Explain the theme of class divide and how it is explored in the play.

Nature vs Nurture

Another theme explored in Blood Brothers is nature vs nurture. The play asks whether a person's behaviour is determined by their upbringing or their genetics.

Explain the theme of nature vs nurture and how it is explored in the play.

The Troubles

Blood Brothers is set in Liverpool, a city that was deeply affected by the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The play reflects the sense of hopelessness and despair felt by many in the city at the time.

Explain the Troubles in Northern Ireland and how they affected Liverpool.

Conclusion

Understanding the social, political, and historical context of Blood Brothers can deepen our appreciation of the play and help us to understand the themes and issues it explores.

Sum up the main points of the lesson and encourage students to reflect on what they have learned.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.