Themes (AQA A-Level English Literature A): Revision Notes
Themes
The themes in Our Country's Good form the foundation of Wertenbaker's exploration of human nature, justice and colonialism. Understanding these central ideas is essential for analysing how the play critiques 18th-century attitudes whilst remaining relevant to modern audiences. Each theme interconnects with the others, creating a complex examination of transformation, power and morality.
Theatre as a socialising tool
Wertenbaker presents theatre as a powerful force for personal transformation and social connection. The play demonstrates how participating in the production of The Recruiting Officer changes the convicts from isolated criminals into a cohesive community capable of empathy and friendship.
Meta-theatrical device: Wertenbaker uses a play-within-a-play structure to comment on theatre's real-world power. The convicts rehearsing and performing The Recruiting Officer mirrors the actual transformative effect that theatre can have on both performers and audiences.
This transformation is particularly evident in the character development of Liz Morden. Initially portrayed as hardened by her experiences, Liz undergoes significant personal growth through her involvement in the theatrical production. She forms meaningful friendships with fellow convicts and demonstrates remarkable loyalty.
Character Transformation: Liz Morden
Liz's journey from isolated criminal to morally courageous friend demonstrates theatre's socialising power:
- Initial state: Hardened by experience, isolated from others
- During rehearsals: Forms meaningful friendships with fellow convicts
- Final scenes: Willingly sacrifices herself by faking a confession about stealing from the stores to protect her friends
This progression shows how theatre has fostered both moral courage and genuine human connection.
The character known as 'Shitty' Meg similarly exemplifies this socialising process. Through rehearsals and performance, convicts who were previously dehumanised and treated as mere criminals begin to reclaim their humanity and dignity.
Exam Tip: When writing about this theme, consider how Wertenbaker uses the meta-theatrical device of a play-within-a-play to comment on theatre's real-world power to reform and rehabilitate. Link specific character transformations to broader arguments about the humanising effect of art.
Power of language
The power of language operates as a central theme that closely connects with theatre's transformative potential. Wertenbaker illustrates how words and performance can reshape individual identity and interpersonal relationships.
The convicts' involvement in performing The Recruiting Officer has a profound impact on their personalities and behaviour. By speaking the sophisticated language of Restoration comedy, the convicts begin to see themselves differently and others begin to see them differently too. Language becomes a tool for reclaiming dignity and humanity.
Character Transformation: Dabby
Dabby's journey illustrates how theatrical language can break down defensive barriers:
- Initial presentation: Abrasive and difficult, struggles to maintain positive relationships
- Her harsh manner: Creates barriers between herself and fellow convicts
- Through rehearsal: Speaks sophisticated dialogue, inhabits a different role
- Final transformation: Develops genuine friendships and displays clear emotional bonds with others
The power of theatrical language has enabled her to move beyond her defensive aggression and connect authentically with others.
Language as power: Language in the play functions both literally—through dialogue and performance—and symbolically, representing education, social mobility and the power to define oneself rather than being defined by others. This theme connects to Enlightenment ideas about education as a path to self-improvement.
Rehabilitation versus capital punishment
This theme creates ideological tension throughout the play, particularly during scenes where the officers debate how convicts should be treated. Wertenbaker presents contrasting philosophies about punishment and reform, forcing the audience to consider which approach is more effective and ethical.
Captain Arthur Phillips embodies a liberal, progressive viewpoint. He demonstrates an intelligent belief in the possibility of reform and rehabilitation. Phillips recognises that the officers possess the power to help convicts become better people through education, theatre and humane treatment. His approach is based on the Enlightenment idea that humans are capable of improvement when given appropriate opportunities and guidance.
In direct opposition stands Major Robbie Ross, who represents a conservative, punitive philosophy. Ross firmly believes that punishment for the convicts should be as harsh and severe as possible. He advocates for capital punishment and shows no faith in the possibility of redemption. His worldview sees convicts as irredeemable criminals who deserve only suffering and death.
Philosophical conflict: This debate between Phillips and Ross reflects real 18th-century tensions between:
- Enlightenment reformers who believed in human perfectibility through education and reason
- Traditional conservatives who viewed harsh punishment as both just retribution and effective deterrent
This ideological conflict drives much of the play's dramatic tension and encourages audiences to examine their own beliefs about justice and human nature.
Exam Tip: Consider how this theme reflects 18th-century debates about penal reform whilst also engaging with contemporary discussions about criminal justice. Link this to historical context about the founding of Australia as a penal colony—was it intended as punishment or as an opportunity for rehabilitation? Connect Phillips and Ross to real historical figures and their philosophies.
Colonisation
The theme of colonisation is powerfully expressed through the Aboriginal characters and the play's Australian setting. Wertenbaker uses this theme to critique British imperialism and expose the devastating consequences of colonial expansion.
The destructive impact of colonisation on indigenous people is made visible throughout the play. The audience witnesses how British settlement affects the original inhabitants of the land, creating space for reflection on colonial violence and dispossession. Wertenbaker presents colonisation not as a civilising mission but as an act of destruction.
Disturbing imagery: This critique becomes especially powerful and disturbing towards the end of the play. The Aboriginal character becomes diseased, his body covered in pus and infections. This physical deterioration is a direct result of contact with the British colonisers.
The imagery is deliberately shocking, forcing the audience to confront the physical harm that colonisation inflicts on indigenous peoples—through:
- Introduced diseases
- Violence
- Destruction of traditional ways of life
Beyond the literal level, this theme operates symbolically. The diseased body of the Aboriginal character represents the corruption and destruction that humans cause when they seize land that was never theirs to take. Wertenbaker suggests that colonisers act with reckless disregard for the natural world and its original inhabitants. They are destructive of nature itself, proceeding with their actions without considering—or caring about—the consequences.
Connecting themes: The theme of colonisation connects to broader questions in the play about power, justice and humanity. Just as the convicts are dehumanised by the British class system, Aboriginal people are dehumanised by colonial attitudes. Both groups are seen as "other" by those in power, yet both demonstrate their full humanity throughout the play.
Remember!
Key Themes to Master:
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Theatre transforms: Wertenbaker presents theatrical participation as a powerful tool for personal growth and socialisation, particularly through characters like Liz Morden and Dabby who develop empathy, friendship and moral courage.
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Language shapes identity: The power of language—especially theatrical language—enables convicts to reclaim their humanity and reshape both how they see themselves and how others perceive them.
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Reform versus punishment: The play explores opposing philosophies through Captain Phillips (rehabilitation and reform) and Major Ross (harsh punishment and capital punishment), asking the audience to consider which approach is more just and effective.
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Colonial critique: Through the suffering of Aboriginal characters, Wertenbaker delivers a powerful condemnation of British colonisation, exposing both the physical harm and symbolic destruction caused by imperial expansion.
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Interconnected themes: All four themes connect to questions of power, humanity and transformation—whether society should seek to reform or punish, include or exclude, build or destroy.