Incandescently | Dead Poets Society

Six

"Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it." William Shakespeare

"Now, devotees may argue," Father announces whilst kicking a brown football ahead of him, the entire literature class following behind in their physical education uniforms, "that one sport or game is inherently better than another. For me, sport is actually a chance for us to have other human beings push us to excel. I want you all to come over here and take a slip of paper, and line up single file." He drops the hand-held basket onto the grass field and carefully places his record player box atop a small set of dew green bleachers. 

As everyone takes a piece of paper and begins to line up in a single file formation, Father gestures me over to his record player, and hands me a selection of classical vinyl discs. I thumb over each one carefully as Father instructs the boys to clearly enunciate what is written on their paper, and to then triumphantly kick a football as far as they possibly can. "O, to struggle against great odds, to meet enemies undaunted," Pitts proclaims a second time, after supposedly sounding daunted, and then he puts a decent amount of force behind his kick.

"To be a sailor of the world, bound for all ports," another exclaims, after which they also fire off a football, which ends up landing fairly near Pitt's. "O, while I live to be the ruler of life, not a slave," yet another announces, quickly followed by another, "To mount the scaffolds, to advance to the muzzles of guns with perfect nonchalance." As Meeks prepares himself to read off his paper, I confidently select a vinyl disc and upon placing down the needle, George Friedrich Händel's 'Water Music Suite No.2 in D Major' begins to play. As the triumphant music progresses, and several doors of the school open to reveal handfuls of confused staff and students, Meeks clears his throat.

"To dance, clap hands, exult, shout, skip, roll on, float on!" He exclaims gleefully as Father walks further into the field, relinquishing his heavy brown coat to reveal his fuzzy red sweater. One of the less enthusiastic students, whose name I embarrassingly have yet to learn, shows a distinct lack of interest as he reads out his piece of paper: "O, to have life henceforth a poem of new joys", and his attempt to kick the ball shows even less. Charlie steps up next and, with every fibre of his soul, he shouts, "To indeed be a God!" 

The lesson, eventually, draws to a close and once everyone is sent back to their dormitory rooms, Neil quickly arrives outside my door to hurry the both of us to Henley Hall. The week has ended and the next has begun, meaning that the cast list for 'Romeo and Juliet' should have been hung on the Hall's bulletin board; the two of us are almost shaking with nerves. "I don't know what I will say to Father if, miraculously, I have been given this part," I comment as Neil cycles beside me, the two of us riding our own bicycles this time, "but I don't believe that I will get the role."

"Now, you're just being ridiculous, Elizabeth," he responds, briefly turning his head around to look at me after turning the final corner before reaching the Hall, a glow within his face, "I watched some of the girls that auditioned, and not a single one of them showed as much passion as you did." A blush flushes over my cheeks as we park the bicycles just outside the Hall's entrance, locking the two together with a borrowed padlock. "Right, it's the moment of truth, are you ready?" He asks, holding out his hand, which I take with a hesitant nod. Firmly holding my hand, Neil leads me inside the Hall and upon discovering a decent sized crowd hovering around the notice board, I let out a shaky breath. 

Everyone starts to disperse, slowly but surely, and allows Neil to take us closer to the list of casted actors. My eyes fall upon the cast list and, with a shocked gasp, I read: Romeo Montague - Neil Perry and Juliet Capulet - Elizabeth Keating. "We got the parts!" Neil exclaims, his tone completely overjoyed as he grabs my waist and hoists me high up into the air, the two of us cheering gleefully. The gathered crowd around us give in and cheer a little for us, making us realise how disruptive we must be.