TAKING NOTES ON A MUSICAL
01a. Title: "King and I"
01b. Date Composed: 1956
02a. Composer: Richard Rodgers
02b. Lyricist: Oscar Hammerstein Jr.
03a. Historical event, story, and/or novel on
which this musical is based:
The popular 1944 novel "Anna and the King of Siam," is based on the true story about
Anna Leonowens, a Victorian Englishwoman who became the governess to the children
of the King of Siam in the 1860's.
 |
| Anna Leonowens |
03b. Author of the original story or novel on which this
musical is based:
musical is based:
Margaret Landon (1903-1993)
04a. What the story is about:
The story is set in Bangkok in the early 1860s and tells the story of Anna, an adventurous
Englishwoman hired by the King of Siam (King Mongkut) to serve as governess and tudor
to his many children in an attempt to bring Western culture to his country. Although Anna
has many quarrels with the dictator, the two eventually fall in love, and her influence on
the king helps to democratize the country.
05a. Where the story takes place (ex: name of city,
country, etc.):
Bangkok in Siam which was the official name of Thailand until 1939 when it was officially
changed.
location (ex: famous landmarks, speech accents,
etc.)
Asian architecture, non-western clothing and customs (ex: bowing), Asian speech
accents
06a. Setting of the story (ex: farm, big city, slums,
affluent neighborhood, etc.)
King's Palace (extremely rich)
07a. Time frame the story takes place in:
1860's
1860's
07b. Name possible clues in the movie that tell you the
time frame (ex: style of clothes and hair, types of
transportation, modern inventions, etc.):
References to Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, clothing (long dresses with
time frame (ex: style of clothes and hair, types of
References to Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, clothing (long dresses with
hooped skirts) and hairstyles, modes of transportation (ships, no automobiles)
 |
| Hooped skirt |
08a. Names of main characters and short
descriptions of each (ex: John Smith-salesman,
Mary Smith-wife of John Smith, etc.
Anna Leonowens: A widowed Briton, in Siam to teach the royal childrenMary Smith-wife of John Smith, etc.
The King: The King of Siam, in real life Mongkut
Lady Thiang: The King's chief wife
Lun Tha: A Burmese scholar, in love with Tuptim
Tuptim: A slave brought from Burma to be one of the King's junior wives
Prince Chulalongkorn: The King's eldest son and heir
Louis Leonowens: Anna's son
 |
| The real King Mongkut |
Lun Tha: A Burmese scholar, in love with Tuptim
Tuptim: A slave brought from Burma to be one of the King's junior wives
Prince Chulalongkorn: The King's eldest son and heir
 |
| The real Chulalongkorn |
Louis Leonowens: Anna's son
sings the role of Anna (played onscreen by Deborah Kerr)
09a. Inner messages within the story (ex: morals, ethics, etc.)
and explain the message you think the author of the movie
(or story) is trying to convey:
Issue of slavery (slavery in Siam compared to slavery in the United States), treatment
of women, differences and similarities between cultures and their customs from
different parts of the world, forbidden relationships between different cultures and
culture classes, and unrequited love.
10a. Personal opinion (your ENJOYMENT factor: why
you liked or disliked the musical):
Student is to write a personal paragraph about this.
and explain the message you think the author of the movie
(or story) is trying to convey:
Issue of slavery (slavery in Siam compared to slavery in the United States), treatment
of women, differences and similarities between cultures and their customs from
different parts of the world, forbidden relationships between different cultures and
culture classes, and unrequited love.
10a. Personal opinion (your ENJOYMENT factor: why
you liked or disliked the musical):
Student is to write a personal paragraph about this.
10b. Personal opinion on the QUALITY OF THE
ARTISTRY in this musical: (ex: how well acted,
quality of the singing voice(s), cinematography,
memorable melodies, etc.):
Student is to write a personal paragraph about this.
ARTISTRY in this musical: (ex: how well acted,
quality of the singing voice(s), cinematography,
memorable melodies, etc.):
Student is to write a personal paragraph about this.
11a. Terms or phrases used in the movie that are new,
unusual to you, and/or not often used:
a person who behaves without moral principles
Siam:
a country of southeastern Asia that extends southward
along the Isthmus of Kra to the Malay Peninsula; now call Thailand
the criminal offense of marrying one person while still legally married to another
to behave humbly or abjectly, as before an authority
a member of a people considered by those of another nation or group
to have a primitive civilization
An anti-slavery novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in the 19th century
the former name for the country Myanmar, a mountainous republic
in southeastern Asia on the bay of Bengal
a dependent state partially controlled by another of superior power for protection
the custom of having more than one wife or husband at a time
a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife or wives
the founder of Buddhism which is a philosophy and religion
often practiced in many Asian countries
12a. Song titles (hint: listen for repeated words or
phrases in the song and guess the name of the
song if you don’t know the name):
phrases in the song and guess the name of the
song if you don’t know the name):
• Overture
•The Small House of Uncle Thomas (Ballet) or
the Siamese version of "Uncle Tom`s Cabin"
originally by Harriet Beecher Stowe
A"The King and I" Song that did not make it into the movie:
Shall I Tell You What I Think of You
Sung by Deborah Kerr
Anna and the King: The Real Story of Anna Leonowens
FROM A & E
LESSON PLAN
Her story has inspired four screen versions and a stage play. Anna Leonowens is known throughout the world as the 19th century English woman who tutored the royal children of Siam. But what really was her relationship with the king and his wives and children? Who was this proper English widow whose adventures took her to exotic places in Asia? BIOGRAPHY takes a look behind the story and reveals a woman who defied gender conventions of her day and recreated herself over more than once. Anna and the King: The Real Story of Anna Leonowens would be useful for classes on World History, Asian History, Literature, Media Studies and Geography. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.
OBJECTIVES
Students will learn about the true life of Anna Leonowens and how the mythic story of her relationship with the king of Siam evolved. They will explore the systems of 19th century colonization as well as 20th century political ideology.
NATIONAL HISTORY STANDARDS
Anna and the King: The Real Story of Anna Leonowens fulfills the following National Standards for History for grades 5-12: chronological thinking, historical comprehension, historical analysis and interpretations, and historical research capabilities World History era 7.
Discussion Questions
- The story of Anna and the King of Siam has captivated audiences for over a century. What is it about this story that makes it so interesting? Why does it continue to be a part of popular culture?
- Anna Leonowens was born in colonial India. Discuss the system of colonization of the 19th century, especially that of the British Empire.
- What are the differences between the colonizers and the colonized? How are their lifestyles different? What are some examples of these differences?
- Anna had a unique childhood in that she was well traveled. Discuss her childhood and its influence on her later life.
- Anna's beloved husband died at an early age of apoplexy. What is apoplexy?
- Anna Leonowens created the woman she presented to the world after her husband's death. How and why did she remake herself?
- When Anna went to Siam (modern day Thailand) she took only her son and not her daughter. Why did she send her daughter to England instead of taking her along?
- Discuss the strengths of King Mongkut as a ruler in the 19th century.
- Discuss the gender inequities in 19th century Siam.
- How did Anna teach her own principles and morals to the royal children of Siam?
- Anna's experiences in Siam became popular because of the stories she wrote. Why did she write these stories? How did these stories cater to the tastes of popular culture in the latter half of the 19th century?
- Anna was a woman ahead of her time. Discuss how she defied the gender conventions of her era.
- How did the story of Anna Leonowens become a mainstay of popular culture in the 20th century?
- View one of the cinema versions of Anna Leonowens' story. Compare the movie with the real life of Anna Leonowens. What is true? What is fiction?
- Imagine that you lived in 19th century Siam. Research the history and culture of Siam (Thailand) and write an essay about what your life would be like.
- Imagine that you are an editor for a newspaper in 1915. Write an obituary for Anna Leonowens. How would you present her life for your readers?
- Discussion Questions from TEACH WITH MOVIES:
1. See Discussion Questions for Use With any Film that is a Work of Fiction.
2. What are some of the possible routes that Anna's ship might have taken to get from England to Siam?
3. Why did the King's Prime Minister dislike Anna?
4. Who was Queen Victoria and why was her good opinion important to King Mongkut?
5. Why did Anna have to give advice to the King by "guessing" what he was thinking?
6. Do you think that Anna caused the King's death by setting up a conflict within him between the modern/Western ways and the old ways? How did the real King Mongkut die?
7. The King sings:
When I was a boy, world was better spot;Was the world really better when the King was a boy? What had changed?
What was so was so, what was not was not;
Now I am a man, world has changed a lot;
Some things nearly so; some things nearly not;
8. How does the character of the King use the term "scientific"? Is he using it correctly? What does he mean by it?
9. Can you tell the story of "The Small House of Uncle Thomas," the dance shown in the movie? What do you think of dancing that tells a story?
10. Why did the King tell Anna, "Your Moses shall have been a fool"?
11. Why did the King dislike "The Small House of Uncle Thomas"?
12. What biblical story gave Tuptim the idea to add a scene in "The Small House of Uncle Thomas" in which the ice on the river melted just in time to drown Simon of Legree?
13. What changes did the Crown Prince make as his father was dying? Why?
14. Why was it important to the King that he not be regarded as a barbarian by the English?
15. Do you agree with the King that forks are a foolhardy utensil and that chopsticks are much better? If you were used to eating with chopsticks and unused to forks, would you have the same answer?
