Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American drama film directed by Peter Weir, written by Tom Schulman, and starring Robin Williams. Set in 1959 at the fictional elite conservative Vermont boarding school Welton Academy, it tells the story of an English teacher who inspires his students through his teaching of poetry with a different perspective of authentic knowledge and feelings.
The story takes place in 1959 at Welton Academy, a prestigious boarding school for boys in Vermont. It opens during an elaborate opening ceremony for a new school year, where we meet Todd Anderson, a new student entering his junior year. Transferring from another school, he is nervous to start at Welton as his older brother, Jeffrey, had attended before him and achieved excellent academic results.
Todd has always felt that his parents prefer Jeffrey; he is reminded of the pressure to live up to his legacy by the Dean. He meets his new roommate, Neil Perry, a friendly boy with a difficult relationship with his father, who has set out a detailed path for Neil’s life to go to Harvard and become a doctor.
Neil is not interested in this future but is too scared of his father to confront him. Todd also meets uptight overachiever Richard Cameron, rebellious rule-breaker Charlie Dalton, and romantic Knox Overstreet.
As classes start, the boys are surprised by their new English teacher, John Keating. Unlike the other strict and conformist teachers at the school, Keating is energetic, charismatic, and passionate. In his first lecture, he stands on his desk to teach the boys about different perspectives and talks about “Carpe Diem,” inviting the students to seize the day.
He wants to teach his students to live extraordinary, individual lives instead of simply following the rules. While the other teachers at the school are suspicious of his methods, Keating’s easygoing nature keeps him protected by the headmaster, Nolan.
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