Emperor's

Emperor’s Club tackles question of virtue from an unusual angle as it does not go for a traditional elevated approach and give the audience the right to judge characters and their actions themselves.William Hundert is a strict, stern, and even stuffy teacher who predictably cannot be content with his initial purpose and tries to bring his students up in the spirit of high moral ideals. Atfirst glance the fact that he concealed Sedgewick Bell’s cheating at the prestigious contest contradicts to this image completely. However, there is more to Hundert than it first seems. Bell, arebellious student, who loves pranks and knows that his father’s authority is enough for conductng them with impunity, has a high potential, which Hundert sets his goal to expose. Drawing the conclusion thatBell’s father takes little notice of the life of his son, he believes that the boy needs molding from the other side and gives him the chance to win in defiance of the professional ethics, honesty andcandor, supposing that this small lie will pay off.

In the second competition the situation recurs precisely, but the underlying reasons are completely different. Having got the opportunity toindulge into the familiar and dear atmosphere, Hundert bitterly recognizes that his lesson have done little good to the Sedgewick’s character. He confesses to him that he was aware of his cheating later,realizing it was no use exposing him then – it was too late.

The students of Mr. Hundert, Sedgewick Bell and Martin Blythe, are completely opposite characters. While the latter representsdiligence, honesty and loyalty, dignity and respect for family values and traditions, the former embodies all the negative features of a rebellious teenager which are likely to deteriorate if given chance togrip. Martin suffers unjustly but his suffering is typical for a virtuous person he is. Sedgewick disregards any fair rules and perceives Hundert’s connivance as a confirmation that he is always...