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An Analysis of John Osborne's Look Back in Anger

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An Analysis of John Osborne's Look Back in Anger Volume-04 ISSN: 2455-3085 (Online) Issue-02 RESEARCH REVIEW International Journal of Multidisciplinary February-2019 www.rrjournals.com[UGC Listed Journal] An Analysis of John Osborne’s Look Back In Anger: A Social or Personal Concern Karan Singh ARTICLE DETAILS ABSTRACT Article History John Osborne’s play Look Back In Anger (1956) was highly acclaimed by the directors and Published Online: 20February 2019 audience especially when the circumstances were quite opposed for the playwright. The present study aims to find out the concern of the playwright over the lied frustration of the Keywords society through analyzing the social and personal aspects. To meet the supposed objectives Look back in Anger, audience, certain scenes and positions of the play are analyzed in order to take a stance over the directors concern of the playwright. The role model Jimmy Porter is presented with a keen notion of highlighting the lied frustration especially in the youngsters at that time. In bringing the issues into the light, the focus has been shifted from social to personal or presented the both element. The protagonist is presented as an angry young man who becomes the victims of his own disillusionment and despair. The aim of this writing is to derive out the elements which are responsible for the background and foreground of the future of the society. 1. Introduction Various critics commented over the course and theme of A concern is a matter of the paid attention towards the Osborne’s play. Barker, The Daily Express, May 9, 1956 called object which brings the lied importance of the subject. The this play as “intense, angry, feverish and undisciplined”. present writing involves social and personal concern of John Michael Billington also calls it as an expression of personal Osborne in highlighting the prevalent issues which occur in the gain more than a social course. course of the play. It mainly deals with the social and personal conflicts arousing with the issues which carry an approach of 3. Analysis Jimmy Porter towards the life in social and personal contexts. Look Back in Anger by John Osborne remarkably bears an Look Back in Anger (1956) performed at royal theatre and was importance because of such aspects as characterization, taken seriously especially in dealing with confusion throughout dialogues and theme. Besides these aspects, it also deals with the course of the play. The events and incidents are mainly the study of time in the context of portraying the future of the dealt with Jimmy Porter, protagonist of the play, Alison, his generations. In the context of studying the time, this play refers wife, Cliff, friend of Jimmy and Helena, friend of Jimmy and to the past, present and future values. As mentioned that “the Alison. John Osborne tried to show the happenings of that time character of Jimmy Porter in the play belongs to the generation especially through these four characters which are associated who have been deprived of their great past, with dull and with the core of the drama. ambiguous present and going to face an aimless time ”. This statement clarifies the upcoming future of the coming At the very outset of the play, we find that Jimmy and Cliff youngsters and their deprivation due to messed up structure of are from working class who represent the middle section of the the society. John Osborne aptly employs the deprived society and Alison is from upper class that represent a rich situations as unemployment, injustice, irregularity, religious section of the society. In the beginning, the audience comes to customs and corruption in the society. The social treatment know that this class difference exists in the relationship of forces him to behave like a savage being of the society and husband and wife. It creates misunderstanding between them family as well. This very critical circumstance drags him to the and later separates. In order to present their relationship, John uncivilized zone where he rudely reacts to her wife and Osborne uses a phrase “Angry Young Man” to define the state belongings. The following points have been chased in order to of Jimmy Porter. He remains angry over the societal problems analyze the inherent appeal and relevant issues. like unemployment and corruption. Such behavior overtakes his familial life in which things mess up in balancing their A Broad Concern and the intensity- It has mentioned marriage life. The lack of understanding brings failure in their that this play depicts a concern over the aspect of time. In life that’s why Look Back in Anger also can be viewed with a comparative mode, the present time is so similar with the perspective of psychological entity. concern of twentieth century. Globally, the increasing population of the world is still facing such problems which were 2. Literary Review employed through the characterization of the play Look Back in The play Look Back in Anger (1956) represents the Anger. The present scenario explicitly portrays a picture of the disillusionment and despair of the group of the British novelists world where youngsters are waiting for the jobs and and playwrights who were associated with the “Angry Young opportunities, injustice through anarchism and growing Men” movement who shared their opinions to express their corruptions have ruined the golden period of youths. The anger with the status quo. The direction, dialogues and the retrospective look of qualified youngsters incorporates them characterization are remarkably employed by John Osborne. with the state of sadness of the life. Jimmy porter becomes RRIJM 2015, All Rights Reserved 858 | P a g e Volume-04, Issue-02,February-2019 RESEARCH REVIEW International Journal of Multidisciplinary victimized of his own desires just because these sufferings confirm it as a personal protest. On the other hand, the course have placed in his marital life. Actually, John Osborne smartly of the play portrays a transformation of social into personal. presents Jimmy Porter as the face of unemployed youths who Due to social complexities such things happen with Jimmy are fully disturbed and confused with the static failures. The Porter and his family. That’s how this becomes very typical to couple fails to balance between social and political aspects of categorize the zone of the play. Weiss considered it as a social societal life. The social conflicts transforms into personal protest which represents social and individual oppositions conflicts. To some extent, it almost disposes the relationship (Weiss 286). The autobiographical elements of Osborne’s life which breaks them inwardly and outwardly. provides an emotional tough to the theme of the play in which the personal sentiments have portrayed through Frustration and the losing values- John Osborne’s Look characterization. Alison as Osborne’s wife Pamela and the Back in Anger clearly shows the struggle of Jimmy where similar happening of miscarriage depicts his personal issues some parameters arise in his mind. Consequently, he loses his which drags the play into the personal conflict. Somewhere, it moral and religious values when Alison and Helena approach seems that this play is a portrayal of the inner world of John to the church. The disbeliefs of Jimmy Porter towards society, Osborne in which he survives between the battle of social and politics, religion and family confirm his insecurity and ruined personal conflicts. life. Helena’s statement clarifies when she says about Porter I feel he thinks he is still in the middle of the French revolution 4. Conclusion and that is where he ought to be, of course. Once in the play, To sum up the social and personal concern, the play Jimmy complained for the French intrusion in the newspapers: comes to the analysis that John Osborne’s attempt to “I’ve just read three whole columns on the English novel. Half represent the two main movements and the frustration of the of it’s in French. Do the Sunday papers make you feel youngsters has been splendid and enormous throughout the ignorant?” (Osborne, Look Back in Anger 2). main course of the play. The thematic concern has been astonishing since the first show. A play with three acts and five The social Protest or personal protest- This has been scenes aptly covers the structural form of the play focusing on doubtful since the first performance of the play among critics. the social and personal notions of the playwright. With a keen Some critics consider it as a social play which presents the notion defining the social and political changes and the social protest and some refers it as personal play of protesting growing disbeliefs of the society, the characters of Jimmy against the personal sentiments. This counter situation among Porter can be considered as a highly representative of that critics puts us as audience in confusion whether is it a social or time. As the matter of the fact, the attempt of the playwright personal play. John Osborne’s autobiographical experiences References 1. Barker, John. A Review of Look Back in Anger in Daily 4. ---. Almost a Gentleman: An Autobiography Vol. II: 1955- Express, May 9, 1956. 1966. London: Faber and Faber, 1991. Print. 2. Heilpern, John. John Osborne: A Patriot for Us. London: 5. Weiss, Samuel A. “Osborne’s Angry Young Play.” Chatto & Windus, 2006. Print. Educational Theatre Journal 12.4 (1960): 285-288. JSTOR. 3. Osborne, John. Look Back in Anger. Penguin, 1982. Print. Web. May 19, 2010. RRIJM 2015, All Rights Reserved 859 | Page .
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