(Rjelal) Note of Realism in the Plays of Harold Pinter

(RJELAL) Research Journal of English Language and Literature Vol.4.Issue 3. 2016 A Peer Reviewed (Refereed) International Journal (July-Sept.) http://www.rjelal.com; Email:[email protected] RESEARCH ARTICLE NOTE OF REALISM IN THE PLAYS OF HAROLD PINTER Dr. SASWATI DE (Nandi) Researcher ABSTRACT Realism which deals with the presentation of things as they are in reality, has found immense presentation in the works of several poets and playwrights especially from the late 19th century to the present day. These writers are in a sense iconoclasts, who want to bring before man the real picture of life and society in their true hue and colour. For them life is never a bed of roses, in fact, they always intend to focus on the hardships and struggles of common man. The Romanticists have always presented life in a sing-song manner where the protagonist has been shown as a romantic lover, sitting under a tree in the lap of mother nature and playing his flute to the rhythm of light wind. But life for the Realists deals with the hustle and bustle of daily life, the problems and sufferings of common man, his aspirations, hopes, fears, happiness and tears. This article intends to bring into focus those plays of the English playwright Harold Pinter where realism has been reflected. We will try to confirm the position of Pinter as a realist and how his plays are a true epitome of the present day life. Key Words: Realism , Theatre of the Absurd, avant-garde, psychological implications, absurd. ©KY PUBLICATIONS INTRODUCTION fifty productions including his own and others’ plays Harold Pinter (1930 – 2008) was one of the for stage, film and television. Some of these include eminent dramatists of the 20th century. Pinter, born Otherwise Engaged (1975), The Rear Column (1978), on 10th October 1930 in a lower-middle class family, Close of Play (1979), Life Supports (1997) etc. grew up to become a man of multi-faceted genius. Pinter was the author of twenty-nine plays He was not only a playwright, but at the same time a and fifteen dramatic sketches. He has written a brilliant actor, producer and poet. A number of novel called The Dwarfs. Besides this, he has even stage plays, radio plays and television plays are compiled two anthologies named 100 Poems by 100 credited to his name. The creative potential of Poets and 99 Poems in Translation. Besides this, Pinter first came out in the form of poetry at a very Pinter was the successful author of 27 screenplays. tender age of twelve and this talent of Pinter bore Pinter was an ‘absurd’ playwright whose fruit for the first time when in the Spring of the year works are deeply allied to the ‘Theatre of the 1947 his poetry was first published in the Hackney Absurd’. His plays depict the meaninglessness of Downs School Magazine. human life and the absurdity of our existence. They Pinter had started his career as a director reflect the real situation of man in this modern quite earlier, but after becoming an associate society and how he everyday fights with his destiny director of the National Theatres in 1973, he began and circumstances, only to make things better and to direct plays more frequently. He directed almost more suitable for him. But at the end of the day he 195 Dr. SASWATI DE (RJELAL) Research Journal of English Language and Literature Vol.4.Issue 3. 2016 A Peer Reviewed (Refereed) International Journal (July-Sept.) http://www.rjelal.com; Email:[email protected] finds himself helpless and chained in the society. In straight in the eyes of people now was how this article we aim at focusing our attention mainly to spend time between the two points of on those plays of Pinter which present the real life, birth and death.1 position of common man in the society. Plays that are categorized under the title ‘Absurd Materials and Methods Drama’ are absurd in the sense that they focus not For the purpose of this article the relevant on logical acts or traditional character development published material has been taken into but on human beings trapped in an consideration. However, focus has been given incomprehensible world. Whatever be the absurd mainly on those works of Pinter were realism has presentation of any situation by the playwrights, but been given more emphasis. A contrastive behind these absurdities there is the realistic tone methodology has been employed here, besides a which imparts meaning to the absurd plays. The aim deep textual exposition of Pinter’s dramas for of the Absurd Drama is to enable its viewers to make illustrating our point of view. their own conclusions and decisions. According to Discussion Martin Esslin, Harold Pinter was an ardent follower of the The theatre of most previous epochs ‘Absurd School of Drama’. The ‘Absurd’ or ‘New reflected an accepted moral order, a world Theatre’ movement was originally a Paris based whose aims and objectives were clearly avant-garde phenomenon connected to extremely present to the minds of all its public, small theatres in the Quatier Latin. The ‘Theatre of whether it was the audience of the the Absurd’ (French: Theatre de l’ Absurde) is a medieval mystery plays with their solidly caption used for particular kind of plays written by a accepted faith in the Christian world order number of primary European playwrights in the late or the audience of the drama of Ibsen, 1940s, 1950s and 1960s; it connotes the style of the Shaw, or Hauptmann with their theatre too which has evolved from their work. It is unquestioned belief in evolution and a term derived from Albert Camus’s essay The Myth progress. To such audiences, right and of Sisyphus (1942), and a clear and lucid thought on wrong were never in doubt, nor did they the subject of the absurd drama is found in Martin question the then accepted goals of human Esslin’s book The Theatre of the Absurd (1961). This endeavour. Our own time, at least in the term is generally applied to a group of dramatists Western world, wholly lacks such a who did not regard themselves as a school but who generally accepted and completely all seemed to share certain attitudes in common integrated world picture.2 towards the predicament of man in the Universe. It From a very tender age, Pinter had witnessed and was Albert Camus (1913-1960) who first realized the experienced the horrors of the Second World War. absurdity of human existence during the Second The appalling condition of the people around him, World War and gave a vociferous expression to the their unknown terror of death and intrusion, the cry meaninglessness of life in his novels and dramas. We for hunger and other such deadly situations had may note here the observation of Ram Sewak Singh: affected the young mind of Pinter to a great deal. During the Second World War once more When Pinter later became a playwright, these the faith of man in civilization was shaken hidden experiences got expression in his plays, and the chief concern of creative thinkers where the common man and his never-ending was the futility of life. Such moments had struggle became the subject matter. stirred the soul of man in the past many a Pinter’s first group of plays known as time; but this time it was a little different: ‘Comedy of menace’ plays deal with the themes of not only life itself looked absurd but all loneliness, bewilderment, separation, loss, conflict, devices used by man to make life an inexplicable or incomprehensible threat, manageable also looked purposeless and meaninglessness of life and existence, futility of ridiculous. The major problem that gazed man’s efforts, life being comically or tragically 196 Dr. SASWATI DE (RJELAL) Research Journal of English Language and Literature Vol.4.Issue 3. 2016 A Peer Reviewed (Refereed) International Journal (July-Sept.) http://www.rjelal.com; Email:[email protected] absurd, impossibility of communication between one is safe in this world. The two hit-men Ben and characters in a closed situation, and a kind of decay Gus are waiting for their victim whom they are to and morbidness. kill. They have been paid for the work. But they are In the first and second plays of this group, unaware of the fact that one of them is the victim. namely, The Room and The Birthday Party, Pinter Though Ben and Gus are partners, yet someone has has taken the theme of insecurity of human life. This used and employed Ben to kill his own partner – sense of insecurity looms large in The Room which Gus; and this remains a secret with them until the takes place in the humdrum lower-class apartment last moment. Gus who, until the last, plays the role of a middle-aged woman, Rose. When the young of a predator, is at once reduces to the position of a couple Mr. and Mrs. Sands appears before her, prey – claiming they have been told that Rose’s room is BEN takes out a comb and combs his hair, vacant, Rose’s status as the occupant of the room adjusts his jacket, becomes insecure. Rose’s position is further diminish the bulge of the revolver. The questioned by the appearance of the blind Negro, lavatory flushes off Riley. When Riley enters the room of Bert and Rose, left. BEN goes quickly to the door, left. he feels secure and safe while the atmosphere Gus! seems to grow insecure for Rose. However, Riley, The door right opens sharply.

Load more