Contents

-:Section one
:Introduction
I.iThe Realistic movement in the theatre ………….1-2
II.ii.Harold Pinters:Aglandce at His Life and
.Achievements …………………………………………………3-4-5
-:Section Two
II.The Analysis of pinters the Dumb waiter
II.i the plot of the play …………………………………6-7-8
II.iiThe Rralistic Aspects in play ……………9-10-11-12
:Section Three
III Conclusion………………………………13-14
References

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 1

Introductio
I.i The Realistic movement in the theatre
The Absurd Theart is dramatiz movment or to be more
exact ‘’’anti –literary movement of our time “(Esslin
26)which was formed during 1950-60s to “illustrates the
fundamental helplessness of humanity “(Rajesh war
212)As claimed by Esslin this new theatre was
popularized by eminentabsurdist dramatists such as
Samule Beckett ‘Eugene Ionesco ,Harold pinter Jean
Genet and others .one of the fundamaental issues in
creation of the this movement was world war I,its chaos
and people status after the war ,which undoubtedly
alters dramatistis ,vision towards the universe and
stimulates them to picture man as ahelplees alien with
.the pitiable situation in this abominable world
Absurd theatres trendis entirely against the conventionl
theatre and ‘’whereas traditional theatre attempts to
create a photographic representation of life as we see
it ,the theatre of absurd aims to create a ritual –
like , mythological archetypal ,allegorical vision
,closely related to the world of dreams ‘’(Rajeshwar
211) .According to this issue ,absurd drama has more
trend to surreal than real .In this regard ,harlod pinter as
one of the prominent absurdist dramatists breaks this
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mere surreal and mingles it with reality .since ,pinters
concern is about the latent layers of individuals relation
ship ,his attention is paid to the profound meaning of
peoples words and action. With this vision , he fashions
his new technique in absurd theatre and underlines the
.reality in his dramatic works

Martin Esslin. (1963).Godot and His)

(.children .London :-G.Bell
T.Rajeshwar .(2012).Modernism and)
Postmoderins in English Literature.Jaipur:-
.Rito publications

I.ii Harold pinters :Aglance at his life and

.Achievements

3
Pinters dramatic works can be divided into three -
phases . the first phase of his writing consists the savor
of absurdity and moreover ,menace hovers with more
touches on past and memory and in third phase his
drama totally turns to political ones .But the notable
point is that in all three phases pinter always with holds
reality in his political works which is called ,political
” reality
Pinter was terribly in fluence by beckett and he explicitly
claims “if Becketts in my work that all right with me. You
don’t write in avauum :youre bound to absorb and
digest other writing and I admire Becketts work so much
. that something of its texture might appear in my own
(Harold pinter Replies 1963)
The in fluenca of Becketts waiting for Godot is clearly
discernable in the :Dumb waiter as the motifs of waiting
and superior –inferior relation ship on a different plan in
both plays are the same .Further more in the Dumb
waiter unlike Pinters previous works ,he drops the
Famale characters just like waiting for Godot . 3
As the Dumb waiter is classified in the first phse of
Pinters writing ,so the existence of menace , fear and
uncertainty is unavoidable . The Dumb waiter picture
two hit men Ben and Gus ,who are getting ready for

4
their mission .they are waiting in a windowlees .
.basement room with two doors
One into outside ,and the other into lavatory . their
passive action and their repetitive concept of their
communication present them as the abedient puppets
to their higher master. As the play proceeds ,Gus boldly
expreees his discontent with Wilson and organization
and eventully due to this impudence he is sentenced to
. death
One of the significant points about the Dumb waiter is
the evolvement of its characters and setting in pinterian
manner .we encounter with the descent procedure of
setting in the Dumb waiter since in pinters previous
works the room was respectively placed in upper staira
and ground .but here the room is located in the
basement where,Rose the major character of pinter
the Room ,even afraid to think about the basement ,let
.alone to live there
Following this ,trussler employs this sentence of
argument to pinters setting develop ment :pinters (4)
Storey –by-storey explanation finally descends
From that upper –floor Room ,through the way of the
ground –floor lounger of the Birthday party ,into the
Windowless and no doubt damp basement sofeared by

5
 Rose Hudd. (1974: 51)
Further more ,despite being an absurd play some
reviewers such as Gordon consider the Dumb waiter
As a post –modern morality play and in consequence
Gus is regarded as a conscious modern man whose
consciousness contributes to his death . He vividly
declares “The Dumb waiter can be viewed as a post –
modern morality play , and the man who believes he has
a consciousness must die “(Gordon 210)
Harold pinter Replies ,cf .new comment (October )-
(1963) British Broadcasting corporation” Third program
Simon Trussler .(1974)The plays of Harold pinter .an )-
assessment London

II.The analysis of pinters the Dumb waiter

II.i The plot of the play

In absurd plays , action and events are irrelevant and-

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 Randomly put together ,therefore the plot of absurd
Plays is illogical or even absent ,the Dumb waiter is quite
Different in that its plot is comparatively complete :its
characters have the concrete nature . Setting “:in the
Play .the action is set within absement room ,and
Contained in no more than twenty four hours .in
Addition the realistic style of props and stage directions
. further strees his linking with traditional realism
.Plot :The plot of the play is comparatively complete
From start to finish ,the play strikes the audience with
Neat story lines , different from the static and reversal
.structure .which characterizes absurd drama
The Dumb waiter begins with two working –class
Cockneys , Gus and Ben who spend a morning in a
Basement bedroom in Bi mingham waiting for 6)
Instructions from their boss . they later proved to be
Two professional killers . soon it is discovered that the
basement was a restaurant kitchen for one time ,for
Without warning a dumb waiter at the back begins to
Work .at the end of the play . Ben gets the order to kill
. Gus .further more on the whole the play is progressive
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The plot of the Dumb waiter is well structured , though
dose not necessarily follow a traditional format of
exposition , development ,climax and denouement .It
provides not much about exposition and ends soon after
the arrival of the climax.Ronald Knowles once makes a
Comment that pinters play has the conventional
Pattern of arrival –disruption –departure . (Knowles
(2001
Kenneth pickering describes as follows :-A group of
People in a life like setting are in some way disturbed
Either by the arrival of a new character or by some
unexpected occurrence ,the characters are forced to
. Regroup to bring about a satisfactory end
(7)-

Knowles, Ronald ,Pinter and Twentieth- century )-

drama
In peter Raby (Ed) .The Cambridge companion to
Harold
Pinter .London:combridge university press ,(2001)
Pickering ,Kenneth .Studying Modern Drama. 2nd)-
..Ed

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 (New York :palgrave ,2003

https://WWW.gradesaver .com /study)

.-guide/summary (plot)

II.ii The Realistic Aspects in the play

Pinter believes that the deepest terrors ,the -
Profoundest mysteries ,haver in and around .the most
Realistic looking of details .Analyzing this play .the
Outhor finds that beneath the surface reality of his work
Pinter conveys the basic themes of the theatre of the
Absurd –the absurdity of the human condition. Which is
Demonstrated in the universal menace human beings
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Facing ,uncertainty about the world and aneself , and
the alienation of the human relation ship .unversal
Menace outside and inside the room “:some critics hold
That in Pinters plays ,the room becomes an image of the
small area of light and warmth that our
Consciousness opens up in the vast ocean of
Nothingness and outsid is a world full of menace ,dread
And mystery . Uncertaing: on the whole ,the play follows
The traditional realist structure and has a considerably
integrated Plot ,but in detail they are too much out of
(9)
This convention .Ponter has is not narrative of an
Organic story .In other words ,the andiences know .what
. Happens in the play but fail to known why it happens
For instance ,Pinter does not explain why Gus is stripped
Of his clothes and revolver at ,the end of the play .The
audience can also sense the uncertainty of identity from
the two characters ,ben and Gus .these two professional
killers have killed so many people to count. Yet the do
not know who they have killed ,nor they are to kill
. ,neither do they know who has been instructing them

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They seem to gain dominance over their victims ,but ,at
the same time ,they have to take orders from their boss
who never makes his appearance throughout the play
The alienation of the human relation ship :The
newspaper and the room ,two important images in the
play reveal aclearly defind view of human relation ship
,as Ruby cohn says ,the props within each Pinters room
seem to be realistically functional and only in retrospect
They require symbolic significance.(cohn,2001)first ,the
Newspaper in Bens hand represents the alienation
Between the two charagters .the paper appears twice
.the first is at the beginning and the second at the end
(.10)
From the stage directions at the start ,the audience can
Find Ben actually does not focus on the paper ,but on
Gus .He lowers his paper and watches “Gus several time
when ever their eyes meet .he (The Dumb waiter ,1960)
Will Gus .second ,the life of Ben and Gus is full of waiting
For instructions from their boss .they move from one
City to another ,from one room to another with little
contact with other people .They can not even see “what

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It look like outside “because the room they are in have
, no windows .(The Dumb waiter,1960) to some extent
They are imprisoned in their dull routine and separated
from other people .More over ,disconnection is the
essence of their .relationship .The play is filled with
Everyday small talk between Gus and Ben ,but they
never a fully open dialogue –minimized even more by
Bens knowledge of his impending betrayal of Gus –and
, whenever Gus tries to bring up something emotional
Ben refuses to speak with him .they don’t speak with ,
but to each other .It is trae that the play is filled with
realistic contemporary dialogue .However ,words in the
Play become weapons of domination and subservience
(11)
So that the characters strike with word or fence with
phrases .for example ,the failure –on the part of Gus and
Ben –to understand the workings of their organization
,their frustration and irritation finds its expression in the
. dialogue

12
cohn, Ruby .the world of Harold pinter-)-
drama criticism.vol(15).In Rebecca Blachard
(&Justin. Karr(eds)Detroit :Gale Group ,2001

(12

III/Conclusion

Among the group of young talented play wrights since

the Restoration, Harold Pinter is in many ways different

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And his work is seen to stand apart from other
playwrights of his age .He tried to break up with the
Standard theatrical farce that had been predominant
On the English commercial stage in the 1940 s and 1950
Yet analyzing his plays we can find its potential to
Express the inexpressible ,to transcend the scope of
language itself and to evoke a response at the deepest
Level of direct communication of emotion and
. Experience
This is the magic of pinters plays to some critics
. And the puzzle of his plays to others
, Pinter ranks undoubtedly before the other
Because he is regarded”as acraftsman ,amaster of

13
Dialogue :a technician of suspense ,laughter , surprise
And emotion :and as an artist who as a true poet of the
Stage has created his own personal worlly individual
An expression of his own anguish peopled from his

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Wound ,which yet as great poetry always does ,re-
echoes in the depths of the minds of a multitude of
Individuals and is capable of giving voice to unspoken
Fears ,sufferings and yearnings shared by all mankind

Esslin ,martin .pinter :Astudy of his plays . )

. 3rd .Ed
(Londan :Eyre Methuen.1977

(14)

Reference

Martin Esslin .(1963).Godot and his children )-

Experimental Drama .Ed .william Armstrong
15
 ( London :G,Bell
T,Rajesh war .(2012).Modernism and Postmodernism )-
:in English Literature.jaipur
Ritu publications
British Broadcating corporation .Third (October 1963)
( progra
(Harold pinter replies .cf New comment m)-
Simon Trussler .(1974 ).The plays of Harold pinter .An )-
( Assessment .london
Knowles ,Ronald .Pinter and Twentieth –century )-
drama :In peter (Ed).The Cambridge companion to
Harold pinter .London :Cambridge university press
(2001
Pickering Kenneth ,Studying Modern Drama 2nd Ed)-
(New York: palgrave 2003
Cohn ,Ruby the world of Harold pinter .drama )-
criticism .vol (15).in Rebecca Blanchard &Justin .Karr
((eds )detriot :Gale Group,2001
/https ://www.gradesaver .com /study –guide)-
Summary (Plot)

Esslin martin pinter :Astudy of his play 3rd Ed)-

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(London :Eyre Methuen 1977;

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