John Osborne: Look Back in Anger

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Introduction to the play 'Look Back in Anger' by John Osborne and its significance.

John Osborne, born in 1929, was a versatile dramatist involved in various theater activities. He had a working-class background and wrote his first play after working for several years with a touring theatre company.

The play 'Look Back in Anger' by John Osborne received mixed feelings and criticism initially, but later became popular for giving voice to frustrations and disillusionment.

The 1950s marked a crucial period in British history following the Second World War. Britain faced the harsh reality of devastated towns and cities, loss of young population, and tremendous resource depletion, leading to a decline in world supremacy.

Britain was experiencing social frustration due to emerging new trends and a sense of spiritual emptiness. The middle classes and lower sections of society were affected, leading to a period of social confusion and loss.

The term 'angry young men' refers to a new generation of writers who criticized social and political institutions through their writings. Writers like John Osborne, Harold Pinter, Alan Sillitoe, Kingsley Amis, Philip Larkin were part of this group. They expressed the mood and voice of the youth in post-war Britain.

Look Back in Anger is strongly autobiographical, based on Osborne's unhappy marriage to Elaine and their life in cramped accommodation. While Osborne aspired towards a career in theatre, his wife was more practical and materialistic, not taking his ambition seriously and cheating on him with a local dentist. The play also reflects much of Osborne's earlier life.

The play is set in a one-room flat in a working-class British town, with simple and old furniture. The atmosphere is cramped as three people share the space, reflecting the life of ordinary people. It portrays domestic realism and conveys the struggles of marginalized society through everyday language.

The important characters are Jimmy Porter, an educated young man living in a poor neighborhood; his wife Alison Redford, who mocks him and has a strange relationship with him; their friend Cliff Lewis, and Allison's actress friend Helena Charles.

The Setting and Characters Colonel Redfern's retired life in India, Jimmy Potter living with his wife Alison and friend Cliff in a one-bedroom flat. The arrival of Helena, Alison's pregnancy confession, her father taking her away, and Helena moving in with Jimmy.

Theme of Anger 'Look Back in Anger' presents the theme of anger through Jimmy Porter's disillusionment with society. It reflects the alienation experienced by British youth at that time due to societal privileges reserved for the upper class.

The protagonist's alienation from Ellison is due to his background as a lower middle-class young man, and the inability to break through her cool demeanor.

The play 'Look Back in Anger' explores the theme of loss of ideals that give life meaning. Jimmy Potter represents people frustrated by this loss, influenced by his father's leftist ideologies and disillusionment after World War II.

The Labour government faced criticism and failed to deliver on their promises, leading to disillusionment among the working class.

Jimmy and Ellison's marriage is plagued by class differences, with Allison coming from an upper-class family and Jimmy from a lower middle-class background. Their early days were marked by warmth and escapism, but Jimmy now shows no love for Allison. The emergence of Helena as a friend leads to the revelation of Allison's pregnancy, causing her father to take her away. After leaving unexpectedly, Helena becomes Jimmy's mistress until the loss of their child brings back Allison.

Realist drama portrays contemporary reality and focuses on the concerns of ordinary people. It does not adhere to the classical division of tragedy and comedy, allowing for both happy and unhappy endings. The language used is typically colloquial. Naturalism, an extreme form of realism, depicts the ugly aspects of human existence and offers a critical view of society.

Kitchen sink realism is characterized by boredom, ugliness, and disillusionment. It refers to plays that depict the domestic life of the middle class and lower middle class. John Osborne's 'Look Back in Anger' exemplifies kitchen sink realism.