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Harold Pinter The Homecoming Full Text Pdf: A Masterpiece of Modern Drama

If you are a fan of modern drama, you might have heard of Harold Pinter, one of the most influential and acclaimed playwrights of the 20th century. Pinter was known for his distinctive style of writing, which often featured ambiguous dialogue, pauses, silences, and hidden meanings. He also explored themes such as power, identity, sexuality, and violence in his plays.

One of Pinter’s most famous and controversial plays is The Homecoming, which was first performed in London in 1965 and in New York in 1967. The Homecoming won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1967 and has been adapted into a film, a television movie, and a radio drama. The Homecoming is widely regarded as a masterpiece of modern drama, but it is also a challenging and provocative work that can elicit different reactions from different audiences.

If you want to read The Homecoming for yourself, you can download the full text pdf from various sources online. However, before you do that, you might want to know more about the plot, the characters, and the themes of this play. In this article, we will give you a brief overview of The Homecoming and some insights into its meaning and significance.

What is The Homecoming About?

The Homecoming is set in a working-class house in North London, where Max, a retired butcher and widower, lives with his three sons: Lenny, a small-time pimp; Joey, a boxer and demolition worker; and Sam, a chauffeur. One night, Teddy, Max’s eldest son who is a professor of philosophy in America, arrives unexpectedly with his wife Ruth, whom he has married six years ago without telling his family.

At first, the family seems to welcome Teddy and Ruth, but soon their hospitality turns into hostility and manipulation. Ruth becomes the object of desire and rivalry among the men, who try to assert their power and dominance over her and each other. Teddy seems to be indifferent or oblivious to what is happening, while Ruth appears to be passive or complicit. The play ends with a shocking twist that leaves the audience wondering what will happen next.

Who are the Characters in The Homecoming?

The Homecoming has six characters: Max, Lenny, Joey, Sam, Teddy, and Ruth. Here are some brief descriptions of each character:

Max: The patriarch of the family, who is abusive, domineering, and nostalgic for his past. He constantly insults and berates his sons and brother Sam. He claims to love his late wife Jessie, but he also reveals that he cheated on her with his brother’s fiancee.
Lenny: The eldest son who lives with Max, who is a smooth-talking and cynical pimp. He tries to impress Ruth with his stories and seduce her with his words. He also challenges Max’s authority and competes with Joey for Ruth’s attention.
Joey: The youngest son who lives with Max, who is a dim-witted and violent boxer and demolition worker. He is obsessed with sex and has never had a girlfriend. He is attracted to Ruth and wants to marry her.
Sam: Max’s brother who lives next door, who is a mild-mannered and respectable chauffeur. He tries to keep the peace in the family and acts as a mediator between Max and his sons. He also has a secret crush on Ruth.
Teddy: Max’s eldest son who lives in America, who is a successful and intellectual professor of philosophy. He brings Ruth to visit his family without telling them beforehand. He seems to be detached from his family and indifferent to their behavior. He also seems to have a strained relationship with Ruth.
Ruth: Teddy’s wife who is a former model and photographer. She meets Teddy’s family for the first time. She is mysterious and enigmatic, sometimes acting as a victim and sometimes as an aggressor. She seems to have some control over the men in the house.

What are the Themes and Symbols of The Homecoming?

The Homecoming is a complex and multi-layered play that explores various themes and symbols. Some of the main themes and symbols are:

Power: The play shows how power is exercised and contested among the characters, especially the men. Power is often associated with violence, domination, and humiliation. The characters use language, physical force, sex, and money to gain or maintain power over others. Power also shifts and changes throughout the play, as different characters gain or lose control of the situation.
Identity: The play shows how identity is constructed and challenged by the characters, especially Ruth. Identity is often related to gender, class, and culture. The characters have different expectations and assumptions about each other based on their identities. Ruth’s identity as a wife, a mother, a model, a photographer, and a woman is constantly questioned and redefined by herself and others.
Sexuality: The play shows how sexuality is expressed and repressed by the characters, especially Ruth and Lenny. Sexuality is often linked to desire, pleasure, and violence. The characters have different attitudes and behaviors towards sexuality, ranging from lustful to prudish. Sexuality also serves as a means of communication, manipulation, and liberation for the characters.
Family: The play shows how family is formed and transformed by the characters, especially Teddy and Ruth. Family is often associated with love, loyalty, and belonging. The characters have different views and values about family, ranging from traditional to unconventional. Family also creates conflicts and tensions among the characters, as they struggle to fit in or break away from their family roles.
Home: The play shows how home is represented and reimagined by the characters, especially Teddy and Ruth. Home is often related to comfort, security, and familiarity. The characters have different experiences and memories of home, ranging from nostalgic to traumatic. Home also influences the mood and atmosphere of the play, as it creates a sense of claustrophobia, isolation, and menace for the characters.

Why is The Homecoming Important and Influential?

The Homecoming is important and influential for several reasons. Some of them are:

It showcases Pinter’s unique style of writing, which combines realistic dialogue with absurd situations, creating a sense of mystery, ambiguity, and humor.
It challenges the conventions and expectations of traditional drama, by subverting the plot structure, the character development, and the moral message.
It reflects the social and cultural issues of its time, such as the sexual revolution, the Cold War, and the post-colonialism.
It inspires many other playwrights and artists who admire Pinter’s work, such as David Mamet, Martin McDonagh, Sam Shepard, Quentin Tarantino, Woody Allen, and Harold Ramis.

How to Analyze and Interpret The Homecoming?

The Homecoming is a play that can be interpreted in different ways, depending on the perspective and background of the reader or viewer. There is no definitive or correct way to understand the play, as Pinter himself left many aspects of the play open to interpretation. However, there are some strategies and questions that can help you analyze and interpret The Homecoming more effectively. Here are some of them:

Pay attention to the language and dialogue of the play. How do the characters communicate with each other? What do they say and what do they imply? How do they use pauses, silences, repetitions, and interruptions? How do they manipulate or deceive each other with their words?
Pay attention to the actions and gestures of the play. How do the characters behave and interact with each other? What do they do and what do they avoid? How do they use physical force, violence, or sex? How do they express or suppress their emotions?
Pay attention to the setting and atmosphere of the play. How does the house affect the mood and tone of the play? What does it symbolize or represent? How does it contrast with the outside world? How does it influence the characters and their relationships?
Pay attention to the structure and style of the play. How does Pinter organize and present the events and scenes of the play? How does he create suspense, tension, and surprise? How does he use humor, irony, or absurdity? How does he challenge or subvert the conventions and expectations of traditional drama?
Pay attention to the themes and symbols of the play. What are the main ideas or messages that Pinter conveys through the play? What are some of the recurring motifs or images that he uses to illustrate his themes? How does he explore issues such as power, identity, sexuality, family, and home?

What are some of the Critical Responses to The Homecoming?

The Homecoming has received various critical responses since its first performance in 1965. Some critics praised the play for its originality, complexity, and brilliance, while others criticized it for its obscurity, vulgarity, and misogyny. Here are some examples of critical responses to The Homecoming:

“The Homecoming is a masterpiece: a work that has enlarged our understanding of ourselves.” – Irving Wardle, The Times (1965)
“The Homecoming is a bad play: a work that has diminished our understanding of ourselves.” – Kenneth Tynan, The Observer (1965)
“The Homecoming is a great comedy: a work that has exposed our absurdities and contradictions.” – Martin Esslin, The Theatre of the Absurd (1968)
“The Homecoming is a terrible tragedy: a work that has revealed our alienation and despair.” – Ruby Cohn, Modern Shakespeare Offshoots (1976)
“The Homecoming is a feminist nightmare: a work that has perpetuated our oppression and exploitation.” – Elaine Showalter, A Literature of Their Own (1977)
“The Homecoming is a feminist challenge: a work that has provoked our resistance and empowerment.” – Katherine Burkman, The Dramatic World of Harold Pinter (1971)

Conclusion

Harold Pinter The Homecoming full text pdf is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to read, study, or enjoy one of the most important and influential plays of modern drama. The Homecoming is a complex and provocative work that explores various themes and symbols, such as power, identity, sexuality, family, and home. The Homecoming also challenges and subverts the conventions and expectations of traditional drama, by using realistic dialogue, absurd situations, ambiguous meanings, and shocking twists. The Homecoming has received various critical responses, ranging from praise to criticism, from admiration to condemnation, from laughter to tears.

We hope this article has helped you understand what The Homecoming is about, who are the characters in it, what are the themes and symbols of it, how to analyze and interpret it, and what are some of the critical responses to it. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. Thank you for reading!

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