The Absurd Representations of Pinter’s Women: A study into the representation of female characters in the plays of Harold Pinter

Abstract

This thesis is concerned with analysing the representation of the female characters found in a sample of Harold Pinter’s plays. The plays examined are The Homecoming (1964), Betrayal (1978) and Celebration (1999). Through a close reading of the texts and reference to past interpreters this work attempts to locate Harold Pinter within the theatrical topography, concentrating on his convergence with the Absurdist genre. This research then assesses the extent to which Pinter’s characters exhibit the conventions pertinent to the genre and Pinter’s unique playwriting style, with particular reference to the dissonance in representation present between male and female characters. To conclude, the project reacts to the inequality present in Pinter’s depiction of female characters, which informs the construction of a theatrical play script, titled Cleanskin.