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Introduction

Francesca Briggs How Does John Osborne use Humour at the Start of Look Back In Anger? John Osborne uses dark humour in ?Look Back In Anger? to suggest the changing moods in which the male protagonist, Jimmy, partakes during the play. The dark humour is almost disconcerting and off-putting. Osborne also reveals a satire feel through Jimmy and Cliff?s dialogue, as they seem to mock and make fun of their society, which they are apart of. ?Who buys this damned thing? (throws is down) Haven?t you read the other posh paper yet?? In this quotation Jimmy mocks such the society in which he lives, when he says ?who buys this damned thing?? he must have bought it himself for it to be in his own possession, thus mocking himself. Jimmy comes across as a very stubborn personality in the play and doesn?t seem to like change, bit mocks his own life and does hint that he wants change, but is too cowardly to admit it. ...read more.

Middle

the head.? This quotation by Jimmy, is said in a careless and gossipy kind of way, dark humour is used in this quotation in the way that Jimmy doesn?t care for the subject matter, the woman, but the conversation which could come out of it, he did not pity her for he didn?t know her. There is a conflicted but humorous feel throughout the start of the play between Jimmy, as the male protagonist, Alison and Cliff. As we read on we find out that there is friction between Jimmy and Cliff which seems as if is created from boredom. In act1 scene 1 there is a humorous dialog spoken by Cliff about Jimmy, ?You?re like a s****l maniac ? only with you it?s food.? And ?James Porter, aged twenty-five, was bound over last week after pleading guilty to interfering with a small cabbage and two tins of beans on his way home from the Builder?s Arms.? This shows Cliff taking the role of a news reporter to try and verbal joust towards Jimmy, by combining a molester and a food lover shows Cliff is quite intelligent. ...read more.

Conclusion

This is also dramatic irony, as Jimmy does become horrible, towards the end of the play. The never-ending consumption of tea also gives off a humorous vibe to the play, in between all of the conflict and verbal jousting, there would be a small section dedicated to drinking tea, ?People like me don?t get fat. I?ve tried to tell you before. We just burn everything up. Now shut up and make me some more tea.? This random but humorous quotation made by Jimmy, also indicates that they have a boring lifestyle, as all they do is drink tea and read the newspapers. They have nothing more else to speak about; when they are bored they make tea. In conclusion, the opening scene of John Osborne?s ?Look Back In Anger?, in my opinion, is very humorous but at the same time there is a slumberous and aggressive feel to the play. The use of dark humour, satire and sarcasm gives the play an entertaining feel. ...read more.

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