Form and Structure in "The Homecoming"
Form and Structure Form is a convention an actor will use to get point across. Some examples used in "The Homecoming" are pauses and Juxtaposition. Pinter uses a lot of pauses in speech. This is a great tool to build up tension as that is what a lot of the play is based on. Pauses and silences give you time to see the feelings and expressions in the characters faces, as that can be more powerful than words. Pauses can show different feelings, for example awkwardness between people. "Teddy: Hullo.....Dad.....We overslept. Pause What's for breakfast? Silence Teddy Chuckles Huh. We overslept This shows there being awkwardness between Max and Teddy as Teddy has just shown up out of know where after six years. The use of the ...... is also frequently used by Pinter in "The Homecoming". This has the same effect as the silences except it is used in the middle of speech and give off a few more emotions. Sometimes when there are gaps in the sentences it implies that that person is lying, and in this play in particular, a lot of lies are told and the topic of them is quite ominous. "Ruth: We used to pass a.....a large white water tower. This place.....this house.....was very big.....the trees....there was a lake, you see..." Ruth may not be lying here but it shows that she is a very open person to be enclosing this information to someone she barely knows. "Joey: And
Since its first production in 1965 by the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Homecoming has caused much controversy, and to this day still raises much debate.
Since its first production in 1965 by the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Homecoming has caused much controversy, and to this day still raises much debate. Critics often hold different views on the play, and while some critics regard the examination of power as posing a feminist viewpoint by the end of the play, others would argue that the world of the play is profoundly misogynistic and rooted in a male fantasy of women as saints or sinners, Madonna's or tarts, mothers or whores... Martin Esslin believes that the play is indeed misogynistic and fixed in oedipal fantasy, but others such as Billington and Walker take a very different stance. These critics argue that Ruth is, in fact portrayed as the most powerful character, and through her actions is making a bold, feminist statement. Pinter paints a portrait of a male household, in the total absence of women and illustrates the effect that a woman has on that environment. He demonstrates how the male characters are torn between idealisation and vilification of the female sex, consciously exposing the whole mother-whore dichotomy. Pinter's play works on two levels, on a realistic level that reflects a socially accurate study of an all male and predatory family structure, but also on a metaphorical level that challenges the stereotypical role of women and male dictatorship. Ruth's rise to power and triumph is the main