Discourse of Self and Other in Landscape by Harold Pinter


Year : 2025 | Volume :02 | Issue : 01 | Page : 10-17
    By

    Avantika Johri,

  1. Research Scholar, Maharishi University of Information Technology, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

This paper explores Harold Pinter’s Landscape as a pivotal representation of the complex dynamics between the subjective self and social reality. It investigates how the characters’ introspection blurs the line between objective and subjective truths, highlighting their disillusionment with present-day existence and their reliance on past memories for solace. Through a dialectic discourse, Pinter’s characters reconstruct their identities and relationships, presenting fragmented versions of truth that reveal the unreliability of perception and the challenges of communication. The play’s intense focus on the stream of consciousness demonstrates how memory, perception, and social structures influence the understanding of self and others, particularly in the context of gender dynamics. Beth’s introspective, refined dialogue contrasts with Duff’s coarse pragmatism, emphasizing the divergent ways they navigate their shared past. The paper situates Landscape within the broader Pinterian canon, examining its treatment of class, social roles, and gender relations, while also comparing its approach to other memory plays by Pinter and his contemporaries. It also explores the concept of solitude, examining how the individuals’ inner monologues function as a haven and a hindrance to real connection. Ultimately, the paper underscores how Landscape dissects human relationships, showing how self-awareness and the need for self-definition collide with the desire for connection and recognition from the other.

Keywords: Harold Pinter, memory plays, stream of consciousness, gender dynamics, subjective vs objective reality

[This article belongs to Emerging Trends in Languages (etl)]

How to cite this article:
Avantika Johri. Discourse of Self and Other in Landscape by Harold Pinter. Emerging Trends in Languages. 2024; 02(01):10-17.
How to cite this URL:
Avantika Johri. Discourse of Self and Other in Landscape by Harold Pinter. Emerging Trends in Languages. 2024; 02(01):10-17. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/etl/article=2024/view=180541


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Regular Issue Subscription Review Article
Volume 02
Issue 01
Received 03/10/2024
Accepted 20/10/2024
Published 26/12/2024