Look Back in Anger : Key info
Look Back in Anger is a notable literary work by John Osborne. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Look Back in Anger.
Key info
Key Facts
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- Full Title: Look Back in Anger
- Original Title: Look Back in Anger (no alternate title)
- Author: John Osborne (1929–1994)
- Title of the Author: Leading figure of the “Angry Young Men” movement
- Prize: Evening Standard Drama Award for Most Promising Playwright (1956)
- Source: Inspired by Osborne’s own failed marriage, personal frustrations, and post-war British class tensions; connected to the “Angry Young Men” and “Kitchen Sink Realism” movements
- Written Time: Written in 17 days in 1955 while on tour with a repertory theatre company
- First Performed: 8 May 1956 at the Royal Court Theatre, London
- Publisher: Faber and Faber (first published 1957)
- Genre: Realist Drama / Kitchen Sink Drama
- Form: Three-act play
- Tone: Bitter, passionate, confrontational, ironic, emotionally charged
- Point of View: Third-person stage directions; Dialogue-driven drama with no narrator
- Significance: A landmark in post-war British theatre; launched the “Angry Young Men” movement; challenged genteel stage traditions with raw realism, class conflict, and emotional intensity
- Famous Line: “Why don’t we have a little game? Let’s pretend that we’re human beings…”
- Setting:
- Time Setting: Mid-1950s, post-World War II Britain
- Place Setting: A cramped attic flat in the English Midlands
Key Notes
- Kitchen Sink Drama: This play is a prime example of “kitchen-sink realism”. It shows lower-middle-class life, small rooms, financial strain, daily quarrels, and disillusionment.
- Angry Young Man – Jimmy Porter: Jimmy is the symbol of the “Angry Young Men” movement. His anger is directed at social inequality, class privilege, and hypocrisy.
- Class Conflict: The core tension is between working-class and upper-middle-class values. Jimmy and Alison’s relationship embodies this clash.
- Marriage as a Battlefield: Jimmy and Alison’s marriage is a constant emotional battleground. Love mixes with anger, resentment, and hurt.
- Verbal Violence – Monologues: Jimmy’s long, intense monologues are central to the play. They reveal his frustrations, discontent, and personal wounds.
- Symbolic Elements – Bear & Squirrel Game: This game represents Jimmy and Alison’s fantasy world. It means an escape from harsh reality to an ideal world. It is a symbol of their fragile reconciliation.
- Autobiographical Touch: Many aspects reflect Osborne’s own life, such as his failed marriage and experiences of class conflict.
- Post-War Disillusionment: In post-WWII Britain, social and economic change was slow. The frustration and disillusionment of the young generation are voiced through Jimmy.