What makes Jimmy angry and psychoneurotic in “Look Back in Anger?”

Answer

What makes Jimmy angry and psychoneurotic in “Look Back in Anger?” [NU: 2015, 17, 18, 21] ★★★  

John Osborne’s (1929–1994) play “Look Back in Anger” (1956) presents Jimmy Porter as an “angry young man.” He is not only angry but also psychoneurotic. His anger comes from class conflict, personal suffering, and social disillusionment. 

Class Division and Social Injustice: Jimmy comes from the working class. He marries Alison, an upper-class woman. But instead of love, he feels class hatred. At one point in Act II, Alison admits how painful their marriage really is:

“Some people do actually marry for revenge.”

This unequal marriage keeps Jimmy angry. He cannot forgive society for its divisions.

Childhood Trauma and Loss: Jimmy’s bitterness also grows from his painful childhood. He remembers caring for his dying father. He was wounded in the Spanish Civil War. Thinking of this loss, he sadly declares in Act I:

“For twelve months, I watched my father dying—when I was ten years old.”

This line shows his deep childhood trauma. The loss left him hopeless and full of pain.

Boredom with Post-war Society: Jimmy feels trapped in a lifeless society. He sees people around him as dull and passionless. In Act I, his sarcasm cuts through when he says:

“Let’s pretend that we’re human beings, and that we’re actually alive.”

This shows his frustration. His energy turns into anger instead of action.

Cruelty and Psychoneurotic Behavior: Jimmy’s cruelty to Alison shows his unstable mind. He sometimes wishes the worst for her. In Act I, he shocks Alison with his harshest line:

“If you could have a child, and it would die…”

Later, her miscarriage fulfills his bitter prophecy. This cruelty reflects his psychoneurotic mind, mixing love with violence.

In short, Jimmy Porter’s anger and psychoneurotic nature come from class conflict, childhood trauma, and frustration with modern life. He becomes the voice of post-war frustration, yet