Ruhr-Uni Bochum
Englisches Seminar

Proseminar: Political Theatre in Contemporary Britain

Thema des Essays: Harold Pinter′s "Mountain Language" -
a political play or not?

wissenschaftlicher Aufsatz

von

Maritta Schwartz

WS `97 / 98

Content

1. Introduction 2

2. Summary of the play 2

3. Analysis 3
    3.1 Act I 3
    3.2 Act II 4
    3.3 Act III 4
    3.4 Act IV 6

4. Conclusion 6

1. Introduction
The topic of this essay will be Harold Pinter′s play "Mountain Language". The play will be analyzed with regard to the question, whether it is a political play or not. First of all, a summary of the play shall be given, followed by a detailed analysis of each act.

2. Summary of the play
The play "Mountain Language" consists of four short acts. The setting is in front of and within a prison. In the first act a line of women who want to visit their imprisoned husbands are standing at a prison wall. They have been standing there for eight hours in the snow. They are questioned by a sergeant and an officer. One of the women has been bitten by a dog. The officer tells the women that their language, namely that of the mountain people, is forbidden and that their husbands are enemies of the state. One of the women turns out not to belong to the mountain people.

Act 2 is set in a visitors room. An elderly woman visits a prisoner. She is told by the guard not to talk in her own language and jabbed by him with a stick, when she does not obey. The prisoner turns out to be a joker.

Act 3 is set in a corridor. A hooded man is led to a young woman. She has come in through the wrong door. The hooded man collapses and is dragged off. The sergeant advises the woman to ask a specific person for information. The payment can be fucking.

Act 4 is again set in the visitors room. This time the elderly woman is allowed to talk in her own language but keeps silent. The prisoner, her son, falls from his chair, violently shaking. The sergeant is annoyed.

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