The Caretaker

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Harold Pinter: „The Caretaker“

Pinters play "The Caretaker" was published in London in 1960. It is characterised by Communication-Problems between the three leading characters, which can be retrieved in almost every Pinter-Play as a part of the "Theater of the Absurd".

The play is divited in three Acts: They all play "in a house in west London"; the first one in "A night in winter"; the second Act "a few seconds later" and the third one "a fortnight later".

The main characters are Mick ("a man in his late twenties"), Aston ("a man in his early thirties") and Davies ("an old man"). One day, Aston meet Davies "in a caff" where the old man workes. He picks him up home and offers him spontaneously a job as a caretaker in the house.

ASTON: You could be - caretaker here, if you liked. 
(p. 38, l. 15)

But constant Communication-Problems eliminate this idea: Both in Pinters description ("an old man") and in his behaviour, Davis is a contaminant in the "house in west London".

So, for example, Davies has problems in expression:

DAVIES: Listen. If I - got down - if I was to - get my papers - would you - 
would you let - would you - if I got down - and got my...? 
(p. 74, l. 6)

But also Mick has his problems: In the beginning of the second Act, he askes Davies four times the same questions.

More information about the Communication-Problems in Pinter's works in the WikiSchool at: "The Caretaker".

Harold Pinters typical language complicates sometimes the reading of „The Caretaker“, but all in all the play is readable – and part of the reason for awarding Pinter with the Literature Nobel Prize in 2005.

In Germany, the play was published as „Der Hausmeister“.

Textausgabe:

Pinter, Harold: The Caretaker. Frankfurt: Diesterweg. ISBN 3-425-04150-9.

[Bearbeiten] Weblinks

• "The Caretaker" in a Theatre in New York
• "The Caretaker" in the "Literary Encyclopedia"
• "The Caretaker" in Theatre History Online
• Filmed Version of "The Caretaker"

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Links

Originelle Geschenke und Geschenkideen online finden.