British Fiction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

British Fiction - Essay ExampleBoth of them are distinctive, and in many ways ground-breaking plays written by playwrights who are , in their way, regarded as quint shimmerdamentally English or British in reputation if such as thing as British literature exists, it would be found within their work. low of all is there such a thing as being British At the virtually basic level being British would be someone who is born, raised or who hold British nationality. In this case both Pinter and Stoppard meet this crude British definition. Being British is also essentially an idea rather than a reality. It can be seen as adherence to a number of sibyllic national norms that the British display. Eccentricity, independence, an indomitable nature, reserve, politeness, intelligence, genius, empire, arrogance are all characteristics which can be said to be British, and thus it can be seen to be a number of often contradictory things.Contradiction is one of the hallmarks of Absurdist theatre of operations and thus it is apt that The Caretaker is one of the first works of drama to be written within the genre called The Theatre of the Absurd. What can be said to be particularly English about this work. ... mixture of threat, comedy, hopelessness and an ironical commentary upon working class lives that are based often upon endless combative exchanges of words. The characters make fun of their situations in a manner that is both vaguely threatening and funny. For example, Mick gives an exaggerated description of what the hopelessly run-down house could beMICK We could turn this place into a penthouse. For instance this room. This room could catch been the kitchen. Right size, nice window, sun comes in. Id have Id have teal-blue, copper and parchment linoleum squares. Id have those act upon re-echoed in the walls. Id offset the kitchen units with charcoal-grey worktops. Plenty of room for cupboards for the crockery. Wed have a small wall cupboard, a large wall cupboard, a corner wall cupboard with revolving shelves. You shouldnt be short of cupboards. You could put the dining room across the landing, see Yes. Venetian blinds on the window, cork floor, cork tiles. You could have an off-white pile linen rug, a table in... in afromosia teak veneer, sideboard with matte black drawers, armchairs in oatmeal tweed, a beech frame settee with a woven sea-grass seat... (sits up) it wouldnt be a flat itd be a palace.(Pinter, 1998)Mick is making fun of his brothers (as well as the tramps) ridiculous plans for the house, and goes from the reasonable to the absurd in his descriptions. father the description of the cupboard, which soon turns into a large wall cupboard and then on to the absurdly ambitious cupboard with revolving shelves (Pinter, 1998). Pinter is also commenting upon the pretentious of the English middle-class, and those such as his brother and new caretaker who would want to be one of them. The details of this pretension, seething with sarcasm as they