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Chapter 1

Introduction

Literature is said to be an imitation of reality. An artist or a writer presents a view which is closer to

the real world. Aristotle also said that imitation is not just a copy of something. But it is the creative copy

of that reality.

The writer can show out the reality of life, relations and its problems etc. Some writers thought that man

has entrapped in this world. The believers of this ideology are placed in Absurdist category. On

Absurdism many writers, for example Eugene Ionesco, Jean Genet, Edward Albee, Samuel Beckett and

Harold Pinter etc devoted their attentions and produced many works like Waiting for Godot by Samuel

Beckett, The Caretaker by Harold Pinter and The Sandbox by Edward Albee etc.

Harold Pinter was born in London on October 10, 1930. Pinter was son of a tailor who worked hard to

resolve his financial problems. The hardships, which Pinter faces in early life, make his skills more fine

and polished. Early works of Harold Pinter contain agony, frustration and violence but ambitions, hopes

and desires were also present at that time in his written works. Pinter is an English playwright. He was

most successful playwright of his time. He got fame on international level as well. Harold Pinter was

awarded the Noble Prize for literature, a Tony Award, the Whitbread Anglo-American Theater Award,

and the New York Drama Critics, Circle Award for his services in literature’s world. Harold Pinter,

usually in his plays like ‘The Caretaker’, discusses the condition of man due to a lot of violence.

The Caretaker is written after World War II but the situation of this play is similar to all times and

places. The Caretaker by Harold Pinter contains 3 Acts in it. In category of major works of Pinter for

stage and television, it contains sixth position. But on the basis of significance of commercial success, this

play psychologically studies power, innocence, agony, corruption and allegiance and attains first position

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in Pinter’s fame and significant works. As it is the condition of Absurdist play that time and places are

not fixed. It has fluid boundary and applicable to all times and places.

As war raises a negative feeling i.e. anxiety, frustration, jealousy, hatred and competition, a lot of

violence and destruction is happened as a result of war. This war may be categorized as political, social,

psychological and physical etc. Here, war also suggests the theory of survival by Charles Darwin. In this

theory, living beings fight with their atmosphere and fellow beings in any situation. The living being or

community, who has much power than other one, can survive or rule on other and the other one which is

recognized as “looser or weak” may be ruled by the powerful ones.

The survival theory suggests that the powerful is more appreciated in this world and in struggle of gaining

power, wars have happened between different nations on the basis of cast and nationality etc. Man fought

for his survival and wants to rule over others by hook and by crook.

Same condition of human beings is described in The Caretaker by Harold Pinter. This play was

produced in 1960 in the London. It contains 3 characters in it i.e. Aston, Mick and Davies. Aston and

Mick are two brothers while Davies is an outsider who is brought into the house by Aston. All three

characters are antagonists. The story of the play starts with a scene in which Aston (owner of a house)

invites an outsider name Davies in his room at night in winter. Davies comments and then criticizes about

his room which is so much chaotic and dirty. Aston offers him pair of shoes but Davies does not like them

and rejects them on the basis of the claim that these are ‘un-fit’ to him. He also reveals that his real name

is not ‘Bernard Jenkins’. It is an assumed name. The real one is ‘Mac Davies’. To prove this, he says to

Aston that his papers are present in Sidcup which will prove his real identity and truth which he has told

now. After that, Davies asked few questions about bucket in which water drops continuously drips to

produce sound and it is hang out to avoid leakage on the floor. When it becomes fill with water then it

would emptied by family members. Davies then sleeps on his bed. Aston gets busy with his electric plug

by examining and repairing it.

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In morning scene, Aston tells Davies that he was making groans and noises all night due to which his

sleep is disturb so much and he cannot sleep well yesterday. Davies does not agree on this and consider it

as blame. He told that those groans and noises must be made by Blacks who are your neighbors. Davies

fear and hate for foreigners shows here before Aston. After that Aston goes out by trusting and leaving

Davies in to the house. Davies considered it a good chance to search everything in the house and did it so

without notice that Mick (Aston’s brother) had entered in to the room quietly to catch him red-handed.

Mick caught him and Act 1 ends.

While Act 2 starts with Mick who was harassing and inquiring Davies about his identity, sleep and

comfort last night on his bed. Mick considered Davies as ‟an old skate, an old robber, and one who

“stinks this place”. Later on, Mick used some tricks of language in which he presented his brother Aston

as ‘a number one decorator’. He traps Davies and close to the point where he may confess Davies about

his identity. But his plan fails because of sudden entrance of Aston in the room. Aston gives a bag to

Davies which Mick suddenly grabs to check that what is present in it? The situation of the room becomes

miserable because it presents war-like environment in which Aston, Mick and Davies are snatching bag

from each other. This also seems comic but to these characters as a part of this real world, this seems

tragic because of tension, fear, anxiety, anger, suspicions and confusions etc. After that, when Mick

leaves the room, Davies call him ‘real joker’ in front of his brother Aston. But Aston somehow takes his

brother′s side by favoring him that he is not too much bad. He has little sense of humor. Davies now

checked out bag and told Aston that this is not his bag. Aston offered him a job of Caretaker in his house

by which he can get rid from many problems like identity, shelter and rest etc.

In next scene of Act 2, Davies enters in the room and switches the light on, off, on, off, again and

again but light does not illuminate the room. Suddenly Mick scares Davies in the darkness and then fixed

the bulb in its socket. This time Mick really knows the reality of Davies that he is not a loyal person.

Mick got his true mentality through his views about Aston which he expressed in front of Mick about

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‘interest in routine works’ that Aston doesn’t like work, he is a funny bloke and it seems funny that he

doesn’t like to work. But for some reason, Mick offers him a Caretaker’s job.

In scene 3 of Act 2, Davies woke up in morning and complained that he cannot sleep well because of

un-comfortable and worse setting of room. Aston wants to do some changes to comfort Davies but Davies

remained still and inflexible. Aston, then told him his story that how he had kept at mental hospital. The

medical staff gave him electric shocks and when he tried to run away, they caught him and gave him

shocks in a state that he was in a standing position. Aston says that their electric shocks have now caused

permanent brain damage. Therefore, Aston withdraws from the harsh situation and believes on

compromises to avoid any harsh behavior.

Act 3 starts with a discussion between Mick and Davies how to re-arrange and beautifully decorate the

house. On Davies inquiry about the members, who will live in this house, Mick replied that he (Mick)

with his brother Aston will live in this house. This statement made Davies more aggressive and he gave

all negative aspects of Aston before Mick. Mick advised him to ignore Aston and pay all his attentions on

decoration of this house but Davies doesn’t satisfy by this. Meanwhile, Aston enters and gives another

pair of shoes to Davies which he takes without thanking him. Furthermore, Davies rudely gave him order

to search out real ‘papers’ belonging to him from Sidcup.

At that night, Davies misbehaved with Aston by mocking on all the details of mental hospital in which

Aston suffered lots of tortures. Aston decided to kick him from his house when he showed knife pointed

towards Aston. Aston becomes dis-hearted from his behavior because he had trusted Davies earlier. After

that, Davies complained against Aston more bitterly to Mick. Davies called Aston “nutty” which makes

Mick to become harsh with Davies and finally Mick tells him the reality that Aston gave him shelter, a

bed to sleep well, pair of shoes, trusted him and offered him to become ‘Caretaker’ of a house. Instead of

it, he is not thankful to Aston and called him ‘nutty’. At this time, Aston enters in the room. Both brothers

(Aston and Mick) exchange smiles to each other and then Mick leaves the room. Davies makes many

requests before Aston but all in vain. Aston gives no response to him and the play ends with the hesitation

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and hopeless condition of Davies who is still begging for permission that if he will bring his papers then

would he permit him to stay here? But the un-concerned behavior of Aston is making him to ponder upon

his mistakes and misbehaviors of the past.

Pinter shows through his play that Man is not free. He is entrapped in this world. This trap contains

tensions, aggression, hatred, violence, corruption and fear etc. Pinter used gothic elements, silences,

pauses, sound imagery and absurd elements to clarify his point of view. Harold Pinter’s biographer

Michael Billington mentioned in his biography that Pinter took the idea of The Caretaker and its relative

images from his own life. Pinter also claimed that he wrote this play when he lived in Chiswick with his

wife Vivien Merchant.

Pinter shows that human beings consider outsiders as an enemy which cause harm for them. As nature

can never be changed, so intruders must have aim that they want to rule on the others. That’s why natives

do not like outsiders because of their unknown background and nature. Same is the case with Davies who

is an outsider having no background and put into the house by Aston. As Davies has no power, so he

wants to gain power in the house. The other brother named Mick doesn’t trust Davies because of his

unknown background and interruption in the house. Davies tries to create clashes between Aston and

Mick. But in the end, both brothers know that he is an apple of discord. Aston ordered him to leave the

house immediately without any explanation. The house in which this play is act upon has one main room

in which most of the time characters talk to each other and perform different activities like Aston tries to

fix plug, Mick snatches bag from Davies etc. This room contains a lot of junk. Useless things are

scattered here and there which represents that there is a lot of junk within and without the human beings.

Consider “room” of The Caretaker as Microcosm of a Macrocosm than this becomes the whole world

which is full of litter. Useless things have spread everywhere but there is no one who can clear it. If these

useless things are supposed as corruption, black-money, crimes, violence and immorality which are

spread in the world and 3 characters i.e. Davies, Mick and Aston are represented as different castes and

nations then this situation will be very much closer to Pakistani scenario. In Caretaker, Davies was

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intruder but in Pakistan where different people from different religions lived i.e. Muslims, Hindus,

Christians and Sikhs etc, many intruders or squatters cause clashes among different castes and creeds.

These intruders in Pakistani scenario are considered to be Taliban, Hindus, Americans, and Afghans etc.

They wander throughout the Pakistan and observe the lives of people and then cause threats for them.

That’s why; Pakistanis misbehaved and shows their hatred towards foreigners through gestures and

language. Americans are an example in this regard. For example in The Caretaker, Davies shows his

irritation and hatred for Blacks, Greeks and Poles by shaking his fist. This physical aggression is

representative of the internal or mental aggression, which is conveyed through a language. For example,

Davies calls those aliens as “toe-rags who have manners of pigs”.

Similarly in Pakistan, the aliens or outsiders are treated as terrorists. Firstly they came in Pakistan and

show themselves being a part of it and then they slowly and thoroughly interfere into the matters of

Pakistan. This interference has a purpose of creating problems among people and discriminate them. In

this process, they gain powers and others become puppet in their hands. As a result, anxiety, frustration,

hatred and other negative feelings arouse among natives to get rid of the aliens. Aliens or terrorists who

gave threats have two categories:

1:- They are present within us i.e. our country- Pakistan.

2:- They are present outside the Pakistan.

Pakistanis want to get rid from treats received in different forms whether internal or external, in forms

of Taliban, American interruptions and Indian terrorism, honor killing, target killing, religious disputes

and bomb blasts etc. This research aims to analyze the resemblance between The Caretaker and Pakistani

scenario. Time and place are constant here. They have not changed. So this play is considered as

universal i.e. apply to all times and places. So the elements of fear, competition, hatred, hopelessness,

anxiety, irritation and aggression are common in The Caretaker and Pakistani society.

Taking example from a novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, it becomes clear that survival is

the main cause which urges man to gain power, security and high status through violence. Violence

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converts into worse form when there is no law to check it. In Pakistani scenario, people have deprived of

electricity, water supply and proper food. Moreover, majority of them have not gain education. In these

miserable conditions, they face threats as bomb blasts, terrorism, robbery, black mailing or different

crimes etc. All these threats make them insecure, anxious, fearful, aggressive and hopeless. In reaction,

they start corruption through violence to gain their rights and power without caring that they are also

making others insecure and frustrated. One man’s selfishness for power and status make others to become

active for their survival without caring any rights, rules and regulations. They just spread violence by

which evil spread quickly throughout a society which can easily be noticed in processions, press

conferences and protests against government in Pakistan.

An example of such violence is reported by Human Rights Commission about Model Town, Lahore

incident happened in month of June 2014 between police force and Pakistan Awaami Tehreek workers

(PAT).

Eight people killed and many of them seriously injured in this protest

held before Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri’s house in problem of barriers which

may remove from his beloved leader’s house or remain there as it is. At

this moment, condition of people becomes more pitiable that most of

them injured with bullets with the help of trained shooters.

Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri, who was in Canada at that time, claimed that all this happened due to a plan by

which Punjab Government wants to scare people and my party workers because present government

(PML-N) fears a lot from my forthcoming visit to Pakistan. On his Twitter account, he gave a message

that:

“The Government, gripped by fear of my arrival, is harassing PAT (Pakistan Awaami Tehreek) workers’’.

So this report by Human Rights Commission about an incident happened in Pakistan, clearly shows

violence, injustice, mismanagement, fear, hatred and aggressiveness of people toward government

authorities and politicians. These type of violence affected Pakistani public badly. Common man here

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tries to cope with different situations daily like unemployment, harassments, frustration by work load or

traffic jam, protests, load shedding and to manage home budget in low wages etc. Along these problems,

when survival seems impossible for common man and he totally becomes disappointed about his bright

future, he struggles to find short cuts or wrong ways without discriminating right or wrong. Moreover, if

society or country also suffers from crisis then complexes of common people come out in form of

violence which is reflected through language, psyche, actions and gestures etc. Violence reflected through

language and psyche has explained by relating The Caretaker by Harold Pinter with Pakistani scenario.

To conclude it, Pinter doesn’t write this play according to a specific time period i.e. post World War II.

But it is applicable to all times and places. As it is apply on the present condition of Pakistan. All the

physical and psychological outputs of man, depends on his environment in which he strives for his

survival and causes harm for others.

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Literature Review

The Caretaker was the sixth major work of Harold Pinter’s for the stage. It contains 3 acts. It is one of

the most appreciated plays of the Harold Pinter. Different critics closely observe this play and comment

about this play and Pinter’s skills. They critically analyze The Caretaker and give views on it according

to their observation.

Martin Esslin gave comments on Harold Pinter in “The Peopled Wound: The plays of Harold

Pinter” in 1970. He said:

“Throughout the book the author has kept the wider context of Pinter’s work in mind

so that, in the last analysis, its scope transcends the confines of a monograph on one

dramatist and a becomes a contribution to the understanding of contemporary drama

in general as well as an important addition to the theory of play writing itself”.

Above statement shows that Pinter gave new dimensions to playwriting. His creative skills and

uniqueness gave rise and fame to his works. Pinter is a source of light for contemporary dramatists. Pinter

explains Absurdist theory and gestures, to understand it well through characters. Here emphasize is given

on language by Martin Esslin and it also reflects that Pinter’s use of language is so well that we can

understand the inner feelings of a character through Pinter’s narration.

As language represents emotions, so it also shows psyche and its effects on psyche when it is use in

wrong direction to play with the emotions of people. Its negative use causes large number of crimes and

violence among society which cause destruction of rules, morality, humanity and peace.

A biographer named Michael Billington wrote “The Life and Work of Harold Pinter”. He quoted in

“Daily Herald” that:

“Tumultuous chaos. Twelve curtain calls. And then, when the lights

went up, the whole audience rose to applaud the author who sat

beaming in the circle”.

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This shows the keen observation and views of Harold Pinter about this world and people who live in

it. It was the well praised and famous play of 1960’s and The Caretaker wins the heart of audience

because of truthful presentation of human condition i.e. capsule from others, chaotic within himself, rude

and harsh, alone and unhappy etc. In this comment, Michael Billington focused on Absurdist theory

which appeals man to think that he is useless in this world. Then violence grows gradually within him.

All this issue is well described by Harold Pinter.

Simon Trussler critically says in “The Plays of Harold Pinter, an Assessment” in 1973 that:

“Brings Pinter-criticism down from the rarefied heights of

applied Freudian psychology. He looks afresh at each play,

considers its relation to contemporary political and

philosophical thought and evaluates its success or failure as

an artistic whole”.

In this statement, it is pointed out clearly that Pinter’s plays have difference among them. He knows

human psyche but present “it” in every play through different styles and techniques. His writings are not

for becoming heroic figure, but for understand man as an artist and to portrait them before society truly.

Here the point comes in which it is declared that Pinter didn’t repeat human psyche through single or

fixed style. He presented it by focusing on different angles like violence, humanity, self deception,

competition, hatred, anxiety or constructive minded.

Another critic, Marowitz remarked about Pinter:

“The mark of Beckett on Pinter is dominantly stylistic; as for the subject matter, it may

have a Beckttian tang to it, but the recipe is original.”

Above statement tells us that Pinter’s style matches with Beckett who wrote Waiting for Godot. This

was also an Absurdist play about man’s condition in the World. Like Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter also

use Absurdist theory and repetition of dialogue are present in the play but we cannot say that The

Caretaker has same elements as in Waiting for Godot. Pinter has uniqueness in his views, dimensions

and presentations. Pinter’s uniqueness is shown in an idea that junk is spread all around us and we have to

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search from it. But this junk cannot provide something special or useful. On other hand, Beckett’s play

shows total bareness to prove that we cannot get anything useful from this world to make our self happy

and satisfied.

Alan Brien quoted in “File on Pinter” in 1960:

“His characters are now people rooted in a world of insurance

stamps, and contemporary wallpaper, and asylums. They are still

lost in mazes of self-deception, isolated behind barricades of

private language, hungry at the smell of the next man’s

weakness- in other words, just like us”.

In this statement, it is beautifully expressed that Pinter’s characters are not fictional figures. They are

just like human beings who are selfish, identified through papers, have illusions, wildness and violence in

language and psyche.

Pinter shows reality in which violence destroys everything and characters of a play, just like human

beings, have feelings and emotions. His plays have such type of endings which are not pleasant because

‘happy ending’ is the tradition of fairy tales and real life is not a fairy tale which contains ‘happy ending’.

An English playwright, John Arden in review of The Caretaker in 1960 wrote that:

“Taken purely at its face value this play is a study of the unexpected strength of

family ties against an intruder’’.

By this view, Arden describes an understanding and strong relations which can never break due to

false impressions of intruders. Everyone feels jealousy when he sees someone happy and satisfied. Its

human psyche that his complex tends him to burn others house and make him feel that “life is not a bed of

roses’’. So, family relations and human psyche are the themes of this play.

Both brothers, Aston and Mick, have strong family relations which are shown by Harold Pinter in

ending scenes of Act 3 when Mick sees Aston and passes a smile to him.

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Research Methodology

This research is analytically examined and qualitative approach is used in it. This research contains

three chapters in which following details are discussed:-

In Chapter 1, introduction of writer, topic and critics’ views about The Caretaker and a brief

overview of Absurdist elements in The Caretaker related to Pakistani scenario are discussed.

In Chapter 2, the emphasize is given on ‘violence reflected through language’ which supports the

topic that language through pauses, silences, irony, gestures and utterance manner can spread dreadful

violence among society as in Pakistan and in Pinter’s The Caretaker.

In Chapter 3, it is focused that ‘violence reflected through psyche’ matters a lot. Fear, hatred, anxiety,

jealousy, tension and selfishness are common in human beings. In struggle of gaining power, human

beings spread violence. This violence also affected them physically and psychologically.

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Chapter 2

Violence Reflected Through Language

Divide and rule is a policy by which a 3rd person snatches the powerful status of others. The purpose

of this 3rd person is to create misunderstandings between two parties, so that they must betray from their

aim and 3rd person can gain power. This power, may be is related to technology, war-fare, business or

food production. Power-gaining also happen because of personal advantage. All the violence, which is

created during power-gaining process, happened due to language. Language is a mode to express feelings.

But in language, there are some tools by which feelings are well expressed.

In The Caretaker by Harold Pinter, gestures are used to express inner anxiety and fear. Gestures,

itself, are known as meta-language. It is a language of body. As concerned with this play, Pinter use

gestures to express hatred and fear. It also uses to alarm someone.

Davies, who was an outsider in Aston and Mick’s house, had suffered from the rude and brutal

behaviors of Greeks, Poles and Blacks. So his language and gestures show physical and mental

aggression which is representative of violence within him.

Davies exclaims loudly, punches down-word with closed fist,

turns him back to ASTON and stares at the wall.

(Page No.118)

“The Caretaker”

Pinter’s use of gestures in 'violence of language' indicates that gestures also convey negative messages

to others. In Act-1 while alarming Aston, Davies is actually trying to make the presence of neighbors

suspicious and emphasizing Aston to interrupt in “their” privacy.

Davies: I noticed that there was someone living in the house next door.

Aston: What?

Davies: (gesturing). I noticed…………

Aston: Yes. There’s people living all along the road.

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Davies: Yes, I noticed the curtains pulled down there next door as we

came along.

Aston: They’re neighbours.

(Page No. 126)

“The Caretaker”

Physical gestures tell us the un-spoken words which person(s) cannot utter. In fact, gestures present

the atmosphere i.e. whether it is suitable to talk or not. In Act-2, it is clearly reflected in this situation:-

Aston gives it to Davies. Mick gives it to Davies. Davies grasps it to him.

Pause.

Mick looks at Aston. Davies moves away with the bag. He drops it.

Pause.

They watch him. He picks it up goes to his bed, and sits. Aston goes to his

bed, sits, and begins to roll a cigarette.

Mick stands still.

Pause.

A drip sounds in the bucket. They all look up.

Pause.

(Page No. 184)

“The Caretaker”

Here characters look up when a drop of water drips into bucket. They did not speak to each other at

that time because any action may prove fatal and may cause more difficulties among them. No sound is as

horrible as the dripping sound of water. We can observe fear in atmosphere because all characters become

attentive and silent during dripping sound of water. They give attention as what would happen in next

moment? Something has happened strange or not? So there gestures convey their fear and anxiety.

In Pakistani scenario, body language tells us the same condition of mind which is described in The

Caretaker by Harold Pinter. In newspapers, we see lot of pictures in which people protests against

electricity, water supply, budget and basic needs etc. They walk for their rights and usually raise slogans

against politicians. These slogans are usually present in this form:

“Go, go, we don’t need you”.

“We want justice”.

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“Devils are resting and we are working” etc.

These slogans usually show their inner state of mind that how much they are un-happy with the low

progress of politicians. During protest, people not only walk and raise slogans but also fight with police,

if police tries to calm and stop their protest. Youngsters in protest usually have sticks, rods and bricks etc

and they break down everything which they see in their path like showrooms, cars, offices or shopping

malls etc. These physical actions show that they feel insecurity, fear, inferiority complex, jealousy,

frustration and hatred toward high ups.

Similarly, politicians also make propagandas to make each other “inferior” in front of media. They

attend seminars, do press conferences and accept invitation of interview at TV to make their status high

and to become stronger day by day through gaining power. They use weapons of words and bullets of

gestures to criticize other. For example, any politician usually raises his hand and through index finger, he

ironically warns other politician by saying:-

“I know! How honest you are. If I give report to

media against you, then your status becomes

higher and people will praise you more, my

friend. Don’t you worry. I am your well wisher”.

The irony in this speech tells that it is uttered to make other person anxious. So its negative use

categorizes it as Violence of Language. Silence is a part of language which tells that “situation or time is

not same for everyone in any moment”. Silence contains a long pause in it. Pinter uses silence in The

Caretaker to show power-changing among characters.

In Act-I, silences are used to indicate that more influenced rely on Davies and he is more powerful

than Aston in owing the house. While at the end of Act-I, silence is used to show that his position is now

changing and he is labeled as intruder or outsider. In the beginning of Act-1, Mick didn't speak or show

his authority:

Mick is alone in the room, sitting on the bed. He wears a leather

jacket.

Silence

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He slowly locks about the room looking at each object in turn, he

looks up at the ceiling, and stares at the bucket. Ceasing, he sits quite

still, expression less, looking out front.

Silence for thirty seconds.

A door bangs, muffled voices are heard. Mick turns his head. He

stands, moves silently to the door, goes out, and closes the door

quietly.

Silence

(Page No. 116)

“The Caretaker”

But at the end of Act-1, Mick shows his authority as:

Mick holds out a warning finger. He then squats down to regard

Davies. He regards him, then stands, looking down on him.

Davies massages his arm, watching Mick. Mick turns slowly to

look at the room. He goes to Davies bed and uncovers it. He turns

goes to the clothes-horse and picks up Davies trousers.

Davies starts to rise. Mick presses him down with his foot and

stands over him. Finally He removes his Foot. He examines the

trousers and throws them back.

Davies remains on the floor, crouched.

Mick slowly goes to the chair, sits, and watches Davies,

expressionless.

Silence

Mick: What’s the game?

Curtain

(Page no.164)

“The Caretaker”

In Act-II, again silence is used to show exchange of power i.e. Davies becomes weaker and Mick

becomes powerful. Whenever silence comes, it changes the value of a person in the play. It also creates a

horrible and spying image in atmosphere.

A few seconds later. Mick is seated Davies on the floor, half

seated,crouched.

Silence

Mick: Well?

Davies: Nothing, nothing. Nothing.

A drip sounds in the bucket overhead,. They look up.

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Mick looks back to Davies.

(Page No. 166)

“The Caretaker”

In Pakistani scenario, silence in media, among politicians, is kept because of certain reasons. If

someone gives proofs against anyone and they are true and real one, then other person have nothing to do

except to keep silence. But in other cases, some people kept silence and they attack that person at right

time to gain his power and to ruin his life. In both conditions, silence describes the same function as in

Pinter’s The Caretaker in which one person over powers other one for his survival in this world. He

wants power “By Hook or by Crook” even it doesn’t matter to him that he is hurting others, violating the

rules, and snatching others rights also.

Throughout the play named The Caretaker; many pauses are used at different places in Act I, Act II

and Act III for different purposes. Pauses indicate thinking, planning, to speak lie, repenting, confusing

and blaming cleverly.

In The Caretaker pauses have positive as well as negative effects on the moods. At positive side,

pause is used in this play for soothing, catharsis, friendly relations and sharing sorrows. In these dialogues

of Act-1, Pauses have negative effect i.e. dishearten, rejecting, mocking, discriminating, and abusing.

Davies: Shoes? It’s life and death to me. I

had to go all the way to Luton in these.

Aston: What happened when you got there, then?

Pause.

Davies: I used to know a bootmaker in Acton. He was a good mate to me.

Pause

You know what that bastard monk said to me?

Pause.

How many more Blacks you got around here then?

Aston: What?

Davies: You got any more blacks around here?

Aston: (holding out the shoes). See if these are any good.

(Page No. 130)

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“The Caretaker”

In these dialogues, Davies is actually mentioning the misbehavior of a monk who breaks his heart and

his harsh words pierced into it. Davies is feeling pain and this pain is getting relief before Aston. Aston as

a listener, pay attention to Davies, so that his feelings got words and Davies got relaxation after that.

The negative pauses are used to make someone suspicious or to convince others to make excuses, speech

or some reactions. For example, at the end of Act-3, pauses show that Davies wants any reaction from

Aston's side. But Davies' struggles remain 'all in vain'. He faces a cold behavior of Aston in return.

Aston turns to look at him.

Aston: You make too much noise.

Davies: But….but….look…listen…….listen here I mean……..

Aston turns back to the window.

Davies: What am I going to do?

Pause

What shall I do?

Pause

Where am I going to go?

Pause

If you want me to go…. I will go. You just say the word.

Pause

I’ll tell you what though…. them shoes….. them shoes you give me….

they’re working out all right….. they’re all right. May be I could…. get

down…..

Aston remains still, his back to him, at the window.

(Page No. 260)

“The Caretaker”

When we talk about Pakistani society, every person in some condition take pause(s). In interviews,

celebrities or guests usually take time to give suitable answer which can tackle the harsh situation. If any

anchor plays video against an invited guest and raise question on his loyalty then the guest or any

politician will talk carefully and in his speech, he take pauses for a policy “Look before you leap”.

Lodhi 19

So, violence of language matters a lot in ruining the lives, societies, characters and moralities. Violence

spreads through sound and without sound i.e. through body language, spoken and written language etc.

Lodhi 20

Chapter 3

Violence Reflected Through Psyche

Man is a complex creature. It is difficult to understand the psyche of man. He praises others because of

his personal needs. He becomes selfish, jealous, kind and loyal to someone because of his own personal

gains. Everyone wants to gain power in this materialistic world. He wants to show off his power by

making others fearful, anxious, inferior and insecure. During power-gaining and survival procedure, a lot

of violence affects minds of people. This violence destroys their personality and moral values. Harold

Pinter in his famous play in 1960 named The Caretaker discussed all the violence with the help of three

characters i.e. Aston, Mick and Davies.

In Pinter’s The Caretaker, Davies as an outsider wants to live permanently in the room. He wants to

create clashes between Aston and Mick because his psyche torches him to do that and his language also

shows his frustration, mental aggression, tension, confusion, hatred, anger and pain which violates his

psyche.

In the beginning of Act- 1, violated psyche is presented by Pinter in

an incident when Aston offers a chair to Davies:-

Aston: Sit down.

Davies: Thanks. (Looking about) Uuh

Aston: Just a minute.

Aston looks around for a chair, sees one lying on its side by the

rolled carpet at the fireplace, and starts to get it out.

Davies: Sit down? Huh ....I haven’t had a good sit down….I

haven’t had a proper sit down!....Well, I couldn’t tell you.

Aston: (placing the chair). Here you are.

Davies: ten minutes off for a tea break, in the middle of the night in

that place and I couldn’t find a seat, not one. All them Greeks had it,

Lodhi 21

Poles, Greeks, Blacks, the lot of them, all them aliens had it. And

they had me working there…. there had me working…

Aston sits on the bed, takes out a tobacco tin and papers, and begins

to roll himself a cigarette. Davies watches him.

(Page No.116)

“The Caretaker’’

All these dialogues represent that Davies is complaining about the treatment of Greeks, Poles and

Blacks. Their brutal behavior dis-heartens him. They consider him as alien, inferior creature and treat him

“like a dirt”. This discrimination and injustice adds poison in his feelings and thoughts. Davies does not

trust on anyone either he is his well-wisher or a friend. That’s why, when Aston offers him a chair to sit

down, he consider it as “an order” and source of discrimination between Aston and Davies i.e. Aston sits

on bed and he allows “him to sit down” on chair. Davies is comparing Aston with his old masters i.e.

Greeks, Poles and Blacks. That’s why he is not satisfied. He is frustrated, fearful, depressive, confuse and

rebellious against Aston because Davies considers Aston as “injustice master” and himself as “Victimized

innocent”.

But reality was opposite to it. Aston’s behavior and language was not like brutals. He avoids back-

biting and quarrels. He compromises with the situations to make Davies happy and satisfied but all in

vain. It is well reflected by Pinter in Act-1:

Davies get out of the bed. He wears long underpant.

Davies: Now wait a minute, wait a minute, what do you mean? What a kind of noises?

Aston: You were making groans. You were jabbering.

Davies: Jabbering? Me?

Aston: Yes.

Davies: I don’t jabber, man. Nobody ever told me that before.

Pause

What would I be jabbering about?

Lodhi 22

Aston: I don’t know.

Davies: I mean, where’s the sense in it?

Pause

Nobody ever told me that before.

Pause

You got hold of the wrong bloke, mate.

Aston: (crossing to the bed with toaster).

No. you woke me up. I thought you might have been dreaming.

Davies: I wasn’t dreaming. I never had a dream in my life.

Pause

Aston: May be it was the bed.

Davies: Nothing wrong with this bed.

(Page no. 148)

“The Caretaker’’

As these dialogues shows the harsh behavior of Davies. On other side, it also shows that his behavior

is violating Aston’s psyche through his influence. Hatred is expressed in above dialogues through blame.

Same is the case in Pakistan, if an honest person tries to do a job without taking bribery, the whole

department or system opposes, blame and try to prove him a person who is out of senses. An honest and

loyal person tries to face challenges but he cannot change the whole system. So, he neglects or ignores

other people but in return, becoming restless due to continuous criticism of people around them. So these

type of violence effect psyche of a person that he tries to make himself busy as physical work do not give

them time to do mental work which will make him depressed about behaviors, attitudes, thoughts,

gestures, language, criticism and perceptions of people. So here an honest and sensitive person of

Pakistani society resembles with Aston – a main character of The Caretaker written by Harold Pinter.

Lodhi 23

The Caretaker also includes Gothic element in it. Pinter uses it to create horror in the play and to

make characters fearful. For this purpose, dripping sound of water drops is used at most places. Darkness,

silence and chaos in the room are used to enhance fear. This fear represents that man’s existence has been

questioned, he is alone, he may be kicked off, he has no identity and consider as inferior.

In this condition, man denies all fears through violence and becomes selfish to get status and gratitude

in the world. He wants to become master. And in doing so, he only works for his survival and ego. Thus

his frustration converts in to revenge. Same is the case with Davies who is against Aston because he

needs a room for his survival and residence. Aston brings him in to house but Davies is not thankful to

him. Instead, he wants to steal something from his room in his absence and Mick (Aston’s brother) caught

him red-handed to know his aims. This is fully explained in Act-2 by the help of expressions and

statements:

A few seconds later. Mick is seated, Davies on the floor, half seated, crouched.

Silence

Mick: Well?

Davies: Nothing, nothing. Nothing.

A drip sounds in the bucket overhead. They look up. Mick looks back to Davies.

Mick: What’s your name?

Davies: I don’t know you. I don’t know who you are.

Pause

Mick: Eh?

Davies: Jenkins.

Mick: Jenkins?

Davies: Yes.

Mick: Jen….Kins.

Lodhi 24

(Page no.166)

“The Caretaker’’

In Pakistani scenario, some people also act upon the same policy. First, they get approach to the high

ups, then they gain their confidence and at-last they try to get benefit through this confidence and trust. If

someone pointed out to them as being corrupt or blackmailer then they try to make “that person” wrong

or will give him option to participate in their plan or through brain-washing and back biting, makes him

against high ups. In Act-2, it seems Absurd that man is not faithful even to his Caretaker.

Mick: He’s supposed to be doing a little job for me…keep I’m here to do

a little job….But I don’t know…. I’m coming to the conclusion he’s

a slow worker.

Pause

What would your advice be?

Davies: Well…. he’s a funny bloke, your brother.

Mick: What?

Davies: I was saying, he’s a bit of a funny bloke, your brother.

Mick stares at him.

Mick: Funny? Why?

Davies: Well… he’s funny……

Mick: What’s funny about him?

Pause

Davies: Not liking work.

Mick: What’s funny about that?

Davies: Nothing.

(Page no. 206)

“The Caretaker’’

Lodhi 25

Here Davies is somehow try to convince Mick that Aston is an abnormal guy. But Mick didn’t accept

this and criticize Davies. Here we also notice that Davies is trying to create a distance among two brothers

on the bases of seriousness about routine works.

To make someone suspicious or to misunderstand him, reason out many difficulties, clashes and

distances among relations, faith and proximity. So, Davies by acting upon first policy of ‘power gain’

gives wrong expression of Aston to Mick in Act-3:

Mick: He’s what?

Davies: I… now get this straight…

Mick: Nutty? Who’s nutty?

Pause

Did you call my brother nutty? My brother. That’s a bit of…. that’s a bit of an impertinent thing to say, isn’t it?

Davies: But he says so himself!

(Page no. 252)

“The Caretaker’’

In Pakistani scenario, politicians give statements against each other. They take the statement of other

party and then ironically criticize about it. If one party says that we will remove corruption from Pakistan,

then other party quickly gives statement to media that:

“First you have to start this procedure from your own corrupted party. Okay?’’

Here, jealousy, hatred, anger and competition toward other party are shown. Keeping in view The

Caretaker and Pakistani scenario, it seems that people are working hard for their survival. But they are

also playing major role in spreading violence which is rooted in their psyche.

Lodhi 26

Conclusion

Literature is said to be all the artistic work which is an imitation of a reality. In imitating reality, close

observation is needed through which an artist can create a work which reader and writer can see, feel and

hear through imagination.

Harold Pinter in 1960 created a play which depicts the truthful and miserable condition of man that he

is alone in this world. This loneliness makes him alien and when he meets others as an alien, he is treated

in a strange way. This strangeness makes him wild. As a wild, he creates violence and only knows that

“he will survive, if he will snatch everything from others just like animals’’.

Wild animals snatch the lives of other animals and tore them into pieces. Similarly, these people for

their survival snatches rights from others and break down the rules to spread violence i.e. tension, fear, in-

justice, black money, jealousy, frustration and insecurity.

Pinter in The Caretaker focused on Absurdism through which he describes that man is a creature. It is

difficult to understand man’s psyche. He can do anything for his survival because insecurity is a constant

pain which cannot let him to live with satisfaction and relaxation.

Same is the case with Davies that he wants to live in a room permanently by kicking off Aston or Mick

from the house. In presence of both brothers, he feels insecure.

Violence, whether lingual, physical or psychological, happen due to injustice. If people cannot get

their own rights easily then they try to find shortcuts. They use negative and wrong ways to gain their

needs and to fulfill their purpose. There is only one policy to stop violence among people and society i.e.

a stitch in time saves nine. If needs of people are being fulfill at time and justice equally available to all

then there will be no violence.

Lodhi 27

Reference list

Arden, John. The Caretaker. 1960.

Billington, Michael. "The life and work of Harold Pinter." Daily Herald (n.d.).

Brien, Alan. "File on Pinter." 1960.

Esslin, Martin. "The plays of Harold Pinter." The peopled wound (1970).

Trussler, Simon. "The plays of Harold Pinter, an Assessment." 1973.

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Grade saver. <www.gradersaver.com> The Caretaker>.

Harold Pinter.org. <www.haroldpinter.org/publ...rold.shtml>.

Neo english. <Neoenglishsystem.blogspot.com/.../write- note- pinters- characterisation....>.

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