CHARACTERISATION IN LOOK BACK IN ANGER

CHAPTER 14

CHARACTERISATION IN LOOK BACK IN ANGER

Diagnosis of a Complex Personality In spite of certain drawbacks Look Back in Anger is a real drama

about real events and people. It is considered to be a study of a highly aboplex personality at odds with the society, shomplex humanaged give a convincing dramatic representation of a complex human being Jimmy symbolised the disillusionment of a number of people from the post war generation who felt that the world of their time was not treat ing them according to merit.

Jimmy represents the self tormented lone person in a self inflicted exile from the world, drawing strength from his own weakness and joy from his own misery. A university graduate and an enormous cultural jazz, reads only good book and “posh” Sunday paper but he lives squalid attic flat in a drab Midland town and even his livelihood by running a sweet stall. in a

“An angry man,” as he is projected, Jimmy is dissatisfied with ev. erything in life and rages at the world. He feels like a victim of some social injustice and lashes out at people and institution by his scathing remarks. He is a misfit in a group of reasonably normal and well dis posed people. During the action we observe a number of characters act. ing; interacting, discussing one another critically, making and withdrawing choices and throwing further light to Jimmy’s character.

Jimmy in Relation to the Contemporary Society The depiction of the contemporary scene by the another is really

authentic. The hydrogen bomb which is mentioned twice only is quite important in this context. Though mentioned only twice, its effect on the moral imagination of a generation can be felt throughout. We are subtly aware of the psychological impact of the bomb on men of Jimmy’s temperament. The newspapers have published news item relating to people’s protests against insensitivity and hypocrisy of the church and the state. Through Jimmy, the author makes some scathing remarks at the contemporary scene. The disillusionment and frustration of the post- war generation finds expression through Jimmy’s bitter and cynical com- ments. He reads as article written by the bishop of Bromely and ridicules him and asks his wife sarcastically, if the Bishop of Bromely is her father’s “non de plume”. The reference to social evils are made in Act III Se. I. Jimmy asks Cliff: “Have you read about the grotesque and evil prac- tices going on in the Midlands?”. He criticises the practice of sacrificing animals in the name of religion.

ACTERISATION IN LOOK BACK IN ANGER

103 The play brings to light the class distinction that is existent in Brit Jommy despite his good education is denied of a suitable job. He that the upper class people have conspired against him as he was low origin. He feels victimised by social injustice and hence hotle against the characters thclass and holds his wife Aleo wages Throught lety, characters the author throws enough ligon

temporary society. Duality in Jimmy’s Character palmmy a dissatisfied youth suffers, is frustrated and makes terribly

rong choisen hundam deloster, we are confronted with akes terribly starts in human idealism and the desire that men should be more barst more alive and more humane than they normally ared Jimors trage is very little controlled by the mind. His motives are hopelessly exed. We are clueless as to whether his anger with Alison centres in a emine desire to save her, or in an ugly type of possessiveness heavily sguised. His attack on his friend and wife are inconsistent. He criticises Cliff both for not reading the New Statesman and also for reading it. He taunts his wife for being well educated at the same time taunts Cliff for being ignorant. There seems to be a duality in his character. He suffers account of Hugh’s mother but is totally unsympathetic to Alison’s mother whom he calls an “old bitch” and wishes her to die. He claims to know at an early age more about love-betrayal-and death than others sould know all their life. He suffered at the bedside of his dying father, sympathised with the woman who according to a news item got injured na mass-meeting of an American Evangelist, but when it comes to his own wife, he hardly shows any emotion. He casually dismisses Alison’s miscarriage by saying that it was not the first misfortune in his life. In Act II Sc. 1, enraged with his wife’s defiance, he curses her and wishes that she should have a child that dies and says that only this kind of misfortune will teach her about suffering

He feels that he is the only one who really knows what suffering is, and that he has the right to criticise severely those who feel less agi- tated by seeing other’s suffering. He constantly bullies his wife to the point of humiliating her in presence of others. He cares little about his wife’s sensitiveness and attacks her family members in the most abu- sive language with intention to hurt her feeling yet at the same time he himself is very sensitive to all kinds of shock. He can accept neither life nor death with ease.

The Reason Behind Jimmy’s Violent Outbursts

Jimmy criticises everyone, ram and rants at everyone, his anger is not without a valid reason. He believes that he is the victim of some social injustice. His feeling that life has been pretty unfair to him leads him to cast a venomous eye at everyone, more particularly the people of

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LOOK BACK IN ANGER: A CRITICAL EVALUATIO

the upper classes whom he holds responsible for denying him his right, JE It is noteworthy that Cliff, Alison and later even Helena accept that Jimmy is basically worth while. They never accept his ideas or agre with his beliefs yet they do not dismiss him as worthless. Alison at one stage even believed that her sanity depends upon going away from hin But nevertheless they believed that beneath the rough exterior and har language lies a good and honest person, a frustrated reformer who un able to change the world desires to destroy it. They perceive that ha anger has elements of honesty and courage Helena makes a correct a praisal of Jimmy when she says. “I have discovered what is wrong with Jimmy” and adds “He was born out of his time. Alison agrees with Helena’s view. Helena further says that “when I listen to him, I feel be thinks he’s still in the middle of the French revolution. And that’s wher he ought to be”.

Jimmy’s Relationship with Helena

Helena’s name is introduced in the end of the very first act though physically she is introduced in the next act. The news that Helena coming to stay at their place as a guest is enough to infuriate Jimmy He considers her as one of his “natural enemies” and does not spare her from his vicious and blunt attacks. Helena, with her air of being the gracious representative of visiting royalty, soon makes the situation in tolerable by her presence. She is middle class not only by birth, but b instinet and convictions. Jimmy hated her and took pleasure in insult ing her. Irritated with Jimmy’s constant criticism she threatens to slag him. She interferes with Jimmy and Alison’s married life and instigates Alison to leave Jimmy.

After Alison’s departure she in an impulsive reaction kisses Jimmy after slapping him savagely. After that she lives with Jimmy as his mis tress. She strictly follows the middle class convention. On seeing Alison after her unexpected return the Church going Helena’s conscience awakened. She confesses to Helena that her affair with Jimmy is terri bly wrong and sinful. Jimmy is at constant war with the conventions and believes that sincerity alone can govern human relationship. Aud Helena contradicts him by believing that the “book of rules” is neces sary to consult and says ” I still believe in right and wrong: Not even the months in this mad house have stopped me doing that. Even though everything I have done is wrong, at least I have known it was wrong? She gives priority to ethics than relationship. Her loyalty to people geti a back seat in comparison to her loyalty to convention. Jimmy is aware of this fact and knows that they are opposite as far as ideals and con ventions are concerned, so when she leaves him, he is resigned rather than angry and hurt at personal level but not at the level of his ideals

CHARACTERISATION IN LOOK BACK IN ANGER

Jimmy’s Demand of Complete Allegiance The irony in Jimmy and Alison’s marital life was, Jimmy demanded

mpleted allegiance and Alison’s failure to meet his demand, dande mands complete devotion, unquestioning love from Alison. When ne married her Hor correspondence to cut off completely from her background to adapt herself to his working class conventions. with her family despite his disliking is considered ahim as an act of defiance and betrayal. He feels that Alison has be ayed him by marrying him while she remained mentally and spiritu ally in the world of her parents. Alison confesses that she has tried to derstand Jimmy and tells Helena: “I’ve tried to. But I still can’t bring myself to feel the way he does about things. I can’t believe that he’s nght some how”. Jimmy expects everybody to be loyal not only to him but to all the things he believes in, not only to his present and future, but to his past as well. In Alison’s word Jimmy expects her to be loyal to, All the people he admires and loves, and has loved. The friends he used to know, people I’ve never even known and probably wouldn’t have liked”. He expects Alison to react like him in certain situation failing which he is offended. On learning the news of Mrs. Tanner’s impending death he is upset. He gets ready to visit the ailing lady and expects his wife to accompany him. When he asks her if she would go with him she tracks his question and gets ready to go with Helena to the Church.

The End of the Play

Osborne has artistically ended the play. Jimmy is a angry person. Helena started living with him but Alison returns unexpectedly after Josing her baby through miscarriage. It is a very painful situation when somebody loses the child. At this time her outbursts is addressed to Helena in the following words: “It’s no good trying to fool yourself about love, you can’t fall into it like a soft job; without dirtying up your hands…… It’s either this world or the next.” Osborne artistically infuses some hu- mility into the pride of Jimmy. Jimmy is a living character full of life and vitality and from the first act to the last scene of the last act we notice a slight development in his character. The proud and egoistic Jimmy who takes delight in tormenting his wife, bullying her by mak- ing offensive remark against her family members discards his pride and humbly says to her: “was I really wrong to believe that there’s a a kind of burning virility of mind and spirit that looks for something as powerful as itself? The heaviest, strongest creatures in this world seem to be the loneliest. Like the old bear, following his own breath in the dark forest. There’s no warm pack, no herd to comfort him. That voice that cries out-doesn’t have to be weakling’s does it?”. He unmasks his feelings and lets out the fear that haunts him the fear of loneli- ness. After Helena’s desertion, he makes a desperate attempt to patch

LOOK BACK IN ANGER: A CRITICAL EVALUATION

up with Alison and pleads to her “I may be a lost cause, but I thought if you loved me it wouldn’t matter.” So Jimmy at last compromises with the situation by humbling himself. His pleads have a tremendous effect. on Alison who despite her deserting him loves him dearly. She answers, “It does not matter! I was wrong, I was wrong! I don’t want to be neu. tral, I don’t want to be a saint. I want to be a lost cause. I want to be corrupt and futile!” Then faced at last with a really effective example of his own handiwork, Jimmy quails and the setting becomes perfect for a reconciliation.