The Homecoming By Harold Pinter is a fascinating literary play of the 20th century. The story follows a man named Teddy who visits his all-male family. Teddy was accompanied by his wife Ruth. The book explores themes of power and human desires.
In this article, I will provide the following information:
- Author
- Characters
- Summary
- Analysis
- Themes Explored
- Life Lessons
- Conclusion
Author
Homecoming was written by Harold Pinter in 1964. He was a famous playwright and screen director. The author’s strength lies in engagingly presenting intricate life events. This play will teach you about the craze for power in humans. Some best plays of Harold Pinter include:
Characters
- If you read this book, you’ll notice that it predominantly features male characters. There is only one female in the book.
Max
He is the head of the family. He had three sons in play.
Teddy
He is a university professor in play. He was married to a girl named Ruth. Teddy seems the only educated man among all the characters.
Ruth
She is Teddy’s wife. The author portrayed her as full of flirtatious and destructive desires.
Lenny
He is the other son of Max, He is a pimp in play. He seems a cunning guy.
Joey
The third son of Max. He wanted to be a boxer in play. You will notice that he appears to be easily influenced by others.
Jessy
She was Max’s wife. She died in play many years ago. Max always feels sad for her.
Sam
He is the only reputable man in the play. He is Max’s brother. Further, he works as a driver to fulfill life’s demands.
The Homecoming By Harold Pinter Summary
This play by Harold Pinter provides information related to human psychology and desires. The setting takes place in the north of England. Max, an old man was talking to one of his three sons Lenny. They were discussing how their financial situation was affected after Jessy’s death. She was Max’s wife. She worked outside with other men to fulfill family needs. Soon, Sam came to the house. He was Max’s brother working as a driver. He was an honest man out of all these.
The act starts with the arrival of Teddy. He is Max’s elder son who came back to the house with his wife Ruth. They both had three children. Teddy worked as a professor in America. The couple snuck into the house at night. Ruth went for exercise. Upon arriving, she met Lenny and introduced herself as Teddy’s wife.
In the morning, Teddy introduced Ruth to all family members. Max didn’t like her at the start. He was thinking of Ruth as a harlot. Later, Teddy persuaded his father. Teddy sensed that the male members of his family had negative thoughts. They were taking advantage of Ruth’s flirtatious nature. He informed Ruth to go back to America. She didn’t give him a good response.
Teddy went to his room to pack his belongings. Lenny kissed Ruth. Joey also developed an affection for Ruth. Max suggested a woman must remain in the house. Their financial situation is in a difficult state. Ruth is suggested to offer her services to other men to achieve financial stability. The play ends when Ruth presents her demands to the Max family. They signed a contract in return. All the men were around Ruth like crazy animals. Sam disliked this situation and left the room.
Analysis
This play by Harold Pinter explores the power hunger among humans. The shift in power dynamics among Max’s family is elucidated. Ruth changed the power cycle. She presented her demands in the patriarchal family.
Further, Ruth’s seductive nature and her new profession provide the doubtful norms that were established in the Max family. You can have different opinions regarding the themes explored in the play.
Themes Explored
The themes presented or studied are:
Power
Max is portrayed as the head of the family. This defines Patriarchal dominance. Soon, Ruth shifted the power to her hands. She agreed to sell her services by presenting her demands.
Gender Roles
The intentions of all male characters changed after meeting Ruth. They all develop affection for her refers to the fact that humans have a natural drive to fulfill their needs, including the need for emotional connection and bonding. This is an innate part of our nature. Ruth was the same.
Isolation
The home in play seems a place of stress and tension. They all divide after meeting Ruth. The writing style seems full of silence. It elucidates that the play has a deeper meaning.
Life Lessons For You
You will catch the following lessons from this book by Harold Pinter:
- Hunger for power mostly leads to hurdles in relationships.
- Loneliness can have a bad impact or influence on humans.
- There should be someone who must challenge social norms.
- The negative things can shatter your thinking ways.
- Must know the difference between good and bad.
Conclusion: The Homecoming By Harold Pinter Summary
In the article, I shared a summary, analysis, and themes of The Homecoming by Harold Pinter. The play had two acts. The plot was about a patriarchal family. Old Max had three sons. The wife of the elder son, Ruth, upset the power dynamics of the family. She offered her services to help the family. She also presented her demands that add interest for readers.