Harold Pinter 1

20th Century British Literature

ENG-401
Harold Pinter

BS English Literature 7th Semester

Submitted by Group 1

Iqra Sameen (049284)

Haseena Wajid (049285)
Fatima Masroor (049286)
Memoona Bint-e-Farooq (049289)
Maryam Sheraz (049305)

Edited by Maryam Sheraz (049305)

Submitted To
Ma’am Hafiza Sarwat Fatima

Department of English
Govt. Viqar-un-Nisa Post Graduate College For Women, RWP
University of Punjab, Lahore
2020-2024

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Mountain Language

By

Harold Pinter

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Table Of Contents

• Biography of Harold Pinter (Iqra Sameen 049284)………………...….(1)

• Background of the Play (Iqra Sameen 049284)………………………...(2)
• Title significance (Memoona Bin-e-Farooq 049289)……...…………......(3)
• Summary and Synopsis (Memoona Bin-e-Farooq 049289)……….…….(4)
• Characters (Haseena Wajid 049285)…………………..…….………….(5)
• Linguistic Suppression (Haseena Wajid 049285)..…….…...…………..(6)
• Themes (Fatima Masroor 049286)………………….….…….………….(7)
• Structure, Language and Style (Maryam Sheraz 049305).................…(8)
• University Questions (Maryam Sheraz 049305) ………………………(9)

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Topic 1

Biography of Harold Pinter

Harold Pinter was born on October 30, 1930, in Hackney, a working-class neighborhood in
East London, the only child of Hyman (a tailor) and Frances (Mann) Pinter.

Harold Pinter was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. Pinter was one of The
most influential modern British dramatists. His plays are noted for their use of understatement,
small talk, reticence and even silence to convey the substance of a character's thought, which
often lies several layers beneath, and contradicts, his speech. He often used disjoint small talk

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and lengthy pauses in dialogue to convey a character’s thought which often contradicts his
speech.

Early Life

Although Pinter seemed to have a relatively happy childhood, he also experienced terror during
World War II, during Germany’s air attacks on London. Pinter’s Jewish heritage also caused
problems for him while he was growing up. Gangs would continually menace anyone with
Jewish features. Pinter, however, often was able to talk his way out of these confrontations.
Feelings of terror caused by an inescapable menace, along with the manipulative power of
language later became prominent themes in his works.

Career

Pinter’s love for the theatre emerged in his grammar school days when he played the title roles in
Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. He also revealed his literary talents during this period. The
Hackney Downs School Magazine published Pinter’s essay on James Joyce and two of his
poems that showed the beginnings of his distinctive literary style. In 1948 Pinter began his acting
studies at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) but soon left. For the next ten years, he
wrote poems and short prose pieces and acted on the stage and on television under the
pseudonym David Baron. He has noted that his acting experience gave him valuable insight into
how successful plays are structured and provided him with a sharp ear for dialogue.

He won a Nobel Prize in 2005 for his work, apart from being an excellent writer, he was
an aspiring actor. He wrote 29 plays. He directed nearly 50 of his own and others’ plays for the
stage, film and television. He also wrote 27 screenplays for film and television, adapting plays
and novels for the screen.

In late 1948, painter attended the Royal Academy of dramatic art for two terms, during
this time he refuses to comply with the national service, registering as a conscientious objector
and is eventually fined.

From 1951 to 1952, he toured Ireland with the new McMaster repertory company. In
1952, he began acting in regional English Repertory productions. He also did work and
performed for radio, television, and film, as he continued to do throughout his career.

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In 1957, over a four-day period, Pinter wrote The Room, a one-act play, for a friend’s
student production. The successful production of the play sparked his interest in playwriting and
soon after he wrote the full-length play entitled The Birthday Party. Although some reviewers
took note of Pinter’s innovative style in The Birthday Party, the initial popular and critical
response was overwhelmingly negative. Two years later, he gained accolades from the public and
the press with The Caretaker, which signaled his emergence as one of the British theater’s new
breed of playwrights. Pinter continues his successful writing career as a playwright, a
scriptwriter for radio and television, and a screenwriter in the early twenty-first century. He has
won several awards, including the Evening Standard’s drama award in 1961 and the Newspaper
Guild of New York award in 1962, both for The Caretaker , the New York Film Critics Award
in 1964 for The Servant; the British Film Academy Award in 1965 and 1971, and the New York
Drama Critics Circle Award for The Homecoming in 1967. He has also received honorary
degrees from many universities in Great Britain and the United States.

Late Life and Death

In 2001 Pinter was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and subsequently underwent surgery and
chemotherapy in 2002. He continued to direct and act during the treatment. In 2005 he
announced that he would stop he would stop writing please and instead focus on the political
activism. Later that year he was awarded the Noble prize in literature. Despite being
hospitalized, he recorded his Noble lecture in a wheelchair. His death continued to decline and
on Christmas Eve, 2008 he died.

Topic 2

Background of the Play

Mountain Language is a one-act play written by Harold Pinter, a prominent British

playwright known for his distinctive style characterized by pauses, ambiguity, and the
exploration of power dynamics in human relationships. The play was first performed in 1988.

The background of Mountain Language is closely tied to political and social contexts.
It is widely interpreted as a response to human rights abuses, particularly focusing on the

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oppression of Kurdish people in Turkey during the 1980s. The play explores themes of
censorship, oppression, language, and the dehumanizing effects of totalitarian regimes.

The title Mountain Language refers to the suppression of Kurdish culture and
language, which was prohibited in public spaces during that time. Pinter's play delves into the
struggles faced by individuals under such oppressive regimes, highlighting the impact on their
identity, communication, and sense of humanity.

Overall, Mountain Language serves as a powerful commentary on political repression and the
resilience of human spirit in the face of systemic oppression.

Repression of the Kurds

Pinter has noted that Mountain Language is based on the oppression the Kurds have
experienced as a minority group in Turkey. The Kurds, numbering about twenty-five million, are
primarily located in a mountainous region in the Middle East, stretching from southeastern

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Turkey through northwestern Iran. They have had a long history of conflict with Turkey,
heightened at the end of World War I with the Treaty of Versailles, which gave the Turkish
government the right to rule over them. Tensions heightened in 1937, when Mustafa Kemal
Ataturk decreed that religious and non-Turkish cultural expression would be outlawed in
Turkey, including the word Kurd.

During the next decade, Kurdish schools, organizations, and publications were banned,
and any references to Kurdish regions were removed from maps and documents. After the
word Kurd was outlawed, the Kurds were officially referred to as “mountain Turks who have
forgotten their language.” They were denied government positions, and the Turkish government
confiscated land and property. Kurds launched a series of revolts against the Turkish
government, trying to gain widespread support by appealing to traditional religious beliefs and
cultural practices. However, Kurdish leaders could not get the cooperation of the various Kurdish
tribes. After the revolts were suppressed in 1925 and 1930, the government handed out harsher
and more repressive measures. The Kurds remain an impoverished and culturally oppressed
minority in Turkey.

In 1996, eleven Kurds, while rehearsing Mountain Language with plastic guns, were
arrested by London police. They were held until authorities could establish what was actually
occurring in the community center where they were rehearsing. Pinter suggests that this incident
is a case of life imitating art.

Theatre of the Absurd

This term, coined by Martin Esslin who wrote The Theatre of the Absurd (1961), is
applied to plays that focus on and reflect the absurd nature of the human condition. The roots of
this type of literature can be found in the expressionist and surrealist movements as well as in the
existential philosophy that emerged from the theories of nineteenth-century Danish theologian
S0ren Kierkegaard, and German philosophers Martin Heidegger and Friedrich Nietzsche.
Dramatists associated with this group include Samuel Beckett, Eugene Ionesco, Günter
Grass, Jean Genet, Edward Albee, N. G. Simpson, and Pinter.

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Absurdist plays portray a specific vision of the condition and existence of men and
women and an examination of their place and function in life. They reject the notion that
humans are rational beings operating in an intelligible universe that maintains a logically
ordered structure. Absurdist playwrights present characters who strive but ultimately fail to find
purpose and meaning in a world that contains no truth or value. As a result, the characters
experience isolation and anguish in the face of the inherent nothingness in their world.

These plays typically lack a conventional structure. Often they incorporate silences and
scenes of miscommunication to reinforce the sense of isolation and alienation experienced by the
characters. A loose plot is often strung together as a series of fragmented scenes, disconnected
images that reflect the characters’ experiences.

Topic 3

Title Significance

Harold Pinter has admitted that mountain language is based on the long history of
oppression that Kurds have suffered as a minority group under Turkish rule. Critics have praised
the play of for its realistic depiction of the victims and oppressors in a totalitarian state

Mountain Language is set in an unnamed country where the use of a minority language.
the language of the mountain people, has been forbidden. A group of women, among whom a
young one and an old one is singled out, have been waiting outside a prison wall, wanting to be
admitted seeing their sons and husbands. One of the guards" Dobermann pinschers has bitten the
old woman's hand. When the young woman informs the officer of this fact, his reaction is to
enquire what the dog's name was

Officer: What was his name?

Pause

What was his name?

Pause

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Every dog has a name! They answer to their name

They are given a name by their parents and that is their name.

That is their name!

Before they bite, they state their name. It's a formal procedure.

They state their name and then they bite. What is his name?

If you tell me one of our dogs bit this woman without giving his name,

I will have that dog shot!

The officer also informs the two women of the crucial fact that the mountain language
has been forbidden:

Office: Now hear this. You are the mountain people. You hear me?

Your language is dead. It is forbidden. It is not permitted to speak your language in this place.
You cannot speak your language to your Men. It is not permitted. Do you understand? You may
not speak it. It Is outlawed. You will be badly punished if you attempt to speak your Mountain
language in this place. This is a military decree.

It is the law. Your language is forbidden.

No one is allowed to speak your language. Any questions?

The officer's highly repetitive speech has a hammering effect that gradually rises to the pitch.
"Your language no longer exists", which is immediately followed by the bathetic "Any
questions?" In reply to this, the young woman denies speaking the mountain language and
having had a look at her papers, the officer concludes: "He doesn't come from the mountains.
He's in the wrong batch" (He' referring to the young woman's husband), without any steps being
taken to remedy the situation.

The absurdity of the ban on mountain language becomes apparent in the second act when
the guard jabs the elderly woman as she tries to communicate with her son. The ban causes a
breakdown in the communication not only between the woman and her son but also between the

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woman and the guard. When the guard tells her that her language has become officially "dead",
she cannot understand what he is saying to her and so continues to speak her language as the
guard persists in beating her

Pinter uses the technique of silence in this scene, as you as he does in others, as a form
of language that reflects the character's interaction with each other. Pinter often uses silence in
his plays as verbal acts of aggression, defense, and equity acquiescence that often speak more
loudly than the words. In the first act, Sara shows her defense end points to the absurdity of the
officials questions when she refuses to answer the sergeant's questions about the dog. In act 2 the
guard meets the prisoner's declaration of his mother's inability to understand the official language
with silence, as an act of defense. If he does not acknowledge what the prisoner is saying, he will
not have to admit the absurdity of the decree, and he can keep on abusing the elderly woman. An
example of silence as acquiescence occurs at the end of the play when the elderly woman does
not respond to the son's questions at this point, she has given in to the system, either due to her
fear of being beaten or her despair over her son's condition.

Pinter allows no closure or resolution at the end of the play. The last image he leaves with
the audience is an absurd one , the Sergeant is complaining about the prisoner's failure to respond
positively to an arbitrary change in the rules. Pinter's creative interweaving of realistic and
absurd narrative elements throughout the structure of mountain language creates a gripping
narrative of the workings and consequences of the tyranny of political systems.

Topic 4

Synopsis Of Mountain Language

Act I: Prison Wall

The play opens with a line of women standing up against a prison wall. An elderly
woman cradles her hand while a young woman stands with her arm around her. A sergeant and
an officer enter. The sergeant points to the young woman and asks her her name. The young
woman replies that they have given their names. The two repeat this dialogue until the officer
tells the sergeant to “stop this s——.”

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The officer then turns to the young woman and asks her if she has any complaints. The
young woman responds that the older woman has been bitten. When the officer asks the elderly
woman who bit her, she slowly raises her hand but remains silent. The young woman tells him
that a Doberman pinscher bit her. Again he asks the elderly woman who bit her hand, as if he had
never heard the young woman’s reply. The elderly woman stares at him and remains silent. The
younger woman, redefining her response, tells him “a big dog.” When the officer asks the dog’s
name, he is met with silence, which agitates him to the point that he insists “every dog has a
name” given by its parents. He informs them that before dogs bite, they state their name. He then
tells the young woman that if the dog bit the elderly woman without stating his name, he will
have the dog shot. When he is met again with silence, he barks, “silence and attention.”

The officer then calls the sergeant over and asks him to take any complaints. When the
sergeant again asks for complaints, the young woman tells him that they have been standing all
day in the snow, while the guards have taunted them with the dogs, one of which bit the woman.
The officer again asks the name of the dog. The young woman looks at him and answers, “I don’t
know his name.”

The sergeant then abruptly changes the subject, informing the women, “your husbands,
your sons, your fathers, these men you have been waiting to see, are s——houses” and “enemies
of the State.” The officer steps forward and identifies the women as “mountain people” and tells
them that since their language is forbidden, it should be considered “dead.” They are only
allowed to speak “the language of the capital.” He warns that they will be “badly punished” if
they try to speak the mountain language. He reiterates that this is the law and that their language
is dead, and ends by asking whether there are any questions. When the young woman responds
that she does not speak mountain language, the sergeant puts his hand on her “bottom” and asks,
“What language do you speak with you’re a——?” When the officer warns the sergeant to
remember that the women have committed no crime, the sergeant asks, “but you’re not saying
they’re without sin?” The officer admits that was not his point, and the sergeant concludes the
young woman is full of sin, that “she bounces with it.”

The young woman then identifies herself by name and tells them she has come to see her
husband, which she claims is her right. When she presents her papers, the officer notes that she

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and her husband do not come from the mountains, and realizes that he has been put “in the
wrong batch.” The sergeant concludes, “she looks like a f——intellectual to me.”

Act II: Visitor’s Room

The scene opens with the elderly woman sitting next to a prisoner. When she speaks to
him in a rural accent, the guard jabs her with a stick, insisting that the language is forbidden. The
prisoner tries to explain to the guard that the woman doesn’t know the language of the capital but
is met with silence. When the elderly woman tells the prisoner that she has apples, the guard
again jabs her and shouts that her language is forbidden. The prisoner admits that the woman
does not know what the guard is saying. The guard refuses to accept responsibility and
concludes, “you’re all a pile of s——.” When the prisoner does not respond to the guard’s
questions, the guard calls the sergeant and reports, “I’ve got a joker in here.”

The action freezes and, in a voiceover, the audience hears a conversation between the
elderly woman and the prisoner, who identifies himself as her son. He voices concern for her
bitten hand. She tries to encourage him, telling him that everyone is looking forward to his
homecoming. The sergeant then appears, asking “what joker” and the scene abruptly ends.

Act III: Voice in the Darkness

The scene opens in a corridor where a guard and the sergeant are holding up a hooded
man. When the sergeant sees the young woman there, he demands to know who let her in. The
guard answers that she is the hooded man’s wife. The sergeant first asks whether this is a
reception for “Lady Duck Muck” then apologizes to her, saying that there must have been “a bit
of a breakdown in administration,” and so she was sent through the wrong door. He then asks if
there is anything he can do for her.

The characters freeze again. In a voiceover conversation, the hooded man and his wife,
the young woman, speak lovingly about their lives together and imagine they are on a lake
holding each other. When the action starts again, the hooded man collapses, and his wife
screams, calling him by name. He is then dragged off. The sergeant reiterates that she has come
through the wrong door and informs her that if she has any questions, she can ask the “bloke”

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who comes in “every Tuesday week, except when it rains.” She asks whether “everything [will]
be all right” if she has sex with this man, and the sergeant replies “sure. No problem.” The scene
ends after she thanks the sergeant.

Act IV: Visitor’s Room

This act returns to the visitor’s room where the prisoner sits next to his mother, trembling
with blood on his face. The guard informs them “they’ve changed the rules.” Until “further
notice,” they can speak in their own language. When the prisoner translates this to his mother,
she does not respond, as if she no longer understands her own language. The prisoner’s trembling
grows until he falls to his knees, shaking violently. The sergeant appears, sees him and says,
“you go out of your way to give them a helping hand and they f——it up.”

Topic 5

Characters in Mountain Language

Charley

Charley is one of the prisoners. His affection for Sara, his wife, becomes evident during a
voiceover, when he and Sara talk lovingly about their union and imagine being together in the
future. Toward the end of the play, he collapses in front of her, suggesting that he has been
tortured.

Elderly Woman

The elderly woman is referred to as a mountain woman. She has come to the prison to see
her son. While she is waiting in the snow for eight hours, a guard dog bites her hand so severely
that her thumb is almost detached. She shows her capacity for compassion and nurturance when
she brings food to her son. She also tries to comfort him and fill him with hope by telling him
that everyone at home is looking forward to his return. Her inability to understand the official

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language, and therefore the warning against speaking her own language (mountain language),
results in her being beaten by the guards.

She ends the play in silence, in an almost catatonic state. When her son tells her that the
prison officials have changed the rules and they are now allowed to speak in their language, she
does not respond. It is not clear whether she is too afraid to speak or has lost the ability to do so,
perhaps due to her son’s condition.

Guard

The guard exhibits cruelty when he repeatedly jabs the elderly woman with a stick when
she speaks mountain language. He tries to justify his treatment of her by saying that he has
responsibilities and that he has a family. The guard refuses to recognize that his prisoner also has
a family, and in an effort to punish him, the guard informs the sergeant that the prisoner is a
“joker.”

Sara Johnson

Sara comes to the prison to see her husband, Charley. Although she is not a “mountain
woman” and obviously is from a higher social class, she forms a bond with the elderly woman.
She illustrates her compassionate nature when she comforts the older woman after she has been
bitten by the dog and tries to get help for her. Sara reveals her courage when she stands up to the
sergeant and officer on several occasions. She refuses an order to give her name a second time
and often meets absurd questions with silence.

Sara is smart enough though to answer some of their questions patiently, as when the
sergeant asks her again the name of the dog who bit the elderly woman, and she answers that she
does not know, which of course should have been obvious to him. When the women are asked
whether they have any complaints, she speaks up, noting that they have been standing all day in
the snow, waiting to see the prisoners. She insists that it is her right to see her husband.

After accidentally coming across her hooded husband and realizing that he has been
tortured, she breaks down. At the end of the play, she admits that she is willing to sleep with a
prison official in order to save her husband.

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Officer

The officer is the person in charge of the prison. At times, he appears to follow
reasonable guidelines, but his behavior quickly dissolves into the absurd, along with that of the
sergeant. Sometimes he chastises the sergeant for repeatedly asking the women the same
question, and he seems to show concern for the elderly woman’s hand. However, that concern
quickly vanishes in a silly discussion of dogs’ names. While he directs the sergeant to ask the
women whether they have any complaints, he never acts on those complaints. He reminds the
sergeant that the women are not criminals, but he cannot acknowledge that they have not sinned.
When the officer discovers that Sara’s husband is not a mountain person, he admits that he has
been placed in the “wrong batch” but does not question his guilt. He tries to assert his authority,
and points out the absurdity of his rules when he insists that if the dog that bit the elderly woman
did not give his name, he will be shot. He reveals his need for control when, as the women are
standing silently, he tells them to be silent.

Prisoner

The prisoner illustrates his compassion when he shows great concern about his mother’s
hand. He also tries to explain to the guard that she cannot understand the official language in the
hopes the guard will stop hitting her. In an effort to encourage the guard to feel compassion and a
sense of brotherhood, he explains that he too has a wife and three children. His boldness,
however, is punished when the guard determines him to be a “joker.” The blood on his face in the
next scene suggests that he has been beaten. When, at the end of the play, his mother appears in
an almost catatonic state, he collapses on the floor, gasping and shaking violently, seemingly
experiencing a mental and physical collapse.

Second Guard

The second guard appears in the corridor, holding up Sara’s husband.

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Sergeant

His cruelty and desire for power is exhibited throughout the play. He repeatedly
categorizes the prisoners as “s——houses,” and he tries to demean Sara, whom he considers a
“f——intellectual.” In order to assert his power over her, he puts his hands on her and claims,
“intellectual a——s wobble the best” and that she “bounces” with sin. At other times, he
professes to be carrying out the law, as when he tells them that mountain language has been
forbidden. Later, he appears in the guise of a public servant when he asks Sara what he can do
for her after she accidentally appears in the corridor where she sees her husband with a hood
over his face. She does not respond, knowing he will do nothing to help her or her husband. He
pretends to be magnanimous at the end of the play, suggesting he engineered the change in the
rule forbidding anyone to speak in mountain language but then reveals his true nature when he
shows no compassion as he watches the prisoner collapse, exclaiming “you go out of your way
to give them a helping hand and they f——it up.”

Topic 6

A Play of Linguistic Suppression

Harold Pinter’s 1988 play Mountain Language is one of the renowned dramatist’s late,
explicitly political plays. Renouncing the traditional ‘Pinteresque’ circumstances of confused
and uncertain menace, in which two or three people manipulate one another in small suburban
rooms, Mountain Language examines the political violence that undergrads the apparent
orderliness of many modern societies.

In this play, Pinter uses a lack of geographical or linguistic specificity to generalize the drama;
it could be taking place in South American juntas, the mountains of Turkey, in Kandahar, or,
potentially, even in Chicago or Manhattan. The play is powerful, brief, and confronts its
audience with a sense of complicity: the implication being that the powerful are permitted to
abuse their power because the moderate civilians tolerate these excesses.

Though Pinter wrote this play keeping in mind the specific suppression of global
language into mountain people, it is a more universal play than any other. The play is acted in an
unspecified prison of capital, where speaking the mountain language is forbidden (Forbidden,
forbidden, forbidden). This play shows two kinds of resistance to a barbaric politicization of

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language through the two female protagonists. The Elderly woman, who comes to visit her
convicted son and keeps getting abused for using mountain language inside, decides not to
speak her language when at a later date the guard says that there is a change in the rules whereby
she is now allowed to speak her language. Here, the silence of the mother becomes an ethic of
resistance to the ironic notion of linguistic freedom, which can only come from within the
political power structure.

On the other side, Sara Johnson, the wife of a convict comes into the prison to visit her
husband and what she faces in the house is nothing but horror and sexual exploitation. The
collapse of the 'hooded man', the confusion over the right chamber, the behavior of the dog,
and finally the sexual pleasure she is bound to provide to the prison people to do something for
her husband all speaks volumes of Pinter's vision.

Pinter also deals with culture and nature in his play Mountain Language, where he
represents an ethnic group that has lost its dignity. A minority culture in a rural area is
colonized and ill-treated by the capital. The capital’s language disables the minority dialect. In
recent times the figure of the other, hitherto silent and effaced, has made claims to speak,
indeed to speak back, disrupting the realm of politics in radical ways: thus women, ‘natives’,
minorities, deviants, subalterns, now claim to speak like others. Pinter deals with the
Elderly woman as an “other”. It is central to the creation of new cultural meaning. The military
officer shows the authority to enable them to imprison whom they perceive to be the enemies of
the law since at their disposal is the power to effectively legislate the function of the mountain
people’s native language and, in effect colonize their ethnic identity. Pinter proclaims the above
through the Officer’s speech:

“Your language is dead. It is forbidden. It is not permitted to speak your language in this
place. You cannot speak your language to your men. It is not permitted. Do you
understand? You may not speak it. It is outlawed. You may only speak the language of the
capital. That is the only language permitted in this place. You will be badly punished if you
attempt to speak your mountain language in this place. This is a military decree. It is the
law. Your language is forbidden. It is dead. No one is allowed to speak your language no
longer exists”.

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With the force of the military decree, they are not allowed to speak the native language “in this
place”, and by extension of their culture, the word ‘dead’ used three times in this speech.

According to Frank Rich, in the play Mountain Language,

“language is the oppressors’ weapon of choice. The fascist captors speak lies, scatology, and
double talk; the enemies of the state find their language has been declared dead and
outlawed altogether. Only the victims’ thoughts conveyed on tape can escape the reach of
the decree…Pinter indicates a worldwide system of oppression.”

As a concluding observation, we remark that Pinter was explicit, on multiple occasions, in his
expressed beliefs that language and oppression are often interlinked by politicians and figures in
authority. This world is concerned with the question of authority, abuse of power, violence, and
suppression. Pinter states in the play Mountain Language, the mountain people are suppressed
and dominated by the military decree. From the beginning till the end of the play, there are many
situations where there are symbols of domination such as domination of power, domination of
majority over the minority, domination of language over language, etc. The word ‘culture’ is
defined in the Painteresque language as a study of non-urban society. Pinter uses language as a
device to portray the power and to classify mastery and Slavism.

Topic 7

Main Themes of the Play Mountain Language

1.Meaninglessness

Pinter illustrates the play’s major theme, meaninglessness, in his adroit construction of
the play. In the absurd prison world, nothing makes sense. The prisoners, referred to as “s——
houses” and “enemies of the state” are being held for unnamed crimes. The narrative suggests
that they have been imprisoned because they are “mountain people” who speak an outlawed
language. When the officials discover that Charley, Sara’s husband, is not a mountain person,
they decide he has been put into the “wrong batch” but do not question his guilt.

The play presents an existentialist vision of the condition and existence of men and
women as it deconstructs the traditional view that humans are rational beings existing in an
intelligible universe. The characters repeatedly question the prison rules, trying to determine a

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logical structure to the system but are continually thwarted because there is no logic behind a
world that contains neither truth nor value. As they face this meaninglessness, they experience
isolation and anguish.

Pinter illustrates this sense of meaninglessness in his presentation of the breakdown

between language and meaning. Sara continually tries to communicate with the prison officials
in order to convince them to treat her and the others humanely and to allow her to reunite with
her husband, but her dialogue with them continually degenerates into pointless babble. For
example, when she tries to get someone to tend to the elderly woman whose hand has been torn
by a dog bite, the officer and sergeant begin a nonsensical discussion about the dog’s name and
never offer assistance.

2.Social Protest

Pinter constructs scenes like the one concerning the dog as a form of social protest.
Through his characterizations and dramatic structure, he presents a compelling indictment of
totalitarian regimes. Pinter has suggested the oppression the Kurds have experienced as a
minority group in Turkey inspired his writing of the play (as mentioned by Charles Spencer in
the Daily Telegraph, but his use of Anglo names like “Sara Johnson” and “Charley,” along with
the indeterminate setting, suggests Pinter is condemning any government that oppresses its
people.

3.Censorship

One of the main ways the prison officials oppress the characters in the play is to censor
them. In order to strip them of their cultural identity, they decree that “mountain language” is
forbidden, that it should be considered “dead,” and those who speak it will be severely punished.
This censure not only denies the characters a sense of self but also serves to isolate each from the
other because communication within the community becomes impossible.

4.Sexual Abuse

When the officials realize that Sara is not a mountain woman and so cannot control her
due to her social status, they find another way to exercise their power over her. After the sergeant

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identifies her as a “f——intellectual,” he abuses her to assert his power over her. When she
admits to the sergeant that she does not speak mountain language, he puts his hands on her and
asks, “What language do you speak with your a——,” thus effectively undermining her position
in the prison hierarchy. Later, he insists to the officer that Sara is full of sin, that she “bounces
with it.”

5.Resistance

Sara makes attempts to resist the authority of the officials through her questions and her
silences. She insists that something should be done to help the elderly woman after the guard dog
bites her, and she insists it is her right to see her husband. She meets the officials’ repeated,
foolish questions (for example,” What is the dog’s name?”) with silence, refusing to participate
in meaningless dialogue. Yet, by the end of the play, her spirit has effectively been broken by the
totalitarian system. She finally sees her husband but is powerless to prevent his torture through
rational means. As a result, she agrees to prostitute herself so that she can save him.

6.Language as a Tool for Political Suppression

Mountain Language is short play and can be considered a political play that carries a
strong message against all forms of brutality endorsed by totalitarian governments. Mountain
Language (1988) was inspired by true life events that happened in Turkey against minority
Kurdish people. Like many of other plays here also Pinter shows his ability to present language
with an astonishing effect on the characters life and incidents. Play shows Kurdish people as a
culturally rich people who always refused to submit themselves to any forms of terror and
violence. Here Pinter's faithfully depicts sufferings and pains experienced by Kurdish people
who were not ready to adapt themselves to mainstream culture and language of their country.

Mountain Language (1988) was inspired by true life events that happened in Turkey against
minority Kurdish people. Like many of other plays here also Pinter shows his ability to present
language with an astonishing effect on the characters life and incidents. In Pinter's play
Mountain Language, the symbol of authority forms the central theme and language plays a vital
role in bringing out the theme throughout the play. Pinter's visit to Turkey in 1985 inspired him
to write the play. He saw the inhuman suppression of the Kurds there. However, the play is not
only about the Kurds as a minority in Turkey; it has a wider scope as Harold Pinter explains:

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"From my point of view, the play is about suppression of language and the loss of freedom of
expression. I feel, therefore, it is as relevant in England as it is in Turkey. A number of Kurds
have said that the play touches them and their lives. But I believe it also reflects what's
happening in England today the suppression of ideas, speech and thought"

Mountain Language (1988) was inspired by the prosecution of the Kurds in Turkey. It
is written to have a global appeal. Kurdish people are considered as a minority in Turkey because
they were having completely different culture and religion than rest of Turkey. Here Pinter shows
how wonderful people are Kurds. Their dignity and their courage and their will and refusal to
submit to terror are remarkable. They were a sect of people who have their own extremely
distinguished culture and traditions, and the people believe they will prevail. They have to, but
they must be given our total support. Located in an unspecified location like that of a prison of a
capital, where speaking the mountain language is forbidden, this twenty-minute play shows two
kinds of resistance to a barbaric politicization of language through the two female central
characters shows two kinds of resistance to a barbaric politicization of language through the
two female central characters. The Elderly woman who comes to visit her convicted son and
keeps getting abused for using mountain language inside decree not to speak her own language
when at a later date the guard says that there is a change in the rules whereby, she is now allowed
to speak her own language.

Mountain Language begins with a question. The Sergeant asks the name of the Elderly
Woman. This question is barely reasonable and absurd for the first time. It sounds unreasonable
when the Sergeant repeats the same question continuously to the young woman's responses, "We
have given our name". But the Sergeant couldn't get the proper information as he is new to the
language spoken by the women. The primary function of language in this play is power and
struggle. The Sergeant plays the symbol of power. Before the Elderly woman opened the mouth,
the young woman answered the question. Here, the Elderly woman plays the symbol of the
suppressed and the young woman plays the symbol of the protest. The significance of the parts
of the young woman discourse is derived from the context in which they are spoken. The young
woman's discourse is not independent of any inherent characteristics of reality; she protests the
sergeant, and it creates the reality of the play. The Elderly woman is continuous this discourse
with minimal initial help from the young woman. The young woman is involved in the elderly

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woman discourse, and this becomes the reality of the situation. Thus, two characters have
brought about; there is no relationship through the use of discourse. The Young woman is
helping the elderly woman. She entered the prison wall: the Doberman pinscher bites her hand.

The four scenes are portrayals of torture and humiliation. When the play opens, a line
of women. who have been waiting in the snow for eight hours to see their imprisoned men, is
seen. she is bleeding and her thumb is about to come off. Though she suffers, the Officer neglects
her and tries to know the dog/man that has bitten her without taking permissioned has broken the
rules. In another case, The Sergeant and Officer abuse the Young Woman whose husband has
been arrested because he was mistakenly considered a mountain man. They abuse her verbally
and physically: they circle her, touch her bottom and ask what language she speaks with her
"ass"

Another example is the Young Woman's husband who has been tortured to death though
he is not from the mountain. The situation may continue incessantly. These are just a few
examples of the brutal act of the animalized human. Officer prohibits elderly women in speaking
in her language in a threatening tone, typical of the political authority, the Officer addresses the
women;

You are mountain people. You hear me? Your language is dead. It is forbidden. It is not
permitted to speak your mountain language in this place. You cannot speak your language to
your men. It is not permitted. Do you understand? You may not speak it. It is outlawed. You may
only speak the language of the capital. That is the only language permitted in this place. You will
be badly punished if you attempt to speak your mountain language in this place. This is a
military decree. It is the law. Your language is forbidden.

It is dead. No one is allowed to speak your language. Your language no longer exists. Any
questions"?

When the Officer asks if the women, waiting to see their imprisoned men, have any
complaints, the Young Woman answers, "She's [the Elderly woman] been bitten." When the play
opens, the Elderly Woman is discovered cradling her bitten hand. The image usually associated
with "biting" is that of an animal. Accordingly, readers expect that an animal has bitten her.

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However, the Young Woman's answer, "a Dobermann pinscher", confuses readers more.
This is because the name that she provides in answering who is the name of a dog, not that of a
human being. This answer does not satisfy the Officer because he wants to know exactly which
(or who) among the Dobermann pinschers has bitten the Elderly Woman. Officer got no answers
from them. As the Officer does not get an answer, he explains to the women: Every dog has a
name! They answer their name. They are given a name by their parents and that is their name,
that is their name! Before the bite, they state their name. It's a formal procedure. They state their
name and then they bite. What was his name? If you tell me one of our dogs bit this woman
without giving his name, I will have that dog shot!

Another example is the Young Woman's husband who has been tortured to death
though be is not from the mountain. The situation may continue incessantly. These are just a
few examples of the brutal act of the authoritative government. we have also had young woman,
Sara

Johnson, coming to visit her imprisoned husband and being greeted with the four-letter word

"Who’s that fucking woman? What's that fucking woman doing here? Who let that fucking
woman through that fucking door?"

7.Power of Silence

Pinter is a skillful silence user in his plays. He uses these for various purposes without
giving hints for revealing their meanings. Usually. Pinter's silences are used to increase tension
and verbal torment. If a silence is used in his plays. a question of power always comes into mind.

Thus. silence represents a strategy. which can be used as an effective tool for manipulation.

Cameron states that "meaning of silence is more complicated than the simple equation of it with
powerlessness [. . . ] sometimes silence is a strategy of resistance to oppressive power.
Conversely, it can be a weapon of the powerful"

Silence can also be used and taken as a form of resistance and protest against an exercise of
power, so becoming a conversed form of power. But one must be thus aware that silence is a
powerful weapon used for various reasons in different settings. Silence can be ambiguous. It can
be used for various purposes, with different effects and it can also be interpreted subjectively and

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according to the situation. Therefore, Pinter's silence does not represent just the absence of
speech.

They have their true, raw and usually brutal self. For Pinter, there is not just silence. He
uses pauses and these pauses and silences have different duration. He skillfully and artistically
operates with these, being therefore able to create such moving situations on a stage that clearly
explain the motives of the characters. Pauses represent the struggle of a character to open himself
to others. They are an indication that the mental process of the character is continuing. Pauses are
used as markers of interpersonal and social relationships. Because there seems to be information
not stated ,the characters thus show that they have something to say. Hall reports that "if there is
a pause m the proceedings, for a small pause he [Pinter] puts three dots; for a large pause he puts
‘Pause'; for a very, very long pause he puts 'Silence"'.

When the oppressors in this absurd world of The Mountain Language outlawed the
mountain people's language, they robbed them so of their ability to speak and of their humanity
as well. The oppressed and tyrannized people only' have silence, as a weapon of resistance.
But they take this weapon and use it towards the officials to face the brutal oppression:

Guard: . . . I've got a wife and three kids. And you're all a pile of shit.

Silence.

Prisoner: I've got a wife and three kids.

Guard: You 've what?

Silence. You've got what? Silence.

What did you say to me? You've got what?

Silence.

You've got what?

The prisoner has decided not to respond. This is the way to show the guard how absurd his
behavior is and how powerless he is by behaving so. The prisoner uses silence as a protective
shield against the torment. But the effect of being silent is much more significant in this
situation. Even if it has made the guard angry and more violent, the fact is that the prisoner is the

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winner in this situation. He used the strategy of silence, representing an important linguistic
strategy to gain power over the tormenting guard.

Pinter portrayed silences throughout the play to demonstrate his technique as well as his
focus on the power of the play's setting (prison). In the visitors' room, the Elderly woman
attempts to speak to her imprisoned son, but she is not permitted by the guard because the
mountain language is forbidden; therefore, the people can say, the second scene shows directly
how domination and language are interrelated. The guard cannot understand the Elderly woman
understanding and he loses all his humanity and thrust her with n stick.

The consecutive silences are always favorite of Pinter, and meant to belong: at least five
seconds are caused by the guard's lack of understanding of what the prisoner is telling him. After
the prisoner has told the guard twice that his Elderly woman cannot understand him and his
language. later the woman and her son's voices are heard in voice-over. In a second visit, (he
rules have been reversed. The Elderly woman is permitted to speak but she can't at the sight of
her flow of blood torture son. This is the forbidden message of Mountain Language.

The Elderly woman does not respond to her son's question. That silence, which is a
refusal to communicate, is one of the foremost images of Pinter's plays. The moment, which ends
the play, maybe when the Elderly woman has lost her ability to use the language, or it is that she
cannot trust his arbitrary reversal. This last silence may call for justice and if not for justice. at
least for pity. It is the death of hope for the Elderly woman Silence, she doesn't speak it, Silence.

To sum up, silence can be as powerful a weapon as a stream of words uttered. The effect
of the power of silence depends on context of given situation and the linguistic ability of the
silence users. If silence is used just at the right time, its powerful potential can be enormous.

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Topic 8

Structure, Language and Style of the Play Mountain Language

Structure of the Play

"Mountain Language" by Harold Pinter is a one-act play that unfolds with a distinctive
structure, characteristic of Pinter's works. Here is an overview of the structure of the play

• One Act Play

"Mountain Language" is a one-act play, meaning that it is not divided into multiple acts
or scenes. The action takes place within a single continuous setting, contributing to the intensity
and focus of the narrative.

• Linear Timeline

The play follows a relatively linear timeline, with events unfolding in a sequential
manner. There are no significant flashbacks or nonlinear narrative techniques. This
straightforward structure contributes to the immediacy of the storytelling.

• Limited Setting

The play is set in a single room, which serves as an interrogation or holding area. The
confined setting intensifies the interactions between the characters and contributes to the sense
of claustrophobia and oppression.

• Minimalist Stage Directions

Pinter is known for his minimalist stage directions. In "Mountain Language," the stage
directions are concise, providing essential information about character movements and
interactions. The minimalist approach allows for directorial interpretation and emphasizes the
importance of dialogue and subtext.

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• Distinctive Pinteresque Dialogue

The dialogue in "Mountain Language" is characterized by Pinter's distinctive style, often

referred to as "Pinteresque." This style includes the use of pauses, repetition, elliptical speech,
and a deliberate ambiguity that invites interpretation. The dialogue creates a tension-filled
atmosphere and contributes to the play's enigmatic nature.

• Key Scenes and Encounters

The play unfolds through key scenes and encounters between the characters, primarily
the soldiers and the prisoners. These interactions reveal the power dynamics, oppression, and
resistance present in the narrative. The structure emphasizes the impact of language and control
in these encounters.

• Rising Tension and Climax

The structure of "Mountain Language" is designed to build tension steadily. As the play
progresses, the audience witnesses the increasing severity of the soldier’s actions and the
prisoners’ attempts to resist. The climax is reached as the consequences of language
suppression and abuse of power become most pronounced.

• Open-Ended Resolution

Pinter often leaves his plays with open-ended resolutions, inviting interpretation and
discussion. "Mountain Language" similarly concludes without providing explicit answers or
neatly tying up all loose ends. The audience is left to grapple with the implications of the events
portrayed in the play.

In summary, the structure of "Mountain Language" is characterized by its one-act format, linear
timeline, minimalist stage directions, distinctive dialogue, and a deliberate buildup of tension
leading to an open-ended resolution. This structure contributes to the play's impact and allows
for exploration of its themes within a concentrated and focused narrative.

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Style of Writing

• Pinteresque Style

Harold Pinter is known for his magnificent use of language, thus his style of writing was
named after him Pinteresque. His use of colloquial language, numerous clichés, unpolished
grammar and illogical syntax create dialogues that reflect day-to-day speech.

Pinteresque atmosphere of horror ignites the feeling of anxiety, but also arouses interest ,
a spectator can sense that something is wrong, even though the dialogues do not directly state it.
It is through the combination of long pauses, repetitive structures and the use of illogical
vocabulary that Pinter exhibits his great mastery in writing realistic plays, with ambiguous
meaning. Language is a means of communication that lost its meaning and purpose. Characters
talk, but the words are often devoid of any content. The action does not proceed smoothly or
in chronological order, sometimes even though some events take place, the audience is confused
on the proceedings.

Harold Pinter is known for his distinctive style, often characterized by what came to be
known as Pinteresque elements. Mountain Language exemplifies many of these stylistic
features

• Pinter's Pauses

One of the most distinctive features of Pinter's writing is the use of pauses. In "Mountain
Language," as with many of Pinter's plays, the pauses are strategically placed. These silences can
be pregnant with meaning, creating tension and allowing for unspoken communication. The
pauses contribute to a sense of unease and add nuance to the dialogue.

• Elliptical Dialogue

Pinter's dialogue is often elliptical, with characters speaking in a fragmented and

disjointed manner. In "Mountain Language," the character’s communication is strained and
broken reflecting the difficulty of expressing oneself under oppressive conditions. The elliptical
nature of the dialogue adds to the atmosphere of uncertainty and tension.

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• Repetition

Repetition is another hallmark of Pinter's style. In "Mountain Language," characters may

repeat phrases or themes, contributing to a sense of ritualistic and oppressive language.
Repetition can heighten the impact of certain lines and create a hypnotic or haunting effect.

• Symbolism and Metaphor

Pinter often uses symbolism and metaphor to convey deeper meanings. In "Mountain
Language," the prohibition of the mountain language becomes a powerful metaphor for the
suppression of cultural identity. The symbolic use of language allows for layers of meaning to
be explored beyond the literal level.

• Authoritarian Language

The language of the oppressors in "Mountain Language" is authoritative, forceful, and

often abusive. This style of language reinforces the power dynamics at play and contributes to
the dehumanization of the prisoners. The authoritarian language serves as a tool of control and
intimidation.

• Atmosphere of Menace

Pinter's plays often create an atmosphere of menace and tension. In "Mountain

Language," the combination of pauses, elliptical dialogue, and the oppressive use of language
contributes to a sense of foreboding. The audience is left with a feeling of unease and discomfort.

• Political Allegory

Pinter frequently used his plays as a medium for political commentary. In "Mountain
Language," the political allegory is embedded in the style of writing. The play serves as a
critique of the abuse of power and the consequences of suppressing minority languages and
cultures.

• Economy of Language

Pinter is known for his economical use of language. Each word and pause is carefully
chosen to carry significant weight. In "Mountain Language," this economy of language is
evident, with the sparse yet impactful dialogue contributing to the overall intensity of the play.
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In essence, the style of "Mountain Language" reflects Pinter's signature approach to language,
marked by pauses, elliptical dialogue, repetition, symbolism, and an overarching atmosphere of
tension. These elements work together to create a unique and powerful theatrical experience.

Language Use in Mountain Language

In Harold Pinter's "Mountain Language," language plays a pivotal role in conveying the themes
of power, oppression, dehumanization, and the consequences of cultural suppression. Here are
some key aspects of the role of language in the play

• Suppression and Control

The primary role of language in "Mountain Language" is as a tool of suppression and

control. The soldiers in the play actively forbid the use of the mountain language, the native
language of the prisoners. This act serves to strip the prisoners of their cultural identity and
reinforces the authority and dominance of the oppressors.

• Dehumanization

The oppressors use language to dehumanize the prisoners. By referring to them as "it"
and denying them the right to speak their language, the soldiers reduce the prisoners to a
subhuman status. This dehumanizing use of language reinforces the power imbalance and
intensifies the sense of oppression.

• Communication Breakdown

Language serves to highlight the breakdown in communication between the oppressors

and the oppressed. The prisoners struggle to express themselves, and the soldiers
deliberately create barriers to understanding. This breakdown in communication underscores
the isolating and dehumanizing effects of oppressive language.

• Symbolism of Cultural Identity

The mountain language serves as a symbol of cultural identity. Its prohibition symbolizes
the suppression of the prisoners' heritage and autonomy. The play illustrates the consequences of
attempting to erase or silence a community's language as a means of controlling and subjugating
them.

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• Ritualistic Dialogue

Pinter's use of pauses, repetitions, and ritualistic dialogue enhances the impact of
language in the play. The deliberate pauses create tension, and the repetitive nature of the
dialogue contributes to the oppressive atmosphere. The stylized, almost ritualistic, use of
language emphasizes the systemic nature of the abuse.

• Resistance through Language

Despite the oppressive conditions, the prisoners attempt to resist through language. They
persist in trying to speak their native language, even in the face of punishment. This resistance
highlights the resilience of language as a means of asserting identity and resistance against
cultural erasure.

• Political Commentary

Pinter wrote "Mountain Language" as a response to political events, specifically

addressing the Turkish government's treatment of the Kurdish people. The play serves as a
political commentary on the consequences of suppressing minority languages and cultures. The
role of language in the play extends beyond the fictional narrative to draw attention to real-world
issues.

In summary, the role of language in "Mountain Language" is multifaceted. It is a tool of

oppression, a means of dehumanization, a symbol of cultural identity, and a medium for
resistance. Through its nuanced portrayal, the play explores the impact of language on power
dynamics, human relationships, and the broader socio-political context.

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Topic 9

University Questions

1.How Mountain Language is a political play (2021)

2.Discuss how Pinter has shown the world as a prison house in Mountain Language (2019)

3.Mountain Language is a play about linguistic suppression. Discuss briefly(2017-18-20)

4.What are the main themes of the play Mountain Language (2015)

5. How Pinter sees negation of language as a form of political oppression in Mountain

Language (2022)

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