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Edward Bond

Edward Bond. Theatre of Cruelty Saved. Edward Bond. Bond was born on 18 July 1934 into a working-class family in Holloway , North London .

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Edward Bond

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  1. Edward Bond Theatre of Cruelty Saved

  2. Edward Bond • Bond wasborn on 18 July 1934 into a working-classfamily in Holloway, North London. • In 1940, as a childduringthe World War II he wasevacuatedtoCornwallandsubsequentlyto his grandparents in Elly. However, he was in Londonduringthebombings in 1940 and 1944. Thisearlyexposuretotheviolenceandterror of warprobablyshapedthemes in his work, while his experience of theevacuationgavehim an awareness of socialalienationwhichwouldcharacterise his writing. • In 1944, he attendedCrouchEndSecondary Modern School. As he was not thoughtenoughtotaketheeleven-plusexam, he leftschool at theage of fifteen. Whilestill in school, he saw Donald Wolfit’sproduction of Macbeth, which had a profoundimpactuponhim.

  3. «Fortheveryfirst time… I met somebodywhowasactuallytalkingaboutmyproblems, the life I’dbeenliving, thepoliticalsocietyaround me… I knewallthosepeople, theywere in thestreetor in thenewspapersthis (Macbeth) in factwasmyworld.»

  4. Duringhis national service in thearmy he discoveredthenakedviolencehiddenbehind normal socialbehaviouranddecidedto start writing. • Back in London, he educatedhimself in theatrewhileworkingandexercised his skillbywriting drama sketches. He wasespeciallyimpressedbytheperformances of theBerlinerEnsemble in thesummer of 1956. InJune 1958, aftersubmittingtwoplaystotheRoyal Court Theatre, whichwererejected, Bond wasinvitedtojoinitsnewlyformedwriters’ group.

  5. Edward Bond • Bond’sfamousplay, Saved(1965) becameone of thebestcausecélebrés in 20th century British theatrehistory. • Saveddelvesintothelives of South Londonworkingclassyouthssuppressedby a brutalecenomicsystemandunabletogivetheirlivesmeaning, whodrifteventuallyintobarbarousmutualviolence. Amongthem, onecharacter, Len, persistentlytriestomaintainlinksbetweenpeopleviolentlytearingeachothertopieces. • Theplayshowsthesocialcauses of violenceandopposesthemwithindividualfreedom.

  6. OtherPlays of Bond • EarlyMorning: He uses 19th century as a mirrorto his owntimestoshowthecorruptionssimilar in twotimes. • Passion, Black Mass: He mocksandsatirizesreligion. Forexample in Passion, he uses a pigbeingcrucifiedtoshocktheaudience. • Narrow Road totheDeep North: A kindergarten is attackedbysoldiers, teachersarerapedandkilled.

  7. OtherPlays of Bond • Lear, Bingo: he makesuse of intertextuality in Learfrom Shakespeare. Bingo tellsaboutthelastdays of W.Shakespearedividing his wealth. • TheFool: It’saboutthe life of a poet, John Clare.

  8. Theatre of Cruelty • Thisgenre is a surrealist form of theatrewhichwastheorizedbyAntoninArtaud. He was a French dramatistwhowasaffectedbyBalineseTheatre: •  He described the impact of the physical action on stage and its effect upon man's conscious; the emergence of the latter not only by means of the spoken word, but also by means of gestures, which should be looked upon as a kind of hieroglyphic or symbol.

  9. Theatre of Cruelty • ArtaudwrotethebookTheTheatreandItsDoublein whichBalineseTheatreandTheatre of Crueltywerementioned. • Thisgenre’saim is toshocktheaudienceinto a realisation. Thespectatorsareto be awedandeventerrifiedtosuch a degreethattheywilllosethecontrol of theirreason. • Artaud’saimwastopresentviolenceandcrueltyforthesake of cruelty. Thespectatorsmust be disturbedandshaken in theirminds.

  10. Theatre of Cruelty • Thepurpose is toattacktothesubconscious of thespectator in ordertoreleaseandrevealhiddenfearsandanxietieswhicharenormallysurpressed. • Action is in theforegroundmorethanlanguage. • Screams, cries, symbolicgestures, madness, perversionarecommon.

  11. PlotSummary • SceneOne • Theplaysopens in thelivingroom. Pam has broughtLenhomeforsex. Sheinsists on usingtheliving-roombecause her bed is not made. Theyhavetroublegettingcomfortable. Harry comes in andgoesoutagain. PamandLencontinuetheirsexplay, Harry againputs his head in andPamandLenofferhimcandy.

  12. SceneTwo • Ittakesplace in a park neartheflat.LenandPamare in a boat. Len is now a boarder in theflat. Theyalsospeak of theirrelationship, thefactthat Harry andMaryhaven’tspoken in somanyyearsPamcan’trememberwhenthe silence startedorwhy, thatthey had a boy duringworldWar II andthat he waskilledby a bomb in this park. Fred, theboathandler, callsthem in andmakescrudesexualjokes.

  13. SceneThree • Pete, Barry, MikeandColinmeet in the park. Pete is dressed in a suitbecause he is goingtothefuneral of a boy he killedwith his van—intentionally, he says. He openlyseekstheadmiration of theothersandthey do admirehimforthekillingandthefactthat he gotawaywith it. TheyteaseBarryandthere is lots of lowandcrudesexualhumor.

  14. SceneFour • Ittakesplace in thelivingroom. Maryputsfood on thetable, Leneatsand Harry dozes in thearmchair. Pamenters in her slip, turns on the TV andputs on make-up. Thebabystartstocryoff-stageandcontinuestocrythroughoutthescene. No onedoesanythingtocomfortthebaby. FredcomesandwithPamtheyleave. Harry tellsLenit’sbetterforhimtosleepwith his doorclosedso he won’thearFredandPam. Thebabygoes on crying.

  15. SceneFive • Pam is sick in bedandLentriestocomfort her. ShecomplainsaboutFredwhocheated her. Baby is stillcrying but Pamdoes not care. • SceneSix • The park. Fred is fishingandchattingwithLenwho has beenfiredfrom his jobforstayingawayfromworktocareforPam.

  16. (continued) SceneSix • Pamcomes in withthebaby in itspram.sheleavesthebabythere. Thebaby is druggedwith aspirin tokeep it quiet. LengoesafterPam. Onebyonethe rest of the gang wander on talkingaboutsexandmakingcheapjokes. Barryviolentlyhitsthepram at Pete andtheybegintoteasethebabybypinching it, spitting on it, rubbingitsfaceandfinallystones it todeath.

  17. Scene Seven • Fred is in jailandPamvisitshim. Fred is outragedbecause he wasattackedby a group of housewiveswhenbeingbroughttojail.Fredfeels no responsbilityforthemurder of theplay. LenbringscigarettesafterPamleaves, tellFredthat he had watchedthewholething.

  18. SceneEight • Scene Nine • Scene Ten • SceneEleven • SceneTwelve • SceneThirteen

  19. TheTitle “Saved” • Maybethesociety is saved; as thebabywould be anotherPamorFred in thefuture. • Thebaby is savedfrom a worldfull of violenceandimmorality. Thebaby is savedfromviolencethroughviolenceparadoxically. • MaybethefamilywassavedbyLenstaying in thehouse.

  20. Conflicts • Man VS Society: Peoplefeelthepression of thesociety. TheonlywayFredand his gang can expressthemselves is violence. • Man Vs Family: Harry Vs Mary, parents vs children. There is verbal, physical, domesticviolence in thehousehold. • Man Vs Man: Fred Vs Len, Len Vs The Gang; Len is thequestioner of theplay. Becoming a gang member is a way of expressinghimselfforFred. He finds his identity. • Man Vs Woman: The gang seewomen as onlysexualobjects.

  21. Notes on theplay • Thebaby is reducedto an object, referredto as “it”, whichmeansthebaby is not givenindividuality. • Theending of theplay: Bond says, theending is irresponsiblyoptimisticbecausethere is Lentryingtohelpthefamily (mendingthechair.) We do not seethecharacterssuffering at theend. • Triangularplotstructure. Climax is thestoning of thebaby. • Symbols: • RadioTimes: Escapistattitude of individualsandPam’spassiveness. • Blueballoon: A foreshadowing of thedeath of thebaby.

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