Shownotes
In this sixth episode, Steven and Alex look at a seminal play by the Nobel Laureate, Harold Pinter, called The Birthday Party as a way of understanding how society can oppress us as individuals and coerce us into a stultifying conformity. Pinter's first play is a brilliant depiction of how a patriarchal, authoritarian society trades one kind of immaturity for another, as Stanley Webber's 'coming of age' involves replacing his feeble, yet somewhat exploitative resistance with a soulless subjection to society's 'duties' and norms. Topics they discuss in the podcast include: to what extent is Stanley a victim and to what extent are his oppressors also victims?; why is Stanley ultimately unable to resist these autocratic forces and what kind of society and upbringing might have saved him?; why is love seemingly so elusive in the world that Pinter depicts?; does this play have a moral message that can help us in our lives?
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