Themes: Alienation and Loneliness

A family lives together in the same house, but despite their physical proximity, their emotional disconnection and loneliness are quite apparent. Among the most isolated family members are Teddy and Ruth, who appear to have intentionally chosen to maintain emotional distance from everyone else. Teddy openly acknowledges this when he talks about his "critical works." He explains that it's about how far one can operate on things rather than inthem. He...

Themes: Anger and Hatred

Anger is a central theme in The Homecoming. The play opens with Max looking for scissors while Lenny disregards him. Lenny then retorts, "Why don't you shut up, you daft prat?" Throughout the first scene, as the male family members are introduced, their interactions are dominated by anger and animosity. Lenny insults Max by calling him a "stupid sod," to which Max threatens, "Listen! I'll chop your spine off if you talk to me like that!" Even when...

Themes: Appearance and Reality

Although there are moments of anger and even violence, the majority of the brutality in The Homecomingis hidden behind a veneer of sophistication. When physical confrontations do happen, they often come across as humorous. Lenny's stories about the prostitute near the harbor and the elderly woman he attacked are told in an almost offhand way. The potential for violence against Ruth or any woman Lenny dislikes is always lurking in the background....

Themes: Doubt and Ambiguity

Pinter's plays are filled with ambiguity. He avoids giving straightforward explanations, leaving the audience to piece together the past through subtle clues, which may or may not be reliable. For example, Lenny's tales of assaulting women could be true, or he might be inventing them to bolster his tough image as a pimp. The details of where Teddy teaches in America or whether he actually holds a teaching job are left unspecified. Ruth's comment...

Themes: Language and Meaning

In The Homecoming, characters cleverly manipulate language to gain the upper hand. Although the dialogue resembles everyday conversation, it is carefully crafted. While it appears "realistic," it reveals how people think at varying speeds, use words to dodge conflict, and communicate through metaphors. Characters frequently seem to misunderstand one another, not due to a lack of comprehension, but because they choose not to understand. In Pinter's...

Themes: Morals and Morality

Some critics found themselves disturbed by The Homecomingdue to its total lack of a moral compass. Despite the fact that none of the characters express any ethical doubts, Pinter does not pass judgment on any of them. This heightens the audience's shock when Ruth opts to remain and "service" the family, while also pursuing work as a prostitute. Equally startling is Teddy's composed acceptance of her decision. Pinter offers no insight into his...

Themes: Politics

During the time The Homecoming was written, many young British playwrights were producing works with explicit political messages. While Pinter's play does not explicitly address any political system, The Homecomingdelves into the politics of family dynamics and gender relations, portraying these interactions with great impact. Audiences can find similarities between these familial politics and larger contexts, such as organizations or even nations....

Themes: Sex

The Homecoming is rich with sexual themes, yet they rarely involve love and are seldom about lust or pleasure. In the play, sex often serves as a means of exerting power. Jessie, the mother of Teddy, Lenny, and Joey, is portrayed as...