Lecture on Arnold Wesker's Play 'Roots'

Jul 9, 2024

Lecture on Arnold Wesker's Play 'Roots'

Introduction

  • Lecturer: Professor B. Hariharan, The Institute of English, University of Kerala
  • Topic: 20th Century English Literature
  • Module: Roots by Arnold Wesker

Arnold Wesker

  • Born in 1932
  • Known for plays written in the 1950s and 60s
  • Background: Jewish, working-class, parents were active communists
  • Had various jobs: Furniture maker's apprentice, farm laborer, pastry cook
  • First play inspiration: While working in Norwich hotel
  • First Play: The Kitchen (1959)
    • Main theme: Disillusionment with socialist ideals
  • Influenced by the Angry Young Men group (notably John Osborne)

Significant Works

  1. The Kitchen (1959)
  2. The Wesker Trilogy
    • Chicken Soup with Barley
    • Roots (focus of this lecture)
    • I’m Talking About Jerusalem
  3. Other Plays: Chips with Everything, Caras, Wild Spring and Other Plays (1994)
  4. Lectures: Fears of Fragmentation (collection of lectures)
  5. Short stories, a novel, and a collection of poetry
  6. Two television plays

English Drama in the 1950s and 60s

  • Post-World War II era
    • Depiction of post-war decade, rise of welfare state
    • Access to education
  • Emergence of educated unemployed youth leading to anger and frustration (Angry Young Men group)
  • Themes in drama:
    • Rural vs. Urban settings
    • Portrayal of working-class/lower middle-class English society
    • Self-discovery, class, and cultural identity
  • Influence of Absurd Drama: Shows the reality of day-to-day life and lower middle-class struggles

Important Playwrights of the Era

  • John Osborne (Look Back in Anger)
  • Arnold Wesker (Chicken Soup with Barley)
  • Shelagh Delaney (A Taste of Honey)
  • John Arden (Sergeant Musgrave’s Dance)

Kitchen Sink Drama

  • Developed in late 50s and 60s in theatre, art, novels, film, and television
  • Characteristics:
    • Realism, social realism
    • Focus on working-class English people
    • Address social issues, political controversies
    • Engaged with day-to-day reality, provided another kind of realism

Features and Structure of Kitchen Sink Drama

  • Settings:
    • Urban: Congested, stifling atmosphere
    • Rural: Impoverished, poverty-stricken
  • Themes:
    • Socialism, opposition to romanticized plays (e.g., Terrence Rattigan)
    • Failure of communication, black humor, frustration
    • Self-discovery, class struggles

'Roots' by Arnold Wesker

  • Second play in Wesker Trilogy
  • Rated as one of the 100 most important 20th-century English plays by the National Theatre
  • Main character: Beatie Bryant
  • Setting: Family home of Beatie Bryant
  • Structure: Three acts, second act with two scenes

Plot Summary

Act 1

  • Setting: Home of Jenny and Jimmy Beales
  • Beatie visits from London
  • Beatie’s boyfriend Ronnie, a Jewish young man with socialist ideals
  • Contrast between Beatie’s energetic city life and the tedious rural life
  • Characters: Stan Mann (former rich man, now a drunk), Jenny (Beatie’s sister), Jimmy (Jenny’s husband)

Act 2

Scene 1

  • Setting: Beatie’s parents’ house
  • Introduction of Mr. Bryant (Beatie’s father) and Mrs. Bryant (her mother)
  • Portrayal of daily rural routine, Stan’s tragic end

Scene 2

  • Continuation of quarrels, Beatie as a mediator
  • Beatie’s accusations toward her mother
  • Mother and daughter finally enjoy music together

Act 3

  • Setting: Beatie’s parents’ home
  • Family prepares for Ronnie’s visit
  • Ronnie sends a letter cancelling his visit
  • Beatie’s emotional transformation: from quoting Ronnie to finding her own confidence
  • Play ends with Beatie’s newfound articulation and independence

Character Analysis

  • Jenny and Jimmy: Contrast with Beatie
    • Jenny: Down-to-earth, likable, warm
    • Jimmy: Blunt, speaks against Ronnie’s ideals, disapproves of town life
  • Beatie Bryant: Main focus of the play, energetic, quotes Ronnie, transforms into an independent thinker
  • Stan Mann: Symbol of the past, tragic figure, represents degeneration
  • Mr. and Mrs. Bryant: Uninterested in Beatie’s life, indifferent to her emotional turmoil

Major Themes

  1. Growth and Self-discovery: Beatie’s journey to becoming independent and articulate
  2. Urban vs. Rural Life: Contrast between stimulating urban life and dull rural life
  3. Class and Cultural Identity: Struggles with class, identity, and communication within the family

Conclusion

  • Roots is a significant play in 20th-century English literature, showcasing personal growth and societal issues
  • Multiple interpretations possible: focus on Beatie, the era’s emergent womanhood, etc.
  • Encouraged to read the play for deeper understanding and analysis

Thank you and all the best!