Question: Discuss the autobiographical elements of the play “Look Back in Anger”.
Introduction
It is very often said that “Look Back in Anger” by John Osborne (1929-1994) is largely autobiographical. The play reflects Osborn’s attitude to life and society in a post-war generation which is starkly matched with the playwright’s lifestyle.
The autobiographical play Look Back in Anger
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The temperament starkly similar to Osborne
Many critics have shared the view that Jimmy is a self-portrayal of Osborne. Jimmy shares the same kind of anger as Osborne. Jimmy articulates Osborne’s disillusionment with contemporary British society and empire. He serves as his mouthpiece in denouncing the church, the royalty, the conservative government, the upper class, and traditional morality. He also embodies Osborne’s detriment of the English notion of detachment and apathy and lack of enthusiasm that is why he complains:
“Nobody thinks, nobody cares. No beliefs no convictions and no enthusiasm”.
Thus, just like Osborne, Jimmy feels that there are no brave causes to fight for and to die for.
The same socio-economic background
Look Back in Anger is thoroughly autobiographical in one respect. The hero here is deeply involved in what is called the “class-war” as the author was. Jimmy Porter is self-consciously proletarian, having his origins in the working-class, and he is proud of being so. Osborne’s family too had worked very hard to earn their livelihood.
Conjugal life
“Look Back in Anger” represents the mentality of the post-war generation. After the second world war, there was no peace in the conjugal life of England. There were always quarrel and dissatisfaction in familial life. Jimmy and Alison live in a leaky apartment in midland along with Jimmy’s close friend Cliff. Although they have a love marriage, they are not happy in their conjugal life. Jimmy insults and attacks his upper-class origin wife without any reasonable cause. Such depiction of conjugal life is starkly similar to Osborne’s conjugal life with his first wife.
Professional accord
Jimmy has not been able to settle down in life. He has been drifting. He goes through some occupations like journalism, advertising, vacuum cleaning, and at a time organized a jazz band. He is now driving a sweet stall which, he says he does not know what exactly he will do, jimmy’s boredom with life is also a significant characteristic of post-war England. The attitude of uncertainty and drift is for the changed mentality of young people. They cannot be satisfied with their getting. This professional struggle of Jimmy for settlement matches with Osborne since Osborne had to fight in his life after his father’s death in 1941. Besides Osborne started his professional life with journalism in London just like Jimmy Porter.
Denunciation of the women representative
It is noticed that Jimmy Porter vehemently rejects women representatives. Helena who is a close friend of Jimmy’s wife Alison is also a guest of Jimmy. But Jimmy sarcastically denunciates Helena and calls her an expert in the new economics. In his opinion, she is one of those share pushers who are spreading all those rumors about a transfer of power. He finds fault with everything she does. He also calls her a monument to non-attachment and addresses her as a pusillanimous lady. Jimmy’s such mentality to women representative is starkly similar to Osborne’s hatred of his mother.
Tirade against upper-class and middle class
Jimmy is totally and intensely against the upper class. He opposes everything related to it. He even disregards the moral values and ethos which are typical in the middle class. The middle-class people were rather strict with morality and respectability demands the virtue of virginity in unmarried women because sex is prime in their life.
“They all sit around feeling very spiritual ….. discussing sex as if it were the art of fugue”.
Jimmy believes that middle-class people lack solidarity which he considers to be working-class virtue. One reason for his getting fine with Cliff is due to Cliff’s low working-class origin. Jimmy claims that he has a deep sense of solidarity which is lacking in Alison and other upper-middle-class people. This type of bigotry about the upper and middle classes is nothing but autobiographical.
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Conclusion
Through the autobiographical portrayal, John Osborne depicts the English society of the post-war period and shows his anti-conventional attitude related to family, religion, and so on.
