A Cultural materialistic approach to Harold Pinter’s Mountain Language

Abstract

This paper attempts a Raymond William analysis of cultural materialism and symbol of power in Pinter’s Mountain Language (1988).  In Pinter’s play Mountain Language, the symbol of power forms the main theme and language plays a vital role in bringing out the theme throughout the play. The mountain people are suppressed by the military decree. This suppression is effectively modeled with the use of language by the suppressor and the suppressed. Many critics have commented that Mountain Language is about a mountaineer who has no freedom of speech in the military decree. This article throws light on the ins and outs of the play from a cultural materialistic point of view and discusses the use of language as the symbol of power.