Post-World War 2 Britain Bound by a Rigid Class System - Coursework Example

Lecturer: Post-World War 2 Britain Bound by a rigid System Great Britain was part of the Allied forces that were critical to the eventual shift and final outcome of the Second World War. Germany, then under Adolf Hitler, sought to conquer Europe; their – Pure Aryan race Ideal – taking them on a conquest and expansionist journey that involved both cleansing and extermination policies and practices. Class stratification, which was in favor of the elite Bourgeoisie class; this against the Proletariat class (that composed of the majority worker population), was often a means to their maintenance of the status quo. It is against this backdrop, that major conflicts and wars have been fought, most of the time with disastrous outcomes. The end of the Second World War; this in favor of the Allied Forces, heralded a new beginning that was to impact greatly on latter generations, into the 21st Century. The – Bill of Rights, Liberalism (the dominant school of thought), Capitalism (as the superior economic model) coupled with free-market economy ideals, lesser government regulation and interference of markets, and free and fair elections, among others, are some of the reasons that have aided changes in society. Different writers had the privileges of enjoying some of the above, with various acclaimed works being completed and performed to audiences at different theatres. They were able to elicit both love and hate; this from the audiences who were consciously touched by the diverse works. The reactions of the audiences; this to the different works, were frequently informed by the different perspectives that people had of the society, especially in Great Britain. John Osborne’s piece – Look Back in Anger – first produced in 1956, elicited major controversy with influential critics of the time; such as Kenneth Tynan (the Observer Newspaper), categorizing it as a first in originality; as pertaining to a new generational outlook. Others, though, hated both the play and the society it conveyed unto them. This therefore heralded a new voice on the social arena of Britain. It came to epitomize a radical shift to the then used drawing-room comedies created by such greats as Terrence Rattigan, Noel Coward, among others, who had subjugated the West End theatre stage by the 1950s. Their works were based on the lives of affluent bourgeoisie characters that were at play in their country homes’ drawing rooms, or of a part of the lifestyles of the upper middle class. Osborne and other latter writers, as an alternative, dwelt on the lower middle class and their working class counterparts who struggled with their day to day lives (Osborne 32). This latter class of writers produced what was often referred to as – the Kitchen-sink drama – a style that expressed their domestic realism. Such work often shocked with its bluntness while still transmission common ideals on everyday speech. The play, by Osborne is based on three characters who abode in a one-bedroom flat. The cast are Jimmy Porter, Alison (his wife) and Cliff Lewis his friend. Jimmy is of lower middle-class but is educated up to university level, and both he and his friend and business partner Cliff, run a sweet shop. Jimmy due to his educational background is often intellectually restless and disillusioned by what he sees of the society around him. He often taunts and argues with friends over their acceptance of the social makeup as it is, frequently reading newspapers, while reserving most of his anger for his wife’s family and friends. She, Alison, is of higher class, as is exemplified by her actress friend Helena and Alison’s father, Redfern, who is a retired colonel, who had served in Britain’s colony of India (Osborne 52). The play exemplified the different perspectives that existed as pertaining to life’s difficulties in the 1950s and 60s. Jimmy’s anger led to Cliff leaving the home to find abode elsewhere, due to the constant beseeching from Jimmy to show some interest in what was happening around him. Jimmy portrays to some extent, the character traits that are embodied in the latter generations of Britons; who having been brought up under a Socialist government, find out to their dismay that in the contemporary global arena, the class system is still furtively intact. Post-war Britain, under a government led by the Labour Party, pursued different social ideals that led to the political impasse of the 1950s. This impasse was as a result of the then domination of British intellectual perspectives by both socialist ideals (social democracy), and Stalinism. The notion of – inertia – was characteristic of Alison and others of the English Middle class. Vis-à-vis this inertia was a sense of immediacy and anger; as articulated by post-war youth culture coupled with alienation of the working class British society (Osborne 54). There was recognition, as exemplified by the different artistes, that there was anger and frustration at the resultant post-Victorian era in Britain that still refused to accept the presence of social/ class stratification. This often could be interpreted as the reason why most of the post-World War 2 generation – working class men and artists, generally tended to ascribe to the Leftist social and political views that were sometimes anarchic. The theme – Angry Young Generational Movement – could best exemplify the above. The theme – Lost childhood – is also present, with many of the post-war generation having lost their loved ones through either direct warfare (in the army or during the German bombing raids on London), or from psychological and physical demise as a result of the war. Young women, as exemplified by Alison, were often forced into early marriage, while the young men had to fill in their father’s shoes at early stages of their lives as exemplified by Jimmy after his father’s death, when he was ten years old. The two World Wars, the demise of the British Empire, and the atomic bomb development and use, were some of the experiences that aided in the loss of childhood innocence (Osborne 60). The notion of – real life experience – is brought to the fore, through Jimmy’s attitude. He desires to live a more fulfilled and realistic life, while at the same time comparing his desire to those of others that are characterized by empty attitudes and actions of the wider society. There was a sense of confinement from which most of the post-war youth and men wanted to escape from so as to experience a wide-range of emotions among them anger. The society in this era was often characterized by a lack of vibrancy and emotion (slothfulness). This slothfulness of emotion is also epitomized by the – Rise and eventual Decline of the British Empire – as exemplified by Colonel Redfern, Alison’s father. He represents the ultimate decline of, and associate wistfulness for the British Empire. The Edwardian era, experienced the Empire’s greatest stretch-and-reach impact; in terms of imperial power on a global scale, and was thus representative of the best period in Britain’s history. Nostalgia, as exemplified by Redfern, who was retired, is representative of the denial that is perceived in the British peoples’ psyche; this pertaining to the move from a British-centric world to that of inclined towards the United States of America which became the new Superpower (Osborne 76). The notion of – Masculinity in Art – is brought out through Jimmy’s masculine emotion and anger toward what Osborne perceives as the Feminization Ideal that was exemplified in the British Culture during the 20th Century. This was articulated in the manner to which the then Culture portrayed apathy to anything else other than the pressing personal suffering of the people. The theme of – loneliness and alienation- is also present, as exemplified by Jimmy Porter (the lead character), as he articulated a majority of the British post-war population’s perceptions. This segment of the population was of the view that the alienation, from the larger British society, was as a result of their being denied any evocative role. This was compounded by the fact that, although a majority of this post-World War population was either skilled or educated, the real opportunities and power was concentrated in the hands of the established elite; this for them and their offspring who were born into family connections, into privileged lives and had instant entrée to the ‘right’ schools (Osborne 98). The elite show no emotions to the above scenario, instead preferring the existing status quo to remain in place. Osborne therefore wanted to elicit the resultant reactions from these young disenfranchised Britons so as to decisively take actions towards changing the society they lived in. He believed that with the emancipation of young Britons’ way of thinking, could he better succeed at changing their perspectives so as to have a more vibrant and positive outlook of their society; or at least to try and change it. Another greatly admired poet, in the British social circles, was Philip Arthur Larking, whose piece – the Whitsun Weddings – was of great impact to the post-war British society. The work is an anthology – a collection of 32 poems – that was compiled in 1964. The poem that titles the anthology was resultant from his observation, of the social aspects pertaining to the British society, while journeying from the city of Hull to London. The poem, composed of seven stanzas, uses simplified language that entails the blunted use of emotions and cynicism in the verse. The piece is rooted in the term: Whit Sunday, which falls seven Sundays after the Easter festival, and was long ago celebrated as a public holiday; now known as May Day. To the Pentecostal religious calendar, both Whit Sunday and Monday were central, with the Holiday being celebrated by white-clad children and young couples marrying. It was composed while most Britons were in a celebratory holiday mood; this while Larkin himself was mildly rushed as he embarked on his journey to London (Larkin 17). His train journey starts on a not-too scenic mood, with the air not being aromatic, but he is appears at least half-contented. It is quite hot, even though there is plenty of fresh air gaining entry through the train open windows. The dock, which primarily is based on the fishing industry, is smelly as compared to the scenic beauty he encounters on his way southwards. He notices neat hedgerows, farmlands full of cattle and the great fields that contrast to the dull train interior that is permeated with all manner of unpleasant smells. His journey takes him through a town that only offers a big area full of scrap car; this epitomizing several towns that were constructed as surfeit towns during the height of the Industrial Revolution and both World Wars. At a train station, his attention is drawn toward the station platform where there is a crowd of people engaged in hullabaloo. This is as a result of the platform being full of laughing young women. A little cynicism sets in when he sees it fit to depict the young ladies in an unkind way. He states that their dressing style is awful since they were in white (Larkin 25). He is oblivious to the fact that the multitude on the platform was there sending off someone; this due to his unawareness of some Whitsun weddings having taken place. In fact the young females were waving off couples that had wed; this on a bright sunny day. Maybe the cause of his cynicism was due to his being alone. He is of the opinion that both the wedding guests and the wedding itself were ordinary. He portrays the emotions of the multitude – fathers, proud of their children reveling in their glory; women, happily gossiping about the events of the day, while the children were bored due to their lack of understanding as to all the fuss surrounding the day. The newly wedded women take their sits and they appear to be clutching their handbags, this symbolizing their commitments to their marriages. The newlywed couples, totally embroiled with each other, are oblivious to the world around them; this according to what Larkin perceives. Conversely, Larkin himself has time to engage in some thinking and as the train enters London, the blackened walls coupled with its braking spell some ominous times ahead. The last stanza – “…And as the tightened brakes took hold, there swelled… A sense of falling, like and arrow-shower…Sent out of sight, somewhere becoming rain…” best describing the path Britain was taking; this after a historical journey that had taken them to the height of their Imperial power and then onto a downward path (Larkin 45). The happy multitude at the station platform, coupled with the bright sun and aromatic fresh air is unmoving to Larking who remains both detached and skeptical. The scenic view of the country side, which follows from his journey from Hull (described as dull and smelly), and finally into London in a way epitomizes Great Britain’s journey throughout history. Larkin in a way traces this from the days of the great 100 year wars, to the vast hold that the British Empire had on the global arena, and finally its dwindling luck, as it lost its former colonies and glory to a new superpower that is America. The work – Lucky Jim – by Kingsley Amis first published in 1954 is based on a character Jim Dixon, who is a lecturer of History at an upcoming British University. He struggles to retain his job that he does in conjunction with Professor Welch, whom he, Jim, cannot respect let alone tolerate. His girlfriend, Margaret, is of the lower middle class and has friends who are empathetic and occasionally supportive. At a house party, at the home of Welch, he Jim, gets drunk and picks up a fight with Bertrand, Welch’s son over his girlfriend Christine. Jim’s act of burning holes in Mrs. Welch’s bed clothing also gets him on her bad side; thus his, Jim’s avoidance of her. Jim is of Lower-middle class, thus his lack of adapting to the high cultural values of the academic society. Margaret, Jim’s girlfriend uses emotional blackmail in their relationship that leads to his preference of Christine who is Bertrand’s girlfriend. Bertrand views Christine as a gate-way to her well-connected Scottish uncle, who is looking for an aide in London. The two strike a relationship that does not last long; this due to the guilt that Christine has (Amis 17). Dixon’s public lecture titled – Merrie England, goes horribly erroneous; this due to the attempt by Dixon to calm himself through consumption of a lot of alcohol. As a result, he, Dixon, begins mocking all that he hates and Welsh uncontrollably, finally passing out. Welsh not amused, and quite unsympathetic, informs Dixon that his employment contract won’t be extended. However, Christine’s uncle offers Dixon the coveted position in London that also pays better than his former lecturing position. There is a meeting between Dixon and his girlfriend’s former boyfriend, who discloses to Dixon that Margaret had faked her suicide attempt so as to emotionally blackmail the both of them. This encounter ends up freeing Dixon from Margaret and he finally pursues his relationship with Christine; who had also discovered that Bertrand was also cheating on her (Amis 26). The work puts Amis Kingsley, as a writer, firmly in the category of young writers who composed a new wave of ‘Angry Young Men.’ This though, he consequently tried to free himself from successfully, through the establishment of his reputation as both a creative manipulator of accepted genres and as a social satirist. Even then, he elicited opinions that tainted him as being politically unacceptable; this due to his fervent endorsement of Western intervention during the Vietnam War, and his fascist ideals. He tried to always accurately describe the then existing social settings, through the use of moral satire that focused on the continuous errors and failings that pertained to the British society. Jim’s voice is that of defiance that is at loggerheads with the other voices of hostile impersonation and implicit deference that are exemplified in his struggles with the rest of society (Amis 76). From the above three texts, there are various expressions that are presented that pertain to the overall disenchantment of the post-war generations of Britons. Having been brought up in social setup that was based on the greatness of the British Empire, a majority of these people expected a situation where there would be some form of equality especially pertaining to the social system. Britain had come from its greatness; this during the Edwardian era when its empire stretched to all corners of the globe, to its lowest level after the Victorian era when most of its empire was gone. Larkin’s – Whitsun Wedding – ironically paints a picture of this historical journey through his train journey from Hull (that represented the commencement of the Industrial revolution), through the massive fields, skillfully shaped hedgerows and abundance in cattle, this coupled with the bright sunshine (representing Britain’s glorious Edwardian era) and finally into London that is representative of the decline of the empire (Larkin 76). Amis through his work – Lucky Jim - espouses the luck to which the British society can trace is well being. The social makeup of the British society was founded on both the Industrial Revolution and its imperial reach; that were based on class stratification. Osborne’s – Look Back in Anger – expounds vividly the situational crisis that most Britons found themselves in especially after the 2nd World War. The life of before was no longer tenable due to the change in global politics but one thing still remained intact even in Britain’s decline in supremacy and that was class/ social stratification. In conclusion, the three texts expound more on the attitudes, belief and ideals of the Britons in general, with a majority preferring not to interfere with the status quo while a minority, who being disenchanted, always find ways of voicing their concerns and issues. Two of the above are poems – Osborne’s Look Back in Anger and Amis Kingsley’s Lucky Jim, whiles the other – the Whitsun Weddings, and is a self observation by the writer Larkin. All of the three do share common themes such as the class stratification, disenchantment by a minority in contrast to apathy as shown by a majority of the population, among others. Individuals often find it hard in associating with others from different social classes as is exemplified by Kingsley’s Lucky Jim, with the elite often tending to socialize on their own; this through arranged marriages or they deviate by choosing someone outside their class as a suitable partner for marriage to their offspring. Works cited Amis, Kingsley. Lucky Jim. New York: Penguin Books. 1954. Print. Larkin, Philip. The Whitsun Weddings. New York: Faber and Faber. 1964. Print. Osborne, John. Look Back in Anger. New York: Penguin Books. 1956. Print. Read More