arrow
arrow
arrow
In Harold Pinter's play The Birthday Party, who suggests the idea of having a birthday party?​
Question

In Harold Pinter's play The Birthday Party, who suggests the idea of having a birthday party?​

A.

Meg

B.

Goldberg

C.

Lulu

D.

McCann

E.

Question Not Attempted

Correct option is B

Explanation:
In Harold Pinter's The Birthday Party, it is Goldberg who introduces the idea of having a birthday party for Stanley Webber during their visit to the boarding house. Goldberg’s suggestion, seemingly celebratory, adds to the manipulative and menacing atmosphere. The party becomes a surreal and threatening event, symbolizing the erosion of Stanley's identity.
Goldberg’s suggestion appears to be kind on the surface but serves as a tool to unsettle Stanley.
The party itself is laced with tension, underlying threats, and absurdity, aligning with Pinter's themes of power and existential dread.

Information Booster:
The Birthday Party (1957):
Genre: Theatre of the Absurd with a focus on "Pinteresque" themes of menace and ambiguity.
Setting: A shabby boarding house, symbolizing isolation and entrapment.
Themes:
Power struggles: Goldberg and McCann dominate Stanley.
Ambiguity: The characters’ motives and pasts remain unclear.
Fear and paranoia: The ordinary is juxtaposed with the sinister.
Role of the "Birthday Party":
Goldberg's idea of a birthday party serves as a facade, masking the darker intentions behind their visit.
It heightens the surreal atmosphere and contributes to Stanley’s mental breakdown.

Harold Pinter's three-act drama, The Birthday Party, was made in 1958 and released in 1959. Pinter's signature "comedy of menace," in which a character is abruptly threatened by the nebulous horrors prevalent in the outer world, was established in his first full-length play. The entire action takes place in a run-down rooming house, where Stanley, a slothful young boarder, is startled out of his delusion of security by the appearance of two enigmatic men who then "punish" him for unidentified misdeeds. Stanley's landlady throws a birthday party, but it quickly devolves into a violent and terrifying spectacle. Pinter's use of dialogue, which includes numerous pauses, fragmented talks, and non sequiturs, supports his humorous portrayal of paranoia and solitude.

Additional Knowledge:
Meg: While Meg plays a central role as the naive and affectionate landlady.
Lulu: A visitor drawn into the chaos.
McCann: Goldberg’s associate, who assists in psychological intimidation.

Free Tests

Free
Must Attempt

Basics of Education: Pedagogy, Andragogy, and Hutagogy

languageIcon English
  • pdpQsnIcon10 Questions
  • pdpsheetsIcon20 Marks
  • timerIcon12 Mins
languageIcon English
Free
Must Attempt

UGC NET Paper 1 Mock Test 1

languageIcon English
  • pdpQsnIcon50 Questions
  • pdpsheetsIcon100 Marks
  • timerIcon60 Mins
languageIcon English
Free
Must Attempt

Basics of Education: Pedagogy, Andragogy, and Hutagogy

languageIcon English
  • pdpQsnIcon10 Questions
  • pdpsheetsIcon20 Marks
  • timerIcon12 Mins
languageIcon English

Similar Questions

test-prime-package

Access ‘RPSC’ Mock Tests with

  • 60000+ Mocks and Previous Year Papers
  • Unlimited Re-Attempts
  • Personalised Report Card
  • 500% Refund on Final Selection
  • Largest Community
students-icon
353k+ students have already unlocked exclusive benefits with Test Prime!
Our Plans
Monthsup-arrow