LINGUISTIC TORTURE AS POLITICAL CONTROL IN HAROLD PINTER'S ONE FOR THE ROAD

Abstract

One for the Road (1984) is written by Harold Pinter as a theatrical warning against the ongoing dangers of state control, unfair imprisonment and violence with the use of language as a tool to undermine existing social ideology. Pinter criticised modern political rulings by focusing on a family accused of an unstated crime by an unnamed state. By analysing the tactics of Nicolas who symbolizes authority, I argue that Pinter’s work can offer an in-depth analysis of how political repression not only victimises innocent people but also destroys their identity. This conference paper will reveal how Pinter uses language as a weapon to describe how totalitarians torture and control their prisoners verbally and psychologically in order to fulfil their own agendas by exposing the realities of political suppression. By analyzing the scholarly sources, this analysis shows the enduring power of Pinter’s work in masterfully showing the human toll of authoritarian ruling and stifling protest, offering a crucial reminder of the importance of vigilance against authoritarianism.