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    Harold Pinter

    Harold Pinter, CH, CBE, Nobel Laureate (born 10 October 1930), is an Englishplayright,

    screenriter, actor, !irector, poet, an! political acti"ist# $%ter publishing poetry as a teenager an!

    acting in school plays, &inter began his theatrical career in the 'i!190s as a rep actor using thestage na'e David Baron# *uring a riting career spanning o"er hal% a century, beginning ith

    his %irst play, The Room(19+), &inter has ritten 9 stage plays- . screenplays- 'any !ra'atic

    s/etches, ra!io an! plays- 'uch 'ore poetry- so'e short %iction- a no"el- an! essays,

    speeches, an! letters# He is best /non as a playright an! screenriter, especially %or The

    Birthday Party(19+), The Caretaker(199), The Homecoming(19.2), an!Betrayal(19+), all

    o% hich he has a!apte! to %il', an! %or his screenplay a!aptations o% others4 or/s, such as The

    Servant (19.3), The Go-Between (19+0), The French Lieutenant' !oman (191), The Trial

    (1993), an! Sleuth(00+)# He has also !irecte! al'ost 0 stage, , an! %il' pro!uctions o% hison an! others4 or/s# *espite %rail health since 001, he has continue! to act on stage an!

    screen, 'ost recently in the October 00. criticallyacclai'e! pro!uction o% 5a'uel Bec/ett4s

    "ra##' Lat Ta#e, !uring the 0th anni"ersary season o% the 6oyal Court#He also continues to

    rite ('ostly poetry), to gi"e inter"ies, an! to spea/ about political issues#

    &inter4s !ra'as o%ten in"ol"e strong con%licts a'ong a'bi"alent characters %ighting %or "erbal

    an! territorial !o'inance an! %or their on re'e'bere! "ersions o% the past (7Biobibliographical

    Notes7)# 5tylistically, they are 'ar/e! by theatrical pauses an! silences, co'e!ic ti'ing,

    pro"ocati"e i'agery, itty !ialogue, a'biguity, irony, an! 'enace (7Biobibliographical Notes7)#

    he'atically a'biguous, they raise co'ple8 issues o% in!i"i!ual hu'an i!entity oppresse! by

    social %orces, the poer o% language, an! "icissitu!es o% 'e'ory#Li/e his or/, &inter has been

    consi!ere! co'ple8 an! contra!ictory (Billington,Harold Pinter3)#

    $lthough &inter publicly eschee! applying the ter' 7political theatre7 to his on or/ in 191,

    he began riting o"ertly political plays in the 'i!40s, re%lecting his on heightening political

    interests an! changes in his personal li%e#2: his 7ne !irection7 in his or/ an! his 7Le%tist7

    political acti"is' sti'ulate! a!!itional critical !ebate about &inter4s politics# &inter, his or/, an!

    his politics ha"e been the sub;ect o% "olu'inous critical co''entary (7Biobibliographical

    Notes7- ations ha"e !e"ote! sy'posia, %esti"als, an! celebrations to honoring hi'

    1

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companion_of_Honourhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_British_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize_in_Literaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1930http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repertoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birthday_Party_(play)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birthday_Party_(play)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birthday_Party_(play)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Caretakerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Homecominghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Homecominghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betrayal_(play)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Servant_(film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Servant_(film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Go-Between_(film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Go-Between_(film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_French_Lieutenant's_Woman_(film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_French_Lieutenant's_Woman_(film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trial_(1993_film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trial_(1993_film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleuth_(2007_film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleuth_(2007_film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Becketthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krapp's_Last_Tape#Harold_Pinterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Court_Theatrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_theatrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Pinter#_note-MBG%23_note-MBGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Pinter#_note-MBG%23_note-MBGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-wing_politicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorary_degreehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companion_of_Honourhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_British_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize_in_Literaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1930http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repertoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birthday_Party_(play)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birthday_Party_(play)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Caretakerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Homecominghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betrayal_(play)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Servant_(film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Servant_(film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Go-Between_(film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_French_Lieutenant's_Woman_(film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trial_(1993_film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleuth_(2007_film)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Becketthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krapp's_Last_Tape#Harold_Pinterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Court_Theatrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_theatrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Pinter#_note-MBG%23_note-MBGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-wing_politicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorary_degree
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    an! his or/, in recognition o% his cultural in%luence an! achie"e'ents across genres an! 'e!ia# ?n

    aar!ing &inter the Nobel &ri>e in Literature in 00, the 5e!ish $ca!e'ycite! hi' %or being

    7generally regar!e! as the %ore'ost representati"e o% British !ra'a in the secon! hal% o% the 0th

    century#7 His Nobel Lecture,$rt% Truth & Politicpro"o/e! e8tensi"e public contro"ersy, ith so'e

    'e!iaco''entators accusing &inter o% 7anti$'ericanis'7 ($llenens, 'any o% ho' he

    recogni>es as 7!e'onstrably sic/ene!, sha'e! an! angere! by their go"ern'ent4s actions7 (ariou

    oice23-$rt% Truth & Politic1)#?n Aanuary00+&inter recei"e! theLgion !4honneur, rance4s

    highest ci"il honor, particularly 7because in see/ing to capture all the %acets o% the hu'an spirit, &inter4s:

    or/s respon! to the aspirations o% the rench public, an! its taste %or an un!erstan!ing o% 'an an! o%

    hat is truly uni"ersal#7On *ece'ber 11, 00+, the British Libraryannounce! that it ha! purchase!

    &inter4s literary archi"e %or D1#1 'illion (appro8# #2 'illion)#

    Biography

    Personal background &inter as born on 10 October 1930, in the London Borough oHackney, to 7"ery respectable, !e"ish, lo"er #iddle class,7 nati"e $nglishparents o%$astern%$uropeanancestry- his %ather, Aac/ &inter (190F199+), as a 7la!ies4 tailor7 an!his 'other, rances (ne - 1902F199), 7/ept hat is calle! an i''aculatehouse7 an! as 7a on!er%ul coo/7 (&inter, as Gt!# in =usso, Converation with Pinter103- Billington, Harold Pinter1F)# Correcting general /nole!ge about &inter4s %a'ilybac/groun!,&ichael Billington, &inter4s authori>e! biographer, !ocu'ents that 7three o%&inter4s gran!parents hail %ro' Polandan! one %ro' Odessa,'a/ing the' 'shkena(icrather than )ephardic Aes7 (Harold Pinter 1F)# His evacuation to *orn"all an!

    +eading%ro'London!uring 1920 an! 1921 be%ore an! !uring ,he Blit(an! %acing 7theli%ean!!eath intensity o% !aily e8perience7 at that ti'e in%luence! hi' pro%oun!ly# 7Hispri'e 'e'ories o% e"acuation to!ay circa 1992: are o% loneliness, beil!er'ent,separation an! loss the'es that are in all his or/s7 (Billington,Harold PinterF10)#

    $ducation

    $lthough he as a 7solitary7 only chil!, he 7!isco"ere! his true potential7 as a stu!ent at Hac/ney

    *ons =ra''ar 5chool,7here &inter spent the %or'ati"e years %ro' 1922 to 192# I &artly

    through the school an! partly through the social li%e o% Hac/ney Boys4 Club I he %or'e! an al'ost

    sacer!otal belie% in the poer o% 'ale %rien!ship# he %rien!s he 'a!e in those !ays F 'ost

    particularly Henry Jool%,

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    !o throughout his career# He playe!6o'eoan! (Billington, Li(e and !ork+F9- 210)# ?n 19+1 he tol!

    =usso 7one o% 'y 'ain obsessions in li%e is the ga'e o% cric/et K ? play an! atch an! rea! about it

    all the ti'e7 (Converation with Pinter)# Being Chair'an o% the =aieties Cric/et Club an! a

    7li%eti'e supporter: o% the @or/shire Cric/et Club(), &inter !e"otes a section o% his o%%icial ebsite to

    7Cric/et7 (7=aieties Cric/et Club7)# One all o% his stu!y is !o'inate! by 7$ huge portrait o% a younger,

    "igorous

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    Hippo!ro'e in 1929F0 (Billington,Harold Pinter3+- Batty,$*out Pinter)#:ro' Aanuary to

    Auly 191, he 7en!ure! si8 'onths at the Central 5chool o% 5peech an! *ra'a7 (Billington,

    Harold Pinter31, 3., 3- Batty,$*out Pinter8iii, )# ro' 191F, he toure! ?relan! ith the

    $ne

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    5econ! 'arriage

    $%ter the rasers4 !i"orce beca'e %inal in 19++ an! the &inters4 in 190, in the thir! ee/ o%

    October 190, &inter 'arrie! $ntonia raser# *ue to a toee/ !elay in

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    being La!y $ntonia# he %irst o% the poe's as ritten in &aris, here she an! y, hen he tal/s about his i%e7 (75till &interesGue7 1.)# ?n his

    inter"ie ith Lyall, &inter 7ac/nole!ge! that his playsFF%ull o% in%i!elity, cruelty, inhu'anity,

    the lotFFsee' at o!!s ith his !o'estic content'ent# 4Ho can you rite a happy play4 he sai!#

    4*ra'a is about con%lict an! !egrees o% perturbation, !isarray# ?4"e ne"er been able to rite a

    happy play, but ?4"e been able to en;oy a happy li%e4 7 (75till &interesGue7 1.)#

    *areer

    19./00.

    &inter is the author o% tentynine plays, %i%teen !ra'atic s/etches, tentysi8 screenplays an!

    %il' scripts %or cine'a an! tele"ision, a no"el, an! other prose %iction, essays, an! speeches,

    'any poe's, an! coauthor o% to or/s %or stage an! ra!io# $long ith the 19.+ ony $ar!

    %or Best &lay %or The Homecomingan! se"eral other $'erican aar!s an! aar! no'inations,

    he an! his plays ha"e recei"e! 'any aar!s in the M an! elsehere throughout the orl!# His

    screenplays %orThe French Lieutenant' !oman an! Betrayal ere no'inate! %or $ca!e'y

    $ar!s in the category o% 7Jriting 5creenplay Base! on

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    The Birthday Party (19+), &inter4s secon! play an! a'ong his best/non, as initially a

    !isaster, !espite a ra"e re"ie in the Sunday Timeby its in%luential !ra'a critic Harol! Hobson,

    hich appeare! only a%ter the pro!uction ha! close! an! coul! not be reprie"e! (Hobson, 7he

    5cre urns $gain7)#Critical accounts o%ten Guote Hobson4s prophetic or!s

    One o% the actors in Harol! &inter4:s he Birth!ay &arty at the Lyric, Ha''ers'ith,announces

    in the progra''e that he rea! History at O8%or!, an! too/ his!egreeith ourth Class Honours#

    No ? a' ell aare that

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    an! the play garnere! %our ony aar!s,a'ong other aar!s (7Harol! &inter7 at the ?nternet

    Broa!ay *atabase)#

    7e co'ple8 a'biguities, elegaic 'ysteries, co'ic "agaries, an! other 7Guic/san!7

    li/e characteristics o%'e'oryan! hich critics so'eti'es categori>e as &inter4s 7'e'ory plays7#

    &inter4s 'orerecent plays Party Time (1991), ,oonlight (1993), $he to $he (199.), an!

    Cele*ration(000) !ra upon so'e %eatures o% his 7'e'ory7!ra'aturgyin their %ocus on the past

    in the present, but they ha"e personal an! political resonances an! other tonal !i%%erences %ro'

    these 'oreclearlyi!enti%iable 7'e'ory plays7 (Billington,Harold Pinter- Batty- =ri'es)#

    &inter as !irector

    &inter began to !irect 'ore %reGuently !uring the 19+0s, beco'ing an associate !irector o% the

    National heatre (N) in 19+3, an! he has !irecte! al'ost %i%ty pro!uctions o% his on an!

    others4 plays %or stage, %il', an! tele"ision# $s a !irector, &inter has hel'e! pro!uctions o% or/

    by 5i'on =rayten ti'es, inclu!ing !irecting the stage pre'iPres o% Butley (19+1), /therwie

    0ngaged (19+), The Rear Column (stage 19+- , 190), Cloe o( Play (N, 19+9),

    1uartermaine' Term(191),Li(e Su##ort(199+), The Late ,iddle Clae(1999), an! The /ld

    ,ater (002), an! the %il',Butley(19+2), se"eral o% hich starre! $lan Bates (1932F003),

    ho originate! (on stage an! screen) the role o%

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    an! con%lict o% the opposing poles o% in"ol"e'ent an! !isengage'ent7 (19)# ro' 1993 to 1999,

    re%lecting both personal an! political concerns, &inter rote,oonlight(1993) an!$he to $he

    (199.), %ulllength plays ith !o'estic settings relating to !eath an! !ying an! (in the latter case)

    to such 7atrocities7 as the Holocaust# ?n this perio!, a%ter the !eaths o% %irst his 'other an! then

    his %ather, again 'erging the personal an! the political, &inter rote the poe's 7*eath7 (199+)

    (hich he rea! in his 00 Nobel Lecture) an! 7he *isappeare!7 (199)#

    Lincoln Center Harol! &inter esti"al (5u''er 001)

    ?n Auly an! $ugust 001, a Harol! &inter esti"al celebrating his or/ as hel! at Lincoln Center

    inNe @or/ City, in hich he participate! as both a !irector (o% a !ouble bill pairing his neest

    play, Cele*ration,ith his %irst play, The Room) an! an actor (as Nicolas in /ne (or the Road)#

    Harol! &inter Ho'age at Jorl! Lea!ers ($utu'n 001)

    ?n October 001, as part o% the 7Harol! &inter Ho'age7 at the Jorl! Lea!ers esti"al o% Creati"e

    =enius, at Harbour%ront Centre, in oronto, %olloing the reception an! !uring the !inner

    honoring hi', he presente! a !ra'atic rea!ing o% Cele*ration(000) an! also participate! in a

    public inter"ie as part o% the ?nternational esti"al o% $uthors(7Harol! &inter $!!e! to ?O$

    Lineup7- 7ra"el $!"isory7)#

    hat inter &inter4s collaboration ith !irector *i re"isresulte! in their stage a!aptation o% his

    asyet un%il'e! 19+ or/ The Prout Screen#lay,entitle!Remem*rance o( Thing Pat(both

    base! on

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    (co'plete! in 000 but un%il'e!) an! on $nthony 5ha%%er4s Sleuth(ritten in 00, ith re"isions

    co'plete! later %or the 00+ %il' Sleuth)# &inter4s 'ost recent stage play, Cele*ration(000), is

    'ore a social satire, ith %eer political resonances than such plays as /ne (or the Road(192),

    ,ountain Language(19),Party Time(1991), an!$he to $he(199.), the last three o% hich

    e8ten! e8pressionistic aspects o% &inter4s 7'e'ory plays7# His 'ost recent !ra'atic or/ %or ra!io,

    oice(00), a collaboration ith co'poser Aa'es Clar/e,a!apting such selecte! or/s by &inter

    to 'usic, pre'iPre! on BBC 6a!io 3on his +th birth!ay (10 Oct# 00), three !ays be%ore the

    announce'ent that he ha! on the 00 Nobel &ri>e in Literature (13 Oct#00)#

    &ublic announce'ent o% 7retire'ent7 %ro' playriting (ebruary 00)

    On ebruary00,in an inter"ie ith

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    septicae'iahich a%%licts his %eet an! 'a/es 'o"e'ent slo an! laborious7 (Billington, Harold

    Pinter392- c%# Lyall, 75till &interesGue7)#

    ?n Aune 00., pre"ailing o"er persistent health challenges, Billington obser"es in his up!ate!

    7$(terword4Let4s eep ighting4 7, &inter atten!e! 7a celebration o% his or/ in cine'a organise!by the British branch o% the $ca!e'y o% e (

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    6obinson that 7!espite gi"ing up riting &inter: ill carry on his acting career#7 ro' another

    perspecti"e, hoe"er, as E!en an! Jal/er obser"e 75o /eenly is Harol! &inter relishing his return

    to the stage this autu'n in "ra##' Lat Ta#e: that he has put his literary career on the bac/

    burner#7 &inter sai! 7?t4s a great challenge an! ?4' going to ha"e a crac/ at it7 (t!# in 6obinson)#

    $%ter returning to Lon!on %ro' E!inburgh, in 5epte'ber 00., &inter began rehearsing %or his

    per%or'ance o% the role o% rapp# ?n October 00. Harol! &inter per%or'e! 5a'uel Bec/ett4s

    "ra##' Lat Ta#ein a li'ite! run at the 6oyal Court heatreto sol!out au!iences an! 7ecstatic7

    critical re"ies (Billington,Harold Pinter29F30)#

    he pro!uction o% only nine per%or'ances, %ro' 1 October, to !ays a%ter &inter4s +.th birth!ay,

    to 2 October 00., as the 'ost pri>e! tic/et in Lon!on !uring the %i%tiethanni"ersary

    celebration season o% the 6oyal Court heatre- his per%or'ances sol! out on the %irst 'orning o%

    general tic/et sales (2 5ept# 00.)#One per%or'ance as %il'e!, pro!uce! on **,an! shon

    on BBC our on 1 Aune00+#

    Pinter+ $ Cele*ration(October F No"e'ber 00.)

    5he%%iel! heatres hoste! Pinter+ $ Cele*ration %or a %ull 'onth (11 Oct#F11 No"# 00.)# he

    progra' %eature! selecte! pro!uctions o% &inter4s plays (in or!er o% presentation) The Caretaker,

    oice, o ,an' Land, Family oice, Tea Party, The Room, /ne (or the Road, an! The )um*

    !aiter- %il's ('ost his screenplays- so'e in hich &inter appears as an actor) The Go-Between,

    $ccident,The Birthday Party,The French Lieutenant' !oman,Reunion,,o3o,The Servant,an! The

    Pum#kin 0ater- an! other relate! progra' e"ents 7&ause %or hought7 (&enelope Jiltonan!*ouglas

    Ho!gein con"ersation ith Night7, 7he Ne Jorl! Or!er7, theBBC o!ocu'entary %il'$rena+ Harold Pinter

    (intro!# $nthony Jall, pro!ucer o% $rena), an! 7he Ne Jorl! Or!er FF $ &ause %or &eace7 (a

    consi!eration o% 7&inter4s paci%ist riting7 both poe's an! prose: supporte! by the 5he%%iel!

    ua/ers), an! a screening o% 7&inter4s passionate an! antagonistic 2'inute Nobel &ri>e Lecture#7

    0th anni"ersary JestEn! re"i"al o% The )um* !aiter- Cele*ration(ebruary 00+)

    Coinci!ing ith the 0th anni"ersary o% The )um* !aiter,Lee E"ans an!Aason ?saacsstarre! as

    =us an! Ben in 7a 'a;or Jest en! re"i"al,7 !irecte! by Harry Burton,7in a li'ite! se"en ee/

    run7 at thera%algar 5tu!ios, %ro' ebruary 00+ through2

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    ebruary 00+, 7ith a cast inclu!ing Aa'es Bola',Aanie *ee,Colin irth,Aa'es o8,

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    Political develop#ent

    &inter4s political concerns ha"e !e"elope! since he beca'e a conscientious ob;ector hen he as

    eighteen (192.F192+) an! since he e8presse! a'bi"alence about 7politicians7 in his 19.. Pari

    Reviewinter"ie ith Larence

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    +ecent political vie"s

    or o"er the past to !eca!es, in his essays, speeches, inter"ies, an! literary rea!ings, &inter

    has %ocuse! increasingly on conte'poraneous political issues# &inter strongly oppose! the 1991

    =ul% Jar,the 1999N$Obo'bing ca'paign in @ugosla"ia!uring the oso"o Jar,the Mnite!5tates4s 001 Jar in $%ghanistan,an! its 003 ?n"asion o% ?raG#

    ?n accepting an honorary !egreeat the Mni"ersity o% urin(+ No"# 00), he state! 7? belie"e

    that the Mnite! 5tates: ill attac/ ?raG: not only to ta/e control o% ?raGi oil, but also because the

    $'erican a!'inistration is no a bloo!thirsty il! ani'al# Bo'bs are its only "ocabulary#7 But

    he a!!e! the %olloing Guali%ication 7

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    ?n accepting the Jil%re! Oen$ar! %or &oetry, on 1 e in Literature in 00- his subseGuent publications an!

    relate! nes accounts cite his status as a Nobel Laureate#

    He continues to sign petitions on behal% o% artistic an! political causes that he supports# or

    e8a'ple, he beca'e a signatory o% the 'ission state'ent o% Aes or Austice or &alestiniansin

    00 an! o% its %ullpage a!"ertise'ent, 7Jhat ?s ?srael *oing $ Call by Aes in Britain7

    %eature! in The Timeon. Auly 00.#He also cosigne! an open letter about recent e"ents in the

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    a counterbalance to the uncritical support %or ?sraeli policies by establishe! bo!ies such as the

    Boar! o% *eputies o% British Aes7 (Ho!gson- ?n!epen!ent Aeish oicesW?A *eclaration)#

    ?n e in Literature an! his near

    !eath e8perience in hospital in the %irst ee/ o% *ece'ber 00, hich ha! pre"ente! hi' %ro'

    tra"eling to 5toc/hol' an! gi"ing his Nobel Lecture in person# &inter !escribe! in 'o"ing ter's

    ho he %elt hile al'ost !ying (as i% he ere 7!roning7)# $%ter rea!ing an interrogation scene%ro' The Birthday Party, he pro"i!e! a rare 7e8planation7 o% his or/ (

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    chair 6a'ona o"al, at the E!inburgh Boo/ esti"al that $ugust:, he as !oo'e! to %ail

    7Oh yes K 'e against the Mnite! 5tatesX7 he sai!, laughing along ith the au!ience at the

    absur!ity, be%ore a!!ing 7But ? can4t stop reacting to hat is !one in our na'e, an! hat is being

    !one in the na'e o% %ree!o' an! !e'ocracy is !isgusting#7

    Honors

    $n Honorary $ssociate o% the National 5ecular 5ociety, &inter as appointe! CBEin 19.. an!

    beca'e a Co'panion o% Honourin 00 (ha"ing pre"iously !ecline! a /nighthoo! in 199.)# ?n

    199 an! 199. he accepte! the *a"i! Cohen &ri>e %or Literature, in recognition o% a li%eti'e4s

    achie"e'ent in literature, an! the Laurence Oli"ier 5pecial $ar! %or a li%eti'e4s achie"e'ent in

    the theatre, respecti"ely# ?n 199+ he beca'e a B$$ ello# He recei"e! the Jorl! Lea!ers

    $ar! %or 7Creati"e =enius7, as the sub;ect o% a ee/long 7Ho'age7 in oronto,in October 001#

    $ %e years later, in 002, he recei"e! the Jil%re! Oen$ar! %or &oetryK7in recognition o%

    &inter4s li%elong contribution to literature, 4an! speci%ically %or his collection o% poetry entitle! !ar,

    publishe! in 0034 7 (!il(red /wen $ociation ewletter)# ?n e, in recognition o% li%eti'e achie"e'ents pertaining to !ra'a an! theater

    (7Letter o% e announce'ent by Billington, &inter

    ;o/e! 7? as tol! to!ay that one o% the 5/y channels sai! this 'orning that 4Harol! &inter is

    !ea!#4: hen they change! their 'in! an! sai!, 4No, he4s on the Nobel pri>e#4 5o ?4"e risen %ro'

    the !ea!7 (Billington, 7 4hey sai!4 7)#

    Nobel Jee/, inclu!ing the Nobel &ri>e $ar!s Cere'ony in 5toc/hol' an! relate! e"ents

    throughout5can!ina"ia,began in the %irst %e !ays o% *ece'ber 00# *ue to 'e!ical concerns

    about his health, &inter an! his %a'ily coul! not atten! the $ar!s Cere'ony an! relate! e"ents

    1

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Secular_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_British_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Companions_of_Honourhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Cohen_Prizehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_Olivier_Awardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Academy_of_Film_and_Television_Artshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torontohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfred_Owenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Billington_(critic)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Academyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize_in_Literaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize_in_Literaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prizehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinaviahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Secular_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_British_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Companions_of_Honourhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Cohen_Prizehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_Olivier_Awardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Academy_of_Film_and_Television_Artshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torontohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfred_Owenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Billington_(critic)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Academyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize_in_Literaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize_in_Literaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prizehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavia
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    o% Nobel Jee/# $%ter the $ca!e'y noti%ie! hi' o% his aar!, he ha! arrange! %or his publisher

    (5tephen &age o% aber an! aber) to accept his Nobel *iplo'a an! Nobel

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    aar! %or the great playright un!erlines ho 'uch ations o% poer relations re%lect such a 7critical an!

    'oral scrutiny7 astutely#

    &inter4s a"ersion to any censorship by 7the authorities7 is epito'i>e! in &etey4s line at the en! o%

    The Birthday Party# $s the bro/en!on an! reconstitute! 5tanley is being carte! o%% by the

    %igures o% authority =ol!berg an!

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    ,he Harold Pinter 'rchive in the British Library

    he British Library(BL) announce! publicly, on 11 *ece'ber 00+, that it has purchase! Harol!

    &inter4s literary archi"e, aug'enting its current 7Harol! &inter $rchi"e7 o% 0 bo8es (7Loan 110 $7)#?t

    no co'prises 7o"er one hun!re! an! %i%ty bo8es o% 'anuscripts, scrapboo/s, letters, photographs,

    progra''es, an! e'ails,7 constituting 7an in"aluable resource %or researchers an! scholars o% &inter4s

    or/ %or stage, cine'a, an! poetry#7 $'ong its 7highlights7 are 7an e8cee!ingly percepti"e an!

    enor'ously a%%ectionate run o% letters %ro' 5a'uel Bec/ett- letters an! han!ritten 'anuscripts

    re"ealing &inter4s close collaboration ith !irector Aoseph Losey-a char'ing an! highly a'using

    e8change o% letters ith &hilip Lar/in- an! a !ra%t o% &inter4s unpublishe! autobiographical 'e'oir o%

    his youth, 4he ueen o% all the airies4,7 as ell as especiallypoignant letters %ro' &inter4s

    7inspirational7 Hac/ney *ons 5chool English teacher an! %rien!, Aoseph Brearley#

    $ccor!ing to the o%%icial BL press release, citing its hea! o%

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    success# ?t as %irst per%or'e! at the $rts heatre, Lon!on on + $pril19.0an! trans%erre! to

    the *uchess heatrea 'onth later# ?t achie"e!, on its %irst run, a total o% 222 per%or'ances#

    Plot

    his play is a threehan!er, set in Jest Lon!on in 199,in"ol"ing the interaction o% a tra'p

    (*a"ies), a 'entally challenge! younger 'an ($ston) an! his younger brother


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