Angry Young Men John Osborne Angry Young Men

Angry Young Men John Osborne

Angry Young Men One new sociocultural movement was born in England in the early 1950s. This radically new age was labelled as the Angry Young Men Movement. The literature of this age chiefly represented a rebellious and critical attitude towards the postwar British society.

The “Angry Young Men” concept comes from Leslie Allen Paul’s autobiographical book Angry Young Man(1951). This name was given to a group of English writers of the 50s mostly having lower-middle or working-class, and university background.

Characteristics The major characteristics of the Angry Young Men Movement are as follows: 1) Revolt against Social Inequality: A major concern in Angry Young Men Movement writings is the dissatisfaction of the lower-class towards the established socio-political system which inequitably valued the middle and the upper classes. 2)Criticism of Mannerism: Literature of this age fiercely criticizes the hypocrisy of the middle and the upper classes.

3)Portrayal of Social Status of Youth: Another frequent subject in this age is the depiction of abject position of the youth in society. The writers often portrayed the central hero being disillusioned with the life and dissatisfied with their job and a society where he is unfit and deprived of normal rights. 4)Revolt against conventionality: Angry Young Men literature strongly revolted against all the accepted norms and ideals. 5)Unconventional Hero: Typically the hero is a rootless, lower-middle or working-class male psyche with a university degree. He expresses his dissatisfaction towards social ills with excessive anger and sardonic humour. He often indulges into adultery and inebriation to escape from complexities of life. In fine, he is the very epitome of a frustrated post-World War II generation.

The Chief representatives of the AYM Movement : John Osborne John Wain Kingsley Amis Arnold Wesker Colin Wilson

The stereotype of “Angry Young Men” was marked by John Osborne with Look back in Anger, that was really important for English theatre. Osborne was the involuntary beginner of this movement.

John Osborne

Osborne, John, English playwright and motion picture screenwriter, whose plays enact sharp criticism of post-World War II British life through outbursts of abusive language.

He was born on December 12, 1929. in Fulham, South West London. His father, Thomas Godfry Osborne, was then a commercial artist and copywriter; his mother, Nellie Beatrice Grove Osborne, worked as a barmaid in pubs most of her life. Thomas Godfry Osborne Nellie Beatrice Grove

Much of Osborne's childhood was spent in near poverty, and he suffered from frequent extended illnesses. He was deeply affected by his father's death from tuberculosis in 1941 and also remembered vividly the air raids and general excitement of war.

. Osborne co-wrote two plays -- The Devil Inside Him and Personal Enemy -- before writing and submitting Look Back in Anger for production.

Osborne died at the age of 65 from complications related to diabetes

Look Back In Anger

The play, written in a short period of only a few weeks, was summarily rejected by the agents and production companies to whom Osborne first submitted the play. It was eventually picked up by George Devine for production with his failing Royal Court Theater

Jimmy Porter is often considered to be literature's seminal example of the angry young man. Jimmy is angry at the social and political structures that he believes has kept him from achieving his dreams and aspirations. He directs this anger towards his friends and, most notably, his wife Alison.

Real Life In the play, Jimmy Porter is consumed with the desire to live a more real and full life. He compares this burning desire to the empty actions and attitudes of others. Osborne's argument in the play for a real life is one in which men are allowed to feel a full range of emotions. The most real of these emotions is anger and Jimmy believes that this anger is his way of truly living

Osborne in his play Look back in anger represents rebellion through his main character. In Look back in Anger we can see Jimmy as a nonconformist person .He expresses his disagreement with the world. He feels hatred towards those people who think that life is only work, food and money. Jimmy has an argument with Alison and Cliff because he does not feel the same way against their environment, the situation they have around them.