Symbolism in Harold Pinter's the Caretaker,and Taha Salem's Madina that Al-Jather Al-Takibi: A Comparative Study

The twentieth century represents a new shift in the understanding of the circumstances which effect the state of man. New moralities, new values and new estimations were created. Two World Wars brought not only hardships and damages, but also an enlargement in the scope and perception of artists. It is worth nothing that symbolism forms an indispensable part in the theatre of the Absurd. Harold Pinter was an English playwright, screenwriter, actor, director, political, activist, and poet. He was among the most influential British playwrights of modern times, and in 2005 he was awarded the Noble Prize for literature. Pinter's plays must be read many times in order to realize the extent of the symbolism that he uses. In The Caretaker 1959; it is a three act play, he uses the symbols to reflect that the modern world is in a state of absurdity and mess, and man as a part of his world becomes a real reflection of this absurdity and mess in all its kinds. Modern man loses his belief and certainty in such things as love, charity, and understanding as Pinter argues that every man encounters violence in some way or other. All this is clearly represented by the three characters in The Caretaker especially Davies. Taha Salem is another Iraqi playwright who was utilized or assimilated different event grade techniques to convey certain social aims. Madina Taht Al-Jather Al-Takibi. (A City Under A Cubic Root) is a play with some awareness of the Absurd drama. This awareness is mainly materialized in the overuse of symbolism which is one of the basic aspects of the theatre of the Absurd.