Harold Pinter's The Caretaker "Aston's Monologue"

Monologue from "The Caretaer" (1963) by H.Pinter

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Aston
• Pinter
• Harold
• Mick
• Davies
• Jenkins
• Caretaker
• Dozorca
• drama
• monologue
• hospital
• guest
• Alan
• Bates
• Donald
• Pleasence
• Robert
• Shaw

[LulTomIsL33T]

I'm studying the play at the moment for A Level English. It's a brilliant piece. :) Just wondering if anyone understands what is meant when Aston says "But I didn't die"? There's no way Pinter would've wrote it without some kind of metaphorical meaning.

[malkavian333]

@LulTomIsL33T He said about his suicide attempt after he get back home from hospital

[Kurtovnik]

This is my igcse monologue :). But i dont want it slow like this. Any suggestions how to improve it or when behave differently...Im not asking to do it for me, just few tips if you have any experiences with it. Because I used to do Shakespeare (most of monologues were said in anger voice or in rage) and this is kinda new for me.

[malkavian333]

@Kurtovnik You dont need to know any tips. Just think why do U want to say it. and then you will get know what do you feel. If the situation will make you shame, naturaly you'll be shame. Just find your target and motivation to say it. Sorry for my english.

[docjudge]

Any chance you could post the part where Mick first confronts Davies and tells him who Davies reminds him of? The video quality here is so good that I'd love to see more.

[malkavian333]

@docjudge BTW. You remind me of my uncle's brother. He was always on the move, that man.

[CultureJudge]

Kurtovnik - what do you mean 'improve it'? This is ROBERT SHAW.

[bradshawvincent]

@NA3LKER i could not disagree more. robert shaw gives a masterclass in understated but totally powerfull and convincing acting. im always very moved by this.i think its really enhanced by the camerawork and subtle creepy sounds.

[ParkerFarker]

@BenjaminKemp95 yes they have lots of Harold Pinter scripts on mylazysundays . com

[BenjaminKemp95]

Does anyone know where i can find the script to this monologue. i'm looking to work with it for my drama major

[notleonard]

@LulTomIsL33T It's no metaphor. It's like when you doze off and suddenly wake yourself up. For Aston (and it really comes across in this lethargic performance), dozing off is like dying. If anything, "but I didn't die" is a *refusal* of an unbearable metaphor.

[stupidintellect90]

@arsenal902 Never thought of it that way...I like your thinking. Looking back, Aston did once smile at Davies when he was asleep, which I found quite bizzare and which could be interpreted as quite malicious, btw your comment could not have come at a better time, I could really use this persepective in my writing. so, thank you!

[arsenal902]

@stupidintellect90 I don't think Aston is innocent at all - it's open to interpretation but I think one way of looking at it is that the brothers are acting sadistically towards Davies. Mick certainly is, and that Aston is smiling when he comes in to find the Budda having been smashed, it made me think that he was on Mick's side.

[stupidintellect90]

I really want to know what he means by 'thats why I(pause)' after he talks about them doing the procedure standing up. I'm doing this for my A-levels, it was quite wierd at first but I'm loving it more each time I read it. Aston is just adorably innocent.

[C0NTR4B455]

Its brilliant..Cos when he talks about everything getting really quiet and clear its like he's stumbled onto something quite profound without really knowing what it is..I love this performance..Shaw is like a holy fool..There's a lovely innocence to this performance..I never got that from the C Firth clip.

[TulseLuper]

You could perform this monologue myriad ways. Colin Firth is every bit as brilliant as Robert Shaw but they couldn't be more different. I just love the slow burn of Shaw's delivery, letting the madness seep out gradually. Sends chills down my spine towards the end.

[bradshawvincent]

@LulTomIsL33T severe depression is like death...he was probably suprised he got better.