England has been the stomping grounds for prolific and acclaimed playwrights since the era of Shakespeare and Marlowe to Noel Coward to Harold Pinter and Caryl Churchill. You might describe the members listed in the last sentence as 'playwrights from England' but you'd have to describe John Osborne as a 'playwright who was England'. His passionate patriotism was sometimes supportive, saying "I am, absolutely besotted with this country and always have been." However he was also well known for being outspoken in his disapproval of certain issues facing the British Empire. He once wrote an open letter that was printed in almost every major paper in the country that ended in "Damn you, England. My hate will outrun you yet. I wish it could be eternal." This cultural icon was so obsessed with his homeland that he could condemn it out of a place of selfish love that many don't even feel for themselves or their families.
The way Osborne saw himself is also an important tool that can be utilized to place him in a cultural, national or generational context. His interactions with managers and directors of London theaters left an impression of vanity in Osborne's wake. Whether he was comparing himself to past greats, specifically Noel Coward, Samuel Beckett, Arthur Miller and Harold Pinter, or claiming he needed no assistance in making history (as he had already done it), John Osborne was a polarizing individual. Arnold Wesker, playwright, Englishman, friend and contemporary of Osborne, perhaps best described John's relationship with England and her citizens when he said:
"Some artists are either loved or hated, others inspire a love-to-hate them. Pure or mixed emotions. Most relationships are like that. John inspired those who loved to hate him. I suspect his mischievous side enjoyed, perhaps cultivated, their loathing. As a result he was a high-flying rare bird everyone wanted to shoot down."
What then can we take away from a person like John Osborne? His great zeal for his line of work, himself and most importantly his country. You don't have to be passionate about these things specifically but be selfishly passionate about the things you care about. There is something to be said about having tunnel vision when it comes to achieving your goals. John never let anyone keep him down or away from the things he loved. Look back not necessarily in anger but with the same fervor that it implies.
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| "Haters are gonna hate." - John Osborne* *there is not necesaaaaaaaarily any evidence that John Osborne ever actually said this* |
I've never read a John Osborne play, so I'm wondering if this extreme patriotism for England that Osborne displays shows up in his work or not. It seems logical that it would, given how important England seemed to him. Did he ever write any plays that showed distaste for England, either? It would be interesting to see if those opinions show through in his writing.
ReplyDeleteThis post is wonderful. Though I don't think I would ever like to work with someone like Mr. Osborne, I always love to hear about creative people with strong beliefs. They are really the ones who make their mark on the world (perhaps in part because they are hell-bent on doing so). I love the line - "John inspired those who loved to hate him". That sentence in itself would inspire me to read some of his work and get a taste of this man who seemed to be very much so larger than life.
ReplyDeleteThis is so funny. He seems like almost the British equivalent to super-patriots here in the US (you know, 'Murica!) I wonder what if any examples in his work reflected his deeply rooted love-hate for England. Were there patriot or anti-patriot themes in his writings or underlying metaphors or connotations? Did he ever state his opinion on other countries, just curious!
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