Betrayal Essay Questions

What is the concept of dramatic irony and how does it relate to the play?

Dramatic irony is a situation whereby the audience or reader possesses information that is not available to the character in a given scene. In the course of a narrative, this information might eventually be revealed to the character; however this is not always the case. In Betrayal, Pinter makes prominent use of dramatic irony. He does so by structuring the play in a reverse chronology. In the first two scenes, we see Emma and and Jerry two years after their affair has ended, followed by Jerry's confession to Robert about the affair. From there, the play begins to move backwards in time from 1977 to 1968 by the final scene. By positioning the end of the narrative at the beginning, Pinter provides us with information that is not available to the characters at an earlier time. For example, when we see Emma and Jerry at the height of their affair in Scene Eight, we know that it will eventually end in ruins yet they do not. Pinter's use of dramatic irony provides a masterful commentary on fate, destiny, and the often irreversible outcomes of our choices.

Throughout the play, Pinter frequently uses two stage directions. Select one and explain its broader significance.

The two stage directions Pinter uses most frequently throughout the play are "Pause" and "Silence." Although used to different effect, these two stage directions share a number of commonalities. Both gesture towards the awkwardness and discomfort felt between the characters in their interactions. While they are ostensibly close friends, Jerry, Emma and Robert are seemingly unable to have fluid, effortless conversation. Here, the pauses suggest that these characters routinely struggle to find the words to express themselves and their emotions. At the same time, these pauses function so as to interrupt the flow of their expressions. Each time they seem to verge on a serious or heartfelt expression, they pause before changing conversation. In a similar way, the frequent indication of silence suggests that there are things that simply cannot be discussed between the characters. Instead of voicing how they actually feel, they effectively let the silence do the talking. Pinter was a truly original and innovative playwright, and his use of stage directions presents a fertile field for inquiry.

What is the significance of the play's title?

The play's title is a rather overt reference to the betrayals depicted throughout, the most significant of which is Jerry and Emma's affair. At the same time, the work is rife with a whole number of other betrayals. Indeed, Robert is unfaithful to Emma, just as Emma lies to Jerry about when she told Robert about their affair. At one point or another, each character betrays another in some way. Pinter makes an overt nod to the prevalence of this time in Scene Five: when asked about the subject of Spinks' novel, Robert responds "betrayal" (p. 63). By titling the play Betrayal, and depicting an assortment of various betrayals (as opposed to just focusing on the affair between Emma and Jerry), Pinter suggests that disloyalty and unfaithfulness are altogether more common than we might like to think.

How does Robert react when he learns about Emma and Jerry's affair and why might he have responded in this way?

Robert has a most unusual response to the news that his wife and best friend have been engaging in an extramarital affairs for years. Rather than expressing rage or sadness, he merely says, "Ah. Yes. I thought it might be something like that, something along those lines" (p. 69). Likewise, when Jerry confronts him about the matter, he is strangely poised and unconcerned. One might almost feel sorry for Robert; however, Pinter makes it clear that Robert has committed his own forms of betrayal. In this sense, his lack of response to Emma's affair might be an acknowledgement that he is also guilty of such infidelity. To go even further, Robert's response might indicate that he does care about Emma. In fact, as he says to Jerry, he doesn't "give a shit about any of this" (p. 33).

Why do Jerry and Emma decide to end their affair?

The exact reasons for the end of Jerry and Emma's affair are somewhat unclear and are left for the reader to surmise. We later discover that Emma has told Robert about her and Jerry, and perhaps has decided to end the affair in order to try to save her marriage. At the same time, the more likely reason is that Jerry and Emma no longer feel passionate about one another. As Emma says in Scene Three, "in the past... we were inventive, we were determined...it seemed impossible to meet...and yet we did" (p. 41, ellipsis in original). It is clear, however, that they no longer seem this same determination to be with one another. Thus, they decide to sell the furniture and get rid of the apartment they share together. Here, Pinter seems to suggest that even the most lurid and passionate love can become mundane and unexciting over time. By depicting such a lukewarm end to their relationship, Pinter further indicates that their betrayal was ultimately not worth the damage it caused.