The Complex Nature of Power and Language: Verbal Strategies in Martin Crimp’s The City

The purpose of the paper is to examine the dynamic relationships between language and power in The City (2008), which was written by the groundbreaking playwright Martin Crimp. In a systematic and intentional way, Crimp’s language resists the established conventional standards and challenges any typ...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dilek İnan, Ayşe Didem Yakut
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani) 2016-12-01
Series:ELOPE
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.uni-lj.si/elope/article/view/4581
Description
Summary:The purpose of the paper is to examine the dynamic relationships between language and power in The City (2008), which was written by the groundbreaking playwright Martin Crimp. In a systematic and intentional way, Crimp’s language resists the established conventional standards and challenges any typical expectations for dramatic discourse. Crimp deconstructs language and dismantles its authorial guidance. He employs stimulating and inventive dialogues through word games and language strategies and devices such as repetitions, interruptions, silences and pauses, denial, concealment, other enhancement, negation, formulation, topic-shift and turn-taking. Crimp exploits language through effective and energetic rhythm, structure and form in order to depict the ethical disasters of the contemporary world. The playwright breaks the traditional dramatic form, replacing it with his unique device where the language does not communicate meaning but acts as a means of articulating power through verbal strategies.
ISSN:1581-8918
2386-0316