Futility of Existence in Harold Pinter's The Dumb Waiter

Abstract

The Dumb Waiter deals with Pinter's idea that human existence is futile because we are living in an irrational, meaningless and purposeless universe. So, he presents the main characters engaging themselves in irrational and aimless activities which most probably represent the true nature of human condition and being in this absurd world. Similarly, he also shows them speaking nonsense, illogical, incoherent, repetitive and circular dialogues to match the incoherence and disorder of the universe. Further, his setting is dingy, shabby and shows disarranged situations to reflect the disharmony and incoherent condition of the world. The play ends with no proper closure to show the indefinite nature of things.