30 pages • 1 hour read
John OsborneLook Back in Anger
Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1957A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Look Back in Anger by John Osborne explores the themes of alienation and identity in 1950s England through the struggles of Jimmy Porter, an everyman filled with rage and ideals, who verbally abuses his wife Alison, his friend Cliff, and Alison's actress friend Helena, against the backdrop of a changing post-WWII society. Sensitive topics such as verbal abuse and the loss of a child are present.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Critics praise John Osborne's Look Back in Anger for its raw, unfiltered reflection of post-war disillusionment and its powerful dialogue. The play's intense emotion and complex character dynamics are lauded, though some argue that its pessimism and abrasive protagonist can be off-putting. Nonetheless, it's recognized as a pivotal work in modern British drama.
Who Should Read Look Back in Anger?
A reader who enjoys intense emotional drama, complex character studies, and socio-political critiques will appreciate John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger. Fans of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire or Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman will find resonance in Osborne’s exploration of post-war disillusionment and personal relationships.