Abstract:Ashes to Ashes was written by Harold Pinter at his old age. In this play, Devlin changes from a morally superior man and adjudicator into a violence user. Rebecca’s lover is respected by others but he is also a perpetrator who robs other woman of their babies. This means that men’s tendency to practice evil or violence may breed at any place and at any time only if there are proper conditions. Rebecca and the woman carrying a baby are both oppressed in body and mind. However, they finally choose to give up revolt, which also nourish the evil. Through analyzing the main images both in the reality and memory one by one and then researching the relationships between them, this paper finds what Harold Pinter wants to show us is not only the miserable memory about the Second War, but also an introspection of the society. He barely reveals the weakness of the humanity and reminds us that we should never give up revolt.  

Key words: Images of characters;Weakness of humanity; Revolt

CONTENTS

摘要

Abstract

1. Introduction1

  1.1 Introduction to the Author

1.2 Introduction to this Play

2. An Analysis of the Images in the Reality.2

2.1 The Image of Devlin

2.2 The Image of Rebecca

3. An Analysis of the Images in the Memory5

3.1 The Image of Rebecca’s Lover

3.2 The Image of the Woman Carrying a Baby

4. The Relationship between the Images in Reality and in Memory.6

5. Conclusion.8

Bibliography.9

Acknowledgements10