Q. 27 | GATE 2025, English – XH-C2 (INDIA)

Q. Which historical event is mentioned in John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger?

(A) The Boer War

(B) British Imperialism in India

(C) The Bodyline Cricket Series

(D) The Sinking of the Titanic

The correct answer is:
(B) British Imperialism in India

Quick Explanation:

In the end, the play says that the characters have good reasons to feel disappointed and angry. After World War II, Britain was going through hard times — the economy wasn’t doing well, and the country was no longer a big world power. This was because it had lost many of its rich colonies, like India, which became independent in 1947. Colonel Redfern used to work in India during the British Empire.

The play shows that young people, like Jimmy, felt lost and powerless because of these changes. So, Jimmy’s anger makes sense. Both Jimmy and Colonel Redfern miss the old days when Britain was stronger and more respected in the world.

The play is critical of the class system in England and how it treats people unfairly, especially those from lower social backgrounds like Jimmy. But it doesn’t really talk about how wrong it was for Britain to take over and control other countries. Instead, it focuses on how losing the empire made some British men feel angry and left out — and through Jimmy’s character, it gives a loud voice to that frustration.

John Osborne’s Play “Look Back in Anger“

Where can I read it?	Click here to read for free
Author	John Osborne
Original Language	English
Published	1956 (Other Notable Events) – Suez Crisis (British decline as a global power) – Elvis Presley releases Heartbreak Hotel – First hard disk by IBM
Literary Age	Postmodern / Post-War British Literature
Literary Genre	Drama / Social Realism
Type of Play	Kitchen Sink Drama / Problem Play
Protagonist	Jimmy Porter
Other Important Characters	– Alison Porter (his wife) – Cliff Lewis (friend and lodger) – Helena Charles (Alison’s friend) – Colonel Redfern (Alison’s father)
Stylistic Elements	– Realist dialogue and domestic setting – Monologues and tirades – Anti-heroic protagonist – Irony and bitterness – Symbolic use of jazz and bears
Major Themes	– Class conflict and resentment – Disillusionment and existential boredom – Masculine identity crisis – Alienation in marriage and society
Importance	– Revolutionized British theatre – Birth of the “Angry Young Man” movement – Challenged class complacency and bourgeois values
Historical & Social Backdrop	– Post-WWII Britain in decline – Welfare state and loss of imperial identity – Disillusionment with traditional institutions – Rise of working-class consciousness

Look Back in Anger – Quick & Easy Summary

Setting

• 1950s England.
• A small apartment shared by Jimmy (working class + educated), Alison (his upper-class wife), and Cliff (their friend).

Act 1 [Rage, Ironing & a Burn]

• Jimmy is angry all the time; especially at the upper class and his quiet wife.
• He thinks real emotions come only from suffering, so he insults Alison to wake her up emotionally.
• Cliff tries to lighten the mood. During a playful moment, Alison gets burned while ironing.
• Cliff helps her, and she confesses she’s pregnant but hasn’t told Jimmy because she’s scared.
• Jimmy comes back, and they briefly bond through their private “bear and squirrel” game.
• But things explode again when Helena (Alison’s posh friend) calls and wants to stay with them. Jimmy flips.

Act 2 [Trumpets, Trauma & Goodbye]

• Helena and Alison bond while Jimmy sulks and plays his trumpet.
• Alison tells Helena how Jimmy hated her upper-class friends and crashed their parties for fun.
• Jimmy thinks Helena is trying to take Alison away and goes on a wild rant.
• He shares a sad story about watching his dad die when he was 10. Says that’s why he understands real pain.
• Helena secretly calls Alison’s dad to take her home.
• Jimmy gets sad news: a beloved old lady is dying. He asks Alison to go with him.
• She chooses to go to church instead.
• Jimmy is left completely alone.

Ending of Act 2 [Everyone Leaves]

• Colonel Redfern (Alison’s dad) helps Alison pack.
• He admits Jimmy had a point about them being stuck in the past.
• Helena decides to stay behind, and Alison leaves with her dad.
• Cliff leaves too.
• Jimmy comes home, finds everyone gone, loses it.
• Helena tells him Alison is pregnant; he doesn’t react with joy.
• She slaps him, then kisses him! End of Act 2.

Act 3 [Same Apartment, Different Woman]

• It’s been a few months. Same scene, but now Helena is ironing.
• Jimmy jokes with Cliff but feels lonely deep down.
• Cliff says he’s moving out. Helena tells Jimmy she loves him. Jimmy is desperate for love.
• Then… Alison shows up. She looks heartbroken and unwell.

The Final Scene [Loss, Guilt & Reunion]

• Helena realizes Alison’s return changes everything.
• Alison had a miscarriage; lost the baby.
• Helena sees this as a sign and decides to leave Jimmy.
• Jimmy and Alison have a deep, painful conversation.
• Alison says she finally understands Jimmy’s pain.
• They go back into their “bear and squirrel” game; still broken, but now together.

Key Things to Remember

Themes	Meaning
Class Conflict	Jimmy resents the rich. Alison is caught between two worlds.
Emotional Suffering	Jimmy thinks real feelings come from pain.
Masculinity Crisis	Jimmy struggles with his role as a man in a changing world.
Alienation	Everyone feels alone; even in a full house.
Love vs Power	Jimmy wants love that’s raw and real. But it often turns cruel.
1950s Britain	A country in decline. Old class systems clashing with new ideas.