The Dwarfs [novel] (1956)

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Harold Pinter

Prose (fiction)

English

An autobiographical novel, Pinter explores the nature of trust and betrayal in friendship, based on his experiences as part of a group of friends in the Hackney of his youth. The novel was composed between 1952 and 1956, but not published until 1990. Pinter revisited the manuscript in 1989 and prepared it for publication. In an author's note in the published novel he clarifies: 'I cut five chapters which seemed to me redundant and reorganised or condensed a number of other passages.' The original manuscript can be consulted in the Pinter archive of the British Library. It was adapted into a BBC Radio play in 1960; and a version was staged at the New Arts Theatre (London) in 1963. Much later, a fuller adaptation of the novel was written by Kerry Lee Crabbe and first staged in 2002.

Date of Composition: 1952 - 1956

Linked Works

The Dwarfs [radio script]

The radio play, a first adaptation of scenario from the novel.

The Dwarfs

The stage play, based on the structure of the radio adaptation.

The Dwarfs

A fuller adaptation by Kerry Lee Crabbe for television and stage that included the key character of Virginia, excluded from the earlier adaptations.

Linked Places

No Linked places have been added to this work record yet.

Publishers

Faber and Faber Ltd on (1 October 1990)

Characters

Pete (The Dwarfs) (Age: late twenties, Male)

Len (Age: late twenties, Male)

Len was based on Pinter's friend Mick Goldstein, who later wrote a response to The Dwarfs.

Mark (The Dwarfs) (Age: late twenties, Male)

Virginia (Age: Not specified, Female)

Resources

Audio of Harold Pinter reading from the novel in 1990 (URL)

Type: Archival holding

External Link: http://catalogue.nationaltheatre.org.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=RNT%2fPL%2f3%2f31&pos=17

Marc Silverstein, ‘‘Can you put a word to it?’: language and epistemology in The Dwarfs’, Studies in the Novel, Vol. 43, Iss. 3, Fall 2011, pp. 306-27 (URL)

Type: Academic article

External Link: https://www.proquest.com/docview/896664639/31A5D870511C4194PQ/9?accountid=14664

Sources

The British Library Manuscript Collections. Pinter Archive. Diary; 1990; Add MS 88880/12/023

https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/data/gb58-addms88880/addms88880/12/23

Archival materials

Publication date