Author(s)

Sibgatuullah Nazki

Affiliation(s)

Desh Bhagat University, Mandi Gobindgarh (Punjab), Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Corresponding Author

Sibgatuullah Nazki

ABSTRACT

This study examines the theme of violence in Mark Ravenhill’s The Cane. It focuses on how historical acts of discipline and institutional violence shape personal relationships and public retribution. The analysis highlights Ravenhill’s critique of societal systems and individual roles in sustaining cycles of violence. The play revolves around Edward, a retiring schoolteacher, whose history of corporal punishment faces scrutiny. The play reflects changing societal attitudes toward authority and discipline. Set in Edward’s home, the narrative portrays family conflict and an angry mob, symbolizing the breakdown of traditional order in the face of public judgment. The research situates the play within debates about systemic violence and its effects on modern society. A qualitative method was used, focusing on close textual analysis of the characters, dialogue, and symbolism. Key interactions between Edward, Maureen, and Anna were studied, alongside the mob’s presence. Secondary sources, including essays on Ravenhill and studies on violence in drama, contextualize the play within broader discussions of theatrical and social themes. Ravenhill critiques systems that perpetuate harm and society’s tendency to replace one form of control with another. The study identifies the play as an exploration of violence that spans past and present. It highlights the cyclical nature of violence, as societal norms and personal actions reinforce systems of harm. Ravenhill challenges audiences to confront these cycles and the ethical ambiguity of individual accountability within systemic failings. In the play, Ravenhill portrays the collapse of order as a result of unresolved historical violence. The play critiques institutional authority, intergenerational trauma, and society’s inability to reconcile past wrongs. By merging personal and public conflict, Ravenhill questions the roots of violence and the possibility of true justice in systems of enduring power.

KEYWORDS

Power; Violence; Conflict; Family microcosm; Societal tensions; Profession and integrity

CITE THIS PAPER

Sibgatuullah Nazki. The collapse of order: how historical violence shapes personal and public conflict in Ravenhill’s The Cane. World Journal of Linguistics and Literature. 2025, 2(1): 8-13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.61784/wjll3003.

REFERENCES

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