Conflict Resolution through Communication: Habermasian Study of Pinter’s The Homecoming

Abstract

In his Communicative Action Theory, Habermas argues that it is possible to achieve an innovative rationality which has the ability to resolve social conflicts and reach consensus and mutual understanding through communicative action. This ‘communicative rationality’ rests on intersubjective recognition of Habrmasian three ‘validity claims’: Truth, Rightness, and Truthfulness. Based on this classification and drawing on critical-qualitative research into Pinter’s The Homecoming, this paper examines the speech acts of the characters in this play to see if they are able to redeem their criticisable validity claims discursively in their familial context. The conclusion which is drawn here is that ‘emancipation’ can be achieved through ‘communicative rationality’ only if all the members of family and, on a larger scale, all members of society have an equal share of power; and, ‘communicative action’ can be possible even through silence, monologues, and deformed dialogues which are Pinter’s unique style in composing theatrical dialogues. Keywords: Habermas, Pinter, The Homecoming, Communicative rationality, Communicative action.