Social Injustice causes Frustration in a postmodern era in the Context of John Osborn's play, Look Back in Anger

Abstract

The current study explores social injustice reflected in John Osborne’s play, Look Back in Anger(1956). John Osborn (1929-1994) is considered to be one of the striking postmodern playwrights. Osborn shrewdly reflects contemporary society in his literary works. His play, Look Back in Anger, is an exact depiction of postwar English society, with all its anxiety and uneasiness. The framework for the current study is a theory presented by Thomas W Simon in his book Democracy and Social Injustice: Law, Politics, and Philosophy (1995). Thomas W. Simon asserts that democratic theory shall deal with the social inequalities inflicted upon disadvantaged groups. By shifting theoretical sights from justice to injustice, Simon reshapes the nature of democracy and provides a totally new perspective on social problems. He unfolds the causes and effects of injustice, victims' responses to injustice, and historical theories of disadvantage,revealing that those theories have important repercussions for the current policy.The play depicts the social imbalance, lack of understanding, injustice and desperation of post-war English society.