The Philosophy and Functions of Verbal Violence in Harold Pinter’s Mountain Language: A CDA Approach

The present study considers the issue of verbal violence in the language of drama. In the evaluation of verbal violence, Jeanette Malkin (2004) proposes six maxims, through which language may be considered as an arrogant element. The characters in dramatic texts (as in other literary texts) are created, developed, evolved and - in some cases - destroyed by language. In a considerable number of modern plays, language acts as an antagonist who is to destruct and demolish the personality of the other(s) in the play with violence and aggression so, the theoretical study of dramatic verbal violence as a component of dramatic discourse is considered indispensible to critical discourse analysis of dramatic texts and the study of power relations as reflected in the dialogues. Focusing on the patterns of dramatic verbal violence introduced by Malkin, this study aims to discuss the dominant patterns of verbal violence in Mountain Language, a play by Harold Pinter, and investigates the role of language in shaping, and destroying of human identities