Edward Bond’s Saved as a Representative of a Dehumanized Society

Abstract

British playwright Edward Bond (1934-2024) often employed minimalist settings, non-naturalistic elements, and Brechtian alienation tactics to emphasize the emotional desensitization and cruelty of the world he portrays.  In his play Saved (1965), a drama that is both unsettling and challenging, Bond presents a dystopian portrayal of postwar Britain, where institutional negligence and societal disintegration lead to excessive violence and moral indifference, characterizing the individuals as both products and victims of a dehumanized society.  The drama portrays a society lacking empathy, morality, and meaningful human connections due to structural failures, including poverty, fractured families, governmental indifference, and urban isolation.  The notorious baby-stoning scene epitomizes this dehumanization.  Saved depicts a grim representation of a dehumanized society, characterized by systemic alienation, ideological domination, and the disintegration of social institutions that deprive individuals of empathy and autonomy

This qualitative analytical study shows that Saved portrays a dehumanized post-war British society influenced by social, economic, and ideological factors. Through a Marxist lens, particularly through Louis Althusser’s concept of the Ideological State Apparatuses, the study explores how structures such as the family and the economy drive characters’ aggression, alienation, and moral desensitization. It reveals that the violence and emotional numbness depicted are outcomes of systemic flaws and ideological dominance in capitalism, rather than mere individual actions, highlighting the need for enhanced social responsibility and moral awareness. The study comprises an introduction and a section wherein the researcher analyzes the play from a Marxist perspective.  The paper concludes by summarizing the study’s findings.