full title The Dumb Waiter
author Harold Pinter
type of work Drama
genre Drama/comedy
language English
time and place written 1960 in London, England
date of first production January 1960
publisher Grove Press
narrator No narrator; drama
climax The climax occurs when Ben pulls his gun on Gus
protagonist Both men share the role of protagonist, although the audience may empathize with Gus primarily
antagonist Wilson and, eventually, Ben
setting (time) Modern day
setting (place) The basement of a café
falling action Gus and Ben stare at each other in silence
tense Play; present tense
foreshadowing There are a few clues that Ben will betray Gus, such as his slip-up when giving directions to Gus; the messages from the dumb waiter show that the café is not defunct, as Ben says it is
tone Violent, comic
themes The Silence and Violence of Language; Anxiety Over Social Class
motifs Repetition
symbols The dumb waiter
