Unit3LearningaboutLanguage阅读理解ADoesknowledgeofawriter’sprivatelifehelptoexplainhisworks
It’sanage-oldquestion,butit’salsooneinwhichinterestisaroused(激起)againbyAntoniaFraser’sbookaboutherlifewithHaroldPinter,MustYouGo
Thebookisobviouslyapersonalaccountratherthanastudyoftheplays
Allthesame,I’dargueitsendsagooddealoflightonPinter,thedramatist(剧作家)
Istartfromthebeliefthatallinformationaboutawriterishelpful
Infact,oneofthepleasuresofwritingPinter’sbiographywasdiscoveringthatnearlyallhisplayswerestartedbysomestrongpersonalmemory
Thisgotmeintotroublewithsomecritics
IrememberMartinEsslin,agreatPinterscholar,arguingthatIhadreducedthevalueofPinter’sBetrayalbylinkingittothedramatist’sseven-year-longloveaffairwithJoanBakewell
But,asIsawit,thatwassimplytheplay’sorigin
AllIhaddone,Ihoped,remindedpeoplet