The Theme of Power in The HomecomingAuthor: Sarah MarchantIn “The Homecoming” by Harold Pinter, one of the important themes is power. Many characters attempt to exert their power. Many characters attempt to exert power over others through various means such as sexuality and intelligence. Men consider the use of violence within the home to be the most important tool of power. However, when Ruth, the only woman in the room, enters, she appears to overcome the power of men, but not through violence. Her sexuality and apparent intelligence are part of how she takes control of the house. Power itself is the ability to take control and exercise authority over others. Violence is a physical form. This usually takes the form of a show of force and may be an unjust or even illegal act. There could be use of violent language or an element of threat of violence. However, the amount of power he holds is determined by the reaction of those threatened, or whether or not the threat results in anything. Teddy introduces his wife, Ruth, to her childhood home which is a scene of tense threats and reports of violence. both sexual and physical. From the beginning of the play, a conflict arises between Lenny and his father, Max. Having been insulted by Lenny, Max threatens him with his stick, telling him "Don't talk to me like that. I'm warning you." However, this threat achieves nothing. The only element of power that can be inferred comes from the way Lenny doesn't respond. Perhaps he has already experienced Max's anger, or it could be that both parties know there is no point in pursuing the matter further. The power one expects from a threat is non-existent in this house because threats are well-worn and always empty. Max demands that Teddy and Ruth leave his house, but by the end of the play he is sobbing and eager to get Ruth's attention. Insults and derogatory terms used within the family are not so much an element of power as a way of life. Since there is no real mother figure in the home, men have fallen into a lifestyle in which they cannot show each other any affection. Instead, they insult each other in a way usually reserved for women: "slut" and "slut ».".