Ashes to Ashes Summary

Harold Pinter's Ashes to Ashes, published in 1996, is a dramatic poem written in the present tense while reflecting on the past. The play unfolds as a discussion in the present, triggered by memories of an unexpected past. Its title is derived from the burial ceremony in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, which ultimately traces its imagery to the Old Testament, the Christian term for the original Jewish scriptures. In Genesis, the first human, Adam, is created from soil or clay, a concept echoed in later biblical texts to emphasize human mortality and the inevitable return to the earth. The Psalms and Ecclesiastes further develop this theme, using ash and dust metaphors to symbolize physical death and decay.

Harold Pinter's play "Ashes to Ashes" does not have a clear plot, which is common in his works. The play is easier to follow when broken into sections based on Rebecca’s memories rather than in a traditional sequence of events. Rebecca’s memories come in waves, and each new memory leads to a conversation with her husband, Devlin. He struggles to understand her words and reacts in different ways. It is unclear whether Rebecca’s memories are real, imagined, or the result of delusion.

First Memory: The Lover The play begins in a house in the countryside in 1996. A middle-aged couple, Rebecca and Devlin, are in their living room. The room contains two armchairs and two lamps, with a garden visible outside. They are silent. Devlin is holding a drink. Suddenly, Rebecca says that her former lover used to practice erotic violence. She claims he would put his fist to her mouth and ask her to kiss it.

Devlin does not believe her. He questions her, but she insists it is true. She adds that she asked her lover to put his hand around her throat. She describes the relationship as intense, with a man who adored her and played rough when she encouraged it. Although the memory is dark, it was something she willingly participated in.

Devlin is disturbed by this memory. He asks if Rebecca reacted sexually to the strangling, and she confirms that she did. Devlin wonders if she was hypnotized, which confuses Rebecca. She denies being hypnotized, but Devlin suggests that he might be hypnotizing her now.

Their conversation shifts into an argument about their relationship. Rebecca calls Devlin a “f—pig.” Devlin is offended, but Rebecca seems satisfied that she annoyed him.

Devlin becomes aggressive. He says he has the right to surprise Rebecca and question her. Rebecca does not seem to understand what he means. He keeps pressing for details about her former lover, showing jealousy. He asks about the lover’s appearance and even makes crude references to his size. Devlin feels threatened.

Second Memory: The Factory Devlin keeps pressing for details, but Rebecca is distracted. She seems lost in another reality. At times, she says she is not Devlin’s “darling,” then forgets she said it. She cannot describe her lover’s appearance because he has been gone for a long time. She is uncertain about his job, saying he might have been a travel agent, guide, courier, or someone with authority.

She tells Devlin about a time when her lover took her to a factory. Devlin does not remember this story. Rebecca describes how the workers removed their caps as her lover led her through the factory. She says her lover told her that the workers respected him. She recalls that the workers were not dressed for the cold weather and that there was no bathroom in the factory.

Third Memory: Babies Rebecca shifts to another memory. She recalls being at a train station with her lover. She describes how he tore babies from the arms of their screaming mothers. Devlin is shocked. He asks if this really happened. Instead of answering, Rebecca talks about hearing a siren earlier. Devlin says he did not hear it.

Fourth Memory: The Pen Devlin tries to comfort Rebecca, saying the police are always busy and take care of people. Rebecca is confused by this and does not respond. Instead, she changes the subject and wonders about a trip outdoors.

Their conversation returns to her former lover. Devlin remains jealous. Rebecca avoids his questions.

Rebecca tells a new story about a pen rolling off a table. Devlin mocks her, sarcastically suggesting she does not know where the pen has been or who its parents are.

Devlin then becomes angry. He says he feels like he is sinking in quicksand. Rebecca asks if that is like God.

Fifth Memory: Returning to the Train Station and the Strangling Devlin reacts strongly. He says, “Be careful how you talk about God.” He argues that without God, life has no meaning. He compares it to a soccer game without an audience.

He returns to Rebecca’s memory of the train station. He calls it an atrocity and challenges Rebecca’s right to talk about such things. Rebecca agrees she has no right and says neither she nor her friends have ever suffered such an atrocity. For a moment, she separates herself from her memories.

Devlin says, “Good,” then dismisses Rebecca’s factory memory. He compares her story to a woman’s trust in her hairdresser. He asks if her lover reminded her of a hairdresser when he strangled her.

Devlin keeps pushing. He insists her lover tried to kill her. Rebecca is confused. She denies it. Devlin becomes more aggressive. He says he wishes she had told him earlier so he could have been tested. Then he asks if she knew her lover before she knew him. If so, she had no obligation to tell him anything.

Sixth Memory: Walking into the Sea, Mental Elephantiasis Rebecca recalls living in a house in Dorset. She describes seeing a crowd walking toward the sea. She watches them disappear into the waves, leaving their luggage floating on the water.

Devlin does not understand. He insists they never lived in Dorset. He ignores the mysterious image of people walking into the sea.

Rebecca begins another story about “mental elephantiasis.” She describes how spilling gravy turns into an overwhelming sea of gravy. She suggests she is responsible for the memories consuming her. Devlin does not understand.

Seventh Memory: Return to the Train Station Rebecca continues describing the train station. She hears a voice calling her “sweetheart.” She sees her lover again, still taking babies from their mothers.

Devlin changes the subject. He asks about Rebecca’s sister Kim and her children. Rebecca is vague but confirms she saw them.

Kim’s husband left her but now wants to return. Devlin is annoyed that Kim will not take him back. Their conversation suggests that Devlin and Rebecca’s relationship is also strained.

Eighth Memory: The Cinema Rebecca says she went to the cinema. She describes seeing a man ahead of her who seemed dead. Devlin is disturbed by her tone. He tries to bring her back to reality, mentioning her sister, their home, and their garden. He suggests they “start again.”

Rebecca says it is too late. They can only “end again.”

They argue. Then Rebecca says, “Ashes to ashes.” Devlin responds, “And dust to dust.” Rebecca changes the quote to a folk variation: “If the women don’t get you.” Devlin completes it: “Then the liquor must.” He then says he always knew Rebecca loved him because they share the same songs.

Ninth Memory: Strangling and Drowning Rebecca describes a night in a small town. She sees an old man and a boy carrying suitcases. A woman follows them with a baby. The man and boy disappear. The woman holds the baby close, listening to its heartbeat.

As Rebecca speaks, Devlin reenacts the memory of strangling. He presses his fist to her mouth, asks her to kiss it, then puts his hand around her throat. He presses until her head falls back.

Rebecca continues her memory. She hears echoes of her words. She describes standing at the train station, wrapping her child, and giving it to a man. On the train, a woman asks her where her baby is. Rebecca says she has no baby.

Her voice continues to echo. The stage darkens. The play ends in silence.