When Harold Pinter was lobbying to have London's Comedy Theatre renamed the Pinter Theatre, Stoppard wrote back: 'Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Stoppard mocks Pinter's vanity by suggesting a name change that prioritizes the theater over the person.
- In plain terms
- Stoppard jokes about making the theater famous instead of the man.
- What can you take from it?
- Vanity often seeks recognition through institutional names.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do public figures seek legacy?
- What does naming say about value?
Another view
It relies on knowing the context of the Pinter Theatre lobbying.
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