Blood Brothers - Narrator

The Narrator's Role in 'Blood Brothers'

The narrator in Russell's 'Blood Brothers' is more than just a storytelling device; he serves a crucial function in emphasizing the play's didactic purpose and prompting the audience to contemplate its exploration of social injustices. He embodies social injustice, directly engages the audience, and takes on multiple roles. This not only helps Russell achieve his didactic aims but also enhances the play's tense and foreboding atmosphere.

Dramatic Function and Storytelling

The narrator facilitates the telling of the story, similar to a Greek chorus in classical tragedy. The prologue reveals the play's ending, uniquely positioning the audience to reflect on the 'why' and 'how' of events. This generates dramatic tension through dramatic irony, highlighting the theme of fate by making it clear that the character's fates are predetermined.

Physical Presence and Symbolism

The narrator's constant ominous presence visually reminds the audience of the impending tragedy foreshadowed in the prologue. His dark and somber attire symbolizes the deaths towards which the play progresses. The narrator's ubiquity represents how the characters are haunted by their past and are unable to escape from it, underscoring the inevitability of fate.

Actions and words

The narrator reminds the characters of the repercussions of their actions. His taunts directed towards the mothers serve as constant reminders that they cannot evade consequences. His references to the devil, increasing in proximity throughout the play, foreshadow the boys' imminent deaths. The narrator highlights the futility of superstition in the face of fate, appearing unsympathetic and mocking the mothers' reliance on it like their “ain’t no point clutching at your rosary.”

Foreshadowing and Irony

During the summer sequence, the narrator uses metaphors like “broken bottles in the sand” and “lambs in spring” to hint at the impending tragedy. The scene is filled with irony, foreshadowing the twins' mortality and emphasizing the characters' powerlessness to avoid tragedy.

Compassion and Innocence

The narrator expresses tenderness and compassion when discussing the children's destinies, almost pitying their innocence. His language makes them seem guiltless and vulnerable, markedly contrasting his more condemning tone toward the mothers. Describing Linda, he says, “there’s a girl inside the woman,” suggesting that children are blameless victims of an unjust society.

Multi-Rolling and Social Injustice

Through his multiple roles, the narrator underscores the detrimental effects of social injustice. As a milkman, he embodies the lack of support for the working class with his unsympathetic response to Mrs. Johnstone: “no money, no milk”. As a teacher, he highlights the contrasting opportunities available, noting Edward's path to “Oxbridge” versus the disparaging treatment of Mickey's working-class students, questioning “how the hell do you hope to get a job?”. This emphasizes the unequal state of the education system and the disparity of oppurtunities created by class.

Understanding the Characters

The narrator communicates the inner thoughts and fears of female characters. He conveys Mrs. Lyons’ paranoia about Edward’s friendship with Mickey through the phrase “there’s gypsies in the wood…they’re gonna take your baby away,” which exposes her social prejudice, and derogatory noun “gypsies”. He evokes sympathy for Linda, presenting her as a trapped