When is ‘A Clockwork Orange’ set?
Exploring the themes of morality, free will and the nature of evil, Anthony Burgess’ novel A Clockwork Orange is one of the true masterpieces of dystopian literature. Adapted into a film version by Stanley Kubrick in 1972, the story focuses on a young delinquent called Alex, who revels in violent and depraved acts with his friends in a near future society.
Eventually, Alex is reprimanded for his misdeeds and is forced to undergo a new type of aversion therapy whereby his free will is taken away, and he feels overwhelmingly sick whenever he thinks of violence. A Clockwork Orange is a true masterwork, but one question surrounding the novel and the film is difficult to answer. Just when exactly does it take place?
Burgess does not explicitly state when the events of the novel take place, although there are certain clues that suggest that it occurs between the mid-20th century and the early 21st century. Take, for instance, the kind of technology on offer to the characters of Burgess’ novel, indicative of the modern convenience that became widely available from the 1950s onwards.
It’s also worth considering that Alex and his droogs speak ‘Nadsat’, a Russian-influence slang, which shows that there has certainly been enough time for linguistic evolution to take place, perhaps due to the Cold War.
What’s more, is that the kinds of social concerns of the mid-20th century seem to still be at the forefront of Burgess’ fiction society: juvenile delinquency, a decline in moral value and the worry over state control, mainly inspired by communism. The fact that these issues are still being considered in A Clockwork Orange and have, in fact, worsened suggests that the story takes place sometime after the 1960s when such matters were being talked about most vociferously.
Turning our attention to Kubrick’s film version, a few more clues might suggest the period in which the story is set. There is undoubtedly a 1960s aesthetic to proceedings with the Bowler hats, braces and make-up reminiscent of the darker moments of David Bowie, although further elements indicate eras beyond this time.
The synthesisers perhaps show that the 1960s have since passed, even though the vagrant character under the bridge is the type of reprobate one might find burping and slurping his way through the 20th century’s most swinging decade. Next to the vagrant, Alex and his gang zoom past in a Durango 95 car, with the same suggesting that the year is at least as late as 1995.
Alex’s apartment is a combination of old pastiche aesthetics with a kitch symbolism, made all the more confusing by the persistent thrum of Beethoven and the utopian state-issue artworks. It’s clear then that A Clockwork Orange does not necessarily take place in any one particular time but is a story in a sort of temporal limbo in which elements of the past, present and future all meet.
The time of Burgess’ novel and Kubrick’s film is intentionally disorientating, which allows readers and audiences to focus instead on the themes of the story and the commentary on our societal ills. The exploration of morality and social decline transcend any particular era, making A Clockwork Orange relevant to many generations.
Who wrote A Clockwork Orange?
A Clockwork Orange was written by the British author Anthony Burgess, a truly prolific writer who composed several novels, essays and plays throughout his career. His works often examined the themes of morality, society and language, but A Clockwork Orange remains his most famous yet controversial work.
Burgess had been interested in youth culture, psychology, and linguistics when he set about writing A Clockwork Orange. The book features a slang manner of speaking called Nadsat, inspired by the Russian language. Throughout the novel, Burgess explores the nature of free will, the existence of evil and the morality of societal control.
What is A Clockwork Orange about?
A Clockwork Orange is a text of dystopian literature that explores themes of morality, evil, free will and societal control. Taking place in a near-distant future, the book focuses on a young delinquent called Alex, who engages in acts of violence and hedonism with his friends, whom he affectionately refers to as his “droogs”.
After being apprehended by the authorities for his crimes, Alex is forced to undergo an experimental form of aversion therapy called the Ludovico technique, which results in him feeling incredibly nauseous whenever he sees or thinks about violence. Burgess’ novel examines the ethical reasoning behind controlling someone’s behaviour through such means.
Why was A Clockwork Orange banned?
A Clockwork Orange was banned in many places across the world due to its graphic and explicit content, including acts of violence, sexual assault and other forms of anti-social behaviour. The immoral actions of Alex were considered to be attractive to young readers, and many governments believed that they were being glorified rather than scorned.
As such, and also considering the use of profanity and obscenities, Burgess’ novel was censored in many countries. However, since its release, the novel has been reappraised and is now celebrated as a classic of dystopian literature and championed for its examination of morality, society, evil and free will.