Samuel Beckett
An Irish novelist, play writer and poet who was awarded by Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969. His works were written in English and French as a consequence of living in France which might influence his style of writing.
Beckett is representative of “Theatre of the Absurd.” His works mostly consist of tragicomic, black comedy and it is all focus on human nature. The typical Beckett’s themes are “fear of an unknown world, sense of tragedy and alienation.” Beckett use chaotic dialogs to present the comedy but in some time underline the tragic beneath it.
Other works:
En attendant Godot-1949
Krapp's Last Tape - 1958
Come and Go - 1966
More Pricks Than Kicks - 1934
Theatre of the Absurd
(50’s in 20th Century-Europe)
“Theatre of the Absurd” is type of drama (play) that seems to be absurd, strange and ridiculous. This particular play tries to show the individual in hopeless world/situations as in existentialism. It has no typical drama “curve line” as in Ancient Greek, Classicism or Shakespeare’s plays, actually “Absurd plays” sometimes don’t have curve line at all. The typical characters and the plot of Absurd play have no history context. In other words, “It is like that and you must make it up by your way to understand it.” These plays involve audience by making them think about the play.
Other authors of Absurd plays:
Eugene Ionesco- Romanian
Edward Albee-American
-Surprisingly these play writers also spent part of their lives in France (specifically Paris) and were not French. Could living in France as a foreigner be influential to write Absurd plays?
What do you think…….
