Topic- What is the Theatre of the Absurd? Explained with the reference of Waiting for Godot

• Prepared by: Arati R. Maheta,• Roll No.2,

• M.A Part-2 :(Batch:2013-15),• Semester : 3,

• Submitted to: Department Of English Maharaja

Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

Email id :davearati656@gmail.com Year: 2014

Origin• The term was coined by the Critic Martin

Esslin,who made it the title of his 1962 book on the subject.

• This type of play first become popular during the 1950s &60s.

• Which presented on the stage the philosophy articulated by French philosopher Albert Camus in his essay The myth of Sisyphus.

• In which he defines the human condition as basically meaningless.

Sisyphus defied the god and put death in chains so that no human needed to die. When god decide on his punishment for

all eternity. He would have push a rock up a mountain upon reaching the top the

rock would roll down again.

• ‘’ what is called a reason for living is also an excellent reason for dying.’’

• Albert Camus, Myth of Sisyphus

• ‘’The mod of ‘’absurdist play’’ is tragicomedy.Nothing is funnier than unhappiness…it’s the

most comical thing in the world’’ -

‘Endgame' by Samuel Beckett Esslin cites William Shakespeare as an influence

on this aspect of ‘’Absurd drama’’.E.g. Ionesco’s Macbett Stoppard’s Rosencrantz& Guildenstern Are Dead.

Important plays and play writers of this type’s

• The Balcony

• Birthday Party

• The Bald Soprano

• Waiting for Godot

Samuel Beckett

Eugene Ionesco

Jean Genet

Harold Pinter

• Picnic on the Battle field

• The visit

• The Zoo story

• Rosencrantz& Guildenstern Are Dead

Tom Stoppard

Edward Albee

Fernando Arrabal

Fredric Durrenma

tt

Main features of the Theatre of the Absurd in Waiting for Godot

1) Meaningless of Life:Theatre of the Absurd presented the life as

meaningless and one that could simply end in casual slaughter. This was reflected in the society of the time. It was because of the following reasons:

(A)Mechanical nature of Man of the Life(B)Alien worlds(C)Time (D)isolation

• 2. Lack of the Plot:

• Absurd play have lack of the plot.

• There is the great deal of the repetition in action and language

• Ex. It lacks the traditional standards of drama, no causal chain of effects and events, no Aristotle’s structure of play/drama,

• 3. Non Conventional Story:• Theatre of the absurd have not the

conventional story which can convince the readers or viewers.

• Ex. In this play Estragon& Vladimir always waiting for the man namely Godot who never come.

• 4) contradiction and repetition of the dialogues• Ex. We’re waiting for Godot (pg-51) Boy: I don’t know sir:• repetition of the objectsEx.

5. Devaluation of The Language:

• The absurd dramatist felt that conventional language had failed man and it was inadequate means of communication. The uselessness of language was used by the characters constantly, they speak in clichés ,overused, tired expressions.

• Ex. Lucky’s speech in Act-1 (quaquaquaquaqua)

• 6. Cyclical Structure:• Absurd play has a repetitive cyclical

structure.• Similar setting- Debris• Timing- day to moon rise• Actions- hat Swapping scene • Similar Acts structure• Same acts ending

7.Difference from Poetic Theatre:

No use of dreams, fantasy and poetic language.

8.Element of Existentialism: ( nothingness)

a) Absurd theatre question the existence of man.

Absurdist believe in the godless world.(World war-2) ‘’the air is full of our cries’’ b) Human existence has no meaning and purpose.

‘’ The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for’’

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

• 11. Cut off from religion:

• society of that time was cut off from religion. It was presented in absurd play.

• Ex. In this play Vladimir& Estragon talks bout the thieves that were crucified with Christ just for passing time.

• The tree is symbol of Christianity• . The TREE was symbol of CHRISTIANITY

• ‘’ Religion enables us to ignore nothingness and to get with the jobs of life’’’(john Updike)

• 12. Absurd Ending:• Absurd play has ‘’unexplained• Hope ,religion nothingness,

forgetfulness, purposelessness' of man• Ending is not Conclusion

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