the modernist literature study

Name: Praful Ghareniya   Roll no.:20   topic : Explain of the theatre absurd and symbol in waiting for

Godot

M.A. Semester:  3   Enrolment No.:    Year: 2015-16   Paper no.: 9   Email ID.: prafulghareniya@gmail.com   Submitted to: Department of English Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

His is born on 1906His died on 1989His work on ..Waiting for Godot (1953)He won Nobel Prize in Literature at 1969

Samuel Beckett

The theatre of the absurd is also know as a new theatre .

It means the word Absurd foolishness, senseless, opposed to reason, something silly and ridiculous

What is theater absurd ?

Myth of Sisyphus 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 chain so that no human needed to die When god decide on his punishment for all eternityHe would have push rock up a mountain upon reaching the top the rock down again.

Meaninglessness of life No wonder Lack of plot Element of existentialism Every hard contain Puzzled dialogues Nonsense language Importance of repetition Absurd and unexpected ending Comic scenes Different from traditional drama

Main feature of the theatre of Absurd

Theatre of 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

1) mechanical nature of man of the life 2) Alien worlds 3) Isolation 4)time

MEANIGNLESS OF LIFE

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

Lack of the Plot

no beginning

No endingNo middle

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.

Non Conventional Story:

Contradiction and repetition of the dialogues

For example Vladimir yells to Estragon: “Come on . . .

return the ball can’t you, once in a way?” Vladimir’s complaint is descriptive of

much of the dialogue in the remainder of the play

One more Ex., We’re waiting for Godot

(pg-51) Boy: I don’t know sir: Repetition of the objects Ex.

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. They use language to feel the emptiness between them, to conceal the fact that they have 'nothing' to talk about to each other.

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

Cyclical Structure In fact, everything is

structured by this revenge motive. But in Waiting for Godot, where there is no motivated action, the sense of nothingness play the pivotal role in determining the every aspect of the play. 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

Difference from poetic theatre

No use of dreams, fantasy and poetic language

Element of Existentialism Absurd theatre questions the

existence of man. Absurdist believes in the godless world.

the air is full our cries 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”                                   

society of that time was cut off from religion, it was presented in absurd play

Example Vladimir and Estragon talking about thieves that were crucified with Christ just passing time=> The tree was symbol of Christianity

Cut off from religion

Absurd play has unexplained ending Hope, religion, nothingness, forgetfulness,

purposelessness' of man, ending is not Conclusion. Another example is at the end of both acts, they talks

about going but no one goes:  

Absurd Ending:

Tree Boot hat

symbol

Thank

You…