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Unveiling The Theatre of the Absurd: A Historical Perspective on Existentialism in French Theatre

Explore the impact of World War II, existentialist philosophy, and the avant-garde nature of Absurdist theatre. Delve into the themes of despair, emptiness, and the irrationality of existence through the lens of playwrights like Samuel Beckett. Discover the philosophical currents that shaped this innovative form of theatre.

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Unveiling The Theatre of the Absurd: A Historical Perspective on Existentialism in French Theatre

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  1. The Theatre of the Absurd Samuel Beckett Presented by M Kumaresan Assistant Professor of English EdayathangudyG.S. Pillay Arts & Science ColegeNagapattinam Only Connect ... New Directions

  2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND NEW MEANING OF EXISTENCE FRENCH EXISTENTIALISM The Theatre of the Absurd

  3. Historical background • The aftermath of World War II increased by the ColdWar. • Theatrocitiesof the Nazi concentration camps. • The Allies’atomic bomb. • Disillusionment coming from the realization that Britain had been reduced to a second-class power. The nuclear bombing of Hiroshima, 1945 The infamous entrance to Auschwitz.

  4. New meaning of existence • Awareness of man’s propensity to evil and conscience of the destructive power of scientific knowledge. • The lack of moral assurance and the decline of religious faith. • The disillusionment with both the liberal and social theories about economic and social progress. • Mistrust in the power of reason. A sense of anguish, helplessness and rootlessness developed especially among the young

  5. Existentialismsaw man trapped in a hostile world. Human life was meaningless and this created a sense of confusion, despair and emptiness. The universe was not rational and defied any explanation. French existentialism Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980)

  6. French existentialism • The main exponent of this philosophical current was the French Jean Paul Sartre. • Existentialists presented the absurdity of human condition by means of a lucid languageand logical reasoning. Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980)

  7. The Theatre of the Absurd: main features • Absence of a real story or plot. • No action since all actions are insignificant. • Vagueness about time, place and the characters. • The value of language is reduced; in fact, what happens on the stage transcends, and often contradicts, the words spoken by the characters. • Extensive use of pauses, silences, miming and farcical situations which reflect a sense of anguish. • Incoherent babblingmakes up the dialogue.

  8. Thank You Only Connect ... New Directions

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