Samuel Beckett was writing Endgame in a time when rationality was at its highest. He avoided the subject of war and other tangible problems and instead focused on abstract subjects, often with an emphasis upon existentialist ideals. Beckett was a writer as influential in his time as anyone. He helped to form the Theatre of the Absurd. It is an unincorporated group of playwrights who primarily worked from the late 1940’s until the 1960’s. Jean Genet (also known as an “absurdist”) is a man with similar style and intellectual views to Harold Pinter. These men believed that “man is living in a universe with no key.” Its meaning and purpose are unclear. He is confused and bewildered. Endgame presents this existentialist viewpoint. Ionesco’s The Bald Soprano echoes it. The author, like Beckett writes dialogue in a repetitious, purposeless and nonsensical fashion, which proves the ineficiency of verbal communication.
Although the Theatre of the Absurd was composed of people who were not comfortable speaking in the English language, artists over the years have had to struggle to convey the messages these visionaries hoped to send. One artist, however, who has made an attempt to express the true sentiments of their work, and who has done a valiant job, is Nesreen Nabil, who in 1999 painted Waiting, self-described as “Stage set design for the Theatre of the Absurd, this one is for Waiting for Godot, a play by Samuel Beckett”(Esslin.136). The following playbill is from The Bald Soprano. It features four sets each of attentive, silent eyes. These four pieces are a reflection of an era gone by, when brilliant writers were able to think for themselves and not be constrained by the mass media. They wrote from their feelings and got permission from no one. They allowed themselves to express their feelings and did not ask permission from anyone. Beckett was unhappy from his very first recollection. He worked his way through education, earning a BA at Trinity College of Dublin. Beckett soon moved to Paris as a discontented boy who had become a discontented young man. One of his friends introduced him to James Joyce shortly after he arrived in Paris. Beckett fell in love instantly with Joyce’s style. After studying in France for several years, Beckett moved on to Europe and spent nearly a decade traveling, learning practical knowledge at each stop. After returning to Paris, Beckett settled down and was ready to start writing. Beckett became a member of the Paris anti-war movement. He protested the German invasion and continued to live in Paris. Beckett, along with his girlfriend (and his future wife), fled the country after several of his members were detained and tried by the Third Reich. With France in order, Beckett was able to return to Paris in 1945 and begin what became one of his most prolific writing careers.
French philosopher Albert Camus, who derived the title “Myth about Sisyphus”, in 1942, discusses the topic of absurdity and dramatic theatre. His ideas include concepts that render the human condition meaningless, absurd, and chaotic. Camus is the most obvious source of the notion of absurdity. However the foundations of the Theatre of the Absurd may have been borrowed from Sren Kidegaard, the Danish philosopher. Sren explained the unjustifiable nature of Christianity while also illustrating the chaos, illogical, and fragmented nature of society. Martin J. Esslin (an ex-Stanford professor) used the words of Kierkegaard, Camus and Sarte to describe an expatriate group of writers who lived and worked in Western Europe and America during the 20th century. His book, The Theatre of the Absurd was regarded as the most authoritative on the time period of the genre. Beckett’s ideas, especially in his plays, also determine the structure of these plays. The absurdist playwrights opted to use more fluid, open dialogue and forgo the traditional logical structure of theatre. The drama is not as dramatic as it was in the past. However, the characters are busy and this serves to emphasize the fact that they have no control over their fate. Their conversations have no predetermined beginning or ending; instead, many works display a circular pattern of banter.
World War II was undoubtedly a key factor in the development and acceptance of absurd theatre. It was a devastating war that engulfed almost a decade of history and influenced all aspects of life, especially for European citizens. Beckett & Ionesco were two of the few authors to choose to protest World War II. This protest only served the purpose of igniting discontent. This armed aggression, according to the period’s writers, signaled the downward spiral in society. This skepticism was reinforced by their subsequent works. After the Second World War ended, some plays were published. We can see the suspicions of the authors.
Ionesco’s The Bald Soprano (one of the earliest works in absurd drama) is an important piece. The Romanian author established the Theatre of the Absurd as a respected theatre form. Ionesco was one of its fathers. Ionesco once said that it wasn’t a specific society that seemed ridiculous to him, but mankind. This statement sums up Ionesco’s disdain for popular culture as well as the dumbing down and shaming of humanity ( ). The Bald Soprano is a play by Ionesco that satirizes the absurdity and monotony of daily life in a bourgeois society enslaved by the meaningless formalities. Ionesco was fortunate enough to find his profession accidentally. After moving from Romania to Paris for his doctoral thesis, Ionesco began learning English with a translation guide. Ionesco’s first encounter with the emptiness of daily conversations is made here. He is also struck by the conformity and absurdity of most society’s language. Ionesco is also adept with pointing out the bizarre peculiarities in language, words that are more used to conceal or mask reality than inform and enlighten.
Samuel Beckett’s plays seem dreary and sad when compared to Ionesco’s works. But, a closer look reveals that the plays contain clever double entendres, which conceal the real wit of the author. The other side of the coin is The Bald Soprano’s joy, which is immediately apparent. The reader is easily drawn into the fun world of Mrs. Smith and their friends the Martins. Mary The Fire chief and Mary The Maid add a fun, whimsical touch to the scene.
The Bald Soprano can be funny and free-spirited, but Endgame has a darker, more fatalistic tone. Beckett could only write Endgame. Clov and Hamm are the protagonists. They go about their day as married couples, sniping and pleading for help. Hamm is blinded and slowing down from old age. He relies on Clov for help with the most mundane tasks. He is a bitter old man with a negative outlook. Beckett is very proud of the routine that forms the basis of the whole play. Beckett asserts that people need to have a routine to survive the day, regardless of how inefficient it may seem. But, this irony is pure absurd. These routines make the end seem closer every day.
Both men clearly are unhappy in their lives but they continue to push on, complaining at each step. Beckett has a cyclical view and time here is well expressed in the play’s opening lines. Clov said to Hamm: “Finished, It’s finished. Nearly finished. It must be almost finished. Grain upon grain, one after the other, and suddenly there’s one heap, one little heap, or the impossible pile” (2473). Beckett’s vision of life through Clov is that it is one monotonous step after the other, and that one can only end with their own death. Each grain can also be considered an individual moment, a unique moment in the course of time. When the heap is nearly full, death will arrive and the final moments of our lives are complete. Clov once again confirms the Theatre of the Absurd’s basic existential nature and despair. Every life has the same questions and answers. This quote is another example of the author’s sentiments about the lackluster meaning of life and again shows the circular nature human life.
As a group, the creators of absurd theater try to move the viewer from their comfort zone into a new reality. These playwrights have created a novel, unique form never before seen in theatre. Theatre of the Absurd fought against conventional theatre and resisted the long-held tropes. The Theatre of the Absurd was a new form, surrealistic, illogical, and lacking plot and conflict. This is the exact opposite to what society expects of theatre. Absurd drama’s most notable aspect was its distrust in language as a communication tool. Language was a long-established tool that allowed people to exchange meaningless, unimportant information. Hamm asked Clov if “We are not beginning to…to…mean an something”. Clov immediately replied that this was madness. He said, “Mean an something?” Are you and me, referring to something? Ah, that is a great one” (2483) This line is common for “absurdists”, but it would have been unusual in traditional drama. Many of the Theatre of the Absurd’s characters were introspective and able to see how meaningless everything really is.
The Theatre of the Absurd’s playwrights were prolific for almost thirty years. However, there was not as much success with other art forms when trying to link their work with the works of famous authors. Waiting by Nesreen Nab, which perfectly reflects the ideas of the Theatre of the Absurd, is one piece that does. Waiting features Nabil as a stage designer. There is no seating on the stage, but a few chairs. This is an example of how important dialogue is in Beckett’s work. Nabil’s choice in style complements Endgame perfectly. He uses a dark, brooding and colorless canvas, with only one spot light in the middle. This spotlight is Hamm’s desire for light.
The Bald Soprano’s most significant aspect is The Bald Soprano and its main characters. The best way to get to know someone is to look into their eyes. After all, it’s the only way to truly understand their character. This helps us to understand the importance of dialogue and human interaction within the Theatre of the Absurd2E.
A small number of foreign expatriates came together in Europe and created a new type of drama in just thirty years. This revolution in drama is characterised by the lack of action and repetitive dialogue that are often meaningless. It also has a different feel than the traditional theatre of the first half century. Samuel Beckett & Eugene Ionesco were visionaries who saw a world in turmoil and drowning in confusion. They saw a decline in communication via spoken language and a society that was unable to communicate effectively. Endgame, The Bald Soprano and Ionesco were able, respectively, to mock the cyclical nature in mankind and highlight the importance verbal skills. Under the Theatre of the Absurd’s umbrella, life was unimaginable. Their vision allowed us to still enjoy theatre, even though we live in a society filled with confusion and dismay.
