ASSIGNMENT

 QUES. ) Theatre of the Absurd writers joined Existential philosophy with

dramatic actions and characters to show how “absurd” life could be. Find
at least three examples of absurd actions or dialogues and describe them.

 Ans.) Introduction: The term ‘Theatre of the Absurd’ first coined by

Martin Esslin in his essay ‘The Theatre of the Absurd’(1961). The philosophy
explored the absurdity (it’s the condition or state in which human beings
exist in a meaningless universe where people’s lives have no purpose and
meaning )of human life.
 EXISTENTIALISM: It’s the philosophy that is centered upon the analysis
of existence and of the way human find themselves existing in the world.
Existentialism ponders the question :- Why do we exist ? Why is there
suffering? Why do we die?
‘ The Theatre of the Absurd’ presents an existentialist
point of view of the world and reality which forces the audience to consider
the meaning of their existence in a world where there appears to be no
true meaning. Existentialism appeared after the great depression of world
war II , a period of despair and hopelessness .
It seeks to find meaning and identity in a world of
chaos famous. The theatre of the Absurd was enriched by traditional
dramatic technique. Albert Camus, Sarthe and Kierkegaard were some
famous existentialist. Kierkegaard believed that “ We are thrown into
existence here and there” is reflected in the Theatre of Absurd.

Existentialism and The Theatre of Absurd brought

philosophical growth and changed the way in which the world viewed and
understood existence and consciousness. The plotless plot and
characterless characters and no actions were some characteristics of
Absurd plays.
 Absurdity in Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett is an Absurd play . The theme of
Absurdity is explored throughout the play. The play reveals reality of
human existence through the characters of two tramps.
In the play, practically nothing happens , no development
is found and there is no beginning and no end. The entire play depicts
absurd setting of a country side road with two tramps, Vladimir (Didi) and
Estragon (Gogo) who keep wasting their time waiting for Godot, about
whom they don’t have any idea. Two other characters , a cruel master
called Pozzo and his slave called lucky appear too in the play.

Examples of absurdity in the play: Beckett unfolds the play with a Nihilistic
approach. The very first line of the play by Estragon “nothing to be done”
depicts the absurdity and futility of the mind of the two tramps.

As we know Waiting for Godot is an absurd wait, one more instance we see
in the play .
Estragon:- I’m tired, let’s go.
Vladimir:- We can’t.
Estragon:- Why not?
Vladimir:- We are waiting for Godot.
Beckett in his play projected the supremacy of Godot and the futile
dependence of man on a supreme power. When Beckett was asked who
Godot was, he replied: “If I knew, I’d have said in the play”. The very word
Godot implies to god.

The third example of absurdity we see in the play when Estragon says: “We
hardly know him.
Vladimir: True…. We don’t know him very well.
Godot’s identity is not known to both of the tramps, yet they expect their
future to be molded on Godot’s arrival.
One more example we come to know about futility of the tramps when
pozzo says :- Godet…. Godot…. Godin…. And how you see who I mean.
Who has your future in his hand at least your immediate future.
Conclusion: Thus, we see throughout the play nothing really happens. The
play is the dramatization of the themes of habit, boredom and monotony.
Finally, Estragon’s dialogue in the I act “nothing happens, nobody comes,
nobody goes, it’s awful” depicts the absurdity of human life and shows
how absurd life could be.

Krishan kumar
Eng hons. Final year sec. B
140152