L e   N é a n t   d a n s   l a   P e n s é e   c o n t e m p o r a i n e  |  1  

LE NÉANT DANS LA PENSÉE CONTEMPORAINE

Publications du Centre Français d'Iconologie Comparée CFIC

2012
2  |  L e   N é a n t   d a n s   l a   P e n s é e   c o n t e m p o r a i n e  

&ROOHFWLRQ´Publications du Centre Français d'Iconologie Comparée-CFICµ1R

Sous la Direction de: Norbert-Bertrand Barbe

Sélection, élaboration et organisation des textes pour la présente édition:

Norbert-Bertrand Barbe

ISBN: 978-2-35424-151-3

© 2012, Bès Editions

Toute reproduction intégrale ou partielle du présent ouvrage, faite par quelque procédé que ce soit, sans le
FRQVHQWHPHQWGHO·DXWHXURXGHVHVD\DQWVFDXVHHVWLOOLFLWHHWFRQVWLWXHXQHFRQWUHIDoRQVDQFWLRQQpHSDUOHV
articles L.335-2 et suivants du Code de la propriété intellectuelle.
 L e   N é a n t   d a n s   l a   P e n s é e   c o n t e m p o r a i n e  |  529  

BECKETT & IONESCO: THE ABSURD & RESISTANCE

 
Alparslan  Nas  (TURQUIE)  
 
Biographie  de  l'Auteur:    
Étudiant  de  la  filière  d'Études  Culturels  de  l'Université  Sabanci.  
 
Résumé  de  l'article:    
Une  approche  de  l'absurde  comme  phénomène  de  résistance  aux  circonstances  d'une  époque  de  guerre  et  massacres.  
 
"I  don't  know  whether  this  world  has  a  meaning  that  transcends  it.  But  I  know  that  I  do  not  know  that  meaning  and  that  it  is  impossible  just  now  
to  know  it."[1]  
 
-­I-­
_  
,Q³7KH0\WKRI6LV\SKXV´$OEHUW&DPXVGHILQHVWKHQRWLRQRIDEVXUGLW\DVIROORZV  
³$  world  that  can  be  explained  by  reasoning,  however  faulty,  is  a  familiar  world.  But  in  a  universe  that  is  suddenly  deprived  of  illusions  of  light,  
man  feels  a  stranger.  His  is  an  irremediable  exile,  because  he  is  deprived  of  memories  of  a  lost  homeland  as  much  as  he  lacks  the  hope  of  a  
promised  land  to  come.  This  divorce  between  man  and  his  life,  the  actor  and  his  setting,  truly  constitutes  the  feeling  of  Absurdity.´>@  
,QDQHUDRIZDUVDQGPDVVDFUHVZKHQGHDWKLVPRVWYLVLEOHDFFRUGLQJWR&DPXV³OLIH´ORVWDOOLWVPHDQLQJ+HQFHPDQVKRXOd  not  seek  escape  
in   suicide.[3]   It   is   not   surprising   that   in   the   plays   of   The   Theatre   of   the   Absurd,   characters,   despite   their   hopelessness   and   desperateness,  
struggle   and   resist.   This   struggle,   which   might   be   delineated   as   the   endeavor   to   exist,   originates   within   the   feeling   of   what   Camus   names  
Absurdity.   Camus   defines   the   feeling   of   absurdity   as   a   constitution   which   requires   further   interpretation:   what   he   defines   is   the   feeling   of  
Absurdity,  not  the  absurdity  or  the  absurd  itself.  Camus,  in  intending  to  define  the  term,  is  unable  to  reach  the  core  meaning  of  the  absurd  since  
WKHUHGRHVQ¶WH[LVWRQH  
 
-­II-­
 
2QWKHRWKHUKDQG(XJHQH,RQHVFRGHILQHVWKHWHUPDEVXUGDV³WKDWZKLFKLVGHYRLGRISXUSRVH«&XWRIIIURPKLVUHOLJLRXVPHWDSK\VLFDODQG
transcendental  roots,  man  is   lost:  all  his   actions   become  senseless,  absurd,   useless.´>@ ,QKLV GHILQLWLRQ,RQHVFR¶V LOOXVWUDWLRQ RIWKHDEVXUG
indicates   a   paradox,   whenever   he   defines   the   term   absurd   by   referring   to   the   same   notion   of   the   absurd.   The   word,   absurd   lacks   a   proper  
signified.  Therefore,  despite  all  efforts  of  meaning  assignment,  the  absurdity  of  the  absurd  lies  within  the  condition  that  is  devoid  of  meaning.  In  
WKHUHPDUNVRI&DPXVDQG,RQHVFRWKHWHUP³DEVXUG´UHVLVWVPHDQLQJDVVLJQPHQW  
(YHQWXDOO\RQHFDQQRWILUPO\GHILQHWKHWHUP³DEVXUG´7KHQKRZFDQRQHGHILQHWKHQRWLRQRIWKH7KHDWUHRIWKH$EVXUG")RU0DUWLQ(VVOLQWKH
LQYHQWRU DQG WKH IRUHPRVW WKHRUHWLFLDQ RI WKH WHUP ³WKH 7KHDWUH RI WKH $EVXUG LV D SDUW RI WKH ³DQWL-­OLWHUDU\´ PRYHPHQW ZKLFK KDV IRXQG LWV
expression   in   abstracW SDLQWLQJ ZLWK LWV UHMHFWLRQ RI ³OLWHUDU\´ HOHPHQWV LQ SLFWXUHV RU LQ WKH ³QHZ QRYHO´ LQ )UDQFH ZLWK LWV UHOLDQFH RQ WKH
description   of   the   objects   and   its   rejection   of   empathy   and   anthropomorphism.´>@ (VVOLQ VLPLODU WR &DPXV DQG ,RQHVFR GRHVQ¶W DVVign  
particular  meaning  to  the  notion  of  the  absurd.  Instead,  what  he  is  able  to  do  is  to  point  out  the  relation  between  literature  and  abstract  art  of  
¶VDQG¶V(XURSH2QHPLJKWDUJXHWKDWWKHUHFDQEHDQ³DEVWUDFW´SDLQWLQJEXWQRWDQ³DEVWUDFW´WH[t  of  literature;;  since  a  literary  text  either  
FRQYH\VRUFDOOVIRUWKHDFWRIFRQFUHWL]DWLRQZKHQHYHULWLQWHUDFWVZLWKWKHUHDGHU,Q%HFNHWW¶V³:DLWLQJIRU*RGRW´DQG,RQHVFR¶V³5KLQRFHURV´
³DEVXUGLW\´ RI WKH OLWHUDU\ WH[W VHHPV WR EH WKH HTXLYDOHQW RI ³DEVWUDFWQHVV´ LQ DUW IRU WKH ZD\V LQ ZKLFK ERWK QRWLRQV FKDOOHQJH WKH RQJRLQJ
structures  through  devaluation  of  ideas  or  defying  the  structures  of  artistic  and  literary  production  in  art  and  literature.  Nonetheless,  these  two  
texts,  in  actuating  this  act,  touch  upon  the  issues  of  resistance;;  such  that,  a  counter-­SHUIRUPDQFHDULVHVZLWKLQ%HFNHWW¶VWH[WZKLFKLQYLWHVWKH
UHDGHUWRUHDGWKHWH[WGLIIHUHQWO\2U,RQHVFR¶VWH[WGHSLFWVDFKDUDFWHUUHVLVWLQJDJDLQVWWKHP\VWHULRXVO\DWWUDFWLYHMRuissance-­like  harmony  of  
WKH UKLQRFHURVHV 5HVLVWDQFH EHFRPHV WKH VROH FKDUDFWHULVWLF HOHPHQW LQ WKH ³/LWHUDWXUH RI WKH $EVXUG´ %HVLGHV UHVLVWDQFH Fonstitutes   the  
absurd  nature  of  these  texts.  Both  the  notion  of  absurd  and  the  texts  of  the  Theatre  of  the  Absurd  are  embodied  by  resistances.    
 
-­III-­
 
6RIDUDVDFRQFOXVLRQZHFDQVD\WKDWWKHWHUPV³DEVXUG´DQG³DEVXUGLW\´UHVLVWVSURSHUDQGGLUHFWGHILQLWLRQDQGPHDQLQJDssignment.  These  
terms  cannot  be  attached  to   certain  referents  and  signifieds  whatsoever.   Secondly,  in   the  texts   which  Martin  Esslin   calls  as   the  texts  of  the  
Theatre  of  the  Absurd,[6]  either  the  narration  or  the  structure  of  the  literary  text  possesses  certain  kinds  of  resistances,   which  constitutes  the  
WH[WV¶DEVXUGLW\+HUHWKHWHUP³UHVLVWDQFH´needs  exploration.    
 
-­IV-­
 
Resistance against concretization$FFRUGLQJWR%ODQFKRW³:KDWPRVWWKUHDWHQVUHDGLQJLVWKHUHDGHU¶VUHDOLW\KLVSHUVRQDOLW\KLVLPPRGHVW\
his  stubborn  insistence  upon  remaining  himself  in  the  face  of  what  he  reads  ±  a  man  who  knows  in  general  how  to  read´>@$PDQZKRNQRZV
KRZWRUHDGLVDSHUVRQZKRLQWHQGVWRFRQFUHWL]HWKHWH[WGXULQJWKHSURFHVVRIUHDGLQJ%ODQFKRW¶VVWDWHPHQWLVDUHDFWLRQ against  reader-­
response   literary   criticism   which   encourages   the   reader   to   fill   in   the   blanks,   to   imagine   what   happens   in   a   literary   text   and   to   visualize   it.  
Contrarily,   one   can   argue   that   the   reader   should   be   blind   and   ignorant;;   the   reader   is   not   obliged   to   fill   in   the   blanks   since   the   reading   is  
accompanied  by  the  blanks  themselves.  Whenever  one  fills  in  the  blanks,  that  one  consumes  the  text.  
In  this  regard,   it  is  possible   to  read   Vladimir   as   the  metaphorical  manifestation  of  blind  reader   who  resists  concretization,   as  when  asked  to  
GHVFULEHKLVVXUURXQGLQJVKHUHSOLHV³,W¶VLQGHVFULEDEOH,W¶VOLNHQRWKLQJ7KHUHLVQRWKLQJ7KHUHLVDWUHH´>@9ODGLPLUUHVLVWVFRQFUHWL]DWLRQDQG
realizes  the  self-­ignorant  reader  who  voluntarily  blinds  itself  to  the  text.  
530  |  L e   N é a n t   d a n s   l a   P e n s é e   c o n t e m p o r a i n e  

,Q³5KLQRFHURV´ZKHQ-HDQDVNV%HUHQJHUZKDWKHWKRXJKWDERXWWKHUKLQRFHURVSDVVHGWKURXJKWKHVWUHHW%HUHQJHUUHSOLHV³:HOO«1RWKLQJ«
It   made   a   lot   of   dust´>@ 'HVSLWH DOO WKH FHDVHOHVV KXUULHV XQUHVWLQJ DUJXPHQWV DQG DODUPLQJ GLVFXVVLRQV UHJDUGLQJ WKH H[LVWHQFH RI WKH
rhinoceros,  Berenger  acts  neutral.  He  only  feels  ashDPHGIRUKHGLGQ¶WVKDYHWKDWPRUQLQJIRUKHUEHORYHG'DLV\>@%HUHQJHUFDQQRWQDUUDWH
the   event   properly,   since   he   is   not   interested   in   the   mystery   of   the   rhinoceros   as   the   others.   Contrarily,   Jean   represents   the   Nietzschean  
Übermensch,   who   intends   to   find   a   logical   explanation   for   every   event   happened   around   and   whose   life   is   organized   and   regulated   by   will-­
power.[11]    
In  this  regard,  the  scene  when  rhinoceros  passes  through  the  street  represents  a  gap  in  the  literary  text.  That  gap  is  alien  to  the  reader.  It  is  
IDVFLQDWLQJ,WVXQFDQQ\SUHVHQFHFRQVWLWXWHVDEODQNLQWKHQDUUDWLYHZKLFKVKRXOGQ¶WEHILOOHGLQVRWKDWWKHWH[WFRXOGfulfill  itself.  However,  the  
characters  except  Berenger  handle  the  mission  of  concretization  by  focusing  on  the  meaning  of  the  rhinoceros.  Since  they  cannot  achieve  a  
proper  explanation  despite  the  attempts  of  the  Logician,  they  all  turn  into  rhinoceroses.  They  do  concretize  the  gap  in  the  end,  by  dissolving  their  
existences  within  that  gap.  They  feel  they  have  to  concretize  the  text  no  matter  what;;  they  escape  the  meaninglessness  of  the  blank  in  the  text.  
The  only  way  to  escape  that  blank  zone  devoid  of  meaning  is  to  turn  into  one.    
 
-­V-­
 
7KH³JDS´DOVRFRQWDLQVSROLWLFDODQGVRFLDOFRQQRWDWLRQV,RQHVFRPHQWLRQVRI³UKLQRFHURVL]DWLRQ´DVIROORZV  
³«,ZDVDPD]HGWRZLWQHVVWKHWRWDOFRQYHUVLRQWRIDVFLVPRIHYHU\RQHDURXQGPH,WGLGQRWKDSSHQRYHUQLJKWRIFRXUVHLWZas  a  gradual  
process.  Little  by  little,  everyone  found  sufficient  reason  to  join  the  party  in  power.  You  would  run  into  an  old  friend,  and  all  of  a  sudden,  under  
\RXUYHU\H\HVKHZRXOGEHJLQWRFKDQJH«,ZDVWRUHPDLQDORQHZLWKP\RSLQLRQV´³,KDYHEHHQSUHVHQWDWPXWDWLRQV,KDYH seen  people  
WUDQVIRUPHGEHQHDWKP\H\HV«7KH\ORVWWKHLUSHUVRQDOLW\DQGLWwas  replaced  by  another.  They  became  other.´>@  
7KHSURFHVV,RQHVFRPHQWLRQVRILVWKH³WKLQJLILFDWLRQ´RIWKHVHOILGHQWLILFDWLRQZLWKWKHWKLQJIURPZKLFKWKHSHUVRQHVFDpes.  Berenger,  like  
Ionesco,  struggles  with  Nazification;;  hence  he  resists  againsWFRQFUHWL]DWLRQZKLOH%HUHQJHU¶VEHVWIULHQG-HDQWXUQVLQWRDUKLQRFHURVIRULQWKDW
FXOWXUDOHQYLURQPHQW³DQ\RQHZKRUHVLVWVFDQVXUYLYHRQO\E\EHLQJLQFRUSRUDWHG´>@,WLVWKHUKLQRFHURVL]DWLRQEULQJLQJ forth  the  issues  of  
politics  and  literature  together,  asserting  the  rejection  of  the  call  from  the  text  which  expects  from  you  to  accept  the  text  with  its  blanks.  In  that  
respect,  Berenger,  like  Vladimir,  represents  the  self-­forgetting  reader  who  resists  concretization.    
 
-­VI-­
 
Resistance against remembering & thinking,Q³:DLWLQJIRU*RGRW´(VWUDJRQDQG3R]]RUHSUHVHQWWKHEOLQGUHDGHUZKRFRQVWDQWO\IRUJHW
HYHU\WKLQJ3R]]RVD\V³,GRQ¶WUHPHPEHUKDYLQJPHWDQ\RQH\HVWHUGD\%XWWRPRUURZ,ZRQ¶WUHPHPEHUKDYLQJPHWDQ\RQHWRGD\6RGRQ¶W
count   on   me   to   enlighten   you.´>@ 0RUHRYHU *RGRW¶V PHVVHQJHU %R\ LV DOVR EOLQG VLQFH KH WHOOV 9ODGLPLU WKDW KH GRHVQ¶W UHFRJQL]H KLP
DOWKRXJKKHYLVLWHGKLPWKHGD\EHIRUH>@)XUWKHUPRUH9ODGLPLU¶VDQG(VWUDJRQ¶VWHQGHQF\IRUQRWWRWKLQNEHFRPHVDQLVVXH  of  self-­forgetting:  
³:H DUH LQ QR GDQJHU RI WKLQNLQJ DQ\PRUH7KLQNLQJ LV QRW WKH ZRUVW:KDW LV WHUULEOH LV WR KDYH WKRXJKW´>@ 6LQFH WKLQking   is   a   process  
associated  with  remembering  and  acting  rationally,  the  characters  prefer  not  to  think.  Nevertheless  they  act;;  however  as  Ionesco  suggests,  their  
actions  are  devoid  of  purpose.    
:KHQ%HUHQJHUWHOOV-HDQWKDWKHVRPHWLPHVZRQGHUVLIKHH[LVWV-HDQUHSOLHV³\RXGRQ¶WH[LVWP\GHDU%HUHQJHUEHFDXVH\RXGRQ¶WWKLQN
Start  thinking  then  you  will´>@:KLOH-HDQHPSKDVL]HVWKHSRZHURIKLVZLOOLQD1LHW]VFKHDQZD\IRU%HUHQJHU³OLIHLVDGUHDP´>@%HUHQJHU
H[SODLQVKLVDWWDFKPHQWWRDOFRKRODVIROORZV³,¶PFRQVFLRXVRIP\ERG\DOOWKHWLPHDVLILWZHUHPDGHRIOHDGRUDVLI,  were  carrying  another  
PDQRQP\EDFN,FDQ¶WVHHPWRJHWXVHGWRP\VHOI,GRQ¶WHYHQNQRZLI,DPPH7KHQDVVRRQDV,WDNHDGULQNWKHOHDGVOips  away  and  I  
UHFRJQL]H P\VHOI , EHFRPH PH DJDLQ´>@ %HUHQJHU DWWDLQV WKH HVVHQFH RI KLV H[LVWHQFH E\ IRUJHWWLQJ KLPVHOI   through   reaching   his  
unconscious.   He   always   escapes   from   the   acts   of   thinking   and   remembering.   In   other   words,   he   resists   against   his   consciousness,   which  
dictates   him   to   think   and   remember.   In   that   manner,   he   enters   in   the   realm   of   self-­forgetfulness   in   order   to   realize   his   essential   existence.  
Throughout  the  play,  Berenger  continues  to  be  self-­forgetting  by  refusing  to  remember  even  though  every  single  human  being   ±  obsessively  
emphasizing  logic  and  rationality,  turns  into  rhinoceroses.  
 
-­VII-­  
 
Resistance against language,Q³:DLWLQJIRU*RGRW´/XFN\XWWHUVDORQJVSHHFKZKLFKLVWRWDOO\QRQVHQVLFDO>@)LUVWO\/XFN\¶VPHDQLQJOHVV
speech   points   at   the   notion   of   pure   language   ZKLFK IRU %HQMDPLQ ³QR ORQJHU PHDQV RU H[SUHVVHV DQ\WKLQJ´>@ 6HFRQGO\ Where   exists   the  
suffering   of   language.   As   Lucky   kills   the   original   language   by   expressing   it   without   referring   to   a   particular   meaning,   not   only   he   frees   the  
language  from  the  illusion  of  reading  and  manifests  the  death  of  the  language[22]  but  also  his  expression  gives  an  idea  about  the  unreadibility  of  
WKH WH[W 8QUHDGLELOLW\ RI %HFNHWW¶V WH[W LPSOLHV WKDW WKH VLJQLILHU GRHVQ¶W FRUUHVSRQG WR D SDUWLFXODU VLJQLILHG 'XH WR WKH   disconnection   of   the  
reference  and  the  referent,  the  loss  of  origin  in  the  literary  text  takes  place.  
$QRWKHUFRPSRQHQWRIXQUHDGLELOLW\DQGGLVFRQWLQXRXVQDUUDWLYHLQ%HFNHWW¶VWH[WFRQVLVWVRIVLOHQFHV$FFRUGLQJWR(VVOLQ%eckett  devaluates  
WKHODQJXDJHLQRUGHU³to  communicate  the  incommunicable´>@%HFNHWWRFFDVLRQDOO\VXVSHQGV  the  narration  by  silences,  since  he  intends  to  
communicate  the  incommunicable.  The  author  lacks  in  possessing  the  text  by  illustrating  it  with  proper  discourses  and  rational  explanations;;  
hence   he   communicates   the   incommunicable   by   inviting   the   reader   to   take   part   within   the   text   so   that   the   text   could   realize   its   existence.  
Consequently,  the  text  proves  that  it  desires  the  reader.[24]  
Godot  is  incommunicable,  and  it  can  only  be  communicated  by  the  devaluation  of  the  language  and  the  loss  of  origin.  At  thiVSRLQW%HFNHWW¶VWH[W
LQYLWHVWKHUHDGHULQRUGHUIRUKLVWH[WWRUHDOL]HLWVH[LVWHQFH(YHQWXDOO\³VLQFHWKHUHDGHU³PDNHV´WKHERRNWKHZRUNbecomes  a  work  beyond  
WKHPDQZKRSURGXFHGLW´>@%HFNHWW¶VWH[WFRQWDLQVUHVLVWDQFHWRODQJXDJHZKLFK  aims  at  communicating  the  incommunicable  and  seeking  
active  participation  of  the  reader  within  the  realization  of  the  literary  text.  
 
 L e   N é a n t   d a n s   l a   P e n s é e   c o n t e m p o r a i n e  |  531  

 
-­VIII-­  
 
Resistance with language,QWHUPVRIWKHUHODWLRQEHWZHHQUHVLVWDQFHDQGODQJXDJH,RQHVFR¶VWH[WGLIIHUVIURP%HFNHWW¶V8QOLNH%HFNHWWLQ
SURGXFLQJ KLV WH[W ,RQHVFR GRHVQ¶W GHYDOXDWH WKH ODQJXDJH ,QVWHDG RI UHFRQILJXULQJ WKH ODQJXDJH LQ D QRQVHQVLFDO ZD\ ,RQHVFo   altogether  
abandons  language;;  since  at  the  end  of  the  play,  the  only  person  uttering  the  language  is  Berenger.  For  Esslin,  Ionesco,  the  persistent  critique  
RI%UHFKWZDV³postulating  a  far  more  radical  alienation  effect  as  he  argued  that  the  theatre  must  work  with  the  veritable  shock  tactics;;  reality  
itself,  the  consciousness  of  the  spectator,  his  habitual  apparatus  of  thought  ±  language  ±  must  be  overthrown,  dislocated,  turned  inside  out,  so  
that  he  suddenly  comes  face  to  face  with  a  new  perception  of  reality.´>@:KLOHLQ%HFNHWW¶VWH[WWKHODQJXDJHJHWVGLVWRUWHGIRUWKHUHDVRQ
regarding   a   signifieU QR ORQJHU FRUUHVSRQGLQJ WR D VLJQLILHG LQ ,RQHVFR¶V WH[W WKH ODQJXDJH LWVHOI LV RYHUWKURZQ LQ RUGHU WR DFKLHYH D WRWDO
DOLHQDWLRQHIIHFW,Q%HFNHWW¶VWH[WWKHUHVWLOOH[LVWVLJQLILHUVQRPDWWHUZKDWWKH\GRUHIHUWRSDUWLFXODUUHIHUHQWVRUQRt,  whereDVLQ,RQHVFR¶VWH[W
WKHDXWKRUJHWVULGRIHYHU\NLQGRIVLJQLILHUDQGVLJQLILHGH[FHSWIRU%HUHQJHU¶V  
In  the  end  of  the  play,  all  you  can  encounter  is  the  roaring  of  the  rhinos  and  there  is  no  one  left  to  make  sense  of  Berenger¶VXWWHUDQFHV'DLV\
tKHODVWFKDUDFWHUWRWXUQLQWRDUKLQRFHURVWHOOV%HUHQJHU³«We  must  try  to  understand  the  way  their  minds  work,  and  learn  their  language.´
%HUHQJHUUHSOLHV³7KH\KDYHQ¶WJRWDODQJXDJH/LVWHQ«'R\RXFDOOWKDWODQJXDJH"´>@'DLV\REMHFWVDQGILQDOO\she  turns  into  a  rhinoceros  
which   she   considers   to   be   like   Gods.[28]   In   the   final   scene   of   the   play,   Berenger   utters   a   long  triad,   in   which   he   asks   himseOI ³:KDW LV P\
language?  Am  I  talking  French?  Yes  it  must  be  French.  I  can  call  it  French  if  I  want,  aQGQRERG\FDQVD\LWLVQ¶W±  ,¶PWKHRQO\RQHZKRVSHDNV
LW´>@ 'HVSLWH WKH IDFW WKDW KH LV WKH RQO\ RQH WR KDYH D ODQJXDJH %HUHQJHU UHVLVWV DQG GHFLGHV QRW WR FDSLWXODWH>@ %HUenger   resists,   by  
holding  on  to  the  only  element  which  distinguishes  him  fURPWKHUHVWWKHODQJXDJH7KDWODQJXDJHPLJKWEH)UHQFKRU*HUPDQLWGRHVQ¶WPDWWHU
VLQFHWKHODQJXDJHWUDQVIRUPVLQWRWKH³SXUH´ODQJXDJH,Q,RQHVFR¶VWH[WWKHODQJXDJHHYROYHVZLWKLQWKHQDUUDWLRQLWEHFRmes  pure  language  
with  which  Berenger  resistVDJDLQVWUKLQRFHURVHV7KXV,RQHVFR¶VWH[WFRQVWLWXWHVDUHVLVWDQFHwith  language.    
 
-­IX-­  
 
Resistance and Lacanian jouissance:   The   unpredictability  of  jouissance>@ LVEURXJKWIRUZDUG LQ %HFNHWW¶V WH[W E\ WKHDLG RI WKHJDSVDV
silences,  actions  of  self   LJQRUDQWFKDUDFWHUVRUWKHLQFRQVLVWHQFLHVRIWKHQDUUDWLYH9ODGLPLUDQG(VWUDJRQ¶VDFW RIZDLWLQJLQWKHHQGRIERWK
VFHQHV UHIHUV WR WKH ³FRPSXOVLRQ WR UHSHDW´ LQ ZKLFK ERWK FKDUDFWHUV KDYH SOHDVXUH LQ WKH DFW RI ZDLWLQJ $FFRUGLQJ WR %DUWKHs,   a   state   of  
MRXLVVDQFHLVFUHDWHGZKHQRQHVHHNVRXWWKHUHDGHU³ZLWKRXWNQRZLQJZKHUHKHLV´>@(YHQWXDOO\WKHWZRQRW-­knowing  characters  are  in  a  
state  of  jouissance  throughout  the  play.  Besides,  silences  in  the  play  point  at  the  existence  of  jouissance;;  as  BarWKHVVXJJHVWVWKDW³SOHDVXUH
FDQEHH[SUHVVHGLQZRUGVMRXLVVDQFHFDQQRW´>@0RUHRYHURQHFDQDFKLHYHMRXLVVDQFHRQO\E\WKHDEUDVLRQVRUWKHJDSVLQthe  text,  similar  
WR%HFNHWW¶VVLOHQFHV>@  
In   Rhinoceros,   the   state   of   jouissance   should   be   explored   by   means   of   the   relations   between   the   characters.   Surely,   there   is   a   trace   of  
jouissance,  however  not  similar  to  the  ways   in   which  Beckett  devaluates  the  language.  As  I  discussed  earlier,  the  existence  of  a  rhinoceros  
UHSUHVHQWVD³JDS´LQDOLWHUDU\WH[W.  Furthermore,  the  metaphor  of  the  rhinoceros  has  its  political  and  social  connotations  regarding  the  spread  of  
Nazism.  If  one  considers  that  gap,  the  appearance  of  a  rhino,  as  a  possible  space  from  which  the  state  of  jouissance  might  arise,  it  is  inevitable  
to  speculate  that  the  ones  like  Jean,  Dudard  and  Logician  (symbols  of  utmost  rationality)  are  in  a  state  of  jouissance  in  their  rhino  states.  In  his  
WULDG%HUHQJHUDGPLWVWKDW³WKHLUVRQJLVFKDUPLQJ±  DELWUDXFRXVSHUKDSVEXWLWGRHVKDYHDFKDUP´>35]  Berenger  is  in  envy  of  their  state  of  
MRXLVVDQFH3UHYLRXVO\DVRSSRVHGWR'DLV\ZKRFODLPVWKDW³WKH\DUHVLQJLQJ´%HUHQJHUREMHFWV³7KH\DUHURDULQJ´>@'DLsy  is  fascinated  
with  the  singing  of  rhinoceroses  and  they  remind  her  of  Gods.[37]  In  an  oceanic  feeling  which  Daisy  cannot  resist,  she  turns  into  a  rhinoceros.  
2QWKHRWKHUKDQGWKHUHLVDYHU\FUXFLDOSRLQWWREHXQGHUVFRUHGDERXW%HUHQJHU¶VWUDQVIRUPDWLRQ,UUHVSRQVLEOHDQGXQFRQVFious  about  himself  
and  his  surroundings  in  the  beginning  of  the  play,  Berenger  develops  a  more  conscious  and  curious  approach  through  the  end;;  especially  visible  
GXULQJKLVGLDORJXHZLWK'XGDUG+HVD\VWR'XGDUG³Yes,  but  for  a  man  to  turn  into  a  rhinoceros  is  abnormal  beyond  question.´>@0RUHRYHU
Berenger  begins  to  think  and  argue  about  the  speculations  raised  by  Logician  regarding  the  species  of  the  rhinoceroses.[39]  Berenger  is  in  favor  
RI³DWWDFNLQJWKHHYLODWWKHURRWV´ZKLOH'XGDUGGLVDJUHHVDQGVD\V³:KRNQRZVZKDWLVHYLODQGZKDWLVJRRG",WLVMXVW  a  question  of  personal  
SUHIHUHQFHV´>@ ,Q WKH EHJLQQLQJ RI WKH SOD\ WKH RQHV OLNH -HDQ /RJLFLDQ DQG 'XGDUG ZHUH LQWHUHVWHG LQ ³DQDO\]LQJ´ WKH SKenomenon   of  
rhinoceroses  by  emphasizing  their  distinct  attributes  compared  to  those  creatures.  They  were  sure  of  their  humanness  and  they  intended  to  
construct  rhinoceroses  as  the  others.  As  evident  in  his  statement,  Dudard  performs  a  relativistic  approach  through  the  end  of  the  play,  when  the  
numbers  of  rhinos  increase  rapidly.  As  mentioned  earlier,  Dudard  is  about  the  thingify  himself,  to  get  incorporated;;  since  he  cannot  resist  the  call  
IURPWKH³JDS´FRQVWLWXWHGE\WKHH[LVWHQFHRIUKLQRV>@,QWKHPHDQWLPH%HUHQJHUEHFRPHVPRUHDZDUHRIKLPVHOIDQGKLVKXmanness;;  he  is  
no  longer  self-­forgetting  individual.  When  Berenger  thinks  about  his  past  relations  with  his  friends  who  turned  into  rhinoceroses,  Daisy  reacts:  
³«7KHUH LV QR SRLQW LQ UHSURDFKLQJ \RXUVHOI QRZ 6WRS WKLQNLQJ DERXW DOO WKRVH SHRSOH )RUJHW DERXW WKHP <RX PXVW IRUJHW DOO   those   bad  
memories.  Berenger:  But  they  keep  coming  back  to  me.  They  are  very  real  memories´>@  
Evidently,  the  source  of  jouissance  as  rhinoceros  has  a  transformative  effect.  It  takes  a  rational,  logical  person  who  believes  in  the  Nietzschean  
will-­power,  constantly  tending  to  think  and  remember,  and  turns  that  individual  into  a  rhinoceros  who  sings  in  pleasure.  Rhinoceros  symbolizes  
the  gate  to  jouissance.  It  is  powerful,  it  provokes  people.  On  the  other  hand,  resisting  against  this  provocation  brings  forth  the  conversion  of  self-­
IRUJHWWLQJSHUVRQLQWRDFXULRXVFRQVFLRXVEHLQJZKRGHFLGHVWRVWUXJJOHZLWKZKDWKHFDOOVWKH³HYLO´,QWKDWUHJDUGWXUQing  into  a  rhinoceros  is  
a  positive  event.    
However,  as  stated  earlier,  what  Ionesco  means  by  rhinocerosization  is  the  rapid  Nazification  of  the  country.  This  determines  the  point  at  which  
MRXLVVDQFH RYHUODSV ZLWK )DVFLVP +HQFH RQH FDQ VSHFXODWH RQ WKH QRWLRQ RI D ³SROLWLFDO MRXLVVDQFH´ D FROOHFWLYH DFW RFFXUULng   in   the   social  
space,  which  reveals  an  extreme  amount  of  enjoyment  on  the  individuals.  Additionally,  it  is  not  surprising  that  both  the  notion  of  jouissance  and  
Nazism  is  somehow  related  to  death.  
 
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-­X-­  
 
%HFNHWW¶VWH[WFXOWLYDWHVDGHYDOXDWHGODQJXDJHZLWKUHVSHFWWRUHVLVWDQFHDJDLQVWFRQFUHWL]DWLRQUHPHPEUDQFHWKHDct  of  thinking  and  the  very  
ODQJXDJHLWVHOI$OORIWKHVHDVSHFWVFRQVWLWXWHKLVWH[W¶VDEVXUGQDWXUH9ODGLPLUDQG(VWUDJRQQHHGQ¶WVHHNVXUYLYDOLQVXLcide  since,  as  Camus  
stated,  life  no  longer  means  something.  Besides,  when  asked  what  was  meant  by  GodoW6DPXHO%HFNHWWDQVZHUV³If  I  knew,  I  would  have  said  
so  in  the  play.´>@%HFNHWWLVQRGLIIHUHQWWKDQ9ODGLPLUKHYROXQWDULO\SUHIHUVQRWWRNQRZKRZWRUHDGWKLQNDQGKRZWRZULWH/XFN\¶Vtriad  is  
one  exception;;  in  order  to  produce  a  nonsensical  utterance,  Beckett  should  consciously  separate  the  utterances  that  make  sense  from  the  ones  
ZKLFKGRQ¶WPDNHVHQVH+HKDVWRNQRZUHJXODWHDQGFRQWURO/XFN\¶VWULDGVRWKDWWKHXWWHUDQFHVGRQ¶WFRUUHVSRQGWRSDUWLFXlar  references.  
Hence,  in  producing  a  distorted  language,  as  a  writer  he  is  in  his  most  conscious  state.  This  is  not  a  criticism  of  Beckett;;  it  is  his  contribution  
which  points  at  the  paradox  of  togetherness  of  language  and  non-­language.  Such  that,  in  order  to  represent  silences,  the  author  has  to  write  
³VLOHQFH´ DQG KH HYHQWXDOO\ IDLOV WR HVFDSH ODQJXDJH 'HVSLWH DOO WKH HIIRUWV RI SUHVHQWLQJ D QRQ-­language   ±   devaluated,   distorted   one   -­,   the  
author  should  pay  attention  to  the  language;;  there  is  no  non-­language  without  language.  However,  this  doeVQ¶WPHDQWKDW%HFNHWWIDLOVDVKLV
text  acknowledges  the  togetherness  of  non-­language  and  the  language,  one  can  suggest  that  he  points  out  the  absurd  nature  of  the  language  
itself.  
7KH RQO\ SRLQW ZKLFK GLIIHUHQWLDWHV ,RQHVFR IURP %HFNHWW LV WKDW ,RQHVFR¶s   text   progressively   constitutes   the   resistant   act   with   language;;   not  
DJDLQVWODQJXDJHDVGHSLFWHGLQ%HFNHWW¶VWH[W,RQHVFR¶VWH[WLVLQWHUHVWHGLQSROLWLFVKRZHYHURQHFDQQRWFODLPWKDWLWLV  political.  In  a  grotesque  
way,  Ionesco  illustrates  Nazification  of  the  continent  in  his  text.  It  is  catastrophic;;  contains  critiques  of  rationalism,  Nietzscheanism,  Nazism  and  
even  Sartrerian  existentialism  but  the  way  the  text  performs  itself  as  opposed  to  the  phenomenon  of  rhinocerosization  is  unconventional;;  thus  
anti-­political.  Instead  of  suggesting  a  new  path  way  for  the  struggle  against  Nazism  and  all  others,  Ionesco  respectively  eliminates  all  possible  
performances   which   would   emerge   as   a   reaction   against   rhinocerosization.   The   moment   when   Daisy   and   Berenger   were   about   to   consider  
JHWWLQJPDUULHGDQGKDYLQJFKLOGUHQVRWKDWWKH\FRXOGUHVLVWDJDLQVWWKRVHZHLUGFUHDWXUHV,RQHVFRGRHVQ¶WOHWKLVWH[WWRdisplay  an  Adam  &  
Eve  story  in  the  end.  Instead  of  challenging  Nazism  on  political  realms,  Ionesco  accentuates  the  catastrophe  against  which  Berenger  struggles  
to  resist  all  alone.  The  catastrophe  reveals  itself  with  the  existence  of  a  pure  language.  That  pure  language  is  at  the  same  time  dead,  since  no  
one  speaks  or  understands  it  except  for  Berenger.    
As  one  lDVWUHPDUNLQVSLWHRIP\VSHFXODWLRQVRQWKHZD\VLQZKLFKMRXLVVDQFHH[LVWVLQ,RQHVFR¶VWH[WWRJHWKHUZLWK%HFNHWW¶VWH[t,  they  can  
both   be   read   as   texts   of   jouissance ZKLFK LPSRVHV D VWDWH RI ORVV GLVFRPIRUWV XQVHWWOHV WKH UHDGHU¶V KLVWRULFDO FXOtural,   psychological  
DVVXPSWLRQVWKHFRQVLVWHQF\RIWKHUHDGHU¶VWDVWHVYDOXHVPHPRULHVDQGEULQJVWRDFULVLVWKHUHDGHU¶VUHODWLRQZLWKODQJXage.[44]  
 
 L e   N é a n t   d a n s   l a   P e n s é e   c o n t e m p o r a i n e  |  533  

NOTES:
 
>@&DPXV¶DEVXUGLW\LPSOLFDWHVWKHLPSRVVLELOLW\RINQRZLQJ7KHUHIRUHRQHKDVQRRSWLRQ  other  than  voluntarily  blinding  him/herself  to  what  Camus  calls  meaning.  Camus,  Albert.  
³7KH0\WKRI6LV\SKXVDQG2WKHU(VVD\V´1HZ<RUN9LQWDJH,QWHUQDWLRQDOS  
>@(VVOLQ0DUWLQ³7KH7KHDWUHRIWKH$EVXUG´1HZ<RUN9LQWDJH%RRNVS  23  
[3]  Ibid.,  p.  23  
[4]  Ibid.,  p.  23  
[5]  Ibid.,  p.  26  
>@0DUWLQ(VVOLQLVILUVWWRFRLQWKHWHUP³$EVXUG´7KHDWUHLQKLVERRNSXEOLVKHGLQ³7KH7KHDWUHRIWKH$EVXUG´  
>@%ODQFKRW0DXULFH³&RPPXQLFDWLRQDQGWKH:RUN´7KH6SDFHRI/LWHUDWXUH7UDns.  Ann  Smack.  Lincoln  and  London:  University  of  Nebraska  Press,  1982.  p.  198  
>@%HFNHWW6DPXHO³:DLWLQJIRU*RGRW´/RQGRQ)DEHUDQG)DEHUS  
>@,RQHVFR(XJHQH³5KLQRFHURV7KH&KDLUV7KH/HVVRQ´/RQGRQ3HQJXLQ%RRNVS  
[10]  Ibid.,  p.  34  
[11]  Ibid.,  p.  12  
>@&/DPRQW5RVHWWH³,RQHVFR¶V,PSHUDWLYHV7KH3ROLWLFVRI&XOWXUH´8QLYHUVLW\RI0LFKLJDQ3UHVVS-­138  
>@$GRUQR7KHRGRU: +RUNKHLPHU0D[³'LDOHFWLFRI(QOLJKWHQPHQW´&DOLIRUQLD6WDQIRUG8QLYHUVLW\3ress:  2002.  p.  104  
>@%HFNHWW6DPXHO³:DLWLQJIRU*RGRW´/RQGRQ)DEHUDQG)DEHUS  
[15]  Ibid.,  p.  84  
>@(VVOLQ0DUWLQ³7KH7KHDWUHRIWKH$EVXUG´1HZ<RUN9LQWDJH%RRNVS  
>@,RQHVFR(XJHQH³5KLQRFHURV7KH&KDLUV7KH/HVVRQ´/RQGRQ3HQJXLQ%RRNVS  
[18]  Ibid.,  p.  20  
[19]  Ibid.,  p.  24  
>@%HFNHWW6DPXHO³:DLWLQJIRU*RGRW´/RQGRQ)DEHUDQG)DEHUS-­37-­38  
>@%HQMDPLQ:DOWHU³7KH7DVNRIWKH7UDQVODWRU$Q,QWURGXFWLRQWRWKH7UDQVODWLRQRI%DXGHODLUH¶V7DEOHDX[3DULVLHQV´,Q,OOXPLQDWLRQV(G+DQQDK$UHQGW7UDQV+DUU\=RKQ
New  York:  Schocken  Books,  1968.  p.  80  
>@GH0DQ3DXO³7KH5HVLVWDQFHWR7KHRU\´0LQQHDSROLV8QLYHUVLW\RI0LQQHVRWD3UHVVS  
>@(VVOLQ0DUWLQ³7KH7KHDWUHRIWKH$EVXUG´1HZ<RUN9LQWDJH%RRNVS  
>@%DUWKHV5RODQG³7KH3OHDVXUHRIWKH7H[W´7UDQV5LFKDUG0LOOHU1HZ<RUN+LOO :DQJS  
>@%ODQFKRW0DXULFH³&RPPXQLFDWLRQDQGWKH:RUN´7KH6SDFHRI/LWHUDWXUH7UDQV$QQ6PDFk.  Lincoln  and  London:  University  of  Nebraska  Press,  1982.  p.  194  
>@(VVOLQ0DUWLQ³7KH7KHDWUHRIWKH$EVXUG´1HZ<RUN9LQWDJH%RRNVS  
>@,RQHVFR(XJHQH³5KLQRFHURV7KH&KDLUV7KH/HVVRQ´/RQGRQ3HQJXLQ%RRNVS  
[28]  Ibid.,  p.  121  
[29]  Ibid.,  p.  122  
[30]  Ibid.,  p.  124  
>@%DUWKHV5RODQG³7KH3OHDVXUHRIWKH7H[W´7UDQV5LFKDUG0LOOHU1HZ<RUN+LOO :DQJS  
[32]  Ibid.,  p.  4  
[33]  Ibid.,  p.  21.  
[34]  Ibid.,  p.  9-­10-­11  
>@,RQHVFR(XJHQH³5KLQRFHURV7KH&KDLUV7KH/HVVRQ´/RQGRQ3HQJXLQ%RRNVS  
[36]  Ibid.,  p.  121  
[37]  Ibid.,  p.  121  
[38]  Ibid.,  p.  98  
[39]  Ibid.,  p.  100  
[40]  Ibid.,  p.  93  
>@,QRQHRIKLVLQWHUYLHZV,RQHVFRVDLGWKDW³'XGDUGLV6DUWUH´³)RU,RQHVFR6DUWUH¶VIDLOXUHWRGHQRXQFH  WKHH[LVWDQFHRIWKHJXODJVVPDFNHGRIUKLQRFHULWLVRIWKH/HIW´&
/DPRQW 5RVHWWH ³,RQHVFR¶V ,PSHUDWLYHV 7KH 3ROLWLFV RI &XOWXUH´ 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 0LFKLJDQ 3UHVV  S   
>@,RQHVFR(XJHQH³5KLQRFHURV7KH&KDLUV7KH/HVVRQ´/RQGRQ3HQJXLQ%ooks,  2000.  p.  113-­114  
>@(VVOLQ0DUWLQ³7KH7KHDWUHRIWKH$EVXUG´1HZ<RUN9LQWDJH%RRNVS  
>@%DUWKHV5RODQG³7KH3OHDVXUHRIWKH7H[W´7UDQV5LFKDUG0LOOHU1HZ<RUN+LOO :DQJS  
 
 
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Adorno,  Theodor  W.  &  Horkheimer,  Max.  ³'LDOHFWLFRI(QOLJKWHQPHQW´&DOLIRUQLD6WDQIRUG8QLYHUVLW\3UHVV  

%DUWKHV5RODQG³7KH3OHDVXUHRIWKH7H[W´7UDQV5LFKDUG0LOOHU1HZ<RUN+LOO :DQJ%HFNHWW6DPXHO³:DLWLQJIRU*RGRW´/RQGRQ)DEHUDQG)DEHU  
Benjamin,  :DOWHU³7KH7DVNRIWKH7UDQVODWRU$Q,QWURGXFWLRQWRWKH7UDQVODWLRQRI%DXGHODLUH¶V7DEOHDX[3DULVLHQV´,Q,OOXPLQDWLRQV.  Ed.  Hannah  Arendt.  Trans.  Harry  Zohn.  New  
York:  Schocken  Books,  1968.  
%ODQFKRW0DXULFH³&RPPXQLFDWLRQDQGWKH:RUN´7KH6SDFH  of  Literature.  Trans.  Ann  Smack.  Lincoln  and  London:  University  of  Nebraska  Press,  1982.  
&/DPRQW5RVHWWH³,RQHVFR¶V,PSHUDWLYHV7KH3ROLWLFVRI&XOWXUH´8QLYHUVLW\RI0LFKLJDQ3UHVV  
&DPXV$OEHUW³7KH0\WKRI6LV\SKXVDQG2WKHU(VVD\V´1HZ<RUN9LQWDJH,QWHUQDWLRQDOGH0DQ3DXO³7KH5HVLVWDQFHWR7KHRU\´0LQQHDSROLV8QLYHUVLW\RI0LQQHVRWD
Press,  1986  
(VVOLQ0DUWLQ³7KH7KHDWUHRIWKH$EVXUG´1HZ<RUN9LQWDJH%RRNV  
,RQHVFR(XJHQH³5KLQRFHURV7KH&KDLUV7KH/HVVRQ´/RQdon:  Penguin  Books,  2000