Reassessing the Theatre of the Absurd : Camus, Beckett, Ionesco, Genet, and Pinter

Fifty years after the publication of Martin Esslin’s The Theatre of the Absurd, which suggests that “absurd” plays purport the meaninglessness of life, Michael Y. Bennett’s Reassessing the Theatre of the Absurd is a timely reassessment of one of the most important theatre “movements” of the 20th century. Bennett argues that these “absurd” plays are, instead, ethical texts that suggest how life can be made meaningful. Analyzing the works of five major playwrights/writers of the 1950s (including three winners of the Nobel Prize in Literature), Bennett’s work challenges fifty years of scholarship though his upbeat and hopeful readings. Fifty Years After The Publication Of Martin Esslin's The Theatre Of The Absurd, Which Suggests That Absurd Plays Purport The Meaninglessness Of Life, This Book Is A Timely Reassessment Of One Of The Most Important Theatre Movements Of The 20th Century. The Author Argues That These Absurd Plays Are, Instead, Ethical Texts That Suggest How Life Can Be Made Meaningful. Analyzing The Works Of Five Major Playwrights/writers Of The 1950s (including Three Winners Of The Nobel Prize In Literature), The Author's Work Challenges Fifty Years Of Scholarship Through His Upbeat And Hopeful Readings. Introduction : Reassessing The Theatre Of The Abusrd -- The Parable Of Estragon's Struggle With The Boot In Waiting For Godot -- The Pinteresque Oedipal Household : The Interrogation Scene(s) In The Birthday Party -- The Parable Of The White Clown : The Use Of Ritual In Jean Genet's The Blacks : A Clown Show -- Berenger, The Sisyphean Hero -- Conclusion : Theorizing A Female Absurd In Beth Henley's Crimes Of The Heart As A Means Of Reassessing The Theatre Of The Absurd. Michael Y. Bennett. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 Introduction: Reassessing the Theatre of the Absurd 12 Chapter 1 The Parable of Estragon’s Struggle with the Boot in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot 38 Chapter 2 The Pinteresque Oedipal Household: The Interrogation Scene(s) in The Birthday Party 64 Chapter 3 The Parable of the White Clown: The Use of Ritual in Jean Genet’s The Blacks: A Clown Show 82 Chapter 4 Berenger, The Sisyphean Hero 100 Conclusion: Theorizing a “Female Absurd” in Beth Henley’s Crimes of the Heart as Means of Reassessing the Theatre of the Absurd 112 Addendum #1: Defining the Parable 120 Addendum #2: Parables in Drama 136 Notes 146 Bibliography 178 Index 188 Introduction : reassessing the theatre of the absurd The parable of Estragon's struggle with the boot in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot The Pinteresque Oedipal household : the interrogation scene(s) in The birthday party The parable of the white clown : the use of ritual in Jean Genet's The blacks : a clown show Berenger, the Sisyphean hero Conclusion : theorizing a "female absurd" in Beth Henley's Crimes of the heart as a means of reassessing the theatre of the absurd. Fifty years after the publication of Martin Esslin's The Theatre of the Absurd, which suggests that 'absurd' plays purport the meaninglessness of life, this book uses the works of five major playwrights of the 1950s to provide a timely reassessment of one of the most important theatre 'movements' of the 20th century