The Cambridge Companion to Beckett (Cambridge Companions to Literature)

This book provides thirteen introductory essays on every aspect of the work of Samuel Beckett, paying particular attention to his most famous plays (e.g. Waiting for Godot and Endgame) and his prose fictions (e.g. the "trilogy" and Murphy). Further essays tackle his radio and television drama, his theater directing and his poetry, followed by more general issues such as Beckett's bilingualism and his relationship to the philosophers. A chronology of Beckett's life, a list of French and English titles and a list for further reading provide additional reference material. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 5 Series-title......Page 6 Title......Page 7 Copyright......Page 8 Contents......Page 9 Contributors......Page 11 Preface......Page 15 NOTES......Page 16 Chronology of beckett's life......Page 17 Abbreviations......Page 23 A note on titles......Page 24 1 An endgame of aesthetics: Beckett as essayist......Page 27 NOTES......Page 41 RECOMMENDED READING......Page 42 2 Beckett's English fiction......Page 43 RECOMMENDED READING......Page 66 3 Three novels and four nouvelles: giving up the ghost be born at last......Page 69 NOTES......Page 90 RECOMMENDED READING......Page 91 4 Waiting for Godot and Endgame: theatre as text......Page 93 NOTES......Page 111 RECOMMENDED READING......Page 112 5 Stages of identity: from Krapp's last tape to Play......Page 114 NOTES......Page 129 RECOMMENDED READING......Page 130 'TEXTS FOR NOTHING'......Page 132 'HOW IT IS'......Page 136 1 Showing how it is......Page 139 2 How it began......Page 142 NOTES......Page 146 On 'Texts for nothing'......Page 148 On 'How it is'......Page 149 7 The mediated Quixote: the radio and television plays, and Film......Page 150 THE RADIO PLAYS......Page 152 'FILM'......Page 160 THE TELEVISION PLAYS......Page 163 NOTES......Page 168 RECOMMENDED READING......Page 169 BECKETT'S 'DRAMATICULES': THE DYING AND THE GOING......Page 171 THE WOMEN COME AND GO TALKING OF . . .......Page 173 GODFORSAKEN HOLE......Page 176 THE R.I.P. WORD......Page 181 TO HELL OUT OF THERE......Page 185 NOTES......Page 188 RECOMMENDED READING......Page 190 9 Disabled figures: from the Residua to Stirrings still......Page 193 NOTES......Page 207 RECOMMENDED READING......Page 208 10 Beckett's poems and verse translations or: Beckett and the limits of poetry......Page 210 RECOMMENDED READING......Page 221 11 Samuel Beckett as director: the art of mastering failure......Page 222 NOTES......Page 232 RECOMMENDED READING......Page 233 12 Beckett's bilingualism......Page 235 RECOMMMENDED READING......Page 246 13 Beckett and the philosophers......Page 248 NOTES......Page 263 RECOMMENDED READING......Page 265 FURTHER READING......Page 267 Collections of essays......Page 268 Books with chapters on Beckett......Page 269 INDEX OF WORKS BY BECKETT......Page 271 GENERAL INDEX......Page 273 This Book Provides Thirteen Essays On Every Aspect Of The Work Of Samuel Beckett. An Endgame Of Aesthetics : Beckett As Essayist / Rupert Wood -- Beckett's English Fiction / John Pilling -- Three Novels And Four Nouvelles : Giving Up The Ghost Be Born At Last / Paul Davis -- Waiting For Godot And Endgame : Theatre As Text / Michael Worton -- Stages Of Identity : From Krapp's Last Tape To Play -- Beginning Again : The Post-narrative Art Of Texts For Nothing And How It Is / H. Porter Abbott -- The Mediated Quixote : The Radio And Television Plays, And Film / Jonathan Kalb -- Dead Heads : Damnation-narration In The Dramaticules / Keir Elam -- Disabled Figures : From The Residua To Stirring Still / Andrew Renton -- Beckett's Poems And Verse Translations Or : Beckett And The Limits Of Poetry / Roger Little -- Beckett As Director : The Art Of Mastering Failure / Anna Mcmullan -- Beckett's Bilingualism / Ann Beer -- Beckett And The Philosophers / P.j. Murphy. Edited By John Pilling. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 241-244) And Indexes. The world fame of Samuel Beckett is due to a combination of high academic esteem and immense popularity. An innovator in prose fiction to rival Joyce, his plays have been the most influential in modern theatre history. As an author in both English and French and a writer for the page and the stage, Beckett has been the focus for specialist treatment in each of his many guises, but there have been few attempts to provide a conspectus view. This book, first published in 1994, provides thirteen introductory essays on every aspect of Beckett's work, some paying particular attention to his most famous plays (e.g. Waiting for Godot and Endgame) and his prose fictions (e.g. the 'trilogy' and Murphy). Other essays tackle his radio and television drama, his theatre directing and his poetry, followed by more general issues such as Beckett's bilingualism and his relationship to the philosophers. Reference material is provided at the front and back of the book