The document discusses how Harold Pinter's play "The Birthday Party" was influenced by the Theatre of the Absurd movement. Some key aspects of the Absurd are presented including the idea that life is meaningless and purposeless. Important plays and playwrights of this movement are mentioned like Beckett, Ionesco, and Genet. The summary then analyzes how the play incorporates elements of the Absurd through its broad comedy, menacing effects, hopeless characters, and ambiguous/mysterious elements. It also notes how identities seem to shift and contradict in the play.

1. Influence of ‘Theatre of Absurd’ on play
‘The Birthday Party’

2. INDEX
• INTRODUCTION
• What is Theatre of Absurd ?
• According to Martin Esslin
• Important plays and play writers of this
type’s
• Absurdity in The Birthday Party
•

3. Theater of the Absurd, term used to identify a
body of plays written primarily in France from
the mid-1940s through the 1950s.
 The term "absurd" was originally
used by Albert Camus in his 1942
essay “Myth of Sisyphus,” wherein
he described the human condition
as “meaningless and absurd.”
Albert Camus
“Myth of Sisyphus”

4. No
Beginning
No Middle
No End
The Absurd TheatreWhat is Theatre of Absurd ?
Difficult to Justify – what is
going on

5. Continue…

6. World is without meaning & life is without purpose.
Associated with Existentialism.

7. • The
Balcony
• The
Birthday
Party
• The Bold
Soprano
• Waiting
For Godot
Smauel
Beckett
Eugene
Lonesco
Jean
Genet
Harold
Pinter
Important plays and play writers of this type’s
These works usually employ illogical situations, unconventional dialogue,
and minimal plots to express the apparent absurdity of human existence.

8. Broad
comedy
Menacing
and tragic
effect
Hopelessness
and
Fragmentation
in characters
Ambiguity
and
Mystery
Shifting
Identities
Absurdity in
The Birthday
Party

9.  He is the artist who had rebelled against the mode of
life which society tries to impose upon its members,
but the pressures of society make the artist conform to
the prevailing social manners and mores.
 Society could not tolerate the free-thinking
individualistic artist because it saw him as a threat to
its own stability. Society symbolized by Goldberg and
McCann has destroyed the artist’s individuality.

10.  Mainly it is found in the characters of Meg, Stanley and Lulu.
“Meg: Stan! I'm coming up to fetch you if you don't come
down! I'm coming up! I'm going to count three! One!
Two! Three! I'm coming to get you! (She exits and goes
upstairs. In a moment, shouts from STANLEY, wild
laughter from MEG)”
“Meg: What are the cornflakes like, stanley?
Stanley: Horrible.”
Broad Comedy

11.  Frightening effect we find very much as it is “Comedy of Menace” also.
 In movie background sounds play vital role for it.
 In movie we have many dialogues and scenes such as Blindmen’s Buff
scene( Menace) and Interrogation scene (tragic element).
 Very much use of screaming and shouting in the play.
Menacing and tragic effect
Life under the Constant Shadow of Fear and Menace

12.  In almost every character we find a kind of
disappointment and complain from life.
 Meg keeps on running meaningless conversations like
“how is cornflakes ?” or “didn’t you enjoy your breakfast
?”etc. It is perhaps to fill the emptiness within her.
 And Petey’s indifferent silence.
 Lulu’s frustration comes out when the dialogue between
her and Goldberg occurs.
Hopelessness and fragmentation in characters

13. Ambiguity and Mystery
Stanley’s past is
so Mysterious
Goldberg and
McCann way of
asking questions
to Stanley
Kafka’s work
intensifies the
dreadful angst
experienced by the
protagonist

14. Shifting Identities : Contradictions : Identities
remains unclear
Benny
Simey
Nat
Dermot ( In talking with Petey)
Semus (In talking with McCann