This document provides an overview of the Theatre of the Absurd genre and analyzes Samuel Beckett's play Waiting for Godot through this lens. Some key points: - The genre originated in the 1950s-60s and was coined by Martin Esslin to describe plays presenting an absurdist view of human existence as meaningless. - Absurdist plays like Waiting for Godot lack traditional plot structures and have nonsensical, repetitive dialogue and cyclical actions without resolution. They reflect the absurdity and alienation of post-WWII society. - Godot in particular examines themes of meaningless, nothingness, isolation, and the futility of human existence through Vladimir and Estragon's endless waiting for

1. Topic- What is the Theatre of the Absurd?
Explained with the reference of Waiting
for Godot
• Prepared by: Arati R. Maheta,
• Roll No.2,
• M.A Part-2 :(Batch:2013-15),
• Semester : 3,
• Submitted to: Department Of English
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji
Bhavnagar University
 Email id :davearati656@gmail.com
 Year: 2014

2. Origin
• The term was coined by the Critic Martin
Esslin,who made it the title of his 1962 book on the
subject.
• This type of play first become popular during the
1950s &60s.
• Which presented on the stage the philosophy
articulated by French philosopher Albert Camus in
his essay The myth of Sisyphus.
• In which he defines the human condition as
basically meaningless.

3. Sisyphus defied the god and put death in
chains so that no human needed to die.
When god decide on his punishment for
all eternity. He would have push a rock up
a mountain upon reaching the top the
rock would roll down again.

4. • ‘’ what is called a reason for living is also an excellent
reason for dying.’’
• Albert Camus, Myth of Sisyphus
• ‘’The mod of ‘’absurdist play’’ is tragicomedy.
Nothing is funnier than unhappiness…it’s the most
comical thing in the world’’ -
‘Endgame' by Samuel Beckett
Esslin cites William Shakespeare as an influence on
this aspect of ‘’Absurd drama’’.
E.g.
Ionesco’s Macbett
Stoppard’s Rosencrantz& Guildenstern Are Dead.

5. Important plays and play writers of this type’s
• The
Balcony
• Birthday
Party
• The Bald
Soprano
• Waiting
for Godot
Samuel
Beckett
Eugene
Ionesco
Jean
Genet
Harold
Pinter
• Picnic on
the Battle
field
• The
visit
• The Zoo
story
• Rosencrantz
&
Guildenstern
Are Dead
Tom
Stoppard
Edward
Albee
Fernando
Arrabal
Fredric
Durrenma
tt

6. Main features of the Theatre of the Absurd in
Waiting for Godot
1) Meaningless of Life:
Theatre of the Absurd presented the life as meaningless and
one that could simply end in casual slaughter. This was
reflected in the society of the time. It was because of the
following reasons:
(A)Mechanical nature of Man of the Life
(B) Alien worlds
(C)Time
(D)isolation

7. • 2. Lack of the Plot:
• Absurd play have lack of the plot.
• There is the great deal of the repetition in action
and language
• Ex. It lacks the traditional standards of drama, no
causal chain of effects and events, no Aristotle’s
structure of play/drama,

8. • 3. Non Conventional Story:
• Theatre of the absurd have not the conventional
story which can convince the readers or viewers.
• Ex. In this play Estragon& Vladimir always waiting
for the man namely Godot who never come.
• 4) contradiction and repetition of the dialogues
• Ex. We’re waiting for Godot (pg-51)
Boy: I don’t know sir:
• repetition of the objects
Ex.

9. 5. Devaluation of The Language:
• The absurd dramatist felt that conventional
language had failed man and it was inadequate
means of communication. The uselessness of
language was used by the characters constantly, they
speak in clichés ,overused, tired expressions.
• Ex. Lucky’s speech in Act-1 (quaquaquaquaqua)

10. • 6. Cyclical Structure:
• Absurd play has a repetitive cyclical structure.
• Similar setting- Debris
• Timing- day to moon rise
• Actions- hat Swapping scene
• Similar Acts structure
• Same acts ending

11. 7.Difference from Poetic Theatre:
No use of dreams, fantasy and poetic language.
8.Element of Existentialism: ( nothingness)
a) Absurd theatre question the existence of man.
Absurdist believe in the godless world.(World war-2)
‘’the air is full of our cries’’
b) Human existence has no meaning and purpose.
‘’ The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but
in finding something to live for’’
Fyodor Dostoyevsky

12. • 11. Cut off from religion:
• society of that time was cut off from religion. It was
presented in absurd play.
• Ex. In this play Vladimir& Estragon talks bout the
thieves that were crucified with Christ just for passing
time.
• The tree is symbol of Christianity
• . The TREE was symbol of CHRISTIANITY
• ‘’ Religion enables us to ignore nothingness and to get
with the jobs of life’’’(john Updike)

13. • 12. Absurd Ending:
• Absurd play has ‘’unexplained
• Hope ,religion nothingness, forgetfulness,
purposelessness' of man
• Ending is not Conclusion