beckett (1).ppt

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I. Introduction

A. Becketts Life

1. His Irish ness

2. His novels and early writing

3. His work with Joyce

4. After the WarHis Plays


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B. Becketts Ideas

1. The absurdthe illusion of reason

2. The Voidthe illusion of faith

3. Humor and the dignity of humanity

4. Loneliness and love


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C. Philosophical Background to

Waiting for Godot

1. Effects of World War II (62 millionpeople killed [37.5 million in WWI]; 12million in concentration camps; atomicbomb and the promise of annihilation)

a. Shock and disillusion

b. Alienation and anxiety

c. Loss of faith

d. Pessimism
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/theatre_journal/v051/full/51.2pr_beckett_fig01f.jpg


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C. Philosophical Background

2. Existentialism4. Humanitys only chance at dignity lies in:

the courage to face the truth, that we are alonein an uncaring universe

the courage to face the fact / possibility thatlife is meaningless and yet to still go on

--I cant go on; I must go on; Im going

on.

-- the courage and dignity of Sisyphus when at thetop of the hill he sees the rock roll back and realizeshis meaninglessness and yet still goes down to set towork again.


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3. The Paradox of Consciousness

There are two possible interpretations of theexistence of human consciousness:

a. A divine gift, fire of the gods, part ofthe divine plan, consciousness brings usall our joy (love, art, etc.)

b. A cosmic joke, consciousness was

never intended for humans and brings usonly suffering, pain, and the existence ofevil.


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D. Theatre of the Absurd

1. Existentialist Theatre

(No Exit by Sartre)

absurd content but

rational form orpresentation

2.

Theatre of the Absurdform and content merge

to form a truer art


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A. Major Themes (cont)

4. Passing the

time

5. the world

as waste-

land

6. Lack of communicationnothing is

worth communicating or can becommunicated, but we cant stop talking


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A. Major Themes (continued)

7. The social theme (Pozzo and Lucky=theoppressed and oppressor;

Lucky carries his own whip)

8. Psychological Theme

a. loss of memory=loss of meaning

b. lack of self-awareness

c. our cosmic insignificance

d. the pain and curse of consciousness


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A. Major Themes (continued)

9. The Religious Theme

a. No personal god

b. No Savior

c. No Redemption


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B. Characters

1. Vladimer (Didi)

2. Estrogon

(Gogo)


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B. Characters (continued)

3. Pozzo

4. Lucky


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B. Characters

5. the boy

6. Godot


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C. Setting

1. The place

2. The time


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D. Symbols, Style, Literary

Techniques

1.

2.

3.


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D. Symbols, Style, and Literary

Techniques

4.

5.

6.

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