The Theatre of the Absurd & Important Facts

A Brief Introduction

The word ‘ABSURD’ is a philosophical term applied to drama. It was first used in certain philosophical context by Albert Camus who was an Absurd and Extentionlist. It appeared in his collection of essays titled “The myth of sisyphus’ (1942). This particular application of this philosophical term to drama was the invention of Martin Esslim’ is his book “The Theatre of the Absurd‘ (1961). The Angry of Absurd drama reached the English Stage after the decline of the poetic drama. It was the angry drama which made the more immediate impact. on the English theatre. It dates from the first performance of look back in Anger at the Royal court theatre. In the nesat decade, Harold Pinter, Arnold wesker, and John Arden also joined the Theatre of the Absurd. Characteristics or the theatrical Features of “the theatre of the Absurd.”

Important Facts to Remember

1. The mechanical nature of people’s lives may lead them to question the value and purpose of their existence.

2. The recognition that time is a destructive force.

3. A sense of being left in an alien world.

4. A sense of isolation from other things.

5. The Theatre of the absurd is, therefore, involved in the problems. of life, death, isolation and communication.

6. In an Absurd drama, the hero suffers from the of absurdity. He is presented as a mechanical puppet and individual trapped in society, trying to find a meaning through the methods of myth and ritual, but doomed to failure.

7. An Absurd drama has no story or plot; it has neither a beginning nor an end it is not a mirror of the age; it is rather a reflection of dreams and nightmares. It has no pointed of dialogues; it rather consists incoherent babblings.

8. Thus the absurd drama is one of the ways of facing upto a universe that has lost its meaning and purpose. Its role as satirical because it criticises society that is petty and dishonest.

9. John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger opened a new period in modern drama. Harold Painter’s dramatic work is named as comedy of menac and its allied with the theatre of the Absurd.