Theatre of Absurd
Dr. Md Naushad Alam
Assistant Professor
P. G. Dept. of English
MMHAPU
INTRODUCTION
 Theatre of Absurd is a new form of Drama.
 It originated in France.
 Its name was coined by Martin Iselin in his book by the same
name in 1961.
 Dramatists of the Theatre of the Absurd engaged in creating
extremely grotesque plays both in form and contents.
 This kind of Drama reveals the conditions of human beings’
existence in modern society.
 Tragic theme is expressed with a comic form in Theatre of Absurd.
 The chief practioners of this genre are Samuel Beckett, Eugene
Ionesco, Jean Genet, Arthur Adamov, Harold Pinter
MAIN FEATURES
Anti-character
characters with the sense of absurdity and tries to dig out their
hopelessness to life and society.
Anti-language
language has no fixed or settled form and regularities.
protagonists speak or talk in disorder.
Anti-drama
Form of Theatre of the Absurd is difficult to understand.
Anti-plot
Plot is an indispensable constituent part of drama. The plot of
the Theatre of the Absurd is fractured and scattered.
THEME
According to Jiang Zhu “the existence of human being is full of suffering,
cruelty and danger. Such existence forms an atmosphere of the
devaluation of life in modern society. Facing this atmosphere, human
beings lose themselves in it. Gradually, they feel lonely, frightened and
despairing. Emptiness therefore becomes the true essence of their daily
lives. Isolation and absurdity gradually fill their minds.” The Theatre of the
Absurd actually reflects the reality of life in a bleak society.
Therefore, the following are Main themes:
a)
b)
c)
d)
The Crisis and Cruelty of Human Beings
The Dissimilation of the Society
The Meaninglessness of the Existence of Human Beings
The Isolation among People
CONCLUSION
 Theatre of the Absurd reflects the dissimilation of the society.
 In such kind of society, people are quite cruel to others and cause crisis
in the society.
 People find that their lives are meaningless and they isolate themselves
with the society.
 The Theatre of the Absurd is a mirror to reflect the western world after
World War II.
The end.