EXPLORING EXISTENTIALISM ON STAGE: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TWO CLASSICS

Abstract

In the aftermath of World War II and amidst the escalating global tensions, existentialism, pessimism, and nihilism pervaded the intellectual landscape, significantly influencing the trajectory of modern drama. As social contradictions deepened between Britain and America, a fresh and illuminating dramatic style known as "The Theatre of the Absurd" emerged. Coined by critic Martin Esslin in his influential 1960 essay, this movement introduced a profound shift in theatrical expression. The Theatre of the Absurd encompasses a genre of plays rooted in absurdist fiction, predominantly crafted by European playwrights during the late 1950s. It also characterizes the evolving theatrical style that emerged from their collective efforts. These works delved into the repercussions of human existence devoid of meaning or purpose, leading to the breakdown of all communication. Paradoxically, this artistic movement sought to awaken audiences to the pursuit of the opposite. In this context, rational discourse and structured argumentation gave way to irrational, illogical speech, ultimately culminating in silence. Renowned playwrights hailed as masters of The Theatre of the Absurd include Samuel Beckett, Eugène Ionesco, Jean Genet, Harold Pinter, Luigi Pirandello, Tom Stoppard, Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Miguel Mihura, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Fernando Arrabal, Václav Havel, Edward Albee, and Badal Sarkar. Among these luminaries, American playwright Samuel Beckett and British-born Irish playwright Edward Albee made an indelible mark on the theatrical world when they simultaneously unveiled their groundbreaking dramas, "Krapp's Last Tape" and "The Zoo Story," at Berlin's Schiller Theater in 1959.