8/13/2019 Paralela Samuel Beckett, Eugen Ionescu, Pinter

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Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter and

Eugen Ionescu

Samuel Beckett (13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989), Harold i!ter (10 "ctober 1930 – 2#

December 2008) a!d $u%e!e &o!e'co (26 oember 1909 – 28 *arc+ 199#) ere t+ree

-amou' aa!t.%arde pla/ri%+t' a!d al'o 'ome o- t+e -oremo't -i%ure' o- t+e +eatre o- t+e

Ab'urd, +ic+ i' co!'idered b/ ma!/ critic' to be t+e mo't importa!t t+eatrical p+e!ome!o!

o- t+e 20t+ ce!tur/ but +ic+ a' at -ir't co!'idered a t+reat to t+eater it'el- $e! i- t+e/ ere

comi!% -rom di--ere!t e!iro!me!t', t+e/ all +ad a pro-ou!d e--ect o! t+e orld o- drama

Harold i!ter a!d $u%e!e &o!e'co became part o- t+e moeme!t t+at a' i!'pired b/ Beckett

a!d became k!o! a' t+e +eater o- t+e Ab'urd

&o!e'co a' bor! i! Slati!a, oma!ia, but lied mo't o- +i' li-e i! ra!ce, 4u't like +i'

co!temporar/, Beckett, +o a' bor! i! Dubli!, &rela!d A' a di--ere!ce betee! t+em, e

could 'a/ t+at &o!e'co 'pe!t mo't o- +i' c+ild+ood i! ra!ce a!d, +ile t+ere, +ad a!

e5perie!ce +e claimed a--ected +i' perceptio! o- t+e orld more 'i%!i-ica!tl/ t+a! a!/ ot+era!d +e co!ti!ued to retur! to oma!ia -or !umerou' rea'o!' Beckett moed perma!e!tl/ to

ari' i! 193 a-ter +e 'pe!t to /ear' i! 7o!do! it+out a 'tead/ 'ource o- i!come a!d

a--ected b/ depre''io! He le-t &rela!d becau'e +e a' u!+app/ it+ t+e academic li-e He

+ad to -lee ari' i! 19#2 a-ter t+e outbreak o- orld ar &&, but at t+e e!d o- t+e ar +e

retur!ed to ari' ari'ia! 'ce!e a' a la!dmark -or t+e ork o- bot+ aut+or', a!d al'o a ba'e

-or dramatic moder!i'm a!d it' ba'ic directio!' +e/ bot+ rote t+eir ork' i! to

la!%ua%e' re!c+ a!d oma!ia! -or &o!e'co a!d re!c+ a!d $!%li'+ -or Beckett +e/

'tudied re!c+ i! u!ier'it/ a!d orked a' re!c+ teac+er' -or a '+ort time Beckett a!d

&o!e'co ere co!'idered 'ome o- t+e mo't i!-lue!tial riter' o- t+e +eatre o- t+e Ab'urd

$''li! called t+em :ab'urd; ba'ed o! Albert <amu'= co!cept o- t+e ab'urd, clami!% t+at t+e/

 better captured t+e mea!i!%le''!e'' o- e5i'te!ce i! t+eir pla/' t+a! i! ork b/ <amu' orSartre

A!ot+er re'embla!ce betee! t+e to co!temporar/ riter' a' t+at pla/' ere !ot t+eir

-ir't c+oice, 'o t+e/ rote t+eir -ir't pla/' late &o!e'co 'tarted riti!% poetr/ a!d critici'm a'

:u; a!d :Hu%oliade;, a!d +i' -ir't pla/, rote i! 19#8, a' ba'ed o! +i' e5perie!ce o-

lear!i!% $!%li'+ u'i!% t+e A''imil met+od, +ic+ did !ot orked -or +im becau'e +e -elt t+at

+e a' rat+er di'coeri!% 'ome a'to!i'+i!% trut+', but +ic+ 'udde!l/ 'truck +im a' bei!% a'

'tupe-/i!% a' t+e/ ere i!di'putabl/ true or Beckett a' a little di--ere!t Hi' -ir't riti!%'

ere a critical e''a/ :Da!te> Bru!o ?ico @o/ce; a!d a '+ort 'tor/ :A''umptio!; Duri!%

+i' brie- i'it i! Dubli! i! 19#, +e +ad a reelatio! +i' e!tire -uture directio! i! literature

appeared to +im Beckett +ad -elt t+at +e ould remai! -oreer i! t+e '+ado o- @o/ce, certai!

to !eer be't at +i' o! %ame Hi' reelatio! prompted +im to c+a!%e directio! a!d toack!oled%e bot+ +i' o! 'tupidit/ a!d +i' i!tere't i! i%!ora!ce a!d impote!ce :& realied

t+at @o/ce +ad %o!e a' -ar a' o!e could i! t+e directio! o- k!oi!% more, bei!% i! co!trol o-

o!e=' material He a' ala/' addi!% to itC /ou o!l/ +ae to look at +i' proo-' to 'ee t+at &

realied t+at m/ o! a/ a' impoeri'+me!t, i! lack o- k!oled%e a!d i! talki!% aa/, i!

'ubtracti!% rat+er t+a! addi!%;

Alt+ou%+ &o!e'co k!e Beckett a!d +o!ored +i' ork, t+e re!c+ %roup o- pla/ri%+t'

a' -ar -rom a! or%a!ied moeme!t e%ardi!% t+e +eatre o- t+e Ab'urd, t+e to aut+or'

did !ot !ece''aril/ u'e t+e 'ame t+eme' or de'cribe t+em i! t+e 'ame a/, but mo't o- t+e

'tudie' me!tio! t+at t+e %e!eral idea' o- t+e !e t/pe o- t+eater are lo!eli!e'', pai!, t+e

ab'urd o- +uma! co!'ciou'!e'', but al'o t+e lack o- commu!icatio! o- t+e la!%ua%e, t+e

reli%io! a!d time +e perceptio! o- li-e a' a poi!tle'', ab'urd a!d +eartbreaki!% e5i'te!ce i!

t+at time did !ot repre'e!t a !e idea i! literature or p+ilo'op+/, !ot ee! i! t+eatre +e

8/13/2019 Paralela Samuel Beckett, Eugen Ionescu, Pinter

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tra%ic o- t+e e5ceptio!al +uma! bei!% become' i! t+e !e t/pe o- t+eater a collectie tra%ic o-

+uma!it/, becau'e t+e ab'urd i' related to all o- u', more or le'' ime i' o!e o- t+e e!emie'

o- !oada/' people t+e c+aracter', t+eir actio!', t+e ait or t+e moe are time.co!'umi!%

Deat+ i' le'' i!tere'ti!% a' a! ee!t t+e! a' a proce'' i! t+e +eater o- t+e Ab'urd &!

&o!e'co=' a!d Beckett=' pla/', deat+ i' pro%re''ie, ee! i- it i' a lo!% -i!al a%o!/, or t+e

+ole e5i'te!ce i' u!der'tood a' a +ard a!d cruel 4our!e/ leadi!% to deat+ +ere are

obiou'l/ 'ome e5ceptio!', o!e o- t+em i' -ou!d i! o!e o- &o!e'co=' pla/', +ere deat+ i'

due to a iole!t actio!<ompared to Beckett, +o'e c+aracter' are ala/' tra%ic or comic, &o!e'co bri!%' comic

c+aracter' built caricatural, it+ 'tra!%e a!atom/ +e problem it+ -amilial relatio!'+ip i!

moder! orld built t+e 'tarti!% poi!t -or a lot o- pla/' ritte! b/ t+e to aut+or' +e -ailure

o- +uma! relatio! could !ot aoid t+e -amilial co!te5t +e -amilial co!-lict lo'e' all comic

acce!t i! Beckett=' pla/'C t+e &ri'+ aut+or ca!!ot or ould !ot treat it+ +umor, like &o!e'co,

t+e -ailure o- t+e -amilial relatio!'+ip' or i!di--ere!ce

$u%e!e &o!e'co a!d Samuel Beckett ere bot+ married a!d +ad c+ildre! a!d a-ter deat+

t+e/ ere buried i! *o!tpar!a''e cemeter/ it+ t+eir ie' Some o- t+e mo't importa!t

ork' o- &o!e'co are +e Bald Sopra!o, +e Submi''io!, +e 7e''o!, +e <+air',

Salutatio!', ?ictim' o- Dut/, a!d -rom Samuel Beckett are *urp+/, *ollo/, aiti!% -or

odot, Ho it i', att, $!d%ame a!d +e E!!amableHarold i!ter a' bor! i! $a't 7o!do! a!d u!like Beckett, +e +ad a bi% i!tere't i! t+eatre

-rom t+e be%i!!i!% a!d +e +ad 'tudied acti!% at o/al Academ/ o- Dramatic Art' a!d t+e! at

<e!tral Sc+ool o- Speec+ a!d Drama So, +e a' -ir't o- all a! actor, a!d t+i' a' o!e o- t+e

mai! di--ere!ce' betee! +im, Beckett a!d &o!e'co &! 190', +e be%a! to rite -or t+e 'ta%e

a!d a' me!tio!ed be-ore, +e a' a' ell i!'pired b/ Beckett i! +i' ork Hi' be't.k!o!

 pla/' i!clude +e Birt+da/ art/, +e Homecomi!%, Betra/al, +e <aretaker, +e Sera!t,

+e 7oer, A Sli%+t Ac+e

i!ter a!d Beckett '+ared 'ome c+aracteri'tic' o- t+eir ork or e5ample, t+e/ did !ot

 proide a!/ ratio!al motiatio! -or t+e actio!' o- t+eir c+aracter' a!d t+e e!d o- t+eir pla/' i'

ambi%uou', ope! to i!terpretatio! or it+ !o -i!al 'olutio! +eir ork a' +i%+l/

appreciated b/ t+e critic' a!d t+e/ o! t+e obel rie i! 7iterature, i!ter i! 200 a!d

Beckett i! 1969, i! additio! to all t+e ot+er' !otable aard' t+e/ o!

&! Harold i!ter=' pla/', t+e 'etti!% i! u'uall/ a 'i!%le room +o'e occupa!t' are e!%a%ed

i! a 'tru%%le -or 'urial or ide!tit/, +ile bei!% t+reate!ed b/ u!de-i!ed -orce' o- people

+e room, +ic+ '+ould repre'e!t t+eir re-u%e a%ai!'t a +o'tile orld, %raduall/ become' a

+orrible place +at i' %oi!% o! out'ide or belo t+e 'ur-ace o- +at i' actuall/ '+o! i'

deliberatel/ le-t ob'cure Beckett, i! +i' 'ub'eFue!t ork', co!ti!ued to pu'+ t+e bou!darie'

o- pla/riti!% &! +i' ork', i! +ic+ t+ere i' almo't !o c+aracteri'atio!, or plot, or -i!al

'olutio!, +ae dark a!d recurri!% t+eme' ma!=' 'tru%%le a%ai!'t t+e -utilit/ o- li-e, +i' 'e!'e

o- lo!eli!e'' a!d boredom, a!d t+e impo''ibilit/ o- e'tabli'+i!% commu!icatio! it+ ot+er'

&! Beckett=' pla/', lo!el/ people e5i't i! %loom/, empt/, alie! e!iro!me!t' +e/ are paral/'ed b/ t+eir +ope a!d i!abilit/ to take actio! +eir alie!atio! i' e5pre''ed i! co!ci'e,

'/!copated la!%ua%e t+at doe' !ot +elp t+em to ac+iee mea!i!%-ul commu!icatio!

Beckett u'ed i! +i' ork' t+e i!terior mo!olo%ue tec+!iFue, +ic+ depict i! ariou' a/

t+e +opele'' a!%ui'+ o- i!diidual' trapped i! %rote'Fue 'ituatio!' i!ter a' i!oled i!

 politic' a!d 'eemed to e5pre'' ambiale!ce, bot+ i!di--ere!ce a!d +o'tilit/, toard' political

'tructure' a!d politicia!' He +ad bee! a! earl/ member o- t+e <ampai%! -or uclear

Di'armame!t a!d al'o +ad 'upported t+e Briti'+ A!ti.Apart+eid *oeme!t +e'e are 4u't a

-e e5ample' o- +i' political actiit/ oer t+e /ear'

&! co!clu'io!, $u%e!e &o!e'co, Samuel Beckett a!d Harold i!ter ere be't.k!o! -or

 bei!% ma'ter' o- t+e +eatre o- Ab'urd, eac+ o- t+em improed t+e 't/le i! +i' o! a/, put

t+eir touc+ o! t+e orld o- drama a!d t+eir dedicated ork +ic+ a' aarded i! t+eirli-etime a!d 'till i' appreciated b/ t+e critic' a!d !ot o!l/