Theatre of the Absurd Mount Vernon Nazarene 荒诞派戏剧弗农山拿撒勒.pptVIP

Theatre of the Absurd Theatre of the Absurd Began in post WW II Europe Grew out of the existentialist viewpoint Prominent existentialist thinkers Jean Paul Sartre –Albert Camus Modern dramatists who adhere to existentialism View life as meaningless Believe in an absence of values and Christian absolutes Emphasize personal feelings over moral values Theatre of the Absurd Portrays no values as being worthy of commitment Celebrates the breakdown of language and communication Empty phrases prevent communication and destroy the sense of personal identity. Theatre of the Absurd Deliberately baffles the audience Usually lacks dramatic conflict and sequential plot Albee varies from this somewhat Shows the human condition as one of confusion and chaos Explores the barrenness of life Theatre of the Absurd Form of play Interruption Discontinuity Incongruity Senseless logic Senseless repetition Theatre of the Absurd Shows man without a basis for meaning in life Gives an accurate picture of 20th century life without God The Sandboxp. 1056 By Edward Albee (1928 - ) Plot: Identify conflicts Person vs. person Mommy vs. Daddy (power) Grandma vs. Mommy Person vs. self Granny: “I can’t get up” Angel of Death/Young Man can’t remember lines Person vs. environment Daddy is cold Granny is kept “under the stove” Thunder and darkness Person vs. God God is either absent or personified in the angel—no conflict Setting: a sandbox Hostile and friendly at once A beach becomes a grave Doubles as scene of Grandma’s 2nd childhood and her death Sand also stands for the desert Signifies the barrenness of modern civilization Characterization(closely tied with symbolism) Young Man Athletic Movie Actor Angel of death Mommy Dominating Selfish dutiful Daddy Passive Sensitive to cold Feels compassion Characterization Granny Authentic In second childhood Perceptive Soured on life Musician Annoying Obligatory Symbolism Young Man Represents illusion Handsome and friendly outside, empt