Playwrights / Dramatists - 05 - Samuel Beckett (1906-1989)

Samuel Beckett the most influential dramatist of the 20th century, was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1906.

After basic education in two public schools in Dublin, he attended the famous Trinity College there.

After graduation he taught literature at colleges in Ireland. Next he moved to France and settled in Paris. There he met James Joyce the Irish novelist and they were close friends. Beckett often helped Joyce, who was nearly blind, by taking dictation and copying out portions of Joyce’s books. Apart from that, Beckett liberally gave financial assistance to the fellow countrymen who was nearly a pauper.

Beckett worked for the French army in its resistance to German occupation. He also served with the Irish Red Cross.

After the war, Beckett wrote his most famous play ‘Waiting for Godot’ (1953). The play is regarded as the cornerstone of what is called ‘theatre of the absurd’ a kind of drama that illustrates life’s supposed futility with formless and plotless plays.

The first line of ‘Godot’ is ‘Nothing to be done’ and nothing really happens in the play. Two people await the arrival of someone who never appears. To Beckett this pointless waiting is an experience that captures life’s essence.

Many 20th century writers focus on the minds of their characters to find the essence of reality and truth. But Samuel Beckett differs from them, because he denies the existence of absolute universal reality.

According to Beckett, the only thing that humankind can be sure of is, that it exists. His work is free of abstraction like truth and beauty, goodness and evil. Beckett aims to communicate an experience, but not find meaning in it. His work is often linked to the ‘Theatre of the Absurd’ with its repetitive, inventive language and obsession with futility and meaninglessness.

Beckett published a volume of verse first and it was titled ‘Whoroscope’. His first novel was ‘Murphy’ (1938), ‘Waiting for Godot’, ‘Endgame’ and ‘Happy Days’ are his long plays. ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’, ‘Not I’ and ‘Footfalls’ are his short plays.

Beckett’s other novels include the ‘Unnameable’, ‘Malone Dies’ and ‘Molloy’.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969.

Samuel Beckett passed away in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1989.

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