1923-27: Attended Trinity College, Dublin, studying Modern Languages (French & Italian) graduating with BA first class, and awarded the gold medal. 1927 - 28: worked as a teacher of French & English at Campbell College, Belfast. Followed by École Normale Supérieure in Paris.
MODERNISM
Beckett was part of the literary movement called Modernism.
Modernism is a series of reforming cultural movements in art, architecture, literature and applied arts which emerged in the three decades before 1914.
Beckett's work represents the most sustained attack on the realist tradition.
He opened up the possibility of drama and fiction that gets rid of the conventional plot and the ideas of time and place in order to focus on essential components of the human experience.
His work is stark, minimalist and deeply pessimistic according to sand critics about the understanding of being a human.
Theatre Of Absurd
Named by critic Martin Esslin, after title of his 1962 book of same subject.
Movement designated for plays written by mostly European playwrights in late 1940s/50s/60s, along with the style of theatre evolved from their work.
Originates from Dadaism, nonsense poetry and avant-garde art.
The FIVE defining playwrights of this movement are: Eugene Lonesco, Jean Genet, Arthur Adamor, Harold Pinter, and Samuel Beckett.
Members of the group were not always entirely comfortable with the term, and often refered to themselves as 'Anti-theatre' or 'New Theatre'
Most famous and controversial absurdist play is Waiting for Godot, by Samuel Beckett.
Absurd Theatre is intended to shock the audience
I think picking up from Beckett we should try and shock the audience. I don't think anything should be held back regardless to how we think the audience might perceive it
