1. Theatre of the Absurd Absurdism and Existentialism

2. The aftermath of World War II increased by the Cold War. The atrocities of the Nazi concentration camps. The Allies’ atomic bomb. Questions a world that could let this happen Questions the meaning of existences. Historical background Only Connect... N Directions The nuclear bombing of Hiroshima, 1945 The infamous entrance to Auschwitz.

3. Absurd dramatists View life as meaningless or absurd—it makes no sense Believe in an absence of values and Christian absolutes Emphasize personal feelings over moral values Shows the human condition as one of confusion and chaos Explores the barrenness of life

4. Theatre of the Absurd Celebrates the breakdown of language and communication Empty phrases prevent communication and destroy the sense of personal identity. This is especially true in the plays of Ionesco

5. Major playwrights Samuel Beckett Major plays: WAITING FOR GODOT EndGame Happy Days “We are all born mad. Some remain so.” ― Samuel BeckettSamuel Beckett

6. Eugene Ionesco Major Plays include: The Bald Soprano The Chairs The Lesson Rhinoceros Logician: A cat has four paws. Old Gentleman: My dog had four paws. Logician: Then it's a cat. Old Gentleman: So my dog is a cat? Logician: And the contrary is also true.Logician: A cat has four paws. Old Gentleman: My dog had four paws. Logician: Then it's a cat. Old Gentleman: So my dog is a cat? Logician: And the contrary is also true.”

7. Existentialism questions Existence—what is it and what defines it?

8. Jean Paul Sartre and Existentialism Jean Paul wrote many plays, books, and essays. Most famous play is No Exit “Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does.”