1 / 6

Theatre of the Absurd & Existentialism

Theatre of the Absurd & Existentialism. Theatre of the Absurd. Works depict the absurdity of human existence The efforts of humanity to find meaning in the universe will ultimately fail No such meaning exists – in relation to humanity Individual is isolated

whitley
Télécharger la présentation

Theatre of the Absurd & Existentialism

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Theatre of the Absurd & Existentialism

  2. Theatre of the Absurd • Works depict the absurdity of human existence • The efforts of humanity to find meaning in the universe will ultimately fail • No such meaning exists – in relation to humanity • Individual is isolated • Humans historically attempt to find meaning in their lives • They can find life meaningless and what we have is the here and now; OR • They can fill the void with a purpose set forth by a higher power • Suicide is a solution when confronted with living a life devoid of all purpose

  3. Albert Camus • Camus – Absurdity is a conflict between two ideals • Human condition is absurd – Man’s quest for significance v. cold, silent universe • Specific human experiences evoke notions of absurdity • Such an encounter with the absurd leaves the individual with a choice: • Suicide • Life is too much • Offers way out of absurdity • Leap of faith • Act with the strength of the absurd • Deceiving the self • Intellectual laziness • Acceptance • Man embraces his own absurd condition • Individuals are truly free to create their own meaning • The individual is the most precious unit of existence

  4. Camus’ Absurd Hero • Man can either act as a mystic or an absurd hero • Mystic – appeals to some supernatural force • Absurd hero • A revolt against the hope of a supernatural force • Refusal to hope allows him to live in the present with passion

  5. Sartre , Kierkegaard & Nietzsche • Nietzsche – Proclaimed the death of God • Sartre – The absurdity of individual experience • Saw rationality as a form of "bad faith“ - an attempt by the self to impose structure on a world of phenomena • “Bad faith" hinder us from finding meaning in freedom • Kierkegaard • Deep anxiety of human existence — the feeling that there is no purpose • Absurdity of certain religious truths prevent us from reaching God rationally • There is no human-comprehensible purpose of God • Faith in God is absurd

  6. Existentialism • Philosophical movement that claims that individual human beings have full responsibility for creating the meanings of their own lives • People make decisions based on what has meaning to them rather than what is rational • Central idea: Existence precedes essence • One is not bound by the generalities and definitions of what “being human” connotes • This is a reversal of what Aristotle believed

More Related