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Cover of The theatre of the absurd

The theatre of the absurd

Martin Esslin · 1961 · Book

A groundbreaking critical study that captures the disorienting spirit of post-war European drama. Essential reading for anyone fascinated by how theatre abandoned logic to explore the human condition.

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  1. Le mythe de Sisyphe

    Camus's essay on the absurd is the philosophical foundation Esslin builds upon throughout his critical study.

    Albert Camus · 1941 · Book

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  2. Alfred Jarry, nihilism and the theater of the absurd

    LaBelle traces the genealogy of absurdist theatre back through Jarry, extending Esslin's historical argument.

    Maurice Marc LaBelle · 1980 · Book

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  3. Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder

    Brecht's play exemplifies the anti-naturalist theatrical innovation that Esslin positions as absurdism's predecessor and context.

    Bertolt Brecht · 1949 · Book

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  4. Journal du voleur

    Genet's transgressive narrative prose shares the absurdist sensibility Esslin identifies across drama, poetry, and fiction.

    Jean Genet · 1949 · Book

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