Stephen
Sharpe
Understanding
Lit
Dr.
Ellis
Absurdity
The absurd seems to be a common
theme in literature, probably becuase it is easily relatable in life. On the surface,
most events that occur in life seem to be random and meaningless. No human
being on Earth is a stranger to the feelings of emptiness and meaninglessness
that life offers when it seems absurd. The absurd is relatable, and
illustrating the absurd not only helps the reader laugh, it points out flaws in
society and human nature. The plays “Waiting for Godot” and “Twelfth Night”
both illustrate the absurd to force the audience to think about a larger point.
I watched the play “Waiting for
Godot” last Friday. It was a very unique play, and I do not think that I have
seen anything else like it. The existential atheist Albert Camus had inspired
the playwright, and his influence was clearly seen in the play. The entire play
was a meaningless, frivolous conversation between two men who were “waiting for
Godot.” Godot had promised them that they could live in his mansion, but he
never arrived to pick them up. The two men were waiting for their life to
change, instead of being the change in their own lives. The two men often said
to each other throughout the play: “Lets go!” “We can’t” “Why not?” “We are waiting
for Godot!” These men were so thoroughly bored with their lives, yet they could
not do anything except wait to be saved from themselves.
The play humorously illustrated that
man’s quest for meaning in a meaningless world is simply absurd. By “absurd”
the playwright did not mean stupid or silly, but “out of place.” The play was
designed to make audience realize that making one’s own meaning in a
meaningless world is tantamount to saying “lets pretend life has meaning.” Man
is forced to look outside himself to be saved from his meaninglessness, but
according to the play, there is no salvation. Godot never arrived to pick up
the men, and they ended up committing suicide out of despair. Similarly in
“Twelfth Night,” Shakespeare also illustrates the absurd to send a message.
In “Twelfth Night” there are plenty
of scenes in which the audience probably found themselves chuckling from the
visible absurdity. Viola finds herself in love with the Duke, The Duke is
hopeless in love with Olivia, and Olivia is in love with Cesario (Viola). This
humorous and absurd love triangle illustrates that love is a confusing force
that can never be completely rationalized or contained. In addition, the
general feeling of confusion the characters have throughout the play point to
the conclusion that life is sometimes incomprehensible. Malvolio also finds
himself in the center this absurdity when he is duped into thinking that that
Olivia is in love with him. He then finds himself smiling awkwardly around her
and wearing mismatched socks to please her. However, he ultimately finds
himself in a cell for insanity. The humorous nature of his absurd actions illustrates
that even the most reasonable people can find themselves face to face with the
ridiculous.
In conclusion, both “Waiting for
Godot” and “Twelfth Night” illustrate absurdity to send a message. The
message of “Waiting for Godot” is that trying to find meaning in a meaningless
life is absurd. The message of “Twelfth
Night” is that love is a complicated, and sometimes an absurd element in life.
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