Andre Gide and Samuel Beckett

Andre Gide

            Authenticity hidden beneath masks of conventionality.

            People do what is accepted by society and hide behind rules and regulations.

            Heavily inspired by Nietzsche and other existentialists.

                        Absolute freedom

            Sought freedom, and rejection of what is feeble and inadequate.

            Two works most highlight existentialist philosophy and concept of authenticity

 Les Nourritures terrestres(1897)  L'Immoraliste(1902)

                        Wife Madeleine frequently inspired the virtuous, spiritual heroine.

            Les Nourritures terrestres

                        The fruits of the earth

                        Poetic work

Three characters: the narrator, Menalque, and Nathanael.

Two lessons:

                        Avoid families, rules, and stability

                        Seek adventure and excess.

                        “Seek love not affection”

                        Advocates liberations through hedonism

L'Immoraliste

The Immoralist, vaguely autobiographical.

Novel expressing the same themes as fruits of earth

Michal, wealthy archeologist falls ill. While recovering he discovers a thirst for freedom. Rejected the morals and attitudes he was brought up on.                                                                        Wife falls ill and dies while Michal pursuing freedom. She felt rejected by his pursuit.

Open, ambiguous ending. Neither condemns or condones Michal’s behavior.

Posses dilemma. Reflects Gide’s life long struggle

rejecting convection and pursue freedom vs  the expectations of those close to you. Find balance.

La Porte étroite(1909)

            Straight is the gate, modeled after his wife

            Reveals flaws of the other extreme.

Devoting self to purity and spirituality leaves you wasted and empty in the face of a godless existence

            Les Caves du Vatican(1914)

The Vatican Swindle

Reveals ridiculousness of complacency in religion and other rigid systems and hierarchies

Rejects relativism and chance and the psychological insistence of motivated action with emphasis on absolute freedom. Reflecting influences of Nietzsche Dostoevsky.

Authenticity Gide

Reject the norms and identities imposed by society. Pursue pleasure in the most extreme way possible. Don’t settle for lesser emotions and pleasures.

Samuel Beckett

            Impossible to define yourself

Attempting to view yourself splits self in two. Observer and observed. Subject and Object.

            Waiting for Godot

Characters Estragon and Vladimir represent all of humanity.

                                    Represent a master/slave friendship.

                        Pozzo and Lucky represent a literal master/slave relationship.

                                    Lucky slave to pozzo

Represented by being literally tied to Pozzo. Two ropes, ridiculously long and ridiculously short.

            Aptly named, lucky because free of expectation and choice.

                                    Lucky’s  monologue 700 word sentence

Unending rambling about the nature of God and how man tends to fade away. And the waning condition of the earth.

                        Reflection on the futility of waiting for God

                                    Full of religious references and comparisons to Christ.

Consistently make decisions but don’t act on them. Futility waiting for something to make them act for them.

            Repeatedly decide to not wait any longer but don’t move.

Pozzo forms a meaningless relationship with Estragen and Vladimir that is as meaningless and his relationship to Lucky. He is as dehumanized as Lucky

           

            Fin de partie

Endgame

Chess reference, the point in a game of chess where the end is known. The winning move sets can be seen.

            1 act play with 4 characters

                        Emphasizes accepting ones existence

                        Death is the “Endgame”

All the characters are dependent on another character. One without the other will die.

Daily routines to establish that everything is the same as it was yesterday.

            Less hopeful than Godot. Everything is futile because you will die.

            Accepting death, and accepting the conditions of your life set you free.

           

Works Cited

Eiermann, Katharena. "Samuel Beckett: Life and Times, Existentialism and Samuel Beckett, the Realm of Existentialism at DividingLine.com." Samuel Beckett: Life and Times, Existentialism and Samuel Beckett. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. <http://www.dividingline.com/private/Philosophy/Philosophers/Beckett/Samuel_Beckett_Life.shtml>.

Fowlie, Wallace. "Andre Gide - Strait Is The Gate Critical Studies." Andregide.org. The Macmillan Co., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2012. <http://www.andregide.org/studies/strfow.html>.

Fowlie, Wallace. "Caves of the Vatican | Lafcadio's Adventures : Critical Studies." Andregide.org. The Macmillan Co, n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2012. <http://www.andregide.org/studies/vatfow.html>.

Gelwan, Eliot. "Lucky's Monologue from Waiting for Godot." Web log post. Follow Me Here. N.p., 06 Aug. 2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. <http://followmehere.com/2010/08/06/lucky%e2%80%99s-monologue-from-waiting-for-godot/>.

Guerard, Albert J. "The Immoralist -." Andregide.org. Harvard University Press, n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. <http://www.andregide.org/studies/immgue.html>.

Quebecois, Le. "Existentialism in Samuel Beckett's Endgame." Helium: Where Knowledge Rules. N.p., 6 Mar. 2012. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. <http://www.helium.com/items/111441-existentialism-in-samuel-becketts-endgame>.