After the World Wars, a sense of skepticism and indeterminacy towards the objective reality and truth, thought to be attained by the heritage of modernity, became an obsession for the thinkers and philosophers questioning the nature of truth. The present study is an attempt to trace the notion of indeterminacy in the plays of Luigi Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author and It Is So! and Sam Shepard's True West and Buried Child from the point of view of poststructuralist philosophers, namely Derrida, Paul de Man, Nietzsche and theories of modern Physics (Einstein's relativity and quantum physics). To achieve this purpose, a thorough investigation of the plays through the lens of indeterminacy has been conducted. The first focus is Derrida's two notions, Differance and binary oppositions. Differance reflects on the deferment of meaning; and his idea of binary oppositions concentrates on the fact that of the two sides of oppositions neither side has privilege over the other side since a part of meaning exists in the opposite one and they get their meaning from each other. Furthermore, de Man's rhetoric, pointing to the figurative nature of language, which causes the meaning to delay; Nietzsche's view of truth, having a mobile stance; and the theories of modern physics, with regard to Einstein's relativity and indeterminacy extant in quantum mechanics, have been approached. Through the application of these ideas, it is proved that neither Pirandello's nor Shepard's have fixed meanings; rather, they always grant floating meanings that never reach a definite signified. Characters of the plays have an indeterminate natures changing from one type of personality to another one. Moreover, it is seen that how the concept of relativity is working through the play causing different characters to have the same view of the same event regarding reality and truth.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- General Overview
- Statement of the Problem
- Significance of the Study
- Methodology
- Review of Related Literature
- Limitations and Delimitations
- Definition of Key Terms
- Poststructuralism and Indeterminacy
- Derrida and Birth of Differance of Meaning
- Binary Opposition and Supplementation
- Paul de Man and Rhetoric
- Nietzsche and Truth as a Mobile Army of Metaphors
- Modern Physics: Indeterminacy and the Beauty of the Observer's Eyes
- Derrida and Birth of Differance of Meaning
- Shepard's Buried Child and True West as Indeterminate Texts
- Buried Child and Indeterminacy
- Quantum-like Behavior of the Characters
- Buried Child as a Mobile Signifier
- Nietzsche's Concept of Translation
- True West and Indeterminacy of True West and Identity
- The Question of Identity
- Characters, Binary Opposition and Supplementation
- The Nonlinear Behavior of Characters
- Buried Child and Indeterminacy
- Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author and It Is So
- It Is So and the Question of Identity
- Floating Truth
- Document as an Indeterminate Fact
- Indeterminacy and Relativity of Character's Truth
- Relativity and Indeterminacy in Six Characters in Search of an Author
- Various Perspectives toward Reality
- Characters', Actors' and Audience's Truth
- Characters' and Actors' Exchange of Roles
- Indeterminacy of Characters' Behavior
- It Is So and the Question of Identity
- Conclusion
- Summing Up
- Findings
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This study explores the concept of indeterminacy in the works of Luigi Pirandello and Sam Shepard. It utilizes poststructuralist theories, particularly those of Derrida, Paul de Man, and Nietzsche, to analyze how these plays challenge traditional notions of truth, identity, and reality. The study aims to demonstrate that both Pirandello's and Shepard's works feature indeterminate meanings and characters with fluid identities.- Indeterminacy and its relationship to truth and meaning
- The role of poststructuralist theories in understanding theatrical works
- The concept of binary opposition and supplementation in the context of dramatic texts
- The fluidity of character identity and the impact of relativity on perceptions of reality
- The use of language and its figurative nature as a key factor in creating indeterminacy
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction sets the stage for the study, outlining its purpose, methodology, and significance. It explores the rise of skepticism and indeterminacy in the aftermath of the World Wars and provides a framework for examining the plays through a poststructuralist lens. The second chapter dives into poststructuralist theories, focusing on Derrida's concepts of "differance" and binary oppositions. It also explores Paul de Man's ideas on rhetoric, Nietzsche's view of truth as mobile, and the implications of modern physics, including relativity and quantum mechanics. This chapter establishes the theoretical foundation for analyzing indeterminacy in the plays. Chapter three focuses on Shepard's plays, "Buried Child" and "True West." It examines how these works embody indeterminacy through the portrayal of characters with fluid identities, the use of symbolic imagery, and the exploration of complex family dynamics. Chapter four examines Pirandello's plays, "Six Characters in Search of an Author" and "It Is So." It explores the theme of floating truth, the question of identity, and the multiple perspectives on reality presented in these plays. The conclusion summarizes the key findings of the study, reinforcing the notion that Pirandello's and Shepard's works challenge traditional notions of truth, identity, and reality through their embrace of indeterminacy.Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The key terms and themes of this study include indeterminacy, poststructuralism, Derrida, Paul de Man, Nietzsche, binary oppositions, supplementation, relativity, quantum mechanics, dramatic texts, identity, truth, and reality. The study examines these concepts through the lens of two influential playwrights: Luigi Pirandello and Sam Shepard.- Quote paper
- Mehdi Sepehrmanesh (Author), 2011, Shepard's and Pirandello's Selected Works as Indeterminate Texts: A poststructuralist Study, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/197772
