Ce mémoire traite des identités plurielles et de l'entre-deux culturel dans les oeuvres de Samuel Beckett.
The void has been a great source of inspiration for Samuel Barclay Beckett and his
critics who tend to take into account the characteristics of his mind rather than his
writings. Such a deconstructionist discourse on negative identity is redundant but also
contradictory. This study aims at exploring the fundamental question of multiple
identities in Samuel Beckett's fictions and dramas, particularly The Unnamable from
the trilogy, Waiting for Godot, Endgame, Krapp's Last Tape and other relevant works.
As a novelist, playwright and translator, Beckett can be said to be part of a revolutionary
literature. His rejection and exploitation of the literary tradition make him an ambivalent
writer. The problem of singularity regarding his works is crucial in the stabilization of
identity. Moreover, the lack of a major theme becomes an obstacle to the definition of
such works. The representation of these multiple identities will be analyzed in order to
elucidate the following inquiry: To what extent does Beckett's texts shed light on the
seminal notions of rootlessness and cultural in-betweenness as well as on the rejection
of identification through self-exploration and radical experimentation? A certain number
of critical readings will be used to discuss Beckett's place in literature through his
characters' apparent lack of attachment to any tradition. Does literature have a function
in the formation of identity? What sort of renovation does the Beckettian texts offer? It
will be first noted that his borrowings from the French and Irish traditions coupled with
his aloofness to them are indicators of the complexity of his mode of communication
which is itself predicated on individual and conventional systems of discourse. By
means of exploring the essential antagonisms that departure and return represent, this
study will attempt to identify the literary forms of identity and apprehend the constant
redefinition of the self whose ambiguous nature have to be examined in the light of the
paradox between multiplicity and reduction.
How are marginalization and alterity experienced in the author's post-colonial writings?
Beckett's bilingual experience via the relationship between the man and his work will
complement this research. [...]
Table of Contents
I) The Beckettian cosmos
1. Discarding the literary tradition
2. Borrowing from the literary tradition
II) A Beckettian style
1) An Irish tradition: the place of memory
2. French or the art of de-creation
III) Rewriting: The writer and his work
1) An aesthetics of bilingualism
2. The limits of representation
Objectives and Themes
This master's thesis explores the fundamental question of multiple identities in the fictions and dramas of Samuel Beckett, examining how his rejection of literary tradition and his unique bilingual writing process dismantle conventional concepts of the self and authorship.
- Deconstruction of identity and the rejection of literary tradition
- The impact of Beckett’s bilingualism on his narrative voice
- Rootlessness and cultural in-betweenness as thematic pillars
- The role of self-translation in the creation of a "non-style"
- The paradox between multiplicity and reduction in character representation
Excerpt from the book
Discarding the literary tradition
Yoshiki Tajiri argues in his introduction to Samuel Beckett and the prosthetic body that technology shapes Beckett's work: 'The media technologies that emerged in the late nineteenth century transformed writing profoundly." (11) For this reason, it is essential when addressing the question of Beckett's philosophy to see literature as a separate and independent world whose main function is to the clarify existence by minimizing its incidental or minor details in order to go through the essential experiences. The period during which Beckett composed was marked by a rupture with scientific revolution and the emergence, after industrialization, of a new form of human condition with progress in scholarship. His place in literature was certainly not facilitated by the modern/postmodern debate. On the one hand, postmodern writing can be seen as an intensification of modernism, on the other hand it encompasses two periods with different modes of writing. In reality, one of the problems in the debate on post-modernism is a taste for dual oppositions. The multiplicity of centres, points of view and genres signaled a move away from the objective view and from society as a whole.
Summary of Chapters
I) The Beckettian cosmos: This chapter analyzes how Beckett breaks away from established literary traditions to create a new form of narrative that rejects objective viewpoints.
1. Discarding the literary tradition: Explores how Beckett's works function as an independent world that minimizes incidental details to focus on essential, existential experiences.
2. Borrowing from the literary tradition: Examines how Beckett, despite his 'anti-literature' stance, integrates and parodies existing literary and philosophical forms to create an ironic distance.
II) A Beckettian style: Focuses on the stylistic choices that define Beckett’s work, specifically his relationship with Irish memory and the French language.
1) An Irish tradition: the place of memory: Discusses the tension between Beckett's native Irish background and his attempt to create a style that transcends geography and national identity.
2. French or the art of de-creation: Analyzes the move into the French language as a strategic tool for Beckett to escape the linguistic constraints and "baroque excesses" of the Anglo-Irish tradition.
III) Rewriting: The writer and his work: Investigates the act of self-translation and its role in defining the identity of the Beckettian subject.
1) An aesthetics of bilingualism: Explores how Beckett’s self-translations serve as a creative "rebirth" and a method for exploring the self by crossing into a foreign language.
2. The limits of representation: Considers the challenges of self-translation and how the inherent differences between French and English highlight the impossibility of achieving a unified textual wholeness.
Keywords
Samuel Beckett, Multiple Identities, Bilingualism, Self-translation, Literary Tradition, Existentialism, Deconstruction, Postmodernism, Narratology, Anglo-Irish Literature, Identity, Modernism, Aesthetics, Rootlessness, The Unnamable
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The thesis examines the interplay between multiple identities in Samuel Beckett's work, analyzing how his linguistic choices and narrative techniques challenge the stability of the self.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
Key themes include the rejection of literary tradition, the role of bilingualism, the experience of cultural in-betweenness, and the existential search for identity through language.
What is the central research question?
The work investigates to what extent Beckett's texts illuminate notions of rootlessness and the rejection of fixed identity through self-exploration and radical experimentation.
Which scientific approach is utilized?
The study employs a deconstructionist literary analysis, examining both the primary texts of the Beckettian corpus and a range of critical academic commentary.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body is divided into the analysis of the Beckettian cosmos, the formation of his unique style, and the impact of his rewriting and self-translation processes.
Which keywords define this thesis?
Key terms include Samuel Beckett, Bilingualism, Self-translation, Deconstruction, Identity, and Narratology.
How does Beckett use bilingualism as a creative tool?
Beckett uses the transition from English to French as a way to "de-create" his work, escaping traditional linguistic habits and achieving a more detached, ironic narrative perspective.
What is the significance of the "Irish" background in Beckett's work?
The thesis argues that while Beckett often seems disconnected from his native land, his Irish heritage remains a source of tension and a formative influence on his use of irony and "failed" characters.
What is the role of self-translation in Beckett’s "rebirth"?
Self-translation allows Beckett to constantly redefine his texts, viewing the second version not as a copy, but as a space to sharpen philosophical tension and distance himself from the original subject.
Does the work reach a definitive conclusion about Beckett’s identity?
No, the study concludes that reaching a clear-cut conclusion is impossible, as the Beckettian self is inherently hybrid and only surfaces through the creative process of hybridization.
- Quote paper
- Kevin Oheix (Author), 2014, The question of multiple identities in Samuel Beckett's works, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/274823
