How Beckett's man was born of Keaton, or the absurd Book of Genesis Cover Image

Jak człowiek Becketta zrodził się z Keatona, czyli absurdalna Księga Rodzaju
How Beckett's man was born of Keaton, or the absurd Book of Genesis

Author(s): Paulina Malczewska
Subject(s): Theatre, Dance, Performing Arts, Film / Cinema / Cinematography
Published by: Uniwersytet Adama Mickiewicza
Keywords: narrative breakthrough; negation of form; time; absurd; slapstick; theater of the; absurd; Samuel Beckett; Buster Keaton; Waiting for Godot; The General;

Summary/Abstract: “How Beckett’s Man Was Born from Keaton, or an Absurdist Book of Genesis” is an attempt to find the origins of Beckettian characters in cinematic tradition. The choice of Buster Keaton is intentional, as it was him – proud and headstrong and not the overly sentimental Chaplin – who introduced the sphere of the essence of existence (stemming from the antic tragedy) into the world of slapstick (a part of low culture). Keaton – the deadpan comedian from his serious comedies and Samuel Beckett – the creator of the theater where lack of action forms the bulk of the action both entered the field of eschatological reflections while contradicting the form they both had been using. Experimenting with Time as a matter in the work they achieved a narrative breakthrough – Beckett by stretching it to the unbearable, never-ending “here and now”, Keaton by shrinking it, so that the hero could never keep up with the events or the viewer’s perception. All in the name of absurd, the sense of which both Beckett and Keaton shared to a surprising extent.

  • Issue Year: 7/2009
  • Issue No: 13-14
  • Page Range: 211-223
  • Page Count: 13
  • Language: Polish