An Examination of Absurdist Literature: Key Themes and Examples

This essay analyzes absurdist literature, focusing on themes of meaninglessness, existentialism, and human suffering as portrayed in works by Samuel Beckett, Albert Camus, and Franz Kafka. The analysis begins with an examination of Beckett's 'Happy Days,' highlighting the play's exploration of despair, existentialism, and the suffocating nature of existence. It then delves into Camus' 'The Stranger,' demonstrating how the protagonist's indifference and the novel's portrayal of an uncaring universe exemplify absurdist principles. The essay also covers Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis,' emphasizing the protagonist's transformation and the resulting alienation. Finally, it touches on the themes of nothingness, the insignificance of human lives, and the lack of spirituality that are prevalent in absurdist plays. The essay concludes that the plays depict the absurdity of human life and existence, with the protagonists facing dread and nothingness.

Running head: ABSURDIST LITERATURE
Absurdist Literature
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ABSURDIST LITERATURE
The notion of absurd was popularized by writers like Albert Camus, Franz Kafka and
Samuel Beckett. Absurd Theater produced plays which were inherently deprived of religious
sentiments portraying man as cut off or alienated from his roots, living aimlessly. Thesis
Statement: the above mentioned works fall under absurd literature as they show
meaninglessness, lack of purpose and intense human suffering.
The absurdist plays like Happy Days by Samuel Beckett which gives expression to
themes like despair, existentialism and pain of human existence. Happy Days is critically
proclaimed as a play mocking happiness, and the play slowly progresses towards silence and
nothingness depicting suffocation and haunting stillness. The characters suffer a pathetic
existence where Winne is buried till her waist and Willie hiding behind Winnie. The absence
of time is another instance of Happy Days being an absurd drama.
One of the important elements in absurdist plays is the absence of time and space
which Beckett describes. In The Stranger by Camus, he portrays universe where there is no
final victory of goodness, it is an alien world indifferent to human emotions. Camus’ theory
of absurd was that only at the brink of death does one analyze the true significance of life as
it is with Mersault. The story revolves around indifference right from the beginning of the
story where the death of Mersault’s mother creates no emotion inside him. The idea of calm
acceptance by him is another instance of absurdism of human life. Mersault’s apathetic
relationship with his mother is the first instance of Camus’ absurdism portrayed. The lack of
emotion is one of the features of absurdist plays.
In The Metamorphoses, absurdity of human existence is expressed in a beautiful
manner where one morning Gregor, wakes up to find out that he has been turned into a giant
bug. His suffering began as he set for an unrealistic and dehumanizing life, neglected and
unbothered by his family. His freedom gets restricted due to his new identity where he loses

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ABSURDIST LITERATURE
his sense of self-identification. He broods over his existence making the readers realize the
absurdity of the situation.
In The Vegetarian is another absurdist play because of the painful existence of
Yeong-hye who becomes a victim of anorexia and schizophrenia yet death does not come
easily to her. The slow degeneration o human body and its insignificance is one of the themes
prevalent in Beckett’s plays showing the absurdity of the world around. Etiquette and values
finally destroys them again setting the theme of nothingness and unimportance of human
lives. Humanity is described as murderous and therefore the entire act of living becomes
meaningless.
Therefore it can be concluded that the above plays depicted absurdities of human life
and existence. The plays give hint to a lack of spirituality and the insignificance of human
suffering in the face of universe. The bulk of work like Happy Days, The Stranger, The
Vegetarian and The Metamorphosis portrayed the protagonists as a senseless and absurd
creature suffering from the sense of dread and nothingness.