DOCSLIB.ORG

Samuel Beckett's Endgame (1957)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Samuel Beckett's Endgame (1957) Samuel Beckett’s Endgame (1957) CLOV (fixed gaze, tonelessly): Finished, it's finished, nearly finished, it must be nearly finished. (Pause.) Bare interior. Grain upon grain, one by one, and one day, suddenly, there's a heap, a little heap, the impossible Grey Light. heap. (Pause.) Left and right back, high up, two small windows, I can't be punished any more. curtains drawn. (Pause.) I'll go now to my kitchen, ten feet by ten feet by ten Front right, a door. Hanging near door, its face to feet, and wait for him to whistle me. wall, a picture. (Pause.) Nice dimensions, nice proportions, I'll lean on the Front left, touching each other, covered with an old table, and look at the wall, and wait for him to whistle sheet, two ashbins. me. (He remains a moment motionless, then goes out. Center, in an armchair on castors, covered with an old He comes back immediately, goes to window right, takes sheet, Hamm. up the ladder and carries it out. Pause. Hamm stirs. He yawns under the handkerchief. He removes the Motionless by the door, his eyes fixed on Hamm, handkerchief from his face. Very red face. Glasses with Clov. Very red face. black lenses.) HAMM: Brief tableau. Me— (he yawns) —to play. Clov goes and stands under window left. Stiff, (He takes off his glasses, wipes his eyes, his face, staggering walk. He looks up at window left. He turns the glasses, puts them on again, folds the handkerchief and looks at window right. He goes and stands under and puts it back neatly in the breast pocket of his window right. He looks up at window right. He turns and dressing gown. He clears his throat, joins the tips of his looks at window left. He goes out, comes back fingers.) immediately with a small step-ladder, carries it over and Can there be misery— sets it down under window left, gets up on it, draws back (he yawns) curtain. He gets down, takes six steps (for example) —loftier than mine? No doubt. Formerly. But now? towards window right, goes back for ladder, carries it (Pause.) over and sets it down under window right, gets up on it, My father? draws back curtain. He gets down, takes three steps (Pause.) towards window left, goes back for ladder, carries it over My mother? and sets it down under window left, gets up on it, looks (Pause.) out of window. Brief laugh. He gets down, takes one My... dog? step towards window right, goes back for ladder, carries (Pause.) it over and sets it down under window right, gets up on Oh I am willing to believe they suffer as much as it, looks out of window. Brief laugh. He gets down, goes such creatures can suffer. But does that mean their with ladder towards ashbins, halts, turns, carries back sufferings equal mine? No doubt. ladder and sets it down under window right, goes to (Pause.) ashbins, removes sheet covering them, folds it over his No, all is a— arm. He raises one lid, stoops and looks into bin. Brief (he yawns) laugh. He closes lid. Same with other bin. He goes to —bsolute, Hamm, removes sheet covering him, folds it over his (proudly) arm. In a dressing-gown, a stiff toque on his head, a the bigger a man is the fuller he is. large blood-stained handkerchief over his face, a whistle (Pause. Gloomily.) hanging from his neck, a rug over his knees, thick socks And the emptier. on his feet, Hamm seems to be asleep. Clov looks him (He sniffs.) over. Brief laugh. He goes to door, halts, turns towards Clov! auditorium. (Pause.) No, alone. (Pause.) (Pause.) HAMM: What dreams! Those forests! Apart from that, how do you feel? (Pause.) CLOV: Enough, it's time it ended, in the shelter, too. I don't complain. (Pause.) HAMM: And yet I hesitate, I hesitate to... to end. Yes, there You feel normal? it is, it's time it ended and yet I hesitate to— CLOV (irritably): (He yawns.) I tell you I don't complain. —to end. HAMM: (Yawns.) I feel a little strange. God, I'm tired, I'd be better off in bed. (Pause.) (He whistles. Enter Clov immediately. He halts Clov! beside the chair.) CLOV: You pollute the air! Yes. (Pause.) HAMM: Get me ready, I'm going to bed. Have you not had enough? CLOV: CLOV: I've just got you up. Yes! HAMM: (Pause.) And what of it? Of what? CLOV: HAMM: I can't be getting you up and putting you to bed Of this... this... thing. every five minutes, I have things to do. CLOV: (Pause.) I always had. HAMM: (Pause.) Did you ever see my eyes? Not you? CLOV: HAMM (gloomily): No. Then there's no reason for it to change. HAMM: CLOV: Did you never have the curiosity, while I was It may end. sleeping, to take off my glasses and look at my eyes? (Pause.) CLOV: All life long the same questions, the same answers. Pulling back the lids? HAMM: (Pause.) Get me ready. No. (Clov does not move.) HAMM: Go and get the sheet. One of these days I'll show them to you. (Clov does not move.) (Pause.) Clov! It seems they've gone all white. CLOV: (Pause.) Yes. What time is it? HAMM: CLOV: I'll give you nothing more to eat. The same as usual. CLOV: HAMM (gesture towards window right): Then we'll die. Have you looked? HAMM: CLOV: I'll give you just enough to keep you from dying. Yes. You'll be hungry all the time. HAMM: CLOV: Well? Then we won't die. CLOV: (Pause.) Zero. I'll go and get the sheet. HAMM: (He goes towards the door.) It'd need to rain. HAMM: CLOV: No! It won't rain. (Clov halts.) I'll give you one biscuit per day. How are your legs? (Pause.) CLOV: One and a half. Bad. (Pause.) HAMM: Why do you stay with me? But you can move. CLOV: CLOV: Why do you keep me? Yes. HAMM: HAMM (violently): There's no one else. Then move! CLOV: (Clov goes to back wall, leans against it with his There's nowhere else. forehead and hands.) (Pause.) Where are you? HAMM: CLOV: You're leaving me all the same. Here. CLOV: HAMM: I'm trying. Come back! HAMM: (Clov returns to his place beside the chair.) You don't love me. Where are you? CLOV: CLOV: No. Here. HAMM: HAMM: You loved me once. Why don't you kill me? CLOV: CLOV: Once! I don't know the combination of the cupboard. HAMM: (Pause.) I've made you suffer too much. HAMM: (Pause.) Go and get two bicycle-wheels. Haven't I? CLOV: CLOV: There are no more bicycle-wheels. It's not that. HAMM: HAMM: What have you done with your bicycle? I haven't made you suffer too much? CLOV: CLOV: I never had a bicycle. Yes! HAMM: HAMM (relieved): The thing is impossible. Ah, you gave me a fright! CLOV: (Pause. Coldly) When there were still bicycles I wept to have one. I Forgive me. crawled at your feet. You told me to go to hell. Now (Pause. Louder.) there are none. I said, Forgive me. HAMM: CLOV: And your rounds? When you inspected my paupers. I heard you. Always on foot? (Pause.) CLOV: Have you bled? Sometimes on horse. HAMM: (The lid of one of the bins lifts and the hands of Less. Nagg appear, (Pause.) gripping the rim. Then his head emerges. Nightcap. Is it not time for my pain-killer? Very white face. CLOV: Nagg yawns, then listens.) No. I'll leave you, I have things to do. (Pause.) HAMM: HAMM: In your kitchen? How are your eyes? CLOV: CLOV: Yes. Bad. HAMM: HAMM: Outside of here it's death. (Pause.) CLOV: All right, be off. So it is. (Exit Clov. Pause.) HAMM: We're getting on. Every man his specialty. NAGG: (Pause.) Me pap! No phone calls? HAMM: (Pause.) Accursed progenitor! Don't we laugh? NAGG: CLOV (after reflection): Me pap! I don't feel like it. HAMM: HAMM (after reflection): The old folks at home! No decency left! Guzzle, Nor I. guzzle, that's all they think of. (Pause.) (He whistles. Enter Clov. He halts beside the chair.) Clov! Well! I thought you were leaving me. CLOV: CLOV: Yes. Oh not just yet, not just yet. HAMM: NAGG: Nature has forgotten us. Me pap! CLOV: HAMM: There's no more nature. Give him his pap. HAMM: CLOV: No more nature! You exaggerate. There's no more pap. CLOV: HAMM (to Nagg): In the vicinity. Do you hear that? There's no more pap. You'll HAMM: never get any more pap. But we breathe, we change! We lose our hair, our NAGG: teeth! Our bloom! Our ideals! I want me pap! CLOV: HAMM: Then she hasn't forgotten us. Give him a biscuit. HAMM: (Exit Clov.) But you say there is none. Accursed fornicator! How are your stumps? CLOV (sadly): NAGG: No one that ever lived ever thought so crooked as Never mind me stumps. we. (Enter Clov with biscuit.) HAMM: CLOV: We do what we can. I'm back again, with the biscuit. CLOV: (He gives biscuit to Nagg who fingers it, sniffs it.) We shouldn't. NAGG (plaintively): (Pause.) What is it? HAMM: CLOV: You're a bit of all right, aren't you? Spratt's medium. CLOV: NAGG (as before): A smithereen. It's hard! I can't! (Pause.) HAMM: HAMM: Bottle him! This is slow work.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Love Ain't Got No Color?
    Sayaka Osanami Törngren LOVE AIN'T GOT NO COLOR? – Attitude toward interracial marriage in Sweden Föreliggande doktorsavhandling har producerats inom ramen för forskning och forskarutbildning vid REMESO, Institutionen för Samhälls- och Välfärdsstudier, Linköpings universitet. Samtidigt är den en produkt av forskningen vid IMER/MIM, Malmö högskola och det nära samarbetet mellan REMESO och IMER/MIM. Den publiceras i Linköping Studies in Arts and Science. Vid filosofiska fakulteten vid Linköpings universitet bedrivs forskning och ges forskarutbildning med utgångspunkt från breda problemområden. Forskningen är organiserad i mångvetenskapliga forskningsmiljöer och forskarutbildningen huvudsakligen i forskarskolor. Denna doktorsavhand- ling kommer från REMESO vid Institutionen för Samhälls- och Välfärdsstudier, Linköping Studies in Arts and Science No. 533, 2011. Vid IMER, Internationell Migration och Etniska Relationer, vid Malmö högskola bedrivs flervetenskaplig forskning utifrån ett antal breda huvudtema inom äm- nesområdet. IMER ger tillsammans med MIM, Malmö Institute for Studies of Migration, Diversity and Welfare, ut avhandlingsserien Malmö Studies in International Migration and Ethnic Relations. Denna avhandling är No 10 i avhandlingsserien. Distribueras av: REMESO, Institutionen för Samhälls- och Välfärsstudier, ISV Linköpings universitet, Norrköping SE-60174 Norrköping Sweden Internationell Migration och Etniska Relationer, IMER och Malmö Studies of Migration, Diversity and Welfare, MIM Malmö Högskola SE-205 06 Malmö, Sweden ISSN
    [Show full text]
  • Artist Title Count PURPLE DISCO MACHINE FEAT. MOSS KENA & THEFIREWORKS KNOCKS 92 LEONY FADED LOVE 83 ONEREPUBLIC RUN 82 ATB FT
    Artist Title Count PURPLE DISCO MACHINE FEAT. MOSS KENA & THEFIREWORKS KNOCKS 92 LEONY FADED LOVE 83 ONEREPUBLIC RUN 82 ATB FT. TOPIC & A7S YOUR LOVE 81 JUSTIN BIEBER FT. DANIEL CAESAR PEACHES 81 COLDPLAY HIGHER POWER 80 IMAGINE DRAGONS FOLLOW YOU 80 OLIVIA RODRIGO GOOD 4 YOU 80 REGARD X TROYE SIVAN X TATE MCRAE YOU 79 ALVARO SOLER MAGIA 74 RITON X NIGHTCRAWLERS FRIDAY 74 LOST FREQUENCES RISE 70 JONAS BLUE FT. AVA SOMETHING STUPID 69 THE WEEKND SAVE YOUR TEARS 69 KUNGS NEVER GOING HOME 68 ED SHEERAN BAD HABITS 68 JUSTIN WELLINGTON FEAT. SMALL JAM IKO IKO 67 MAJESTIC X BONEY M. RASPUTIN 67 ROBIN SCHULZ FT. FELIX JAEHN & ALIDA ONE MORE TIME 66 RAG'N'BONE MAN ALL YOU EVER WANTED 64 DUA LIPA LOVE AGAIN 63 JOEL CORRY FT. RAYE & DAVID GUETTA BED 63 JASON DERULO & NUKA LOVE NOT WAR 62 MEDUZA FT. DERMOT KENNEDY PARADISE 59 AVA MAX MY HEAD & MY HEART 58 DUA LIPA WE'RE GOOD 57 MARTIN GARRIX FEAT. BONO & THE EDGE WE ARE THE PEOPLE 57 JOEL CORRY HEAD AND HEART 56 CALVIN HARRIS FT. TOM GRENNAN BY YOUR SIDE 56 DOJA CAT FEAT. SZA KISS ME MORE 56 PINK ALL I KNOW SO FAR 54 OFENBACH FT. LAGIQUE WASTED LOVE 53 PINK + WILLOW SAGE HART COVER ME IN SUNSHINE 53 MALARKEY SHACKLES (PRAISE YOU) 50 MASTER KG FT. NOMCEBO JERUSALEMA 49 SIA & DAVID GUETTA FLOATING THROUGH SPACE 48 SUPER-HI & NEEKA FOLLOWING THE SUN 48 ALVARO SOLER FT. CALI Y EL DANDEE MANANA 44 MARCO MENGONI MA STASERA 42 AVA MAX EVERYTIME I CRY 41 TATE MCRAE YOU BROKE ME FIRST [LUCA SCHREINER41 REMIX] MAROON 5 LOST 40 OFENBACH & QUARTERHEAD HEAD SHOULDERS KNEES & TOES 38 PS1 FT.
    [Show full text]
  • Beckett and Nothing: Trying to Understand Beckett
    Introduction Beckett and nothing: trying to understand Beckett Daniela Caselli Best worse no farther. Nohow less. Nohow worse. Nohow naught. Nohow on. Said nohow on. (Samuel Beckett, Worstward Ho) In unending ending or beginning light. Bedrock underfoot. So no sign of remains a sign that none before. No one ever before so – (Samuel Beckett, The Way)1 What not On 21 April 1958 Samuel Beckett writes to Thomas MacGreevy about having written a short stage dialogue to accompany the London production of Endgame.2 A fragment of a dramatic dia- logue, paradoxically entitled Last Soliloquy, has been identifi ed as being the play in question.3 However, John Pilling, in more recent research on the chronology, is inclined to date Last Soliloquy as post-Worstward Ho and pre-What Is the Word, on the basis of a letter sent by Phyllis Carey to Beckett on 3 February 1986, on the reverse of which we fi nd jottings referring to the title First Last Words with material towards Last Soliloquy.4 If we accept this new dating hypothesis, the manuscripts of this text (UoR MS 2937/1–3) – placed between two late works often associated with nothing – indicate two speakers, P and A (tentatively seen by Ruby Cohn as Protagonist and Antagonist) and two ways in which they can deliver their lines, D for declaim and A (somewhat confusingly) for normal.5 Unlike Cohn, I read A and P as standing for ‘actor’ and ‘prompter’, thus explaining why the text is otherwise puzzlingly entitled a soliloquy and supporting her hypothesis that the lines Daniela Caselli - 9781526146458 Downloaded from manchesterhive.com at 09/25/2021 06:16:53AM via free access 2 Beckett and nothing ‘Fuck the author.
    [Show full text]
  • "Forever... and Again" by Michel J. Duthin
    "Forever... and Again" by Michel J. Duthin FADE IN: OPENING CREDITS Close up of the needle of an old record player that surfs on the black vinyl record groove. A jazz trumpet gently plays a deep melancholic melody. As a man’s fingers lift it, the needle scratches on the record. Music stops. The fingers put back the needle at the beginning of the track and -- -- the same piece of music plays again. But, after several notes, the needle jumps and is stuck. THE RECORD IS NOW SCRATCHED END OF OPENING CREDITS EXT. COAST ROAD - NIGHT A wild coast road by night under the torrential pouring rain. Trees are shaken and bent under the wind and rain assault. A genuine rain wall falls on the road and streams on the asphalt, transforming the road into a pool. The hard rain roars and nearly covers the soundtrack. Suddenly, like two lighting, cars headlights flash from the two sides of the screen. From the left, a white Japanese car -- From the right, a black European car -- The rain noise covers the two cars engines roars. The cars now face each other. The clash is inevitable -- The two cars, striking head-on, are embedded and lift one each other. The white car stays on the road for a while and slowly rolls to the right side of the road. 2. The black car is propelled in the air. It barrels, makes several tumbles in a clash to finish its course at the foot of a tree. The metal is crushed, distorted around the stump.
    [Show full text]
  • Samuel Beckett's Plays: a Psychoanalysis
    International Journal of Linguistics and Literature (IJLL) ISSN (P): 2319 - 3956; ISSN (E): 2319 - 3964 Vol. 5, Issue 3, Apr - May 2016; 53 - 56 © IASET SAMUEL BECKETT’S PLAYS: A PSYCHOANALYSIS SAHELEH KHEIRABAD P h D Researcher , Pune University , Maharashtra , India ABSTRACT The most important aim of this research is to show psychoanalytic problem in Beckett’s plays. This will be done by describing Beckett’s characters, as well as Beckett himself, ideas about identity and existence in three of his major plays: Waiting for Godot , Endgame , and Happy Days . Beckett’s father dead when he was in his mid - twenties. So, when he lost his father due to personal loss his mental and his physical health. He had night sweats, fear and anxiety. He couldn’t sleep on his bed alone. Dur ing the therapy sessions, Bion has suggested that he should write in order to release the pain and the inner struggle. Consequently, in a way, writing became a therapeutic tool for Samuel. So, Beckett’s writing helped him to treat himself. That is why there are signs of psychoanalysis on Beckett’s plays and Beckett’s characters. Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot , in this article the aim is analyzing the two characters of Vladimir and Estragon in order to investigate their identity. These two characters put their whole existence into waiting. They are waiting for Godot all times. They believe that Godot will have all the answers of their questions. Beckett shows the unconscious mind of his characters, so we analyzed the play with psychoanalytic lens.
    [Show full text]
  • Existentialism and Samuel Beckett's Two Plays
    EXISTENTIALISM AND SAMUEL BECKETT’S TWO PLAYS: ENDGAME AND HAPPY DAYS A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY BY TİJEN TAN IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN ENGLISH LITERATURE NOVEMBER 2007 Approval of the Graduate School of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Sencer Ayata Director I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Master of Arts. Prof. Dr. Wolf König Head of Department This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Arts. Prof. Dr. Ahmet İnam Prof. Dr. Nursel İçöz Co-Supervisor Supervisor Examining Committee Members (first name belongs to the chairperson of the jury and the second name belongs to supervisor) Assist. Prof. Dr. Nurten Birlik (METU, FLE) Assist. Prof. Dr. Nil Korkut (Ba şkent University, Amer) Dr. Deniz Arslan (METU, FLE) I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. Name, Last name : Tijen Tan Signature : iii ABSTRACT EXISTENTIALISM AND SAMUEL BECKETT’S TWO PLAYS: ENDGAME AND HAPPY DAYS Tan, Tijen MA., Department of English Literature Supervisor : Prof. Dr. Nursel İçöz Co-Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Ahmet İnam November 2007, 112 pages This thesis carries out an analysis of the plays by Samuel Beckett, Endgame and Happy Days.
    [Show full text]
  • Eh Joe E Ohio Impromptu: Self-Representation and Self-Responsibility in Samuel Beckett’S Drama
    EH JOE E OHIO IMPROMPTU: SELF-REPRESENTATION AND SELF-RESPONSIBILITY IN SAMUEL BECKETT’S DRAMA. Maria Margarida C. P. Costa Pinto - Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, UFP Assistent ABSTR A CT In this paper one will be arguing that Beckett, both in the content and form of his writing, points humankind towards help. From the point of view of content, it will analyse Eh Joe (published in 1967) and Ohio Impromptu (published in 1982). Simultaneously, and to look at the form, the power of Beckett’s writing, one will focus on the immanence of the present mo- ment, the moment into which time has collapsed, the moment in which one can accept both the futility of going on and the necessity of going on, the acceptance of the responsibility. Resumo O presente artigo irá abordar simultaneamente o conteúdo e a forma da escrita becketti- ana, assim avançando indicações para o auxílio da Humanidade. Sob o ponto de vista do conteúdo, serão analisadas as peças Eh Joe (publicada em 1967) e Ohio Impromptu (publi- cada em 1982). Simultaneamente, e atendendo à forma, a força da escrita de Beckett, será focada a imanência do momento presente, o momento no qual o tempo entrou em colapso, o momento em que se aceita quer a futilidade de continuar e a necessidade de continuar, a aceitação da responsabilidade. I Part of the appeal of Beckett’s plays is that he evokes so compellingly the destruction of the connection and continuities between past, present and future in contemporary life. It is a destruction one may understand to be not only a self-defence, avoiding the greater pain that connection can threaten with, the pain of guilt, hurt or longing, but also a re- sponse to living in the pre-apocalyptic age.
    [Show full text]
  • Krapp, the Wearish Post-Modern Man: Beckett's Archetypal Figure of the Theater of the Absurd
    IRWLE VOL. 6 No. II July 2010 1 Krapp , the Wearish Post-Modern Man: Beckett’s Archetypal Figure of The Theater of the Absurd - Farideh Pourgiv and Marjan Shokouhi Krapp’s Last Tape , Beckett’s dramatic work of the 1958 is still performed and analyzed today. The last major production of it was performed by Harold Pinter at Royal Court Theater in October 2006. The reason behind its success as a still-performing play besides other major productions of the century is not its having anything new to discuss. In fact, the theme and characterization as well as staging and dialogue are quite Beckettian, that is to say typical. And it also shares affinities with the other major productions of the Theater of the Absurd. Yet, the reason for its dominance over half a century is the same typical qualities which are however highlighted in this play perhaps more significantly than the others, the same qualities which make Krapp the archetypal figure of Beckett’s version of the Theater of the Absurd. An archetypal figure, Krapp serves as a pattern for all major Beckettian characters. “A wearish old man”, we read in the first paragraph of the play, “very near-sighted” and “hard of hearing” ( Krapp , 1989: 55). Therefore he has some physical defects like other characters in Beckett’s drama. He also has problem with his constipation as his name implies. Didi has problem with his kidneys and Gogo with his boots. Hamm is blind; Pozzo also becomes blind in a scene. Lucky is numb. Nag and Nell are legless and kept in dustbins.
    [Show full text]
  • The Search for Meaning in Waiting for Godot
    Praxis: The Journal for Theatre, Performance Studies, and Criticism 2013 Issue Deconstructing Consciousness: The Search for Meaning in Waiting for Godot Dan Ciba Samuel Beckett has long been recognized as a great playwright of the Theater of the Absurd, a theatrical genre identified by dramatic critic Martin Esslin. Early Absurdist playwrights were categorized by Esslin because of their use of narrative and character in order to expose the meaninglessness of a post-Nietzschean world. In his book the Theatre of the Absurd, Esslin states: “'Absurd' originally means 'out of harmony', in a musical context. Hence its dictionary definition: 'out of harmony with reason or propriety; incongruous, unreasonable, illogical'[...] In an essay on Kafka, Ionesco defined his understanding of the term as follows: 'Absurd is that which is devoid of purpose... Cut off from his religious, metaphysical, and transcendental roots, man is lost; all his actions become senseless, absurd, useless” (Esslin 1973, p.5). Because Esslin used Beckett as his first example, an Absurdist reading of Waiting for Godot has already been well explored by scholars and practitioners. Another popular reading is deeply rooted in the existential struggle of humanity after World War II. A deconstruction of this play offers the potential to explore Beckett beyond the existential and Absurdist readings that critics and audiences typically use to understand Beckettian plays. This paper examines Godot through a post-structural lens. By integrating the theoretical concept of deconstruction suggested by Jacques Derrida with the psychoanalytic theories of Jacques Lacan's symbolic language, I seek to identify and interpret the symbols in this play as signifiers.
    [Show full text]
  • Filmography V6.Indd
    a filmography Foreword by The Irish Film Institute For over 60 years, the Irish Film Institute has been dedicated to the promotion of film culture in Ireland and therefore is proud to present this filmography of Samuel Beckett’s work. Beckett remains one of Ireland’s most important and influential artists and Samuel Beckett – A Filmography provides a snapshot of the worldwide reach and enduring nature of his creativity. As part of the Beckett centenary celebrations held in April 2006, the Irish Film Institute organised a diverse programme of films relating to the work of Beckett, including a tour of the line-up to cinemas around the country. Prior to this, the Irish Film Institute provided the unique opportunity to view all 19 films in the ‘Beckett on Film’ series by screening the entire selection in February 2001. This filmography provides the perfect accompaniment to these previous programmes and it illustrates that Beckett’s work will continue to be adapted for film and television worldwide for years to come. Photograph by Richard Avedon Samuel Beckett – A Filmography was made possible though the kind support of the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism and the Beckett Centenary Council and Festival Committee. Mark Mulqueen Director, The Irish Film Institute An Introduction Compiling a filmography of Beckett’s work is both a challenging and daunting prospect. It was important, from the outset, to set some parameters for this filmography. Therefore, to this end, I decided to focus on the key area of direct adaptations of Beckett’s work filmed for cinema or television.
    [Show full text]
  • The Material of Film and the Idea of Cinema: Contrasting Practices in Sixties and Seventies Avant-Garde Film*
    The Material of Film and the Idea of Cinema: Contrasting Practices in Sixties and Seventies Avant-Garde Film* JONATHAN WALLEY I In 1976, the American Federation of Arts organized a major program of American avant-garde films made since the early 1940s. In his introduction to the program’s catalog, Whitney film curator and series organizer John Hanhardt argued that the central preoccupation of filmmakers across the history of avant-garde cinema had been with the exploration of the material properties of the film medium itself: “This cinema subverts cinematic convention by exploring its medium and its properties and materials, and in the process creates its own history separate from that of the classical narrative cinema. It is filmmaking that creates itself out of its own experience.”1 Having traced the history of avant-garde film according to the modernist notion that an art form advances by reflexively scrutinizing the “properties and materials” of its medium, Hanhardt turned his attention to more recent developments. But these new developments were not entirely receptive to his modernist model. On the one hand, he argued, filmmakers were continuing to create works that engaged the physical materials of film—film strip, projector, camera, and screen—and the range of effects these made possible. On the other, this engagement appeared to be leading some filmmakers to create cinematic works challenging the material limits of the film medium as it had been defined for over eighty years. For example, in Anthony McCall’s Line Describing a Cone (1973), the focus of the viewer’s attention was not an image projected onto a screen, but the projector beam itself, which over the course of thirty minutes grew from a thin line of light to a cone—a three-dimensional light sculpture with which the viewer could interact.
    [Show full text]
  • Miranda, 4 | 2011 Eleutheria―Notes on Freedom Between Offstage and Self-Reference 2
    Miranda Revue pluridisciplinaire du monde anglophone / Multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal on the English- speaking world 4 | 2011 Samuel Beckett : Drama as philosophical endgame ? Eleutheria―Notes on Freedom between Offstage and Self-reference Shimon Levy Electronic version URL: http://journals.openedition.org/miranda/2019 DOI: 10.4000/miranda.2019 ISSN: 2108-6559 Publisher Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès Electronic reference Shimon Levy, “Eleutheria―Notes on Freedom between Offstage and Self-reference”, Miranda [Online], 4 | 2011, Online since 24 June 2011, connection on 16 February 2021. URL: http:// journals.openedition.org/miranda/2019 ; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/miranda.2019 This text was automatically generated on 16 February 2021. Miranda is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Eleutheria―Notes on Freedom between Offstage and Self-reference 1 Eleutheria―Notes on Freedom between Offstage and Self-reference Shimon Levy 1 Samuel Beckett’s works have long and profoundly been massaged by numerous philosophical and semi-philosophical views, methods and “isms”, ranging from Descartes, Geulincx and Malebranche to existentialism à la Sartre and Camus, to logical positivism following Frege, Wittgenstein and others―to name but a few. P. J. Murphy rightly maintains that “the whole question of Beckett’s relationship to the philosophers is pretty obviously in need of a major critical assessment”.1 In many, if not most studies, “a philosophy” has been superimposed on the
    [Show full text]