Theatre and Acting/Samuel Beckett

Samuel Beckett lived from 1906 – 1989 and wrote from 1931 until his death. His work focuses on the absurdity of existence, humanity’s search for meaning in life, and our nature. He wrote in both English and French, often translating his own work. He started his career by writing in a very rambling style. He also put sections of his own life and experiences into his work, often only subtly changed, which caused tension among his friends and family. After about 1950, his style of writing changed and he began to write in a more minimalist way, sometimes writing plays that were only a few pages long. His works often took on imaginative and yet strange and sometimes depressing tones, notably his idea of each person living entrapped in a container of some sort, unable to get out.