Definition

Proper noun: - Samuel Beckett: An Irish-born playwright and novelist who lived in France. He is a seminal figure in 20th-century literature, particularly known for his works associated with the Theatre of the Absurd, which explore themes of existential despair, futility, and the human condition in a minimalist style.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • Samuel Beckett won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969.
  • The plays of Samuel Beckett, such as "Waiting for Godot," are studied worldwide.
  • Samuel Beckett wrote many of his major works in French and then translated them into English.

Advanced Usage

• "Beckettian" (adj): Characteristic of or resembling the style, themes, or atmosphere of Samuel Beckett's works, often implying bleakness, minimalism, and existential questioning.
  • The silent, desolate landscape had a distinctly Beckettian quality.

Variants and Related Words

• Beckettian (adjective): Pertaining to the style or themes of Samuel Beckett.
• Absurdism (noun): A philosophy often associated with Beckett's work, exploring the conflict between the human tendency to seek meaning and the universe's apparent meaninglessness.

Synonyms

• Playwright (specifically of the Absurd): A writer of plays, particularly one associated with the Theatre of the Absurd.
• Modernist writer: A writer from the 20th century who broke with traditional forms and subjects.

Related Phrases

• Theatre of the Absurd: A post-World War II theatrical movement with which Beckett is closely associated, characterized by plays that abandon conventional narrative and structure to highlight the absurdity of human existence.

Noun

1. a playwright and novelist (born in Ireland) who lived in France; wrote plays for the theater of the absurd (1906-1989)