CAMBRIDGE INTRODUCTION TO SAMUEL BECKETT, THE

This is an eloquent and accessible introduction to one of the most important writers of the twentieth century. This book provides biographical and contextual information, but more fundamentally, it also considers how we might think about an enduringly difficult and experimental novelist and playwright who often challenges the very concepts of meaning and interpretation. It deals with his life, intellectual and cultural background, plays, prose, and critical response and relates Beckett's work and vision to the culture and context from which he wrote. McDonald provides a sustained analysis of the major plays, including 'Waiting for Godot', 'Endgame', and 'Happy Days' and his major prose works including 'Murphy', 'Watt' and his famous 'trilogy' of novels ('Molloy', 'Malone Dies', 'The Unnamable'). This introduction concludes by mapping the huge terrain of criticism Beckett's work has prompted, and it explains the turn in recent years to understanding Beckett within his historical context. Helps students understand Beckett’s works and the contexts in which they were produced and received. Identifies and explains the key topics and questions relevant to the study of Beckett. Covers drama as well as prose in more depth than any otherstudent guide on the market.