Eugene Ionesco's Existentialist Views
Eugene Ionesco- The Play Writer
-Born in Slatina, Romania in 1909; died in Paris, France, in 1994.
-Studied French literature at the University of Bucharest.
- Eugene has written 28 plays. His most famous works include The Lesson (1951), The Chairs (1952), and Rhinoceros (1959).
-Eugene has been recognized as a leading writer in the Theatre of the Absurd. His plays break theatrical archetypes of plot and sequence; explore mortality, and introduce existential conundrums while utilising over imaginative, unrealistic and out of the blue humor. The line between fiction and reality is consistently blurred as Ionesco depicts meaningless worlds ruled by chance.
- Was made a member of the French Academy in 1970, and won a number of prizes including the Tours Festival Prize for film, Prix Italia, Society of Authors Theatre Prize, Grand Prix National for theatre, Monaco Grand Prix, Austrian State Prize for European Literature, Jerusalem Prize, and honorary doctorates from New York University and the universities of Leuven, Warwick, and Tel Aviv.
Contribution to Existentialist Thought and Relation to Guildenstern and Rosencrantz are Dead
- Eugene’s greatest contribution to existential thought comes from developing the building blocks for theater of the absurd. Eugene popularized nonrepresentational writing techniques to a point which audiences found it acceptable, and used basic existential concepts in his plays, inspiring future writers such as Tom Stoppard. - Eugene constantly refers to two main themes throughout his writings; loneliness and isolation; and having no control over one’s fate. The setting of The Chairs provides a great example, in which an old couple 90s only have each other in their small house on an island, which represents the isolation. Guil and Ros are always alone in their absurd existentialist thought which does not seem to bother anyone else, which leads them unable to relate to the people around them and feel alienated. They are
-Born in Slatina, Romania in 1909; died in Paris, France, in 1994.
-Studied French literature at the University of Bucharest.
- Eugene has written 28 plays. His most famous works include The Lesson (1951), The Chairs (1952), and Rhinoceros (1959).
-Eugene has been recognized as a leading writer in the Theatre of the Absurd. His plays break theatrical archetypes of plot and sequence; explore mortality, and introduce existential conundrums while utilising over imaginative, unrealistic and out of the blue humor. The line between fiction and reality is consistently blurred as Ionesco depicts meaningless worlds ruled by chance.
- Was made a member of the French Academy in 1970, and won a number of prizes including the Tours Festival Prize for film, Prix Italia, Society of Authors Theatre Prize, Grand Prix National for theatre, Monaco Grand Prix, Austrian State Prize for European Literature, Jerusalem Prize, and honorary doctorates from New York University and the universities of Leuven, Warwick, and Tel Aviv.
Contribution to Existentialist Thought and Relation to Guildenstern and Rosencrantz are Dead
- Eugene’s greatest contribution to existential thought comes from developing the building blocks for theater of the absurd. Eugene popularized nonrepresentational writing techniques to a point which audiences found it acceptable, and used basic existential concepts in his plays, inspiring future writers such as Tom Stoppard. - Eugene constantly refers to two main themes throughout his writings; loneliness and isolation; and having no control over one’s fate. The setting of The Chairs provides a great example, in which an old couple 90s only have each other in their small house on an island, which represents the isolation. Guil and Ros are always alone in their absurd existentialist thought which does not seem to bother anyone else, which leads them unable to relate to the people around them and feel alienated. They are
Cited: Burlan, Alexandru D. and Minca, Ana and Iatan, Laura. “Eugène Ionesco”. N.p, 1. Aug. 2011. Web. 31 May 2013 Gradesaver. “Biography of Eugene Ionesco (1909-1994)”. Gradesaver.com. n.d. Web. 31 May 2013. Reekie, Paul. “Eugene Ionesco.” Palm Beach Dramaworks. n.d. Web. 31 May 2013 SparkNotes Editors. "SparkNote on Rhinoceros." SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. n.d.. Web. 30 May 2013 SparkNotes Editors. "SparkNote on The Chairs." SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. n.d.. Web. 30 May 2013. WriteWork contributors. "Existentialism in Eugene Lonesco 's " Rhinoceros"" WriteWork.com. WriteWork.com, 01 November, 1996. Web. 31 May. 2013.