CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Absurd’ is a term used originally to describe the violation of the rules of logic. It has acquired wide and diverse connotations in modem arts, literature, philosophy and theology. The Absurd indicates man’s failure or the failure of traditional values to fulfill man’s emotional desires and spiritual needs. The term ‘Absurd’ was first used with its modem implications in the work of the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard who rebelled against Hegellian ideals. JeanPaul Sartre (1905)

He described Christianity as absurd because no man could understand or justify it according to rational principles. Existentialism, which developed in European countries like France and Germany, focused upon the meaninglessness of human existence. Martin Heidegger described Christianity as absurd; Jean-Paul Sartre, the founder of existentialism said there is an apparent pointlessness in man’s life. He spoke of ‘non-being’ or ‘nothingness.’

Albert Camus expressed that the disparity between man’s intention and the reality repeatedly ‘checkmates’ the individual. Gabriel Marcel (1889) In Gabriel Marcel’s view ‘absurd’ is the symbol of the fundamental mystery of human existence. The ‘Absurd’ in life, art and literature arose due to several reasons.

First of all, industrialization created a sudden acceleration of technical development in Britain and other European countries. Jean Paul Sartre (1905) Industrialization transferred the balance of political power from the landowner to the industrial capitalists, creating an urban industrial working class. Industrialization gave birth to urbanization village workers migrated to industrialized areas, creating an imbalance.

Mass exodus led to existential problems. The new problems in towns were lack of enough number of jobs, houses, food, health safety and hygiene and sanitation. Overpopulation gave way to survivalistic problems. Industrialization helped man enormously. The invention of steam engine, gas, electricity etc., led to the birth and growth of science and technology. British industrialization spread to the other European countries and to the rest of the world gradually. Gabriel Marcel (1889).

Meanwhile the British scientist Charles Darwin’s founding of the modem theory of evolution and natural selection led to the discoveries in areas like fertilization mechanism of plants, the classification of barnacles and the formation of coral reefs. He showed that evolution had occurred in a long process (but not as Genesis says) and explained the principles of natural and sexual selection. His Descent of Man (1871) added fuel to the theological discussion.

Later Neo-Darwinism (with Mendal’s idea) brought immense awareness in European society, erasing man’s age-old faith. World War I (1914-1918) which arose between European powers and the Allies led to the destruction of men and properties.

The loss was enormous. World War II (1939-1945) which arose between Germany, Italy and Japan (the Axis Powers) on one side, and Britain, the Commonwealth, France, the USA, the USSR, and China on the other, led to the death of millions of men and a huge quantity of national properties.

It led to man’s isolation, loneliness, frustration, dread and angst. Existentialism, as a philosophical trend, arose after World War II. It is a modem school of philosophy, which influenced European literature greatly. The philosophy of existence spoke of the primacy of the individual choice and action. It stressed on the absurdity of the universe.

This absurdity caused anxiety, of course, freeing man. Existentialism saw freedom of choice as the most important fact of human existence. According to Jean-Paul Sartre, consciousness of our own freedom is the sign of ‘authentic experience,’ as opposed to ‘bad faith.’

The investigation of this freedom involves investigation of the nature of being and this has caused existentialism to form two main streams: the first, atheistic, which interprets the free individual existence as self created, and the second, religious, which interprets individual existence as dependent on transcending being (God). Gabriel Marcel (1889).

The prominent leaders of existentialism have been the philosophers Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) and Karl Jaspers (1883-1969) in Germany, JeanPaul Sartre (1905-1980) and philosopher and dramatist Gabriel Marcel (1889- 1973) in France. Marcel represented the religious stream whose progenitor was the 19th century Danish thinker Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855).

Existentialism influenced the field of literature. Irish Murdoch has termed modem British empiricists as existentialists in her essay “The Sovereignty of God.” In France authors like Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus and Simone de Beauvoir expounded its doctrines. Works such as Jean-Paul Sartre’s trilogy of novels, Roads to Freedom (1947) and his play No Exit (1944) or Albert Camus’ novel The Outsider (1942) are existentialists in approach.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS

The feeling of absurdity, can strike any man in the face at any street corner. Therefore absurdity is a universal phenomenon. The mechanical nature of many people’s lives may lead them to question the value and purpose of their existence; this is an intimation of absurdity which might even lead to suicide; more so, in context as this, dialogue never seems to make any sense. Language is seen as a futile attempt to communicate. In short, the communication is impossible. The general effect is often a nightmare or dreamlike atmosphere in which the protagonist is overwhelmed by the chaotic or irrational nature of his environment. Finally, several research has been carried out on the absurd theatre but not even a single research has research has been carried out on the element of the absurd in JP Clark Bekedemo’s the raft and Wole Soyinka’s the mad men and specialist.

1.3   AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

        The main aim of the study is to examine the element of the absurd in JP Clark Bekedemo’s the raft and Wole Soyinka’s the mad men and the specialist. Other specific objectives of the study include;

1. to determine the impact of the absurd element as seen in JP Clark Bekederemo’s the raft and Wole Soyinka’s the mad men and specialist.
2. to determine the extent to which the absurd element can affect the modern day setting.
3. to determine audience perception when viewing literary piece with absurd element.
4. to proffer possible solutions to the problems.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the impact of the absurd element as seen in JP Clark Bekederemo’s the raft and Wole Soyinka’s the mad men and specialist?
2. What is the extent to which the absurd element can affect the modern day setting?
3. What is the audience perception when viewing literary piece with absurd element?
4. What are the possible solutions to the problems?

1.5   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study on the element of the absurd in JP Clark Bekederemo’s the raft and Wole Soyinka’s the mad men and the specialist will be of immense benefit in the sense that it creates a style of theatre which presents a world which cannot be logically explained. It uses techniques that seemed to be illogical to the theatre world. The arbitrary structure of the plays reflects the arbitrary and irrational nature of life.

Structurally, in contrast to a well made play with a beginning, middle and a neatly tied up ending, the plays by the absurdist playwrights often start at an arbitrary point and end just as arbitrarily.

The plots often deviate from the more traditional episodic structure, and seem to be cyclic, ending the same way it begins. It rejects narrative continuity and the rigidity of logic. Finally, the study will contribute to the body of existing literature and knowledge to this field of study and basis for further research.

1.6   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

        The study on the element of the absurd is limited to JP Clark Bekederemo’s the raft and Wole Soyinka’s the mad and specialist.

1.7   LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.8   DEFINITION OF TERMS

Element  An essential or characteristic part of something abstract.

Absurd     Wildly unreasonable, illogical, or inappropriate.