At first glance, Samuel Beckett's writingGCowhere scenes of violence and cruelty often provide the occasion for an unremittingly bleak comedyGCowould seem to offer the reader few examples of ethical conduct. However, following the recent "ethical turn" in critical theory, there has been growing interest in the ethicality of Beckett's work. Following Alain Badiou's highly influential claim for Beckett as essentially an ethical thinker, it is time to ask: What is the relation between Beckett's work and the ethical? Is Beckett's work profoundly ethical in its implications, as both humanist and deconstructionist readings have insisted in their different ways? Or does Beckett's work in some way call into question the entire notion of the ethical? This provocative collection of essays seeks to map out this emerging debate in Beckett criticism. It will be a landmark contribution to an exciting new field, not only in Beckett Studies, but in literary studies and critical theory more broadly.

An international team of contributors examine how Beckett's work from the famous "siege in the room" of 1945-50 might be seen as responding to specific ethical crises of post-war Europe.

About the Author
At first glance, Samuel Beckett's writing--where scenes of violence and cruelty often provide the occasion for an unremittingly bleak comedy--would seem to offer the reader few examples of ethical conduct. However, following the recent "ethical turn" in critical theory, there has been growing interest in the ethicality of Beckett's work. Following Alain Badiou's highly influential claim for Beckett as essentially an ethical thinker, it is time to ask: What is the relation between Beckett's work and the ethical? Is Beckett's work profoundly ethical in its implications, as both humanist and deconstructionist readings have insisted in their different ways? Or does Beckett's work in some way call into question the entire notion of the ethical? This provocative collection of essays seeks to map out this emerging debate in Beckett criticism. It will be a landmark contribution to an exciting new field, not only in Beckett Studies, but in literary studies and critical theory more broadly.

Reviews
Reviewed in Routledge ABES;This provocative collection of essays seeks to map out an emerging debate in Beckett criticism. It is a landmark contribution to an exciting field, not only in Beckett Studies, but in literary and theatre studies and critical theory more broadly. The European Legacy, Volume 16, Number 5



Book Information
ISBN 9781441151179
Author Dr Russell Smith
Format Paperback
Page Count 198
Imprint Continuum Publishing Corporation
Publisher Continuum Publishing Corporation