The Arabian Beckett: The Influence of Samuel Beckett’s Plays on Modern Arabic Theatre

Abstract

This thesis explores the reception of Samuel Beckett’s drama, examining how critics and playwrights in the Arab world have interpreted his plays over time. The thesis opens with an examination of initial reactions to Absurdism, the idea under which Beckett’s work seems to have entered Arab Theatre, focusing principally on Tawfiq Al-Hakim’s attempts to create Absurdist plays rooted in Arabic culture. This study presents an exemplary instance of Beckett’s influence through the parallel reading of Beckett's and Al-Hakim’s absurdist plays. This groundwork encouraged other Arab playwrights, who then showcased a stronger influence from Samuel Beckett’s dramas in their own Absurdist creations. The thesis considers Beckett’s direct influence on the dramatists Salah Abdel-Sabour and Yusuf Idris from Egypt, along with Saadallah Wannous and Yousef Al-A’ani from the Levant. The thesis also traces the shift in Arab critical and theatrical engagement with Beckett’s work from Esslin’s to politically charged interpretations. It shows how his plays have been reappropriated to critique authoritarianism and political repression, highlighting the adaptability of global theatre within specific cultural and political contexts.