The Work of Poverty: Samuel Beckett’s Vagabonds and the Theater of Crisis
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Author Description
How did Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot come to be performed in such places as San Quentin Prison, Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement, Sarajevo under military siege, New Orleans's Lower Ninth Ward after Hurricane Katrina, and Zuccotti Park during the Occupy Wall Street protests? The Work of Poverty: Samuel Beckett's Vagabonds and the Theater of Crisis studies the appeal of Godot to audiences in settings of historical crisis and suffering. Lance Duerfahrd argues that these circumstances transform the performance and the reception of the play, thereby illuminating a cathartic and political dimension of Beckett's work that goes unseen in traditional performance contexts.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
The Work of Poverty investigates the enduring appeal and transformative reception of Samuel Beckett's play Waiting for Godot in contexts of profound societal crisis and suffering.
THE SCOPE MAP
- Examines performances of Waiting for Godot in diverse crisis settings: San Quentin Prison, Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement, besieged Sarajevo, post-Katrina New Orleans, and Zuccotti Park during Occupy Wall Street.
- Argues that these specific performance environments fundamentally alter both the play's presentation and audience engagement.
- Illuminates a previously unseen cathartic and political dimension of Beckett's work.
- Analyzes how the circumstances of crisis transform the play's meaning and impact.
- Draws on performance theory and historical context to understand Beckett's reception beyond traditional theatrical spaces.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
The book is recognized for its novel approach to understanding Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, focusing on its reception in environments marked by crisis and suffering. By examining performances in locations such as prisons, war zones, and protest sites, the study highlights how these contexts imbue the play with new political and cathartic dimensions. The analysis suggests that traditional performance studies often overlook these potent, crisis-driven interpretations. This work offers a unique perspective on the adaptability and enduring relevance of Beckett's seminal play.
Page Count:
360
Publication Date:
2013-01-01
ISBN-10:
0814212379
ISBN-13:
9780814212370
Non-Fiction
History
Performance Studies
Literary Criticism
Theater History
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