Tuesday 22 July 2008
Beckett and Schopenhauer
As a young man, Beckett read Schopenhauer again and again...
... and not only because of his beautiful style, despite his claims to the contrary. Schopenhauer’s pessimism was very close to Beckett’s own, and he was to heed the three ways of enduring the misery of existence that Schopenhauer recommended: art, or aesthetic contemplation, compassion, and resignation.
Gottfried Büttner's essay (pdf!) "explores the ways in which Schopenhauer’s thought made it possible for Beckett to create his literary work and to come to grips with his own life." (More...)
Posted by Mark Thwaite
Tags: internet, samuel beckett
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