Theatre of the Absurd

The term 'Theatre of the Absurd' is used to categorise plays which do not follow conventional play structures. The main aim of these plays is to transfer the writer's vision of the world onto the stage, and generally comment on the human condition. Plays such as Waiting for Godot (Samuel Beckett), The Dumb Waiter (Harold Pinter), and The Bald Prima Donna (Eugene Ionesco) all comment on different types of the human condition but ultimately reflect the meaningless of human existence. They provoke thought about the pointlessness of life, the powerlessness of people over the course of their lives, and the ludicrous values and rules of 'civilised' society.
In absurdist plays, symbols play an integral part of communicating the writer's vision to the audience. In 'Waiting for Godot' the mysterious stranger Godot, who is never seen yet whom the play revolves around, can be seen to symbolise God - "And if he comes? We'll be saved". …