Below is a free essay on "Martin Esslin" from AssignmentSolutionsSpot, your source for free research papers, essays, and term paper examples.
Martin Julius Esslin OBE (6 June 1918 – 24 February 2002) was a Hungarian-born English producer and playwright dramatist, journalist, adaptor and translator, critic, academic scholar and professor of drama best known for coining the term Theatre of the Absurd in his work of that name (1961). This book has been called the most influential theatrical text of the 1960s.[1]Life and Work
Born Julius Pereszlényi (Hungarian Pereszlényi Gyula Márton) in Budapest, Esslin moved to Vienna with his family at a young age. He studied Philosophy and English at the University of Vienna and also graduated from the Reinhardt Seminar as a producer. Of Jewish descent, he fled Austria in the wake of the Anschluss of 1938.
Esslin defined the 'Theatre of the Absurd' as that which
“ The Theatre of the Absurd strives to express its sense of the senselessness of the human condition and the inadequacy of the rational approach by the open abandonment of rational devices and discursive thought. ”
Esslin's definition encompassed not only Beckett's works but those of Slawomir Mrozek, Eugène Ionesco, Harold Pinter, Jean Genet, Günter Grass and Edward Albee amongst others.
He began working for the BBC in 1940, serving as a producer, script writer and broadcaster. He was head of BBC Radio Drama 1963-77, having previously worked for the external European Service. After leaving the BBC he held senior academic posts at Florida State and Stanford Universities.
He also adapted and translated many works from the original German, for example many plays of Wolfgang Bauer between 1967 and 1990. Original works included the seminal Theatre of the Absurd, and The Field of Drama.
Esslin died in London on February 24, 2002 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. Read Full Essay
AssignmentSolutionsSpot offers free essay examples to help students with their essay writing.
Sign Up for free to view this essay on Martin Esslin.
Submitted by: simon7 on May 28, 2013Category: English Length: 287 wordsViews: 15
This is Preview only. If you need the solution of this assignment, please send us email with the complete assignment title: ProfessorKamranA@gmail.com
