Samuel Beckett’s ‘The Way’ and Stirrings Still:

Analysing the Self from ‘Schopenhauerian Buddhist’ Perspective

Authors

  • Pavneet Kaur

Keywords:

Buddhism, Veil of Maya, Arthur Schopenhauer, Emptiness, Self, Phenomena

Abstract

The article discusses the idea of the self in Samuel Beckett’s late short prose writings. The nature of the self, presented in disintegrated and essenceless form in Beckett’s works, responds powerfully to the category of world literature through their crossing of cultural boundaries. Beckett read the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer and Schopenhauer in turn, was influenced by the Eastern philosophies of Buddhism and the Vedas. The essential characteristic of the presentation of the self in Beckett’s writings, when filtered through Schopenhauer’s understanding of the Eastern philosophy, leads to what Beckett called ‘an intellectual justification of unhappiness’ and the understanding of the ‘veil of Maya.’

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Author Biography

Pavneet Kaur

Pavneet Kaur is a final year PhD student at the University of Northampton, UK. Her PhD focuses on Samuel Beckett and emptiness. The concept of emptiness is taken from the Eastern philosophies of Buddhism and the Vedas as present in the works of German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer. Currently, she is awaiting her viva and working as a Learning Resource Manager in St. John Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy in the UK.

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Published

2021-11-03

How to Cite

Kaur, P. (2021). Samuel Beckett’s ‘The Way’ and Stirrings Still:: Analysing the Self from ‘Schopenhauerian Buddhist’ Perspective. Sanglap: Journal of Literary and Cultural Inquiry, 4(1), 69–79. Retrieved from https://sanglap-journal.in/index.php/sanglap/article/view/89