Krapp’s Last Tape (Masterplots II: Drama)
At a glance:
- Author: Samuel Beckett
- First Published: 1958
- Type of Work: Absurdist
- Time of Work: The mid-twentieth century
- Setting: The den of an old man, Krapp
- Principal Characters: Krapp
- Genres: Drama, Absurdist literature
- Subjects: Self-discovery, Memory, Twentieth century, Authors or writers, Existentialism, Joy or sorrow, Aging, Isolation
The Play
Krapp’s Last Tape commences with a nearsighted old man, Krapp, wandering aimlessly in his den. In the center of the room is a table bearing a tape recorder and several boxes of reels of tape. Initially, Krapp walks before the table at the front edge of the stage. He absentmindedly peels a banana, holds the banana in his mouth, eats, nearly slips on the banana peel, stares vacantly into space, retreats backstage for a drink (suggested to the audience by the pop of a cork), returns to mouth another banana front stage, puts the banana in his coat pocket, then...
[The entire page is 2964 words long]
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