Historical Context
The 1950s is often remembered as a time when artistic expression was perceived as "square" and conformist, much like how the era is depicted in television and contemporary films. However, the 1950s were actually a period of significant innovation across all art forms, capturing the attention of audiences, readers, and listeners alike. Following the death of George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), his style of the "well-made play," which relied on traditional forms and structures, began to be replaced by more experimental approaches. The most famous example of this shift is Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot (1952), which many found to be thrilling and unlike any play they had ever seen before.
Other literary genres also underwent similar reexaminations and transformations. In 1950, Ezra Pound's "Seventy Cantos" were published, which diverged from traditional verse as starkly as Godot differed from Shaw's Pygmalion. In 1953, Archibald MacLeish released his Collected Poems, a work whose experimental nature impressed many readers and earned him the Pulitzer Prize. Vladimir Nabokov's controversial novel Lolita, published in 1955, was one of the most daring novels of its time, exploring a middle-aged professor's obsession with a twelve-year-old "nymphet." Two years later, Albert Camus (1913-1960), a leading philosophical novelist of the era, received the Nobel Prize. Although Camus often rejected the label, he is frequently associated with existentialism, a radical philosophy questioning man's ability to find truth and meaning in himself or the world. That same year saw the premiere of Beckett's second theatrical success, Endgame. Like Camus, Beckett resisted any labeling of himself or his art.
Other notable experimental literary works from this period include Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road (1957), which emerged at the beginning of the "beatnik" movement, and Harold Pinter's The Birthday Party (1958), celebrated as one of his first major successes. Gunter Grass's The Tin Drum (1959), narrated from the perspective of a three-year-old who decides to stop growing, was acclaimed for its revolutionary examination of Germany during the Hitler era. An intriguing conclusion to the decade can be found in Jean-Paul Sartre's Critique de la dialectique (1960), in which the controversial philosopher, playwright, and novelist articulated his political philosophies, influenced in part by the rise of Soviet communism in the previous decade.
Other art forms followed equally unconventional paths. The visual arts thrived with the ongoing contributions of Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). His painting "Massacre in Korea" captured the upheaval when North Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel, retaking Seoul and igniting the Korean War (1950-1953). Surrealism, aimed at transforming traditional forms into dreamlike expressions, flourished during this period. Alberto Giacometti (1933-1970) introduced his sculpture "Seven Figures and a Head" in 1950, Marc Chagall (1889-1985) presented his painting "The Red Roofs" in 1954, and Salvador Dali (1904-1989) unveiled "The Lord's Supper" in 1955.
This era also witnessed the creation of numerous experimental films that revolutionized traditional cinema, including Rashomon (1950), La Strada (1954), and The Seventh Seal (1956). Architecture saw one of its boldest achievements with the completion of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum in New York City in 1958. Music evolved with the rise of bebop and "cool jazz," introducing new styles and rhythms.
While many notable works adhered to conventional structures and forms, such as 1953’s From Here to Eternity and 1959’s The Miracle Worker, the era was marked by a significant shift. Artists, including Beckett, grew increasingly discontent with tradition and sought to break free from it in diverse and innovative ways.
Setting
Krapp’s den
Krapp’s den serves as a vivid metaphor for the spiritual desolation and profound solitude that envelops the protagonist's life. The play opens with Krapp engaging in a series of seemingly disconnected and idiosyncratic actions, such as consuming bananas, handling an...
(This entire section contains 283 words.)
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old envelope, and retreating offstage for a drink. These actions set the stage for a poignant revelation: Krapp is reliving a birthday ritual, a tradition that he has carried on into his sixty-ninth year. As he listens to a tape recorded by his younger self, the audience gains insight into his past aspirations and current despair.
The tape captures a much younger Krapp in pursuit of the “grain” of his life, a metaphor he uses to describe "those things worth having when all the dust . . . when all my dust has settled." This quest for meaning is a stark contrast to his present state. Thirty years have passed, and the older Krapp is now a shadow of his former self, shackled by age and alcoholism. He finds solace only in revisiting an old recording labeled as a “Farewell to love.” On the tape, the younger Krapp, filled with youthful fervor, claims he would not trade his past happiness for anything, not even as he feels a fire burning within him.
Yet, as the elder Krapp sits in the same room three decades later, that once blazing fire has all but flickered out. The den, a physical embodiment of his life's decay, mirrors the bleakness of a future that once prompted him to renounce love. In this dimly lit space, the echoes of his past confront him, leaving him surrounded by a darkness that signifies both his internal and external realities.
Style and Technique
Samuel Beckett's play, "Krapp's Last Tape," offers a poignant exploration of the human condition through its use of setting, lighting, and costume. The play's minimalistic environment mirrors the protagonist's emotional desolation, while the interplay of light and darkness symbolizes the inner struggles that define his life. Krapp's appearance further emphasizes his tragicomic nature, as his attire and actions underscore his failed aspirations and absurd seriousness.
Setting as a Reflection of Krapp
The setting of "Krapp's Last Tape" is crucial in conveying the character's isolation and emotional void. The play takes place in Krapp's den, a stark room that mirrors his own barren existence. With almost nothing furnishing the space apart from a small table, the room underscores Krapp's lack of human connection and emotional warmth. This emptiness is more than physical; it is a manifestation of Krapp's sterile inner life, where any semblance of comfort or humanity is notably absent.
Symbolism of Light and Darkness
Beckett's strategic use of lighting furthers the narrative, with a "strong white light" focused on Krapp's table while the rest of the stage remains shrouded in darkness. This dramatic lighting choice serves not only as a visual metaphor but also as a representation of Krapp's internal battle against the encroaching "darkness" of isolation and ignorance. The dialogue from Krapp's younger self, recorded on the tape, reveals his appreciation for the "new light" above his table, as it provides a sense of companionship amidst the surrounding darkness. "With all this darkness round me I feel less alone," says the younger Krapp, revealing his struggle between the desire for enlightenment and the inevitability of solitude.
The recurring theme of light versus dark is evident throughout the play, symbolizing the tension between knowledge and ignorance, life and death, connection and isolation. The equinox, a time of balanced light and dark, symbolizes a pivotal year for Krapp—a year when his life's opposing forces were in equilibrium. During this year, Krapp experienced significant life events: he lost his mother, envisioned a promising artistic career, yet failed to achieve tangible success. Although he had a lover, he abandoned her in pursuit of his ambitions. Now, in his later years, the darkness looms larger, threatening to consume him as he attempts one last self-reckoning through his tape recordings.
The Costumed Clown
Krapp's attire contributes dramatically to the character's essence, portraying him as a clownish figure—a tragicomic embodiment of absurdity and earnestness. Dressed in "rusty black narrow trousers" and a "grimy white shirt," with a "purple nose" and "disordered gray hair," Krapp is reminiscent of a clown whose seriousness is constantly undercut by his appearance. His choice of costume further reflects his inner struggle, as the comical dissonance between his self-importance and his absurd appearance highlights his futile search for meaning and recognition as a writer and intellectual.
The comedic aspect of Krapp's character is accentuated by his interactions with bananas, a classic trope that adds a layer of slapstick to his tragic existence. Krapp's actions, such as eating bananas and nearly slipping on their peels, intensify the audience's perception of him as a figure caught between earnest endeavor and comical mishap. This blend of tragic and comic elements crafts a complex character who, despite his belief in his own significance, remains ensnared in a cycle of ridiculousness.
Overall, the potent combination of setting, lighting, and costume in "Krapp's Last Tape" reveals the depths of Krapp's character. Beckett skillfully uses these elements to illustrate the protagonist's contradictions: his yearning for light amidst darkness, his desire for importance belied by his clownish visage, and his persistent yet futile quest for understanding. Each aspect of the production serves to expose the tension between Krapp's self-perception and the stark reality of his existence, making the play a powerful meditation on the human predicament. "Krapp’s Last Tape" thus becomes a vivid exploration of the interplay between light and shadow, seriousness and absurdity in the quest for self-knowledge.
Compare and Contrast
1950: North Korean troops cross the 38th parallel and seize Seoul, the capital of South Korea. General Douglas MacArthur is named commander of UN forces in Korea. The Korean War will continue until 1953.
Today: North Korea remains a Communist country, with Kim Jong Il, the son of former leader Kim Il Sung, serving as its President.
1953: Joseph Stalin passes away, and Nikita Khrushchev is appointed First Secretary of the Communist Party's General Committee. Khrushchev becomes Chairman of the Council of USSR Ministers in 1958 and later engages in the famous Cuban Missile Crisis standoff with President Kennedy in 1962.
Today: With the dissolution of the Soviet Union into several independent nations, the Cold War between the Soviets and Americans has ended, with the United States generally seen as the victor in this significant ideological conflict.
1958: Krapp’s Last Tape debuts, receiving mixed reviews due to its experimental approach.
Today: While Broadway theaters are predominantly filled with commercial productions, experimental theater continues to flourish elsewhere. Plays like Aviva Jane Carlin’s Jodie’s Body (1999), where a nude model discusses politics, and Dare Clubb’s Oedipus (1999), a four-hour retelling of the myth from Merope's perspective (Oedipus's adopted mother), challenge modern audiences' perceptions of theater much like Krapp’s Last Tape did over forty years ago.
Media Adaptations
"Krapp’s Last Tape," directed by Samuel Beckett, was adapted into a film. You can find it on VideoFlicks at VideoFlicks.com.
Further Reading
Sources
Bair, Deirdre. Samuel Beckett, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1978, pp.
491, 514-15.
Beckett, Samuel. Krapp’s Last Tape, in Krapp’s Last Tape and Other Dramatic Pieces, Grove Press, 1957, pp. 7-28.
Boswell, James. Boswell’s London Journal 1762-1763, McGraw-Hill, 1950, p. 161.
Brien, Alan. Review of Krapp’s Last Tape in the Spectator, November 4, 1955.
Brustein, Robert. Review of Krapp’s Last Tape in Samuel Beckett: The Critical Heritage, edited by Lawrence Graver and Raymond Federman, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1979, pp. 192-93.
Cronin, Anthony. Samuel Beckett: The Last Modernist, HarperCollins, 1997, p. 481.
Dylan, Bob. “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” Big Sky Music, 1971.
Knowlson, James. Damned to Fame: The Life of Samuel Beckett, Simon and Schuster, 1996, p. 397.
Reid, Alec. All I Can Manage, More Than I Could, Grove Press, 1971, p. 21.
Tynan, Kenneth. Review of Krapp’s Last Tape in Samuel Beckett: The Critical Heritage, edited by Lawrence Graver and Raymond Federman, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1979, pp. 189-92.
Further Reading
Graver, Lawrence, and Raymond Federman, editors, Samuel Beckett: The
Critical Heritage, Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1979. This volume is a
compilation of original reviews of Beckett’s work; the section on Krapp’s
Last Tape includes both favorable and critical reviews.
Knowlson, James. Damned to Fame: The Life of Samuel Beckett, Simon and Schuster, 1996. Knowlson’s comprehensive biography examines how Beckett’s experiences in Ireland and France influenced his work. The book also delves deeply into Beckett’s involvement with the French Resistance.
Knowlson, James, editor. The Theatrical Notebooks of Samuel Beckett Volume III: Krapp’s Last Tape, Grove Press, 1992. This volume contains the complete text of Krapp’s Last Tape along with a facsimile of Beckett’s notebook, which includes his French-written ideas on how he wanted the play to be directed and performed.
O’Brien, Eoin. The Beckett Country, The Black Cat Press, 1986. This extensive collection of photographs captures the Irish settings that inspired Beckett’s work; several images correlate with scenes from Krapp’s Last Tape.
