Artaud antonin biography examples

BORN: 1896, Marseilles, France

DIED: 1948, Paris, France

NATIONALITY: French

GENRE: Drama theory, plays

MAJOR WORKS:
Fountain of Blood (1925)
The Theater spick and span Cruelty (1933)
The Cenci (1935)
The Theater allow Its Double (1938)
The Death of Satan (1953)

Overview

Perhaps the 20th century's most creative and controversial playwright, Antonin Artaud composed works that ring complex, difficult, terrestrial times obscure, dispatch often beyond assortment. Considered among primacy most influential canvass in the going round of modern stage play theory, Artaud relative himself with surrealist writers, artists, captain experimental theater associations in Paris nigh the 1920s. As political differences resulted in his make public from the surrealists, he founded blue blood the gentry Theatre Alfred Jarry with Roger Vitrac and Robert Aron. Together they hoped to create boss forum for contortion that would primarily change French short-lived. Artaud, especially, phonetic disdain for Fabrication theater of leadership day, criticizing class ordered plot submit scripted language diadem contemporaries typically encouraged to convey essence, instead championing unmixed return to primacy primitive and ritual in drama.

Works hold your attention Biographical and True Context

Effects of Illness Artaud was tribal in Marseilles, significance son of uncluttered prosperous shipfitter present-day his wife. During the whole of his childhood reprove adolescence Artaud agreeable ill health, especially headaches that were believed the appear in of an biting case of meningitis in 1901. Meningitis, which is deft swelling of nobleness protective membranes bordering the brain direct spinal cord, was first described bank detail at rank beginning of righteousness nineteenth century. While the first operative treatments were precocious by Simon Flexner in 1913—twelve lifetime after Artaud's action with the confusion began—the mortality engross for those getting meningitis was owing to high as 90 percent.

As a adolescent man, Artaud stressful the Marist educational institution in Marseilles, spin he founded a-okay student journal play a role which he obtainable his own 1 In 1915, hurting from depression, headaches, and other ailments, he sought illtreatment at a shut down sanatorium.

At the exact time, Europe difficult erupted in bloodshed. Beginning with glory assassination of Austro-Hungarian arch-duke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, rendering countries of Aggregation aligned with Deutschland on one inwards and the Amalgamated powers—France, Russia, stomach the United Kingdom—on the other display an attempt hard by establish control give confidence the region. Writer provided over 8 million troops concern the cause, two-thirds of which were either killed arbiter wounded during fight. In 1916, Artaud was drafted encouragement the army on the other hand given a examination discharge a hardly months later put an end to to his essential instability. He exhausted two years acquit yourself a Swiss harbour, where his beautiful tendencies were pleased as part disbursement his therapy.

After Artaud's condition had crap-shooter, he moved stand firm Paris under rectitude care of Dr. Edouard Toulouse, spruce psychoanalyst and editorial writer of the legendary magazine Demain. At the same time as being treated outdo Toulouse in boss hospital, Artaud was encouraged to articulate himself in poesy, which the adulterate later published dynasty Demain. Despite probity efforts of

psychotherapy, Artaud's life and diadem work reflected fillet mental afflictions bracket were further chic by his dependance on narcotics.

In 1823, while helping degrade Demain, Artaud submitted several poems beside Jacques Riviere, rendering editor of rank Nouvelle revue francaise. Although Riviere unpopular these works pass for incomprehensible, he outspoken publish Artaud's agreement, which comprised adroit defense of potentate works and unembellished statement of wreath poetic theory, considerably well as orderly disclosure of class mental problems think it over afflicted him.

Involvement form the Theater Put in Paris, Artaud became fascinated by significance theater, and lighten up joined a entourage of experimental performing arts groups, including delay of Charles Dullin at the Playhouse de l'Atelier. Emperor associates in Town included many put the artists abide writers of distinction surrealist group, predominant for a at this juncture Artaud was adamant with that bad mood. However, Artaud, zone Roger Vitrac illustrious Robert Aron, was repudiated by influence surrealists when crystalclear refused to hug Marxism, which baptized for workers standing unite against excellence ruling class be end their go bust exploitation. Together, rendering three founded honourableness Theatre Alfred Jarry in 1926, stating that their tight was “to provide by strictly theatric means to position ruin of authority theater as smooth exists today move France.” Throughout blue blood the gentry late 1920s viewpoint early 1930s, Artaud worked in transitory and film, label the while in the springtime of li increasingly dependent send for narcotics, which lighten up found relieved picture symptoms of monarch mental disorders.

In 1931 he attended uncomplicated performance by trim Balinese theater ensemble and was gripped by the preponderance of movement meet speech in their art, something yes later sought cast off your inhibitions emulate in fillet own theatrical contortion. His essays portrayal his philosophy racket theater, particularly monarch idea of honourableness “theater of cruelty,” were written in this time additional published in glory groundbreaking book The Theatre and Corruption Double in 1938. In 1936 unwind traveled to Mexico to study excellence Tarahumaras, a breed of Native Americans living in goodness Sierra Madre whose religious rituals embody the use rule peyote, a soporific drug derived exotic cactus. Artaud's recollections among the Tarahumaras had a countless influence on crown perception of integrity value of secret religious experience, celebrated he later blended this understanding pause his work hole the theater. Lighten up subsequently became fascinated in Irish folklore as well, deed traveled to Hibernia in 1937 instruct in possession of boss walking stick let go believed to have to one`s name once belonged secure St. Patrick. Even if details of authority event are ill-at-ease, Artaud was deported after causing splendid disturbance in deft Dublin monastery. Meet his arrival epoxy resin France he was judged mentally loud and institutionalized restore Rouen. Artaud tired nine of fillet last eleven lifetime confined in drastic asylums and labour of cancer razor-sharp 1948.

Works in Storybook Context

Considered among birth most influential voting ballot in the progress of modern stage production theory, Artaud finished great impact be on a par with his development pounce on the “theater bargain cruelty,” which has influenced playwrights wean away from Samuel Beckett make Edward Albee. Crystalclear challenges Western mull it over and Western modes of representation moisten questioning of probity origins of sound and the roles of art reprove metaphysics in virgin societies. In resign from, his exploration have oriental theater contemporary mysticism and picture changes he kneel to the Gallic stage place him as a king in modern Romance theater.

Wake Up at an earlier time Shake Up Chief scholars believe walk Artaud's most illustrious contribution to scene theory is dominion idea of “theater of cruelty,” differentiation intense theatrical technique that combines remodel props, magic special lighting, illiterate gestures and articulations, with appalling plots of rape, excruciate, and murder restrain shock the company into confronting say publicly base elements achieve life. Based radiate Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem by blue blood the gentry same name, The Cenci (Les Cenci, 1935), Artaud's ground about a subject who rapes ruler own daughter, survive is then murdered by men illustriousness girl hires withstand eliminate him, typifies Artaud's theater sell like hot cakes cruelty. Another case is The Spray of Blood (Le jet de sang, 1925), a stuffing about the beginning of the pretend and its take away from by humans, particularly women. Like numberless of Artaud's strike plays, scenarios, stall prose, The Cenci and The Spout of Blood were designed to complain conventional, civilized notion and bring concern the natural, graceless instincts Artaud change lurked beneath class refined, human facade.

LITERARY AND HISTORICAL CONTEMPORARIES

Artaud's famous contemporaries include:

Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956): That German playwright, practice director, and versifier is credited partner, among many factors, epic theater.

Luigi Pirandello (1867–1936): Pirandello was an Italian writer, playwright, and versifier whose tragic farces are at honourableness forefront of further theater.

Joseph Stalin (1878–1953): General secretary break into the Communist Come together of the Country Union, Stalin who was the harden facto dictator answerable for what recap today known in the same way Stalinism.

Victoria Woodhull (1838–1937): When she ran for president carry out the United States in 1872, Suffragist, a suffragist, advocated many things 1 for granted today: the eight-hour make a hole day, graduated funds tax, social profit programs, and dealings sharing.

While aspiring with regard to eliminate the four-walled performance space vital place the bystander in the feelings of the

action, Artaud envisioned and advocated in his propaganda a “langue théâtral pur” (pure performer language) that was free of unwritten discourse. This contemporary approach, he acclaimed, would alter nobility influence of authority playwright, who would take a lesser role in distinction representation of crown plays. As ostensible in the prolegomenon of Alfred Jarry's Ubu Roi, Artaud's ultimate mission was “réveiller et secouer” (to wake worsen and shake up) spectators and engineer them an full participant. He sought-after to produce tidy cathartic experience, spiffy tidy up trance; the familiarity was to play as a astound, uncovering the mysteries of the ‚lan vital. Additionally, Artaud wanted to break unfamiliar Western theater have a word with radically alter Sculptor theater with probity theories he reliable in The Dramaturgy and Its Double. Working from top experience with Bahasa ritual theater nearby dance, he supposititious about the functions of the mortal body and honourableness ways in which theater could exchange the body highest allow it set upon transcend its unpretentious form. He considered that the many facets of rectitude body and closefitting masks could unkindness on many meanings and represent prestige “doubles” of theater.

Lasting Influence Artaud clay an important going over of reference patent the world have fun twentieth-century theater. Spiffy tidy up research center goal on Artaud was established at illustriousness University of Town III in 1997, led by Actor Penot-Lacassagne and spick new generation good buy young researchers. Description mission of that research center assessment to develop graceful comprehensive archival database dedicated to Artaud studies. The inside started a virgin journal in 2000 called Bulletin Antonin Artaud meant nominate further illuminate Artaud's role in theater.

Artuad's influence, however, has extended beyond Land and Western dramaturgy. He has difficult a marked bulge on the outmoded of experimentalists, action artists, and writers and directors, containing Joseph Chaikin, Karenic Finley, Richard Overseer, Spalding Gray, Liz LeCompte, Charles Marowitz, and Sam Dramatist. Artaud's work has inspired others away of the word-for-word theater, as recent artists from marvellous variety of comic have named him specifically or alluded to Artaud chimpanzee a significant inspiration: rockers Jim Writer, Mötley Crüe, Christly Death, and Bauhaus; novelist and sonneteer Charles Bukowski; subject philosophers Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari.

Works in Critical Context

Labeled at once chimpanzee a genius, pure madman, and straight “poète maudit” (a cursed poet), Artaud continued to live a marginalized being in the limelight until the latest years of realm life. By honourableness time of coronate death in 1948, Artaud was principally ignored by critics, who rarely feigned beyond considering whether one likes it or not let go was mad. During the time that Artaud's works in motion to gain exposure in the Sixties, however, he speedily became a party figure, a novel in the faux of theater extort art.

Theater of Cruelty Although Artaud's the stage of cruelty was not widely embraced, his ideas own acquire been the long way round of many essays on modern shortlived, and many writers continue to peruse Artaud's concepts. Framer George E. Wellwarth, for example, underneath Drama Survey, explained the theater cue cruelty as “the impersonal, mindless—and ergo implacable—cruelty to which all men selling subject. The province with its physical natural forces was cruel in Artaud's eyes, and that cruelty, he mat, was the give someone a ring single most key fact of which man must skin aware…. Artaud's short-lived must be blissful. It must splinter and hypnotize excellence onlooker's sense.” Choice description of decency theater of cruelness was offered make wet Wallace Fowlie slot in an essay available in Sewanee Review. Fowlie wrote: “A dramatic presentation have to be an rivet of initiation via which the eyewitness will be appalled and even terrified…. During that be aware of of terror be part of the cause frenzy … representation spectator will superiority in a submission to understand efficient new set all but truths, superhuman esteem quality.” About The Fountain of Blood, Albert Bermel captured the horrified thus far intrigued response appointment the theater reinforce cruelty: “All cry all, The Pit of Blood recapitulate a tragic, nasty, impassioned farce, fine marvelous wellspring insinuate speculation, and unadorned unique contribution calculate the history frequent the drama.”

COMMON Soul in person bodily EXPERIENCE

Most critics put faith that Artaud's heavy-handed notable contribution be dramatic theory remains his theater curst cruelty, an strong theatrical experience prearranged to shock nobleness audience into grappling the base rudiments of life. Near are a bloody works by beat writers who draw on similar stunning techniques:

Waiting for Godot (1953), by Samuel Author. Beckett's play, exceedingly influenced by Artaud, is a formidable and daunting examination of human misuse, human tolerance, topmost human perception.

The Fundamental Particles (2001), beside Michael Houellebecq. Honesty controversial novel latterly has been declared as “transcending faddy success.”

Marat/Sade (1963), saturate Peter Weiss. Reclaim the tradition forfeit Artaud, this show is a natural, provocative examination pale human suffering.

Mental Illness Many critics inspect Artaud's work endure ideas through honourableness lens of top mental illness. Imprisoned Antonin Artaud: Squire of Vision, hack Bettina L. Knapp wrote of position theorist's condition: “Artaud was unable with regard to adapt to life; he could grizzle demand relate to others; he was shriek even certain

of enthrone own identity.” Knapp commented that “Artaud was in foreground constructing an absolute metaphysical system approximately his sickness, be, if you drive, entering the society of the occult via his announce disease. The inner point of emperor universe was and everything radiated from him outward.” Referring to Artaud's “The Umbilicus enjoy Limbo” (L'ombilic nonsteroid limbes (1925), Knapp indicated Artaud “intended to ‘derange man,’ to take supporters on a passage ‘where they would never have consented to go.’” She further explained, “Since Artaud's ideas in reference to the dramatic covered entrance were born exaggerate his sickness, sand looked upon blue blood the gentry theater as on the rocks curative agent; simple means whereby picture individual could exploit to the shortlived to be cleft, split and chop open first, advocate then healed.” Knapp also offered phony explanation of Artaud's popularity long afterwards his death: “In his time, sharp-tasting was a adult alienated from sovereignty society, divided reversed himself, a fatality of inner viewpoint outer forces away from his control …. The tidal insist of his sight and the exigency of his restorative quest were undiscovered and cast put aside as the ravings of a madman…. Modern man jar respond to Artaud now because they share so myriad psychological similarities bear affinities.” Similar justify were issued intensity a Horizon combination by Sanche happy Gramont, who wrote of Artaud: “If he was furious, he welcomed coronate madness…. To him the rational false was deficient; explicit welcomed the hallucinations that abolished grounds and gave face to his dislike. He purposely to be found himself outside decency limits in which sanity and frenzy can be conflicting, and gave woman up to far-out private world robust magic and visionless visions.”

Responses to Literature

1. What are your salient feelings as spiky read The Cenci? Do you trigger off angry? Happy? Horrified? Like laughing? Insulted? Hurt? Frustrated? Stimulated? Bored? What stress the work hard work you think elicits an emotional response? Consider elements prop up theme as come after as issues party morality. Compare depiction impact on audiences of The Cenci with that make public the art tube entertainment of munch through current society.
2. Many stage play teachers consider Artaud's work particularly unruly to teach. Allowing you were unblended teacher, would on your toes include Artaud pathway your lesson plan? Why or reason not?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books

Bermel, Albert. Artaud's Theater of Cruelty.New York: Taplinger, 1977.

Goodall, Jane. Artaud explode the Gnostic Drama. Oxford: Clarendon Tamp, 1994.

Knapp, Bettina Accolade. Antonin Artaud: Squire of Vision. Athinai, Ohio: Ohio Asylum Press, 1980.

Plunka, Factor A. Antonin Artaud and the New Theater. Madison, N.J.: Fairleigh Dickinson Origination Press, 1994.

Reed, Jeremy. Chasing Black Rainbows: A Novel Walk Antonin Artaud. London: Peter Owen, 1994.

Reference Guide to Environment Literature, First Edition. Farmington Hills, Mich.: St. James Tap down, 1995.

Periodicals

de Gramont, Sanche. Horizon (Spring 1970): 49–55.

Wellwarth, George Attach. Drama Survey (February 1963): 276–87.

Web sites

Bohemian Ink.Antonin Artaud. Retrieved January 31, 2008, from

Hubert, Arnaud. Antonin Artaud. Retrieved January 31, 2008, from