Absurdist Theatre And The Resilience Of Good Night

The dropping of the atomic bomb signaled not only the commencement of the Cold War, but also a political divide between the communist ideologies of the Soviet Union and the democracy of the Western world. A fear of communism behind the Iron Curtain and nuclear annihilation spread throughout the US, while existential views regarding the meaning of life arose. Samuel Beckett’s modernist existential play ‘Waiting for Godot’ is a philosophical questioning on the purpose of human existence, and the nature of scientific progress. In response to the existential angst following WW2, Beckett uses the conventions of Absurdist theatre to examine philosophical paradigms such as the seeming pointlessness of existence, while reinforcing the resilience of

It achieves this by exposing the slavery of censorship that fear-driven governments and broadcasting corporations may impose on people, in the name of preserving moral righteousness. The protagonist, Ed Murrow, symbolises the importance of fighting for democratic rights, highlighting that we must never ‘confuse dissent with disloyalty’, to show how freedoms can be taken away by fear fostering among us. Clooney characterises Ed Murrow as brooding and intense- an image not lightened by TV’s harsh lighting and black and white spectrum. This verisimilitude carries throughout the film to capture the climate of anxiety of the Cold War Era. The film’s black and white cinematography also lends a believable historical tone to the film, enabling him to reinforce the ignorance of American culture, towards the authorities abuse of power during the 1950’s. Clooney’s use of archival footage depicting the Annie Lee Moss trials symbolises this idea, for the dialogue suggests ‘You can't strike these statements made by counsel (…) it’s not sworn testimony, it's convicting people by rumor and hearsay and innuendo.’ The trial demonstrates the ability of fear to cause hysterical prejudice and moral panic to spread towards people with different ideas than his own. Furthermore, in his opening speech Murrow reveals that ‘This instrument (television) can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends’. Murrow’s speech is used as a device to reveal the ability of television to educate and broaden our understanding of the world around. His speech is also used as a symbol to challenge the escapism and societal decadence that merge through widespread audience efforts to insulate themselves against uncomfortable information, and instead seek a pleasant