See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/337884242

Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story as the Play of Absurd and the Themes of
Existentialism

Article in SSRN Electronic Journal · January 2019

DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.3491550

CITATIONS READS
2 16,870

2 authors:

Manoj Kumar Yadav Meenakshi Sharma Yadav

28 PUBLICATIONS 176 CITATIONS

King Khalid University
36 PUBLICATIONS 166 CITATIONS
SEE PROFILE
SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Manoj Kumar Yadav on 17 April 2020.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation (IJLLT)
ISSN: 2617-0299
www.ijllt.org

Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story as the Play of Absurd and the Themes of Existentialism
Dr. Manoj Kumar Yadav1* & Dr. Meenakshi Sharma Yadav 2
1
Independent Assistant Professor and Researcher of English Literature
2
Assistant Professor, English Department, Community College for Girls, King Khalid University, Abha,
Saudi Arabia
Correspondence Author: Dr. Manoj Kumar Yadav, E-mail: kkudrmanoj@gmail.com

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Received: December 09, 2018 This paper investigates the themes of existentialism and absurdity in The Zoo
Accepted: December 29, 2018 Story, is a master piece play of the absurdity in the mood, where the playwright
Published: January 31, 2019 explores the different themes of existentialism, isolation, loneliness, paradox
Volume: 2 incommunication as anathematization, social disparity and dehumanization in an
Issue: 1 artificial, produced and materialistic American society. These are some of the
DOI: 10.32996/ijllt.2019.2.1.8 features of absurd play that reveal all the elements of absurd and social criticism
KEYWORDS in the sense of behavior, habits, and customs in the play. Edward Albee applies
the absurd techniques to show a real like image of the south-east American
Absurditism, Alienation, multicultural society in the frame of present unreasonable, mental apathetic
Dehumanization, Bourgeoisie, states, and self-destructive devalues of the generations throughout the play. The
Pornographic, Existentialism, point is brought home by a meeting between two characters, Jerry and Peter.
Dadaism. The whole action is in the form of a conversation between them until it
culminates in the death of Jerry.

1- INTRODUCTION Recently (in 2004), Albee expanded The Zoo Story

Albee’s “early works reflect his mastery and into a two-act play.
Americanization of the Theatre of the Absurd that
found its peak in works by European playwrights 2- LITERATURE REVIEW
such as Jean Genet, Samuel Beckett, and Eugene When the Zoo Story was written in 1958, Americans
Ionesco, Harold Pinter etc.” 1 The play examines the were racing to obtain what was called the Americans
themes of alienation, loneliness and “dehumanization Dreams. The background of the dream was the result
in a commercial world.”2 At first, it was titled Peter of World War Second. World War Second left
and Jerry and the play was not approved by the New America and its allies in a horror condition. A great
York producers. Later on, it was titled, The Zoo number of dead people, ruined buildings, diseases,
Story was published in 1958, that was emerged as collapsed economic broken social structure, broken
Albee’s first excellent absurdist play, showed the hearted people, and poverty were the most common
representation of the social disparity and scenes at that time. It was difficult to get proper food
dehumanization in the commercial world of today. and shelters. They saw that there were no ways out to
Less than a month before his thirtieth birthday, he overcome this situation but they were really aware
wrote The Zoo Story. For Albee, the process of that they had continued their lives. So Albee could
writing the play was a transformative one as he says: create an atmosphere through these emerging burning
“Something very, very interesting happened with the social sources into his blooming writings to be abled
writing of that play. I didn’t discover suddenly that I for using the various absurdist techniques in his The
was a playwright; I discovered that I had been a Zoo Story to employ the themes of existentialism for
playwright all my life, but I didn’t know it became I emphasizing on the absurdity of the situation, time,
hadn’t written plays……. . And so when I wrote The and place where with the generations are facing and
Zoo Story, I was able to start practicing my ‘nature’ suffering in the contemporary American artificial
fully.”3 society.

“I finished the play‘The Zoo Story” in three weeks 3- METHODLOGY

…. Everything in my life had led to this moment; the This paper focuses on the present status of society
writing seemed to flow some inner need and and the responses or conducts of people toward
conviction.”4 This marked the beginning of Albee’s society. This paper highlights the social conditions at
prolife and outstanding career as a playwright. that time. So, sociological approach is used in order
Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story as the Play of Absurd and the Themes of Existentialism

to find out the social conditions at that time. This is vaudeville, mixed with horrific or tragic images;
used as there is a relationship between society and characters caught in hopeless situations forced to do
literary works. Even society produces its own literary repetitive or meaningless actions; dialogue full of
works and by learning them we may know what kind clichés, wordplay, and nonsense; plots that are
of society it is behind the work. cyclical or absurdly expansive; either a parody or
dismissal of realism and the concept of the "well-
4- OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY made play". These plays were shaped by the political
This paper has many objectives to reveal the real turmoil, scientific breakthrough, and social upheaval
images of the produced and materialistic society. It going on in the world around the playwrights during
finds out the social background at the time that these times.
influences characters' behaviors either in their
paradox dialogues andhidden attitude. Society holds a While absurdists believed that life is absurd, they also
central point in forming human beings'attitude. The believed that death and the "after life" were equally
other objective of this study is to find out the absurd if not more and that whether people live or not
response of the characters in facing that kind of social all of their actions are pointless and everything will
sufferings and conditions. In facing the society, a lead to the same end hence the repetitiveness in many
human being can do two things first he can accept the of the absurdist plays.
society where he lives in or he chooses to reject
it.The Zoo Story, in this sense, is a social document 5.2. THE ZOO STORY AS AN ABSURD PLAY
which reflects the society and social condition when
a literary work is written. The Zoo Story written by Adward Albee is an absurd
play and hence deviates from the conventional
5- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION drama. The absurd play is a form of drama that
5.1.THE ATRE OF THE ABSURD emphasizes the existentialist philosophy of the
absurdity and meaninglessness of human existence.
The term, Theater of the absurd, was coined by the
critic Martin Esslin, who in his book, The Theatre of The main characteristic of absurd plays is to show
the Absurd, asserts that these dramatists write from a that life is essentially meaningless, hence miserable.
“sense of metaphysical anguish at the absurdity of There is no hope, because of the inevitable futility of
human condition”.5 The Theatre of the Absurd is a men’s efforts. Man is fascinated by death, which
Post-World War II designation for particular plays of permanently replaces dreams and illusions. There is
absurdist fiction written by a number of primarily no action or plot. Very little happens, because
European playwrights in the late 1950s, as well as nothing meaningful can happen. The final situation is
one for the style of theatre which has evolved from absurd or comic.
their work. Their work focused largely on the idea of
existentialism and expressed what happens when The Zoo Story is a seminal work in that it introduces
human existence has no meaning or purpose and themes which recur in almost all of Albee's plays.
therefore all communication breaks down. Logical The principal fact is the lack of contact between
construction and argument give way to irrational and human beings and the reluctant apathy, indifference,
illogical speech and to its ultimate conclusion, and self-destructiveness, and cruelty. The point is brought
silence. home by a meeting between two characters, Jerry and
Peter. The whole action is in the form of a paradox
The Absurd in the plays takes the form of man’s conversation between them until it culminates in the
reaction to a world apparently without meaning, death of Jerry. While, traditionally audiences expect
and/or man as a puppet controlled or menaced by the "well-made" play-life-like, psychologically
invisible outside forces. This style of writing was first realistic characters, witty dialogue, and well-crafted,
popularized by the 1953 Samuel Becket’s play causal plots with neatly tied up beginnings, middles,
Waiting for Godot. Though the term is applied to a and ends. But the theater of the absurd subverts these
wide range of plays, some characteristics coincide in expectations at every turn.
many of the plays: broad comedy, often similar to

66
 IJLLT 2(1):65-72

5.3. ABSURDIST QUALITIES IN THE ZOO motivations to opt for self-immolation which leads to
STORY explore the mental, behavioral, and social factors that
encourage Jerry to end with his own life that shows
Following are some of the features that are common absurdity only in this play.
in an Absurd play that can be seen in this play.
5.3.3. LANGUAGE
5.3.1. ESSENTIAL TRAITS Despite its apparent nonsense language, a great
(a) Actually the Absurd play departs from realistic number of the dialogues in Absurdist plays can be
characters, situations and all of the associated regarded naturalistic. The moments when characters
theatrical conventions. resort to nonsense language or clichés– to Esslin
when words appear to have lost their denotative
(b)Time, place and identity are ambiguous and fluid, function, thus creating misunderstanding among the
and even basic causality frequently breaks down. characters –make Theatre of the Absurd distinctive.
Language frequently gains a certain phonetic,
(c) Meaningless plots, repetitive or nonsensical rhythmical, almost musical quality, opening up a
dialogue and dramatic non-sequiturs are often used to wide range of often comedic playfulness. It consists
create dream-like or even nightmare-like moods. of absurd and naturalistic elements contradictory
because of the inability of verbal communication and
The setting, in other words, is meant to be all nice end of talks in the senseless dialogues where
and quiet and comfortable to contrast with the dirty, absurdism lies in the dialogue because it is more or
messy unpleasantness and absurdity of existence. less. Jerry’s monologue is free from the time and
Everything looks neat and ordered, “with each animal conditions. Even though the absurdity lies in the title,
in its cage, but it isn't. Be careful of the park—it's out The Zoo Story, where, a story is not told. The title
to get you”.6 Though all these happen in an Absurd refers only to its theme.
Play, there is a fine line between the careful and
artful use of chaos and non-realistic elements and It can be said more about the play called The Zoo
true, meaningless chaos. While the title seems to be Story, but Jerry never actually tells us what happens
quite random and meaningless on the surface, an at the zoo. That's how communication works in this
underlying structure and meaning are usually found play—poorly and strangely. Jerry babbles on and
in the midst of the chaos. Peter doesn't understand him, and then there's more
babbling and less understanding, and then there's
5.3.2. CHARACTERS sadness and screaming, all culminating with blood on
In this play, the value is on a fictive location and the the bench. Part of what's absurd about the Theater of
characters do not have any personality and often the Absurd is that language doesn't work right;
nameless, feel imprisoned, ignored, and not accepted instead of giving us insight and knowledge, it just
by own society. The characters in the Absurdist gives us confusion and discomfort. Language in the
drama are lost and floating in an incomprehensible play seems designed to isolate us—which is maybe
universe and they have abandoned rational devices why Jerry feels the best form of connection he can
and discursive thought because these approaches are hope for is to have somebody stab him,‘Uh… yeah,
inadequate. Many characters appear as automatons that makes total sense’.7
stuck in routines speaking only in cliché. Characters
are frequently stereotypical, archetypal, or flat 5.3.4. PLOT
character types as in Commedia dell'arte. Traditional plot structures are rarely a consideration
in Absurdist plays. Plots can consist of the absurd
Here are two main characters Peter and Jerry. Both of repetition of cliché and routine. Often there is a
these characters are almost the same from the menacing outside force that never reveals why.
beginning to the end. There is no character Absence, emptiness, nothingness, and unresolved
development in the play. The dramatist gave hardly mysteries are central features in Absurdist plots.
any effort to portray their psychological
development; and Albee applied only the In The Zoo Story, there are two characters, namely
interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal Peter and Jerry where Jerry is messed-up. He keeps
behavior and knowledge to Jerry’s inner conflicts and two empty picture frames in his room because "I
67
Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story as the Play of Absurd and the Themes of Existentialism

don't have pictures of anyone to put in them," which masterpiece that changed the face of twentieth
is pretty much the most emoting we've heard since century American drama.
Simple Plan was sorry they couldn't be perfect” (113-
115)8. 5.4. THEMES OF EXISTENTIALISM
The Zoo Story is not an old-fashioned play; but it
Jerry is unpredictable and dangerous, but that's why shows the present burning issues of thetwo different
he holds our attention. "I find it hard to believe that social psychological standard problems as lower class
people such as that really are" (145)9, Peter says, and and upper class. In the play, Albee chose afictive
though he's referring to Jerry's landlady, he could just location named Central Parkthat exhibits different
as easily mean Jerry himself. Jerry doesn't fit; he community living conditioned people who gather on
doesn't work— “and that's annoying but delightful, the open public reception, “there are no official
too, like being tickled until you almost pee your opening events. There are no invitations. There are
pants”10. Peter's a boring guy. He's got a wife, two no tickets. ……….. Central park is public space open
daughters, and a few parakeets and cats. He comes and free to all people”13. The playwright shows his
out to the park on Sunday and sits on the bench and worries socially to the public parks where people are
reads Time magazine.11 alleged to live an animal cage life because present
In part, Albee wrote the play because, he, too, generations do not have social contacts consequently
thought Peter was a bit of a blank. "Jerry is a fully they are isolated, bias, and frustrated into their own
developed, three-dimensional character. But Peter is existence. Therefore, American multicultural citizens
a backboard. He's not fully developed. Peter had to be are stayed beyond the civilized cultures and religions.
more fleshed out,"12 Albee told to an interviewer. Now, they are surviving under the shadow of the
The story of the zoo is never told that keeps to absurd cold- morals and animal culture for using violence;
notion because it reflects how sometimes the world while enlightened hearts have desires to their friendly
just doesn't make sense. According to the philosophy communication and building upa relationship for
of absurdity, humans want to find value and meaning; someone has never been satisfied. Thus, it shows the
they want to know what happened at the zoo. But the conversational discrepancy between lower class and
world frustrates them; it won't tell them about the upper class in the American pathetic society; as well
zoo. This is why people, in general, are cranky and as Indian cultural cage of caste and creed system is
filled with despair. Or at least Jerry and Peter are. facing from the centuries.
Yep, it's that kind of play. Therefore, the plot
explores the life situation of the modern man, the The lack of communication between Jerry and his
pointless and absurdity of the human situation. The landlady’s vicious dog is merely an analogy for the
overall breakdown of values, the other incapacity for hostility among living beings in a world in which
creative action and the ennui of routine life are seen alienation and lack of sympathy are deep-seated
as the manifestations of the malaise of the modern psychological conditions. The story of the dog leads
man. The absurdist viewpoint and generalized to Jerry’s zoo story, but the roundabout,
questions relating to existence self have been at the digressionary mode of relation is emblematic of
very heart of the play’s inspiration. It is also possible Edward Albee’s style. This drama is one in which a
to read the play as a picture of the problems and lonely man on the verge of nervous breakdown
conflicts of an existential character. desperately attempts to find at least one individual
who will hear him out and come to an understanding
Therefore, The Zoo Storycontains almost all the of the existential plight that Jerry sees as a malaise in
elements of an absurd play. The play depicts the the world.
irrationalism of life in a grotesquely comic and non-
consequential fashion with the element of Although only in his late thirties, Jerry is in physical
metaphysical alienation and tragic anguish. At the decline. His weariness is evidently a result of his
time of production, there were two distinct opinions sordid personal history: He is a product of a broken
about the play; some called it a hoax and others home and sacraments, the orphaned son of a
called it a masterpiece. Nevertheless, The Zoo Story promiscuous, alcoholic mother and a weak father.
has claimed its place in literary history as a Deprived of a normal family environment—his

68
 IJLLT 2(1):65-72

adoptive puritanical aunt dies prematurely— Jerry is strong desire for communication. This becomes clear
apparently unable to find solid, loving relationships. when he says:
His homosexuality separates him from others, and his “But every once a whole I like to talk to somebody,
seedy rooming house reeks of alienation. Its most really task; like to get to know somebody. Know all
vivid tenants are symptomatic of the problem that about him.”16
Jerry sees as a pathological contaminant of the The action is linear, unfolding in front of the
contemporary life. audience in “real time”. The elements of ironic
humor and unrelenting dramatic suspense are brought
This one-act play tells the story of two New York to a climax when Jerry brings his victim down to his
citizens named Peter and Jerry who meet each other own savage level.
in the Central Park for the first time. Albee opens
with an impressive display. Peter, the quiet, insular, Eventually, Peter has had enough of his strange
middle-class publisher, is reading a book on "his" companion and tries to leave. Jerry begins pushing
bench in the New York's Central Park. Along comes Peter off the bench and challenges him to fight for his
Jerry, who (as we will see) is not out for a stroll but territory. Unexpectedly, Jerry pulls a knife on Peter
urgently looking for someone with whom to talk. He and then drops it as an initiative for Peter to grab.
spies Peter, approaches him, and begins the elaborate When Peter holds the knife defensively, Jerry charges
process of getting Peter (who wants only to be left him and impales himself on the knife. Bleeding on
alone) to put down his book and surrender to Jerry's the park bench, Jerry finishes his zoo story by
desire to talk. This opening section of the play is too bringing it into the immediate present: "Could I have
long to quote here, and in any case, should be read planned all this. No... no, I couldn't have. But I think
through or better still seen onstage, but it is a marvel I did." Horrified, Peter runs away from Jerry, whose
of resourcefulness. dying words, "Oh...my...God", is a combination of
scornful mimicry and supplication.
Jerry announces that he has been to the Zoo, and
when that produces no response he yells it. Peter Through his conversation, Jerry tries to teach Peter
barely responds even to this, so Jerry changes tactics the realities of life that Peter has tried to ignore. He
and begins to ask Peter questions about where they also tries to teach Peter the nature of human existence
are in the Park and in what direction he has and relationship but he fails and realizes his own
(therefore) been walking. Peter fills his pipe as a way absurdity.
of trying to ignore Jerry, who, seeing this, uses it as a
way of accusing Peter of a kind of cowardice: "Well, The set-up of the play is idyllic. Peter, “a thoroughly
boy; you're not going to get lung cancer, are you?"14 respectable young executive, sits by himself,
Peter does not rise to the bait, so Jerry becomes more enjoying a Sunday afternoon reading in the park”.17
aggressive and more graphic: "No, sir. What you'll The play’s seeming serenity does not last long,
probably get is cancer of the mouth, and then you'll however, as Anita Stenz remarks, “without warning,
have to wear one of those things Freud wore after on a pleasant summer’s day, the comfortable, self-
they took one whole side of his jaw away. What do reflecting work of (this) man shelters all around
they call those things?"15 him.”18 Indeed, by the play’s end; Peter will have
taken a man’s life and had on his own inexorably
Suddenly Jerry starts asking Peter questions and altered. Peter has the appearance of the perfect life.
although he is obvious that Peter is not interested in He has an apartment in Manhattan’s east 70s, a
communicating with a man like Jerry, Peter answers homemaker wife, two daughters, two parakeets, and
became of his politeness. an executive position on Madison Ave. For Albee,
Peter is the symbol of the American bourgeoisie: a
Every time Peter wants to block the dialogue, Jerry man, average in every way, whose life could have
turns to a new subject and gives him the feeling of been ripped from the pages of a magazine.
being intolerant or arrogant if he does not answer,
while they are talking, Jerry is the active one because The play’s protagonist, Jerry, is created in diametric
he asks questions all the time. Peter is the passive opposition to Peter, whereas Peter possesses an
one. It becomes clear very soon that Jerry has a average, yet fit physique, Jerry’s show signs of
determination. His “once trim and the lightly muscled
69
Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story as the Play of Absurd and the Themes of Existentialism

body has begun to go to fat; and while he is no longer The young publishing executive is a representative of
handsome, it is evident that he once was.”19 a culture that, in effect, denies Jerry's existence. For
From the play's inception, these two seemingly Peter, the reality is defined by images presented on
desperate lives of Peter and Jerry are primed for a television and in the Time advertisements. Jerry's
collision. They meet in Central Park, a cultural no- description of his ghastly landlady astounds him:
man's land between Peter's east side paradise and Peter – It’s so …unthinkable. I find it hard to believe
Jerry's west side prison. The play's crowning that people such as that really are.
achievement, however, is that, rather than focusing Jerry- (lightly mocking) It’s for reading about, isn’t?
exclusively on their differences, Albee "presents Peter- Yes.
them as sharing a profound sense of isolation.”20 Jerry- And fact is better left to fiction. You’re right,
Peter.
Jerry’s existence is a solitary one typified by his short Jerry launches into the allegorical “Story of Jerry and
catalog of worldly possessions, which includes, the Dog’. (The Zoo Story, P.30). Over the course of
among other things, several empty picture frames and the story, in which Jerry tries to as rage the anger of
a pack of pornographic playing cards. He has no his landlady’s dog, he first attempts to befriend the
friendship to speak of and a complete inability to dog (unsuccessfully) and then resorts to poisoning it.
achieve intimacy with another person. When When the dog becomes seriously ill, however, Jerry
discussing his past sexual exploits, he remarks, realizes that he has true affection for it. Jerry says:
“I wonder if it’s said I never see, the little ladies more Jerry – I loved the dog now, and I wanted him to try
than once. I’ve never been able to have sex with, or, to kill, and both had been unsuccessfully by
how is it put? ….. make love to anybody more than themselves … It's just that …. It's just that if you
once …. And now; oh, I do love the little ladies; can't deal with people, you have to make a start
really, I love them. For about an hour.”21 somewhere. WITH ANIMALS!.....And where better,
His relationships with these women are purely where ever better to communicate one single, simple-
sexual. He makes no meaningful emotional minded idea than in an entrance hell? …than with A
connection with them – certainly nothing worth Dog. Just that; a dog.”23
memorializing in one of his empty picture frames. As Rose Zimbardo suggests that Jerry and the Dog
Jerry's attitude about American life is characterized present “a perfect model of most human
by the imagery of confinement. From the discussion relationships.”
of his hive-like rooming house to his story about the
play's titular zoo, Jerry paints a picture of a society in After all, if he did acknowledge the truth of Jerry’s
which people are trapped and separated from one story, he would also have to accept his own isolation
another by socio-economic and interpersonal barriers. and alienation, his own sterile distance from his wife
The Zoo, in fact, provides the ultimate symbolic and children, his own inability to feel. Jerry realizes,
model for human (non) interaction: as he did with the dog, that kindness is not enough to
Jerry – make a connection with Peter. In order to force Peter
“I went to the Zoo to find out more about the way to face his illusions, a violent act is necessary. He
people exist with animals and the way the animals begins shoving Peter, talking more of the bench space
exist with each other, and with people too. It for himself. He goads Peter, ridiculing his middle-
probably wasn't a fair test, what with everyone class vacuity and hollowness. He says, “you fight,
separated from everyone else, the animals for the you miserable bastard; fight for that bench; fight for
most part from each other, and always the people your packets; fight for your cats, fight for your two
from the animals. But if it's a zoo, that's the way it daughters; fight for your wife; fight for your
is.”22 manhood, you pathetic vegetable.”24
For Jerry, American life is a zoo, and he is animal
trapped in it. So desperate is his need to escape his Finally, a true connection between the two men has
isolation that he sets upon Peter, a complete stranger, been made as Zimbardo rightly remarks, “Jerry dies
and begins to talk to him. for Peter. He dies to save Peter’s soul from death by
spiritual starvation.”25 Bailey has labeled Jerry’s
murder / suicide a “meta-theatrical shock effect.”26

70
 IJLLT 2(1):65-72

By forcing Peter to kill Jerry, Albee creates a vivid 6- CONCLUSION

moment of stage violence that will be imprinted The Zoo story, thus, has always and everywhere been
indelibly on sun audience. considered as being a representative play of the
Theatre of the Absurd. In The Zoo Story, Edward
Some early critics and reviewers criticized The Zoo Albee explores the themes of existentialism and
Story as being overtly and overly pessimistic or absurdism. Here the playwright points out the idea
nihilistic. In a review of the original production that human life is both fundamentally absurd and
(which was doubly billed with Samuel Beckett’s terrifying, therefore, communication through
play, Krapp’sLast Tape) a critic wrote, “Nothing in language is equally absurd. It is mainly through the
during value is said in either play. Each of them protagonist Jerry; a “permanent transient” the
captures the dismal mood that infects many writers dramatist expounds the central themes of
today.” - (Atkinson: 2006:37). Such a reading of The existentialism, dadaism, surrealism, and absurdism.
Zoo Story suggests a fundamental misunderstanding Existentialism treats an individual as a conscious
of the play: The playwright himself once commented being who leads a life of anguish, resistance, revolt,
that "The Zoo Storyis neither nihilistic nor absurdity, and alienation amidst the encircling
pessimistic. My hero is not a beatnik and he is not nothingness or zeroness and to whom death is as
insane. He is over-sane. Though he dies, he passes on unimportant and meaningless as birth. In this case, it
an awareness of life to the other character in the play; can be safely said that Jerry comes out as a perfect
the play, therefore is obviously not a denial of symbol of the absurdist individuals who are
life.”27 Indeed, Jerry’s death, though tragic, suggests conscious and whose consciousness makes them
significantly that communication is possible if only suffer miserably.
we choose to stand up and fight for our ‘bench’.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Albee's created this masterpiece is both subtle and Dr. Manoj is an independent Assistant Professor and
complex, and it reflects the tension between realism researcher of English Literature who has experience
and the Theater of the Absurd. Thus, the action and of teaching more than 10 years at the various
dialogue of The Zoo Story are dislocated, arbitrary, international universities.
and absurd up to the moment of Jerry’s death. Jerry
spends his dying breath telling the audience what the Dr. Meenakshi is working as an Assistant Professor
play means. Jerry explains to Peter the farce and the in English Department in the Girls’ Community
agony of human isolation. It is because human College, King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of
isolation is so great, and because the “contact” that Saudi Arabia. Her interest of research area is in the
would end it is so painful and difficult to obtain, that English Literature and Linguistics.
Jerry went to the zoo. What he discovered that the
entire human condition is a zoo story of people (and REFERNCES
animals) forever separated by bars. From his 1. Quoted in Mathew C. Roudane’,
experience with the dog, which symbolizes the Understanding Edward Albee, (Columbia: University
vicious aspects of society, Jerry learned “the teaching of South Carolina Press, 1987) P.3.
emotion,” that combination of kindness and cruelty 2. Abrams: 1999; 20.
that forms, for him at least, life itself. 3. Lisa M. Siefker Bailey “Absurdly American:
Rediscovering the Representation of Violence in The
At the same time, Albee engages his audience in Zoo Story”, 1967, P. 42.
harsh social criticism as he attacks the American way 4. Quoted in Arthur Gelb, “Dramatists Deny
of life, the way in which Americans are assumed and Nihilistic Trend,” The New York Times, 15 January
expected to live. In the play, Albee explores the 1960. Proquest Historical Newspapers, UMI. The
relationship between the observed world and its inner University of Arizona Library. 20 January 2006.
reality. He uses the images of non-reason in his 5. Abigail Lind, author of ClassicNote.
attack on the American way of life without accepting Completed on November 03, 2013, copyright held by
the absurdist vision that generated them. GradeSaver.
6. Updated and revised by S.R. Cedars
December 30, 2013. Copyright held by GradeSaver.

71
 Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story as the Play of Absurd and the Themes of Existentialism

7. Mary M. Nilan. "Albee's The Zoo Story: 27. Zimbardo,op.cit, P. 52.

Alienated Man and the Nature of Love." Modern
Drama 16.1 (1973): 55-59. Print.
8. Robert B. Bennett. "Tragic Vision in The
Zoo Story." Modern Drama 20.1 (1977): 55-66.
9. Amacher, Richard E. Edward Albee.
Boston: Twayne, 1982. Print.
10. Bigsby, C.W.E. Albee. Edinburgh: Oliver &
Boyd, 1969. Print.
11. Debusscher, Gilbert. “The Playwright in the
Making.” Critical Essays on Edward Albee. Ed.
Philip C. Kolin and J. Madison Davis. Boston, MA:
G.K. Hall, 1986. 74-80. Print.
12. Gabbard, Lucina P. “Unity in the Albee
Vision.” Edward Albee, Planned Wilderness:
Interview, Essays, and Bibliography. Ed. Patricia De
La Fuente, Donald E. Fritz, Jan Seale, and Dorey
Schmidt. Edinburg, TX: School of Humanities, Pan
American U, 1980. 18-31. Print.
13. Robert Zaller. "The Trouble with Edward
Albee (and his Characters, Too)." Broad Street
Review. 2009-09-26. 2013-10-03.
http://www.broadstreetreview.com/theater/albees_zo
o_story_at_villanova
14. Milt Ford. "A Brief History of
Homosexuality in America." Grand Valley State
University. 2013-05-14. 2013-11-04.
http://www.gvsu.edu/allies/a-brief-history-of-
homosexuality-in-America-30.htm
15. "10 Little-Known Facts about 1950s Gay /
Lesbian America." Action Blog. 2011-08-18. 2013-
11-04. http://blog.acttheatreblog.org/?p=492
16. Edward Albee, The Zoo Story, (New York:
Signet, 1961) P. 56.
17. Donald Malcolm, “Off-Broadway”. The
New Yorker, 23 January 1960, PP 75 – 76.
18. Anifa M. Stenz, Edward Albee: The Poet of
Loss. (The Hague: Mouton, 1978) P. 6.
19. The Zoo Story, Op.cit, P. 11.
20. Mathew C. Rounane’, Understanding
Edward Albee, op.cit, P.35.
21. The Zoo Story,op.cut, P.25.
22. The Zoo Story,op.cut, P.40.
23. Ibid, P. 28.
24. Ibid, PP. 34 - 35.
25. Rose A. Zimbardo, “Symbolism and
Naturalism in Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story”,
Twentieth Century Literature, Vol. 8 No. 1. (Hofstra:
Hofstra University, 1962), P.48.
26. The Zoo Story, op.cit, P. 47.

72

View publication stats