Who was Samuel Beckett?

Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) was an Irish novelist, playwright, and poet often known to be one of the last “Modernist” writers, with many techniques adapted in early-postmodernism, and is a prominent figure of post-war “Theatre of the Absurd.” His writing often employs repetition, stream-of-conscious techniques, linguistic experimentation, and unconventional grammar to convey themes of absurdity, boredom and everydayness, literary nonsense, and many times exploring the fine line between the expression of “nothing” and “something”. He is most known for his 1953 play, Waiting For Godot and his three novel trilogy, Molloy (1951), Malone Dies (1951), and The Unnamable (1953). He wrote both in French and English.

About the LibGuide

This LibGuide is intended for audiences interested in the work of Samuel Beckett, and who want to explore the research and community organizations surrounding his work. From the pages, you’ll find a Primary Source bibliography of his works, Secondary Sources (databases, journals, handbooks), notable dedications (event organizations, films, videos), and some brief library search tips.

Charles Dixon

Charles is a Master’s of Library & Information Science student, researcher, and aspiring career librarian & archivist at the University of Toronto. He is also a sound artist and novelist in his spare time. His interests fall into critical theory, literature, and philosophy. You can reach him at charles.dixon@mail.utoronto.ca.