Existential Nihilism as a Solid Conception in Samuel Beckett's Not I

Abstract

The recondite and polemical play Not I is an illustrious expression of Samuel Beckett's unique philosophical perspective, which maximizes ideas of existentialism, absurdism, and radical scepticism. This article addresses how Beckett's play unwinds the core themes of existential nihilism. To this end, the article delves into the philosophical traditions that influence existentialist thought. On one hand, the article argues that Beckett's anonymous, disembodied character "Mouth" is a striking representation of radical ontological isolation and the ultimate futility of human existence. On the other hand, the article explores Beckett's subtle portrayals of existential nihilism, a concept characterized by a rejection of universal meaning, which both aligns with and diverges from the fundamental principles of existentialist thought. The play imbues a sense of absurdity in the human condition through the Mouth's frantic, decentralized outpouring of fragmentary memoirs and disoriented impressions. As such, it robustly defies conventional notions of identity, consciousness, and the autonomous self. By setting existential nihilism as the theoretical frame of this article, the researcher endeavors to firmly situate Beckett's innovative theatrical techniques within the broader existentialist tradition, revealing how his formal innovations mirror the metaphysical precariousness articulated in seminal existentialist writings.