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Literature vocabulary · Literary Movements

Theatre of the absurd

Meaning in literature, with examples

nounAdvanced term

In literature, theatre of the absurd means: A mid-20th-century dramatic movement that presents human life as unstable, illogical, or meaningless through unusual dialogue and situations.

In Turkish: absürd tiyatro

How it is used

Used in theatre history and criticism for plays with circular action, fragmented language, and uncertain purpose. It names a movement, not just anything strange.

Example sentences

  1. For the syllabus, the lecturer paired Beckett with later playwrights to show how theatre of the absurd changed stage dialogue.

    Here, the term refers to a recognized dramatic movement whose style influenced later writing and performance practices.

  2. In her review, Aylin argued that the office comedy borrows from theatre of the absurd when meetings repeat without progress or explanation.

    In this sentence, the term identifies specific conventions such as repetition and purposelessness, not simply humor or oddity.

Common collocations

  • theatre of the absurd play
  • absurdist theatre
  • theatre of the absurd tradition
  • influence of theatre of the absurd
  • dramaLiterature written to be performed by actors on a stage, telling a story through dialogue and action; also a single serious play.
  • playA piece of writing for the theatre, made up of dialogue and stage directions, that actors perform in front of an audience.

More terms: Literary Movements

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