Beckett in Popular Culture
Author | : P.J. Murphy |
Publisher | : McFarland |
Total Pages | : 209 |
Release | : 2015-12-11 |
ISBN-10 | : 9781476623313 |
ISBN-13 | : 1476623317 |
Rating | : 4/5 (13 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: What do Bono, Seinfeld and Apple have in common? Nothing. However, it's the nothing of Samuel Beckett, which is something. Bold and provocative, Beckett's works and even his image are a potent force in modern society. Shoes, marketing, baby names--all fall under his spell. This collection of new essays (one exception) finds him incorporated into virtually all aspects of popular culture--television, popular fiction, movies, tattoos, even sports--in a manner that seems to defy classifying. Is it image-making or image-taking? Why is our culture so obsessed with an obscure Irish writer most people have not read? Each essay provides a unique appraisal of Beckett's branding.