Samuel Beckett & the encounter of philosophy and literature - Arka Chattopadhyay

How does philosophy think? How does Beckett's literature think? Are they different, same or both? Samuel Beckett and the Encounter of Philosophy and Literature is an assortment of critical investigations re-reading the complex encounter between Beckett's works and the discourse of philosophy. It marks an effort to read Beckett's works in various conjunctive and disjunctive possibilities with which they encounter philosophy, bringing in the domain of theatrical performance and its debatable philosophical potential. The book is concerned with the discursive traffic which goes on between philosophy and literature and Beckett is a representative figure in this traffic. The book examines Beckett's reception by a series of philosophically important personalities like Derrida, Blanchot, Deleuze, Badiou and Critchley-thinkers who have responded to the challenge of Beckett's works. It also intends to read Beckett alongside those thinkers who did not or could not respond to Beckett due to their absence in Beckett's time and vice versa e.g. Hegel. Additionally this book revisits the strong philosophical propensity within Beckett Studies with new critical accents like archival scholarship, Indian philosophy and the philosophical discursification of the literary proper name.