"Absurd Hero" ?

[moe23]

hey does anyone know what the term "absurd hero" means? i've tried searching but havent really got a clear idea of it...? This is for any essay on the play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Thx

[laryxle]

I haven't read that play, but I have read other Tom Stoppard plays.

I'm guessing that absurd hero refers to a character who takes on the traditional role of the 'hero' in the story, but the character is so lacking in any of the normal features one would expect a hero to have, rather being eccentric or having unlikely characters. Hence, they are a hero but one where that doesn't really make sense, giving it an absurdist aspect.

This is just a guess, but given the style of Tom Stoppard I would imagine that would be the kind of absurd hero he would have.

[bohemian03]

Absurd Hero: The outlook of the absurdhero is this: determined to continue living with passion even thoughlife appears to be meaningless. Sisyphus is the absurd hero. He issentenced to ceaselessly roll a rock to the top of a mountain and thenmust watch its descent. He will never reach the top. Other examples of the absurd hero: Meursault in The Stranger Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Vladimir and Estragon in Waiting for Godot.

http://www.schoolnot...eraryterms.html

i hope this helps.

Edited May 24, 2009 by bohemian03

[Mattias]

Sisyphus is a good example of absurd hero, as the concept is supposed to describe a person who has flaws- recognizable and obvious flaws in logic and actions, yet continues to do them for whatever reason.

This type of character is traditionally thought to have been inspired Norse theology:

The event which is prophicized in Norse theology is called Ragnarok- the day which chaos wins.

However, the basis of Norse theology continued, because although people accepted their fate (Ragnarok), they continued to

go about their lives and try to live well