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The ontological status of Pirandello???s metacharacters: six characters in search of a Platonic author

This thesis proposes that a defining feature of Pirandello???s 1921 play ??? Six Characters in Search of an Author, is a relentless transcendentalism. It argues that the play embodies a fascination with existential and conceptual ???occult???, and my hypothesis is that by exploring Pirandello's transcendentalism we may enhance our understanding of how and why Pirandello's play points a mirror up to the invisible and suggests that we could be a reflection of that. Pirandello's drama alludes to some of the most convoluted and enduring debates in western philosophy. However, there is very little English-language material on Pirandello???s relation to philosophy or the relevance of analytical philosophy, metaphysics or epistemology to Pirandello???s playwriting. Even foreign-language studies focus on existentialism, phenomenology and other Continental traditions of philosophy. My contribution is to craft a subjective response to Six Characters in accordance with the methods of analytical philosophy, making use of paradigms and techniques that stem from aesthetics and metaphysics to elucidate a complex self-reflexive play. Chapter One presents analytical philosophy as a potential interpretative framework for the play, whereas chapters two and three explore the metacharacters specifically. This thesis does not seek to offer conclusive assertions about the peculiar ontological status of Pirandello???s metacharacters, rather, it introduces some frameworks and conceptual tools for better approaching their ontolo

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/186877
Date January 2006
CreatorsSarrinikolaou, Irene, School of Media, Film & Theatre, UNSW
PublisherAwarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Media, Film & Theatre
Source SetsAustraliasian Digital Theses Program
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
RightsCopyright Irene Sarrinikolaou, http://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/copyright

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