Sex and Aesthetics in Samuel Beckett's Work by P. Stewart

Author:P. Stewart [Stewart, P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780230359406
Publisher: PalgraveMacmillan
Published: 2011-09-15T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 5

Sex and Aesthetics

The turn toward alternative expressions of sexuality and away from heterosexual penetration has been shown to be predicated on the horror of physical reproduction. For Beckett, such reproduction entails the production of new life and, therefore, the continuation of suffering. The logical solution to this problem of humanity is precisely that offered by Dr. Piouk in Eleutheria—the cessation of the species. Yet such a renunciation of the world creates a particular set of problems for the artist whose business it is to create new, peopled worlds. The aesthetic, practical, and ultimately ethical difficulties in which this places Beckett, which have already been encountered in How It Is in the previous chapter, provide much of the impetus for his restless exploration of form and media in the postwar works.

Fighting the Will- to- Live: Sterility, Suffering, and Continuance

The opportunities for physical reproduction in Beckett’s works are greatly reduced as a series of sterile scenarios—from the postapocalyptic landscape of Endgame to the infertile inhabitants of Foxrock and environs in All That Fall—denude the natural world of its procreative capacities. If one takes Happy Days, for instance, then the possibilities of sexuality and Schopenhauer’s will- to- live playing a role would seem to be all but eliminated. The play’s setting in a barren landscape, by which the once sexually active Winnie (accentuated by her still prominent décolletage in the first act) is slowly being consumed, transfers that sterility onto Winnie herself. Although one might wish to figure Winnie’s return to earth as a form of returning to the womb (and hence, of course, death), one should not, therefore, neglect the less figural moments of sexual interest in the play. Sterility is a given in the world of Winnie and Willie. However, this sterility is predicated on a still remaining sexual interest. Willie’s pornographic postcard is a case in point. With a mix of prudishness and shocked fascination, Winnie itemizes what she sees:

Heavens what are they up to! [She looks for spectacles, puts them on and examines card.] No but this is just genuine pure filth! [Examines card.] Make any nice- minded person want to vomit! [Impatience of Willie’s fingers. She looks for glass, takes it up and examines card through glass. Long pause.] What does that creature in the background think he’s doing? [Looks closer.] Oh no really! [Impatience of fingers. Last long look. She lays down glass, takes edge of card between right forefinger and thumb, averts head, takes nose between left forefinger and thumb.] Pah! [Drops card.] Take it away! [Willie’s arm disappears. His hand reappears immediately, holding card. Winnie takes off spectacles, lays them down, gazes before her. During what follows Willie continues to relish card, varying angles and distances from his eyes.] Hog’s setae. [Puzzled expression.] What exactly is a hog? (CDW 144)

The comic interplay between the expression of disgust and Winnie’s closer and closer examination of the card maintains both an almost puritanical disdain alongside a compelling prurience. Winnie is interested but will not let herself appear to be so.

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