Samuel Beckett and the Second World War: Politics, Propaganda and a 'Universe Become Provisional'

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In the wake of the Second World War, Samuel Beckett wrote some of the most significant literary works of the 20th century. This is the first full-length historical study to examine the far-reaching impact of the war on Becketts creative and intellectual sensibilities. Drawing on a substantial body of archival material, including letters, manuscripts, diaries and interviews, as well as a wealth of historical sources, this book explores Becketts writing in a range of political contexts, from the racist dogma of Nazism and aggressive traditionalism of the Vichy regime to Irish neutrality censorship and the politics of recovery in the French Fourth Republic. Along the way, Samuel Beckett and the Second World War casts new light on Becketts political commitments and his concepts of history as they were formed during Europes darkest hour.

Reviews

[Beckett's] life between 1939 and 19456 has been well-documented ... but William Davies adds much detail, and his book is certain to become the standard work on the subject. But he has done far more than provide new information: he adds fresh strands to the narrative. His book explores, for instance, the issue of Vichys Rvolution nationale and Becketts sarcastic depiction of the Ptain paradox as a poor old misled man and hero of Verdun (p. 78). This is followed by a brilliant expos of Becketts relationship to Irish neutrality and a fine analysis of his greatest poem Saint-L (1946). * John Fletcher, Journal of European Studies *
William Daviess Samuel Beckett and the Second World War is not only an excellent book; it is a necessary onea book that puts to rest the notion, long operative in Beckett studies, that Becketts oblique fiction, drama, and poetry deal with large abstract philosophical questions rather than historical realities. Davies documents, step by step, the subtle and complex treatment, in Becketts writings, of the frightening politics of pre-war Nazi Germany and the mendacities of Vichy France, of life during the Resistance years, of his response to neutral Ireland, and finally to the postwar tension between Gaullist humanism and the Marxism of the intellectual Left, neither of which Beckett found palatable. Daviess is revaluative criticism at its most enlightening. -- Marjorie Perloff, author of The Edge of Irony: Modernism in the Shadow of the Habsburg Empire
William Davies Samuel Beckett and the Second World War argues, persuasively, that Becketts mature work is set in the shadow of war; although the texts might not refer to it directly, WW2 and its aftermath are woven into the texture of Watt, Godot, and the Trilogy. Davies traces the impact that conflict had on the evolution of Becketts art, and its traces in the maimed, solitary figures in his theatre and prose. Davies makes a compelling case; that Becketts work is profoundly shaped by war, and its impact on our idea of the human. This study will be a crucial part of discussions on the relation between Becketts work and the tumultuous events through which he lived. -- David Pattie, Senior Lecturer in Drama and Theatre Arts, University of Birmingham, UK
This deep and original re-examination of Samuel Becketts experience in occupied France during World War Two is a revelation, a book that opens so many new vistas onto Becketts creative breakthrough, and the gestation of Waiting for Godot, Endgame and the post-war prose. A stunning debut. * Robert McCrum, Beckett Centre Creative Fellow, University of Reading, UK *
Elegantly synthesizes a rich history of Vichy France. * Samuel Beckett Today / Aujourd'hui *

Author Bio

William Davies is a research fellow at the University of Reading. With Helen Bailey, he is the editor of Beckett and Politics (2020). He is an English editor of LONGITUDINES magazine.