«PERSONNAGE ABSENT» IN KOLTES AND LAGARCE

Abstract

The transformation of the Western theater since the 1880’s has been the scene of many crises. Within this scope this great transformation triggered by symbolist writers and Jarry and Artaud gained significance with the ‘dramatization of theater’ and a move away from a ‘text centered’ view of drama. Thus dramatists insisted on light, mime, music and visual features and denied the priority of text. This move away from the text also affected drama writers and led to the production of texts that drew away from the customary molds of the genre. This transformation led to the founding of a new style of expression in the works of two important writers. Jean Luc Lagarce and Bernard Marie Koltes. In this study we will explain with examples from the latter periods of the works of Koltes and Lagarce from which perspective the characters were brought to life.