Sounds and Silence in Eugene Inoesco's Rhinoceros and Samuel Beckett's En Attendant Godot

Abstract

Roars, hoofbeats and crashes resound in the 1960 play Rhinocéros by Eugène Ionesco, while silence, pause, and rhythmic play pique the ear in the 1953 play En attendant Godot by Samuel Beckett. Using R. Murray Schafer’s conception of “soundscapes,” this analysis discusses each play’s aural atmosphere, such as those of chaos, of uncertainty, and of spectacle. These ‘soundscapes’ are determined by analyzing the place, purpose and position of different sounds within the plays’ scripts, even the sound of silence. The twentieth century played host to new developments in artistic conceptions of sound, as classical music underwent fundamental fractures while becoming integrated with technological advances in sound and music production. In fact, Michel Philippot, the director of sound at the world premiere of Rhinocéros, was a composer of early electronic music, and brought artistry into dramatic sound production. En attendant Godot does not feature sound production besides that of the spoken or silent voice, therefore silence, pause, rhythm, repetitions, dynamic tones, and musical vociferations such as singing and humming are the focus of its analysis. The two plays differ acoustically, yet each uses sound effects in compelling and meaningful ways.