플로리앙 젤레르의 작품에 나타난 노년과 상실 - 『아버지』, 『어머니』를 대상으로 -

Abstract

Florian Zeller’s plays The Father and The Mother depict the problems of old age where the main characters, who have dementia and depression, lose memories, space, and even their own identity before reaching the end of their lives. Zeller depicts the ‘problems of old age’ as experienced by André and Anne, the protagonists of the plays, not from a 3rd-party view point but from their own 1st-person point of view. He also objectively paints the perspectives of their family and others who have to deal with them. These scenes unfold through theatrical techniques and devices where ‘reality and unreality’, and ‘consciousness and unconsciousness’ intersect, leading the audience into confusion throughout the plays, and makes them ask questions and be nervous from the beginning to the end. We will see how Zeller illuminates the elderly who thus far had more of a supporting role than a leading role in the genres of literature and art, and which theatrical techniques and devices he uses to lead the reader to interact with the plays. Also, we will seek to grasp Zeller’s dramaturgy and dramatic aesthetics he uses to shape the problems of life at old age in the space of the play and its time structure. Through this, we expect to stress several characteristics of ‘Contemporary Theater’ and provide an opportunity to evoke the problems of life at old age.