Still Plays: From Maeterlinck To Beckett

Theory of Static Drama was put forward by Belgian playwright Maurice Maeterlinck in his article the Tragic of Daily Life wrote in 1896. Its main ideas are that the drama should reflect the beauty, greaty and stateliness of ordinary daily life and the inner world; The psychological activity is loftier than body activity, stillness is the essence of life and static life even has no psychological activity; the greaty of drama is not in movement nor words who says but in interior words. Mana princess, the Uninvited Guest, the Blinds, Indoor are Maeterlinck's masterpieces of Static Drama, gentle movement, implicit and repeated words, lacking individual characteristics, simple plot, little conflicts, strong atmosphere are their distinct characaters. Static Drama has been carried forward by Samuel Beckett. Counteracted movement, unlogistic and garrulous words, broken plots are all in his plays. The changes and developments of Static Drama from Maeterlinck to Beckett are from emphasis on heightening the atmosphere, focusing on talking with the soul, death ending to bluring dramatic atmosphere, dispelling all motions and fruitless end. Static Drama concerns person's inner world and life situation. It is different from traditional drama which stressed the external event. It not only provides new means for depicting people and his life, but also extends our vision to theatre arts. This article was started with the background of Maeterlinck's theory of static drama, abstracted main viewpoints of the theory, generalized the static feature of Maeterlinck's and Beckett's works, explored the changes and developments of Static Drama from Maeterlinck's to Samuel Beckett's by contrast. Its aim is to discuss artistic characteristics of Static Drama and the reasons and intentions of writers.