The International Reception of Samuel Beckett

This comprehensive volume brings together essays from leading critics on Samuel Beckett's international critical reception. Due to his linguistic and artistic abilities, Beckett was intimately involved in the translation and production of his writings in German, French English and Spanish; and consequently countries using these languages have sophisticated critical traditions. However, many other countries have adopted Beckett at their 'own', from places where he lived for lengthy periods of his life (England, France, Ireland and Germany), to those finding directly applicable political messages in his work (such as ex-Soviet states including the Czech Republic and Romania), and those countries whose national literary traditions bear heavily upon his work (e.g. Italy). This fascinating volume reveals Beckett's evolving critical reception from contemporary reviews to his present. Book jacket.

Mark Nixon is Lecturer in English at the University of Reading, UK, where he is the Co-Director of the Beckett International Foundation. Matthew Feldman is Lecturer in Twentieth Century History at the University of Northampton, UK.