Crossing the Borders: Beckett in the Eastern World

Abstract

Beckettian scholars are of the view that Beckett is an autonomous artist and has never been a religious scholar, so his works should be read as an artistic expression without using any 'religious barometer. Beckett's obsessed quest about theology and his selected plethora of references about Christianity and God almost always capture the attention of critics by encouraging them to read Beckett through a religious angle. Such a stance of Beckett leads the scholars to categorise him as a secular writer who freely deals with religious themes. It is interesting to note that most of Beckett's religious scholarship revolves around Christianity and Western critical traditions. This means that Beckett's connection with other religions or religious traditions has been overlooked. This paper examines Beckett's attachment with religions, namely Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism. In conclusion, the paper advocates that Beckett was aware of Eastern religious traditions.