1Dr. Md. Abul Kalam Azad, 2Dr. Md. Sazzad Hossain, 3Dr. Md. Kamrul Hasan, 4Md. Apel Mahmud
1,2Professor, Department of English, Dhaka International University, Dhaka
3Associate Professor (Adjunct), Department of English, BGMEA University of Fashion & Technology, Dhaka.
4MA Student, Department of English, Dhaka International University, Dhaka.
DOI : https://doi.org/10.47191/ijmra/v8-i04-43Google Scholar Download Pdf
ABSTRACT:
This paper explores the themes of alienation and the metaphorical search for the meaning of life in Edward Albee's play The Zoo Story (1958), examining how these existential concerns shape human experience. Alienation, as a profound sense of disconnection from society, others, and oneself, is analyzed through various philosophical and literary perspectives, focusing on how the individuals struggle to find meaning in a seemingly indifferent world. This study delves into how different works of literature, theater, and philosophy depict characters grappling with isolation, personal identity, and the pursuit of purpose. Through these narratives, the search for meaning emerges as both a personal journey as well as a collective challenge, often marked by existential crises, despair, and longing for connection. Drawing from the works of existential philosophers like Sartre, Camus, and Kierkegaard, as well as literary examples, the study illuminates how alienation can hinder and propel the quest for understanding. The research argues that the search for meaning drives individuals to confront the complexities of existence, and seek a deeper sense of fulfillment in a world that may offer no clear answers. Through the interaction between two seemingly disparate characters—Jerry, an isolated, disillusioned man, and Peter, an ordinary, middle-class individual, the play explores the profound existential questions that define human existence. Jerry's profound sense of alienation is portrayed as both a personal struggle and a reflection of the larger human condition, marked by disconnection, loneliness, and an overwhelming search for purpose. On the other hand, Peter’s routine life, while seemingly conventional, is revealed to be devoid of true fulfillment, exposing the superficiality of societal norms and expectations.
KEYWORDS:Alienation, indifferent world, complexities of existence, self-destruction, existential struggle, disillusionment, pursuit of freedom, absurdity, and absurdist movement.
REFERENCES1) Albee. E. (1958). The zoo story. New York City, NY: Dramatists Play Service.
2) _______. (n.d.). Albee's The zoo story. Modern American Drama Journal, 45(2), 98-110.
3) _______. (1961). The American dream. New York City, NY: Dramatists Play Service.
4) _______. (1962). Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf? New York City, NY: Dramatists Play Service.
5) _______. (2002). The goat, or who is Sylvia? New York City, NY: Dramatists Play Service.
6) _______. (1958). The zoo story. In The Zoo Story and Other Plays (pp. 1-33). London, England: Penguin Books.
7) Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Edward Albee. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com
8) Barlow, D. S. (1999). The Existential crisis in American drama. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
9) Beidler, P. G. (1998). Edward Albee: A critical perspective. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press.
10) Callaghan, M. J. (2007). Power and connection in Albee's The Zoo Story. Modern American Drama Journal, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 110-125.
11) Clark, A. J. (2000). American theater in the 20th century. New York City, NY: Harper & Row.
12) Callaghan, M. J. (2007). Power and connection in Albee's The Zoo Story. Modern American Drama Journal, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 110-125.
13) Davis, T. J. (2005). Existentialism and alienation in The Zoo Story. Journal of American Theatre, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 102-115.
14) Davis, T.J. (2005). Existentialism and alienation in The Zoo Story. Journal of American Theatre, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 102-115.
15) Giddens, A. (2009). Sociology (6th ed.). Cambridge, England: Polity Press
16) Jackson, B. J. (2004). The psychological dimensions of Edward Albee's theater. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
17) Journal of American Drama and Theater (n.d.). 34(3), 101-118. Retrieved from perspectives in Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story: Existentialism and Alienation in Modern American Theater. Modern Theater Studies Journal, 22(4), 45-61.
18) Johnson, P. (2013). Existentialism and the Human Condition in Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story. American Theatre Review, 48(2), 75-90.
19) Klein, M. (2013). The Structure of isolation in Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story: A dramatic approach to existential crisis. Journal of American Drama, 39(2), 87-103. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org.
20) Lahr, J. (2017). The theater of Edward Albee. The New Yorker. Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com
21) Lacey, E. (2000). The Existential alienation of Jerry in Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story. American Theatre Review, 25(2), 102-115.
22) Lacey, E. (2000). Existentialism in Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story: A critique of the human condition. Journal of American Drama, 15(2), 110-120.
23) Lacey, E. (2000). Existentialism and alienation in Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story. Journal of Contemporary Literature, 18(3), 102-118.
24) Langer, S. M. (2003). Space and symbolism in Albee's plays. Oxfordshire, England: Routledge.
25) Martin, R. A. (2002). Albee, and the existential crisis. New York City, NY: Columbia University Press.
26) Martin, L. (2015). Existentialism and the absurd in Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story: A philosophical examination. Journal of Modern American Drama, 30(3), 112-128.
27) Martin, J. (2018). Frustration and alienation in Edward Albee's The Zoo Story: A critique of modern civilization. American Literature and Drama Review, 34(2), 42-58.
28) Parker, D. (2015). Existentialism and the human condition in Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story. Journal of Contemporary American Theater, 32(2), 45-60.
29) Richards, K. (2014). Alienation and isolation in Albee’s The Zoo Story: A reflection of modern civilization. Journal of American Theatre Studies, 36(1), 52-67.
30) Richards, K. (2016). Alienation, isolation, and the breakdown of communication in Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story. Modern American Drama Journal, 45(2), 98-110.
31) Scher, P. A. (1996). Existential absurdity in The Zoo Story. Theatre Journal, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 45-59.
32) Thompson, M. (2015). The crisis of meaning in Edward Albee's The Zoo Story: Existentialism and alienation in a modern world. Journal of Modern American Drama, 23(4), 60-75.
33) Warren, H. (2011). The zoo as metaphor: Existential confinement in Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story. New York City, NY: S. Fischer Verlag.
34) Williams, J. (2014). Dialogue and alienation in Edward Albee's The Zoo Story: The limits of communication. Journal of American Theatre and Drama, 29(3), 92-107
Volume 08 Issue 04 April 2025
There is an Open Access article, distributed under the term of the Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits remixing, adapting and building upon the work for non-commercial use, provided the original work is properly cited.
Our Services and Policies
Authors should prepare their manuscripts according to the instructions given in the authors' guidelines. Manuscripts which do not conform to the format and style of the Journal may be returned to the authors for revision or rejected.
The Journal reserves the right to make any further formal changes and language corrections necessary in a manuscript accepted for publication so that it conforms to the formatting requirements of the Journal.
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Analysis will publish 12 monthly online issues per year,IJMRA publishes articles as soon as the final copy-edited version is approved. IJMRA publishes articles and review papers of all subjects area.
Open access is a mechanism by which research outputs are distributed online, Hybrid open access journals, contain a mixture of open access articles and closed access articles.
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Analysis initiate a call for research paper for Volume 08 Issue 06 (June 2025).
PUBLICATION DATES:
1) Last Date of Submission : 26 June 2025.
2) Article published within a week.
3) Submit Article : editor@ijmra.in or Online
Why with us
1 : IJMRA only accepts original and high quality research and technical papers.
2 : Paper will publish immediately in current issue after registration.
3 : Authors can download their full papers at any time with digital certificate.
The Editors reserve the right to reject papers without sending them out for review.
Authors should prepare their manuscripts according to the instructions given in the authors' guidelines. Manuscripts which do not conform to the format and style of the Journal may be returned to the authors for revision or rejected. The Journal reserves the right to make any further formal changes and language corrections necessary in a manuscript accepted for publication so that it conforms to the formatting requirements of the Journal.