Opposition and sister squares: Marcel Duchamp and Samuel Beckett

Hugill, A (2013) 'Opposition and sister squares: Marcel Duchamp and Samuel Beckett.' toutfait.com: The Online Marcel Duchamp Studies Journal.

Abstract

This article explores the personal and artistic relationship between Marcel Duchamp and Samuel Beckett. It examines the biographical evidence for a connection between the two men and in particular focuses on chess. It explores some apparent evocations of Duchamp, both as a man and as an artist, in writings such as Murphy and Eleuthéria. It suggests that some key aspects of the dramatic structure, staging, and dialogue in Endgame derives from Beckett’s awareness of the peculiar endgame position described in L’opposition et les cases conjuguées sont réconciliées (Opposition and Sister Squares are Reconciled) by Duchamp and Halberstadt. To reach a detailed understanding of this argument, it sets out an expository account of a typical chess position and its accompanying terminologies from the book, then applies those to the play itself.

Item Type:	Article
Note:	Full text of the article available at URL above.
Subjects:	N Fine Arts > N Visual arts (General) For photography, see TR P Language and Literature > PR English literature
Divisions:	Bath School of Music and Performing Arts
Date Deposited:	30 Jan 2015 13:44
Last Modified:	15 Aug 2021 09:34
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URI / Page ID:	https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/1971

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