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“The Zoo Story”: Alienated Men in the Shrinking Urban Space
WU Hang
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DOI:10.17265/1539-8080/2019.05.006
University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
“The Zoo Story”, as a representative work of the theater of the absurd, is filled with grotesque scenes and languages, in which city images are an essential component. What lies behind the apparent absurdity is the morbid life and psyche of the people in modern city. In fact, man and city consists an important theme of the play. In “The Zoo Story”, the houses, parks, and streets are three main city images that cause oppression and alienation to people. Therefore, the analysis of the dominant urban space and alienated modern citizens in the play from the perspective of city writing enhances the thematic implication of the play.
city, modern, alienation, public space, private space
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