Pirandello's Influence on Jean Anouilh as Seen in the Pièces grinçantes and Anouilh's later Plays

Abstract

<p>The purpose of this paper will be to examine the influence of Luigi Pirandello's works on the theatre of Jean Anouilh. In our presentation of Pirandello's concepts and techniques, examples will be chosen only from those plays that have been staged in Paris, as these would be most likely to have had an influence on the French dramatist . In Jean Anouilh's case, by far the greatest emphasis will be placed on the Pièces grinsantes and on his later plays that, because of their particular vision of life, could be considered as an imaginary Nouvelles pièces grinçantes. In this last group we list La Grotte, Cher Antoine ou l'Amour raté, Le Boulanger, la boulangère et le petit mitron, and Les Poissons rouges ou Mon père ce héros.</p>