The Existential Implications of Ageism: A Comparative Study of Edward Albee’s The Sandbox and Tawfik Al-Hakim’s The Tree Climber | ||
| مجلة کلية الآداب جامعة الفيوم | ||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 17 November 2025 | ||
| Document Type: المقالة الأصلية | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/jfafu.2025.424211.2309 | ||
| Author | ||
| هند خليل* | ||
| الجامعة البريطانية في مصر، القاهرة: جمهورية مصر العربية | ||
| Abstract | ||
| The paper examines the implications of ageism and its relationship to absurdism through the characters in Edward Albee’s The Sandbox (1959) and Tawfik Al-Hakim’s The Tree Climber (1962). The works of Albee and Al-Hakim delve into existential concerns that unravel the challenges encountered by the aging population in different cultural contexts manifested through the intricate dynamics between characters. The researcher addresses the following questions: Is there a connection between ageism and existentialism in both plays? Do the plays under study conform to the notions of the Theatre of the Absurd? A comparative analysis integrating dramaturgical, textual, and socio-political dimensions is conducted. The findings suggest that absurdist theatre challenges the traditional portrayal of the elderly, transforming aging from a biological inevitable state into an arena of existential quest, social critique, and cultural estrangement. Albee’s The Sandbox is a scathing indictment of the American society's discrimination against the aging population. On the other hand, Al-Hakim’s The Tree Climber represents the paradoxical and often nonsensical dimensions of human existence. The study thus invites a critical reappraisal of the conventional attitudes toward life, aging, and mortality. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| ageism; aging; existentialism; human existence; Theatre of the Absurd | ||
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