Abstract

Memory is a remarkable aspect of the human mind. Past memories have a great impact on the individual as they often tantalize man, reminding him of what he once had/lost. Past memories can even control the mind and soul of man, causing his utter disconnection from the present. In literature, interest in memory has been growing over the last few decades. Literary works such as Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman,” Tennessee Williams’ “The Glass Menagerie,” and Brian Friel’s “Philadelphia, Here I Come!” and “Dancing at Lughnasa” are just examples of what critics call memory plays, or plays revolving around memory. The past in these works is depicted as a destructive force that weighs heavily and preys on the minds of the characters; a force that the protagonists struggle to escape/forget. In this article, the role of memory and its effect on the characters will be examined in two selected plays, one British, one Egyptian; namely, “Krapp’s Last Tape” (1958) by Samuel Beckett and “Death of the Clown” (2000) by Hamdy Abdul Aziz, respectively. Whereas the former has triggered a number of critical works, the latter, to the author’s knowledge, has not been dealt with academically. Despite the time span and cultural differences that distinguish each text from the other, both focus on memory and remembrance and the similarities between both plays clarify the effect of memory on the protagonists. In the two selected works, past memories are brought to the foreground through theatrical devices: props and the personification of the unconscious/inner self to expose the troubled minds of the protagonists and their sense of fragmentation. To fully understand the effect memory and remembrance of past events have on the self in the two plays, both works will be approached from the lens of memory depending on memory studies, an interdisciplinary field of study that concentrates on memory. Through memory studies, the article will focus on the role of memory in both plays and its effect on the characters. Concepts like repression and denial, confrontation, self-alienation, and traumatic experience will be explored. Moreover, the article will employ psychoanalysis to highlight how past memories influence the actions of the respective protagonists and their inner selves.