“Samuel Beckett’s Debt to Aristotle: Cosmology, Syllogism, Space, Time.” Samuel Beckett Today/Aujourd’hui 22 (2010): 183-195. (original) (raw)

This essay explores the influence of Aristotelian concepts on Samuel Beckett's novel How It Is, particularly focusing on notions of cosmic order, syllogism, space, and time. It discusses how Beckett's early philosophical studies informed his narrative innovations, especially the use of a continuous present tense that disrupts traditional notions of time and causality. The analysis highlights how Beckett's creative interpretation of Aristotelian philosophy shapes the existential dilemmas faced by the novel's protagonist, ultimately contributing to the work’s distinctive structure and themes.