Reading Record of Alfred Jarry's Play 'Ubu Enchained'
Five acts in total. Reading on the beach. There is a family, perhaps of seagulls or black-tailed gulls. The Beatles' 'Tomorrow Never Knows' came to mind. However, after a while, I could no longer concentrate on my reading due to an idol concert taking place behind me, so I took refuge inside the building and continued reading. On my way to move, I peeked at the venue and was surprised to see that it was a gathering of about 10 people in total—a duo of idols, 3 audience members, and about 5 staff members—but they were incredibly excited. It was like a school festival. They were spraying water on an outdoor stage, singing, dancing, and having a blast; it was an enviable space.
Impressions and Thoughts
A story of total perversion where one quits being a king to aim for slavery. The free soldiers become a mess in order to be free. The freedom to disobey orders and the freedom to obey are equivalent. Also, the way Father Ubu arrogantly strives to become a slave is the highlight of this play.
The theme of this story is likely that absolute values do not exist.
Compared to the absurd play 'Ubu Roi' or the surreal play 'Ubu Cocu,' this aspect was clearer and easier to understand. The Ubu couple may seem nonsensical, but they are not lacking in common sense; rather, they are a charming couple who possess an almost absolute freedom, having a very high degree of intelligence and not even being bound by the concept of freedom, while respecting common sense only after acknowledging it. There may be objections to this. Even though they are rowers on a slave ship.
This couple may look foolish from the perspective of classical reason, but they can be seen as rich from a quantum perspective.
Everything depends on interpretation. The feeling arises that whether I exist even if I think, that is for me to decide, not something determined objectively.
Reading stories like this, which trim away the details of life, makes me feel liberated and refreshed.
The idols and the audience who can immerse themselves in their own world even with only 3 customers have a freedom that connects to the Ubu couple.
It is important to have the integrity to decide what is right and wrong based on your own values, saying 'I don't care about other people,' 'I don't know about common sense,' and 'Don't mess with objectivity.'
An escape from the prison called life.
Be Free.
The Count of Monte Cristo.
Pretty vacant.
...Sex Pistols.
Value judgment is unnecessary. These are the extreme north of self-deception, and at the same time, there is no doubt that nonsense is important. Life ends with the accumulation of forcing meaning onto things while being conscious that they have no meaning. A vast, desolate outer space comes to mind.