Myth in the Drama of Peter Shaffer and Alfred Farag In Light of Rudolf Bultmann’s Concept of Demythologization

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is twofold. First, it seeks to discuss the concept of myth in light of Rudolf Bultmann’s concept of ‘demythologization,’ arguing that such concept could be adopted as a tool of analysing literary texts. Second, it offers a comparative reading of Peter Shaffer’s and Alfred Farag’s dramas, applying the analytical tools derived from Bultmann’s concept. The first chapter, ‘Introduction,’ surveys the history of the conceptualisation of myth, in order to offer the rationale behind choosing Bultmann’s philosophical/theological approach to the concept. The chapter analyses, then, the concept of ‘demythologization’ and the influence of Heidegger’s existentialist philosophy on Bultmann’s coinage of the concept. The analysis offers an insight into Bultmann’s understanding of the concept with its two stages, i.e. negative and positive demythologization. It reaches the conclusion that the concept could be used as a tool of critically reading dramatic texts. In Chapter Two, ‘Demythologizing the Ritual in Peter Shaffer’s Drama,’ a reading of Shaffer’s The Royal Hunt of the Sun and Equus is offered in light of the analytical terms identified in the first chapter. It examines the dialectical relationship between the two main characters of each play, Pizarro and Atahuallpa, and Alan and Dysart, respectively, as representatives of the mythical/rational and religious/scientific dichotomy. The chapter unmasks the existential concerns behind Shaffer’s use of rituals on stage and drama-as-ritual. iv Chapter Three, ‘Demythologizing History in Alfred Farag’s Drama’, presents an analysis of Farag’s use of the concept of history in Fall of a Pharaoh and Ali Janah Al-Tabrizi and His Servant Quffa. It argues that the two plays are existentialist encounters which force the dramatic personae and the members of the audience alike into a moment of existential decision. Finally, the study ends with a conclusion that conveys the findings of the thesis, offering a comparative perspective of the dramas chosen. Keywords: 1. Myth 2. Demythologization 3. Existentialism 4. Ontology 5. Rudolf Bultmann 6. Peter Shaffer 7. Alfred Farag