The Tauroctony and Artaud's The Cenci: Back To The Ritual Drama

OpenAlex · English

The Tauroctony, commonly known as the bull-slaying cult can be regarded as the manifestation of the anima mundi, or the life-giving and taking energy (libido-thanatos) in the Jungian psychology. The symbolical significance of this cult is essential to see the totality of life in the natural circulation of the anima mundi. Artaud in Theatre and Its Double argues that the natural cycle of the unbridled energy has long been disrupted in the Western society since the Western civilization has cut the organic ties with the nature and has infected itself with the worn-out institutions in the grip of the poisonous, hegemonic language with its totalizing principles. He asserts that an uncontrollable plague has struck Europe due to the infection in the language. However, interestingly enough, he takes a positive stance towards the uncontrollable plague. He sees the potential procreation in the destructive power of this plague that would eventually melt the decomposed organs in the society. Thanks to this, the flattened body of the society cleansed of the rotten institutions will cure itself back to its original cycle. Artaud justifiably asserts that the plague best manifests itself in its double: In theatre. The corrosive effect of the language is best observed in the Western theatre. Artaud sees the plague as an opportunity to restore it back to its ritual roots. He develops a new form of theatre, “the Theatre of Cruelty” to cleanse the infected body of the Western society. In this context, this study aims to explore the cleansing mission of Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty by corroborating the discussion with a detailed study on his notable play, Cenci.