Uncertainty Everywhere

In the play, “Six Characters in Search of an Author” I believe that Luigi Pirandello focuses on the theme of uncertainty.  This theme is introduced in the first act, when the father character attempts to explain to the play producer that he, along with the five other characters, are merely characters in a play that sprung to life after their author refused to finish their story. 

Throughout the play the father continues to press the reality of the characters, and states, "a character, my dear sir, can always ask a man who he is, because a character really has a life of his own, a life full of his own specific qualities, and because of these he is always 'someone'.  While a man- I'm not speaking about you personally, of course, but a man in general- well, he can be an absolute 'nobody'."  I think this quote explains that reality is fixed within the characters, and it will never change.  For humans, however, reality is forever changing with time.  The father clarifies that man does not see himself the same way that he has in the past.  Thus, for humans, past realities are merely illusions.  I see this theme of uncertainty relating to Pirandello's view of the twentieth century.  Growing up, he may have thought a certain way about how the world works, but as scientific discoveries were made, his view may have changed or morphed into a completely different reality.

Not only is the theme of uncertainty portrayed throughout the play, it can also be applied to the twentieth century modernist era.  Pirandello described that reality of today is an illusion of tomorrow.  In the twentieth century, the world was full of uncertainty.  As subatomic particles were discovered and as Einstein introduced his theory of relativity, the view of the world changed little by little.  Pirandello’s “Six Characters in Search of an Author” reminds me of abstract art because it broaches many of the uncertainties of the twentieth century as peoples’ realities were changing due to new scientific discoveries and technology.

Overall, I found this "play within a play" to be interesting and unique.  I enjoyed the abstraction, and it left me pondering about the themes and symbolism within the play even after reading it.  For me, literature is much easier to dissect and decipher than paintings and sculptures.

This site describes "New Areas of Uncertainty in the 20th Century" and discusses some aspects of Pirandello's play.
http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/eng252/pirandellostudy.htm