In another one of those little Faber single-story editions, you will find Samuel Beckett’s 1934 tale, “Dante and the Lobster”. It’s an odd little story: it is interesting because of the clear stylistic influence of James Joyce, yet in an of itself it is somewhat insignificant; there are few clues, for example, as to what will follow some nineteen years later i.e. Waiting for Godot.
But there was a lot of living to be done between ’34 and ’53. Beckett lived in Paris under Nazi occupation and fought for the French Resistance. What must he have seen / done – and how could that not affect his writing, both style and substance?
If you fancy a very short Curate’s egg, then try “Dante and the Lobster”.
Ian Gouge - Writer 