Rahpooye Honar/Performing Arts

Rahpooye Honar/Performing Arts

Mystical Meaningfulness in the Dramaturgy of the Dramatic Text: A Reading of Gabriel Marcel’s Thought (An Examination of the Play “The Broken World”)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 PhD student in Philosophy of Art, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Associate Professor of the Department of Philosophy, NT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Department of Wisdom of Art, Higher Education Institute of Islamic Art and Thought, Qom, Iran.
Abstract
This study examines the dramaturgy of mystical meaningfulness in dramatic texts, drawing on Gabriel Marcel’s existential philosophy as its foundation and his play “The Broken World” as a central case. It addresses a key question: In a modern era shaped by nihilism and atheistic existentialism, can spiritual or mystical experience still be effectively represented in drama? Against the backdrop of absurdist and post-metaphysical theatre, the paper examines how Islamic mysticism and Marcelian thought might converge to shape a dramaturgy that expresses transcendent meaning.  The main research question is: How can mystical meaningfulness be dramaturgically expressed through Marcel’s philosophy? Sub-questions include: What connections exist between Marcel’s concept of “mystery” with the Islamic mystical notion of sirr (the secret)? How might a Socratic-dialogical method deepen a play’s spiritual dimension? What challenges arise in dramatizing metaphysical experience within modern theatrical forms? The study employs a qualitative, descriptive-analytical method. It relies on library-based research, analyzing philosophical, mystical, and dramatic texts. No empirical data or statistical population is used, as the research is interpretive in nature.  Findings indicate that mystical meaning can be expressed through narrative strategies such as dialogical depth, inner conflict within characters, and existential transformation that avoids didacticism. Marcel’s dramaturgy privileges the experiential over the conceptual, encouraging playwrights to draw on lived experience and existential tension. The dramaturg, inspired by Marcel, acts not as a problem-solver but a Socratic companion—guiding the playwright toward poetic insight. A close reading of “The Broken World” shows how characters embody existential fracture while seeking spiritual renewal. Through Christine, Marcel dramatizes spiritual exile and the yearning for grace. Open-endedness and moral ambiguity create space for audience reflection. Ultimately, merging Islamic mystical themes with Marcel’s thought offers new pathways for spiritual dramaturgy—addressing the modern crisis of meaning with both philosophical and artistic nuance.
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  • Receive Date 19 April 2025
  • Revise Date 08 June 2025
  • Accept Date 27 June 2025