Absurdist dramaturgy as a way of comprehending reality: a case study of Taika Waititi’s “Jojo Rabbit” (2019)
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The purpose of the article is to analyze how the dramaturgy of the absurd functions as a means of comprehending reality, using the film Jojo Rabbit (dir. Taika Waititi, 2019) as a case study. The research focuses on satirical, grotesque, and comedic techniques that, within an absurdist framework, highlight social and historical phenomena. The methodology is based on the integration of philosophical, aesthetic, and structural-dramaturgical analysis. Special attention is given to the interplay between the comic and the tragic, the use of linguistic and visual means that create the film’s unique aesthetic. The study explores how humor and absurdist dramaturgy contribute to the deconstruction of ideological myths, critique of totalitarianism, and the formation of an alternative way of perceiving reality. The film presents a dual level of narrative: the external — comedic, which engages the viewer through the lightness of form, and the internal — reflective, which prompts the audience to reflect on the nature of ideological influence and psychological subjugation. Attention is also given to the child’s perspective as a key dramaturgical device, allowing the absurdity of totalitarian logic to be revealed through a sincere yet naive viewpoint of the main character. The scientific novelty. The scientific novelty lies in the attempt to identify the specifics of absurdist dramaturgy in contemporary cinema based on the material of a particular film, revealing the dramaturgical potential of the absurd as an instrument of philosophical and social reflection. The article also considers the features of combining genre components of comedy, drama, and satire within the framework of absurdist aesthetics. Conclusion. The conclusions demonstrate that the absurd in Jojo Rabbit is not a chaotic element but a structural principle for narrative construction, enabling critical rethinking of tragic historical events by combining emotional depth with intellectual distancing.
Source: Culture of Ukraine
Author: E. Nechmohlod
Language: English
Topic: Cinema History and Criticism
Subfield: Visual Arts and Performing Arts
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4414615255
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