Krapp's Last Tape

Beckett introduces Krapp as a “wearish old man” with a “laborious walk” (3). He is physically deteriorated and, as the title of the play implies, nearing the end of his life. Wearing trousers that are dirty and too short on him, he looks bedraggled and somewhat ridiculous. Though it is never said explicitly, Krapp is probably based on Beckett himself.

A miserable, lonely alcoholic, Krapp looks forward to his death. He seems somewhat cheerful at the beginning of the play, as he is amused by the word “spool,” but it turns out this has been the happiest moment of his year. As an ambitious younger man, Krapp isolated himself to better focus on his work. At thirty-nine, he was, according to the stage directions, “pompous,” and believed himself to be at his intellectual peak (5). Consumed by ambition, he prioritized achievement ahead of love. In his old age, he is, as a result, tortured by regret and self-loathing, and uses alcohol to dull these feelings. He takes no pride or fulfillment from his intellectual work. Love, sensation, and experience are now more significant to him than intellect.

Krapp’s disagreements between his past self and current self point to a fractured identity. At each stage of his life, Krapp disdainfully regards his younger self as a man with misaligned priorities, unrealistic aspirations, and an inaccurate knowledge of himself. As he starts his tape, he calls thirty-nine-year old Krapp a “stupid bastard,” yet the contradictions and self-interruptions in his monologue show that he has not come to know himself better (10). Though his ritual of recording himself indicates a propensity for self-examination, he continues to be mired in denial and is unwilling to honestly assess his emotions. Several times, he stops himself when his musings threaten to lead to unpleasant feelings. His name, a reminder of the humbling condition of his constipation, is also a comment on his dishonest self-reflection.

Krapp’s compulsive consumption of bananas and alcohol reveals an addictive streak in his character, as well as a strong drive for self-destruction. Though he wanted to quit these habits when he was younger, he has been unable to do so. He fails in his resolutions until he finally gives them up in his old age, abandoning himself to his death drive.