Six Characters In Search Of An Author

I believe that the characters in Pirandello’s play Six Characters in Search of an Author are more than a cheap trick, but a way to discuss the meta fictional connotations between the actors and the roles they take part in.  Not only are the characters more important than the actors, those characters are aware of this and understand that they are different than the people who end up representing them. The father and stepdaughter are the two characters that seem to want to explain their position and why they cannot simply act out their story. They must live their story because they are the real characters, not just actors reciting lines. They know nothing but their story; they live the emotions that they feel in this situation forever and always. The actors and the director seriously cannot comprehend this because they can’t see that actors are different than the character. There is a distinct difference. Actors can take on multiple roles, putting themselves in varies mindsets to suit the situation. These six characters can only play one role, can only think in one state of mind, and can only be in one situation for the rest of their existence. They have no concept of any other way of life. What is reality to them is nothing but words on a page to the director. The argument goes in a circle, almost seemingly never ending.

I think that the characters meta fictional discussions are much different than other breaks in character like asides, soliloquies, or plays within plays, because those are tricks that help the audience see ironies and characterization only. When the characters in Pirandello’s play speak they are not breaking character, they are stuck in their character. So it becomes the character speaking about himself, not someone stepping aside and discussing someone else. A play within a play is used to debate the themes of drama, where these meta characters are used to debate the themes of character. Asides are characters who are still in character, but are discussing their situation, not themselves. These six characters are also still in character, but speak on themselves in self-examination, understanding that what they experience is their destiny and forever lasting. While I do agree that plays within plays and asides are very useful when the audience needs help in the middle of the play, these tactics are definitely not as interesting or important as the questions that arise with meta fiction. The fiction is just as important to understand as the story the fiction presents.