Moral Decadence in Edward Albee`s The Zoo Story

Abstract

The current study tackles the philosophical concept of moral decadence in the modern American play The Zoo Story by Edward Albee. The research concentrates on how specific characters tend to have low moral standards, and what detrimental and deteriorating effects of their immorality could harm the people around them. The research follows Aristotle`s philosophical concept of morality, what Greeks used to consider to be moral and immoral. Immanuel Kant`s views are also taken into account to measure characters` misconducts as well. As an existential play, the study sheds light on various social and family problems, such as poverty, lack of education, prostitution, hopelessness and bereavement. These appalling circumstances inevitably could have a tremendous effect on the low-class people in the American society of the late 1950s. Most notably, both Jerry and Petter are the embodiment of this society, where each one belongs to a distinct social class. The research exemplifies how such social predicaments could change the direction of each one of the mentioned characters. The main focus is on Jerry as he is the most talkative, absurdist, problematic, confused and suicidal character in the play.