Name the dramas which fall within the category of the Theatre of the Absurd
(A) The Birthday Party
(B) Endgame
(C) Mrs. Warren's Profession
(D) The Rhinoceros
(E) Riders to the Sea
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct option is C

Theatre of the Absurd refers to plays (mostly post–World War II) that depict the existential belief that human life has no inherent meaning, often using illogical plots, repetitive dialogue, and nonsensical situations.
The Birthday Party – By Harold Pinter; a classic Absurdist play using menace, ambiguity, and breakdown of communication.
Endgame – By Samuel Beckett; depicts the bleakness and cyclical stagnation of existence.
The Rhinoceros – By Eugène Ionesco; an allegory on conformity and the loss of individuality.

The Theatre of the Absurd is a genre of drama that emerged in Europe in the 1950s. It is characterized by its exploration of themes of alienation, meaninglessness, and the absurdity of human existence. Absurdist plays often feature non-linear plots, illogical characters, and dark humour.

Information Booster:
Main playwrights of the Theatre of the Absurd:
Samuel Beckett (Waiting for Godot, Endgame)

Harold Pinter (The Birthday Party, The Caretaker)

Eugène Ionesco (The Rhinoceros, The Chairs)

Jean Genet (The Balcony, The Maids)

Additional Knowledge:
The term “Theatre of the Absurd” was popularized by critic Martin Esslin in his 1961 book The Theatre of the Absurd, where he linked these plays to the existential philosophy of Albert Camus.

Mrs. Warren's Profession – By George Bernard Shaw; a problem play about prostitution and women’s independence (Social Realism).

Riders to the Sea – By J. M. Synge; part of Irish Literary Revival, a tragic one-act rooted in realism and folklore, not Absurdism.