The motif of alienation in D. Isabekov's play «transit passenger» (a comparative analysis)

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Abstract

This article examines the motif of alienation in Dulat Isabekov's play “Transit
Passenger” (1989) within the context of the cultural and historical shifts characteristic of the
transitional period from the Soviet to the post-Soviet era in Kazakhstan. The motif of alienation is
analyzed as a universal category reflecting fundamental changes in both collective and individual
identity amid social and cultural instability. Through a comparative analysis with the works of
Samuel Beckett (“Waiting for Godot”) and Tennessee Williams (“A Streetcar Named Desire”), the
article explores the typological and semantic aspects of alienation, with a focus on its expression
through the categories of time, loss of social identity, and fragmentation of cultural memory. The
authors argue that Isabekov, by employing the motif of alienation, not only captures the existential
crises caused by the rupture between past and present but also offers a new understanding of the
process of social and cultural integration. Alienation in Isabekov's play is viewed as a dialectical
process in which the preservation of cultural traditions confronts the necessity of adapting to
changing realities, ultimately leading to a redefinition of collective identity. Thus, the article offers
an original interpretation of the motif of alienation, demonstrating its role in expanding the
boundaries of Kazakhstani dramaturgy within the context of global literary processes.