Esslin

Esslin is a surname. The best-known bearer is Martin Esslin (1918–2002), a Hungarian-born British theatre critic and writer. Esslin coined the term Theatre of the Absurd in his 1961 book The Theatre of the Absurd, a work that helped popularize a label for a movement in modern drama characterized by existential concerns, illogical situations, and nonrealistic dialogue. His analysis framed the works of prominent dramatists such as Samuel Beckett, Eugène Ionesco, and Jean Genet within the Absurdist tradition and contributed to the way contemporary theatre is studied in the English-speaking world. Beyond this, Esslin published essays and introductions on drama and theatre criticism, and he was a notable figure in mid-20th-century theatre theory.

The surname is relatively uncommon, and no widely cited alternative spellings or distinct lineages are commonly noted in general reference works. The name Esslin is primarily recognized in connection with Martin Esslin and his contributions to theatre criticism and theory.