ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews Jerzy Grotowski's key writings and explains how the four notions of sacrifice, presence, totality, and the literalness of action have evolved throughout his work and thoughts. Sacrifice appears in the early theatre production work as via negativa, in paratheatre as disarmament, and in later phases of his research as untaming. Examining a selection of Grotowski's published works from the various periods of his research allows us to see how the dialectic between organic and artificial defined his investigations and created a new paradigm for performers to view their work. When Grotowski began work on a playscript, he first tried to identify and confront the archetype in each text he directed. Grotowski recognizes his own fascination for the traditions and myths of his culture and nation, as well as his desire to attack them, to blaspheme.
