在过去的几十年里，贝克特戏剧的研究非常广泛。研究视角从政治、到哲学、美学、结构主义、后现代主义、后殖民主义、女性主义以及读者接受理论等等。但是，很少有人对贝克特戏剧中的隐喻进行研究。为此，黄立华编著的《贝克特戏剧文本中隐喻的认知研究》从认知的视角对贝克特戏剧中的隐喻进行了研究。

Foreword

Preface

Chapter One Introduction

 1.1 Objectives of this research

 1.2 Significance of study

 1.3 Methods of study

 1.4 The structure of this book

Chapter Two Literature Review

 2.1 Introduction

 2.2 Traditional studies on metaphor

 2.2.1 Metaphor in fiction and poetry

 2.2.2 Metaphor in drama

 2.2.3 Dramatic text and performance

 2.3 Contemporary studies on metaphor

 2.3.1 Semantic theory of metaphor

 2.3.2 Pragmatic theory of metaphor

 2.3.3 Cognitive theory of metaphor

 2.3.4 Conceptual metaphor

 2.3.5 Conventional and novel metaphors

 2.4 Metaphor studies of Beckett's plays

 2.4.1 Overview of criticism of Samuel Beekett's plays

 2.4.2 Overview of metaphor studies on Beckett's plays

 2.5 Summary and research questions

Chapter Three Emotion Metaphors in Waiting for Godot

 and Krapp's Last Tape

 3.1 Introduction

 3.2 Emotion metaphors

 3.3 Emotion metaphors in Waiting for Godot

 3.4 Emotion metaphors in Krapp's Last Tape

 3.5 Summary

Chapter Four Time as Space Metaphors in Happy Days

 and Endgame

 4.1 Introduction

 4.2 Conceptions of time and space

 4.2.1 Keshavmurti on time and space

 4.2.2 Alverson on time and space

 4.2.3 Lakoff on space and time 

 4.2.4 Lakoff and Johnson on everyday metaphor

 4.3 Time as space metaphors in Happy Days and

 Endgame

 4.4 "Time" and "oblivion" in Waiting for Godot

Chapter Five Image-Schema Metaphors in Endgame

Chapter Six Non-verbal Metaphors in Beckett's Dramaticules

Chapter Seven Findings and Conclusions

Bibliography