Waiting for Godot Flashcards
How is the philosophical concept of the nature of suffering first introduced?
The philosophical concept of the nature of suffering is first introduced in the first chapter by the contrasting physical ailments of each character: Estragon has sore feet which hurt him, and Vladimir has some type of painful urinary infection which causes him to suffer; one character hurts and the other one suffers.
Contextually, where does the mutual dependence of V + E’s relationship stem from?
In their escape to Roussillon, Beckett and his partner Suzanne walked during the night and slept in haystacks and ditches during the daytime. This is an image of a mutually dependent couple, disoriented and bereft of social contact whilst clutching to straws of hope and uncertain about their future.
How is Beckett’s experience with the Resistance imitated in Waiting for Godot?
The experience of 1939-1944 was one of waiting for an uncertain future liberation, passing the time in frugal surroundings for days on end with little in the way of physical or intellectual nourishment.
What is modernism?
An early twentieth-century break from established literary and artistic traditions in favour of radical forms of experimentation and innovation, as exemplified by the works of James Joyce who Beckett met in Paris in 1928 and who soon encompassed Beckett as part of his social circle.
How can we perceive the characters of Vladimir and Estragon?
The central characters of the play are affectionately named “Didi” and “Gogo”, similar names to clowns. It is true that both characters are clown-like archetypes who wear the bowler hats of lovable buffoons such as Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy, recalling circus antics with their pratfalls and engaging in dialogue which emulates the routines of popular vaudeville comedians - this can be linked to modernism as previously this had been considered unworthy of serious drama, a belief which Beckett turns on its head in order to experiment.
What did Beckett think of his Irish homeland?
He could not tolerate the strict censorship of so many aspects of life, especially the arbitrary censoring of many works of literature by the Catholic clergy. In addition, the political situation created an oppressive anti-intellectualism. He also received prudish criticism from Irish critics.
What is the “key” message of Lucky’s speech and how is this explored?
In spite of theological questioning, scientific research, advances in medicine, and healthy living, man nonetheless “is seen to waste and pine” and “shrink and dwindle”. “Progress is merely an illusion, and apart from the inevitable decline, nothing really changes. This is explored through the dismissal of human research, inquiry, and interpretation throughout the “think”. Lucky alludes to and belittles scientific progress by alluding to James Watt, and other researches who are undermined by comic naming. The work of all researchers is explicitly “unfinished” or is in some way inconclusive, and the most repeated phrase in relation to their work is “for reasons unknown”.
Why is tragicomedy often used in conjunction with the Absurdist theatre?
Modern tragicomedy is often used in conjunction with Absurdist theatre to convey that when faced with the prospect of living in a senseless world / the only thing left in a futile life is laughter.
Why is tragicomedy often used in conjunction with the Absurdist theatre?
Modern tragicomedy is often used in conjunction with Absurdist theatre to convey that when faced with the prospect of living in a senseless world / the only thing left in a futile life is laughter. Tragicomedy offers more meaning than a simple comedy on its own and portrays the tragic emptiness and meaning of existence.
-The absurdity caused by the seeming mismatch between characters’ tones and the content of their speech can be seen as a reaction to a world emptied of meaning and significance. If the world is meaningless, it makes no sense to see it as comic or tragic, good or bad. Beckett thus presents an eerie play that sits uneasily on the border between tragedy and comedy, in territory one can only call the absurd.
What is Theatre of the Absurd and when did it begin?
It began after the horrors of WWII and the Great Depression. It addresses the collapse of reality as we know it and highlights the pointlessness of actions as demonstrated through repetition. Theater of the Absurd is focused largely on the ideas of existentialism in order to express what happens when human existence has no meaning and as a result, all communication breaks down. Logical construction and arguments give way to illogical and irrational speech and finish with the ultimate conclusion, silence, which the Vladimir and Estragon will avoid at all costs.
How does Existentialism link to Waiting for Godot?
Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for a man who will never come, whilst staying nowhere, talking about nothing aka, utterly futile. Secondly, the two characters central affiliations, Vladimir’s hat and Estragon’s boot, always end in nothing and are very futile.
What contributes to an absurdist humour within the play?
The play is filled with nonsensical lines, wordplay, meaningless dialogue, and characters who abruptly shift emotions and forget everything, ranging from their own identities to what happened yesterday.
What are some examples of dark humour within the play and what is the audiences reaction to this humour?
All of this contributes to an absurdist humor throughout the play. However, this humor is often uncomfortably mixed together with tragic or serious content to make a darker kind of comedy. Estragon refers to “billions of others,” who have been killed, and describes being beaten by an anonymous “they.” Lucky (whose ill-fitting name is itself darkly comic) is treated horribly and physically abused on-stage. And Vladimir and Estragon talk nonchalantly and pleasantly about suicide. All this has a discomforting effect on the audience, who is not sure how to react to this absurd mixture of comedy and tragedy, seriousness and playfulness. In act one, Vladimir says, “one daren’t even laugh any more,” and his comment could apply well to the audience of Beckett’s play, who don’t know whether to laugh or to cringe at the events on-stage.
How does the boredom on-stage mirror the audience?
The boredom of the characters on-stage mirrors the boredom of the audience. Beckett has deliberately constructed a play where not only his characters, but also his audience wait for something that never happens. Just like Estragon and Vladimir, the audience waits during the play for some major event or climax that never occurs. Audience members might at times feel uncomfortable and want, like Estragon, to leave, but are bound to stay, in case Godot should actually arrive later in the play.
How do the characters feel as a result of the endless waiting?
As Beckett’s title indicates, the central act of the play is waiting, and one of the most salient aspects of the play is that nothing really seems to happen. Vladimir and Estragon spend the entire play waiting for Godot, who never comes. Estragon repeatedly wants to leave, but Vladimir insists that they stay, in case Godot actually shows up. As a result of this endless waiting, both Vladimir and Estragon are “bored to death,” as Vladimir himself puts it. Both Vladimir and Estragon repeat throughout the play that there is “nothing to be done” and “nothing to do.” They struggle to find ways to pass the time, so they end up conversing back and forth about nothing at all—including talking about how they don’t know what to talk about—simply to occupy themselves while waiting.
