Waiting for Godot

 

 

 

Waiting for Godot, 1956.

A tragicomedy in two acts

Samuel Beckett.

First published in 1956 by Faber & Faber limited, London.

 

 

       The characters of this play appear in the two acts. First character is Vladimir, a tramp who is waiting for Godot although it seems to be that he does not know who Godot is. Vladimir is with Estragon, his best friend. Estragon goes and makes all that Vladimir wants. Vladimir and Estragon are always together, they are like a brothers, Vladimir seems the older, always is looking after Estragon. Other couple of characters are Pozzo and Lucky, the first is a noble-man and the second is his servant. Pozzo traits Lucky like an animal. Lucky is very strange, I think that he is ill. Pozzo and Lucky are normal people in the first act (Lucky not at all) but in the second act Pozzo cannot see and Lucky cannot speak, but in act one they can, and the time between both acts is one day. Finishing characters is a boy, who appears in the play giving messages of Godot.

 

       The play take place in a country road (we cannot know where) around a tree. The play begins with Estragon who is trying to take off his boot. Vladimir arrives and begins to talk with Estragon who follows with his activity. They are in this tree because they are waiting for Godot, who is (we can think) their salvation. While they are waiting they see two men coming. When men, Pozzo and Lucky, arrive and begin to talk with Vladimir and Estragon of some issues. When the night is coming Pozzo and Lucky goes and a boy comes. The boy says to Vladimir that he has a message of Godot. Godot cannot go to the tree; probably he could go the following day. Vladimir and Estragon decide to go to sleep and come back the next day.

 

 

       Second act is all the same. Appears Estragon in the tree and he is trying to take off his boot. Vladimir arrives and asks to Estragon if he remembers what they do in the previous day but Estragon do not remember. They begin to talk while they are waiting for Godot. Another time Pozzo and Lucky arrive, but now Pozzo cannot see and Lucky cannot speak. Vladimir asks to their when they cannot see and speak but they answer nothing in particular. When Vladimir says to Estragon that they are Pozzo and Lucky, Estragon do not remember them. Finally a boy arrives and says that Godot cannot go this night but probably he could go the next day. Vladimir and Estragon decide going to sleep and come back the next day and wait for Godot.

 

       Samuel Beckett do not explain where the play takes place, he only says that it is a country road. Beckett gives us the option to establish the action where we want. The time also is unknown. With the unknown space and time, Beckett creates a feeling of disconcert.

 

       I saw in an article that the play is like the purgatory and I think like this. The unknown place is the purgatory, a place where we are in suffering. The characters of this play are waiting for Godot, Godot (I think) is God, their salvation. They are suffering and they need to be forgiven and goes to heaven. The only way that they could rest in peace is when their salvation comes, when Godot comes.

 

       To conclude, I only want to say that this is the play that I consider the best, maybe because is the play in which I have thought what the message of the author is, what Beckett is trying to tell us and I think that I could understand this play better than the others.