Hello readers,
Myself Latta Baraiya and I'm a student of the department of English, MKBU. This task is assigned by Heena ma'am. In this blog I'm going to discuss the play "Waiting for Godot".
Waiting for Godot, tragicomedy in two acts by Irish writer Samuel Beckett, published in 1952 in French as En attendant Godot and first produced in 1953. Waiting for Godot was a true innovation in drama and the Theatre of the Absurd’s first theatrical success.
1. What do you think about the characters of the play?
Characterization is very important, especially for a playwright. A dramatist has to express everything through his characters as he has no other choice like a novelist. He can’t say anything directly. If he wants to opine on something he has to use his characters for this purpose. So, characters are more than usual has significance in a play. Similarly, a deep analysis of every character of “Waiting for Godot”, especially of Vladimir, reveals that all characters has an importance of their own. Needless to mention that everything in this play is dependent on its characters because it lacks any plot. If the “Waiting for Godot” is famous even today then the main reason behind it is its themes that are presented through its smaller yet important characters. We see absurdity in the characters of 'Waiting for Godot.. In order to prove it, if we consider the main characters of “Waiting for Godot'' for example, Estragon and Vladimir, we can see that they are waiting without knowing the purpose they are waiting for. Furthermore, they are not making sense of the lives and existence and that is why they think about suicide. In the same way, they also indicate the carelessness of Godot towards them. This relationship is represented in the shape of a master slave dichotomy named Pozzo, the master and Lucky, the slave, where no importance is given to the slave and is overburdened without any care. This is to make Estragon and Vladimir realize that though you are waiting for Godot but this could be your situation in the end. Another thing which is also associated with the absurdity in the characters of “Waiting for Godot” is their trust on each other for holding up and support. Each of them believes to get some sort of help from the other one and thus tries to put a seal to his chaotic life.
2. What do you say about their activities and its significance?
Though difficult and sometimes baffling to read or (even) view, Waiting for Godot is nonetheless one of the most important works of our time. It revolutionized theatre in the twentieth century and had a profound influence on generations of succeeding dramatists, including such renowned contemporary playwrights as Harold Pinter and Tom Stoppard. After the appearance of Waiting for Godot, theatre was opened to possibilities that playwrights and audiences had never before imagined. “Absurdist Theatre” discards traditional plot, characters, and action to assault its audience with a disorienting experience. Characters often engage in seemingly meaningless dialogue or activities, and, as a result, the audience senses what it is like to live in a universe that doesn’t “make sense.” Beckett and others who adopted this style felt that this disoriented feeling was a more honest response to the post World War II world than the traditional belief in a rationally ordered universe. Waiting for Godot remains the most famous example of this form of drama.
3. Is there any similarity between the situations in the play and the lockdown period of 2020?
Yes ! There are similarities between the play and the lockdown period of 2020. We feel the same way the character feels in the drama. They also waiting for Godot and here we are waiting for normal life. So there is similarly in present situation.
4. Did you feel like an existential crisis?
Yes, I felt an existential crisis due to lockdown. We understand people have found that the Covid-19 crisis has helped them to realise what is really important in their lives. The fundamental things like health, relationships, a safe place, dignity, freedom from persecution and discrimination. This crisis gave us an idea that money is not important, man is important. Our relationship is important. We got the idea that our relation was separated before the Corona crisis.
5. What did you do to pass time?
I was used to watching movies, web series, serials, reading books and also listening to music in the lockdown period. And also I have one little nephew so I spend some time with him. And it's easy to pass time with him.
6. How was your psychological condition?
To be honest, it's very difficult for me to stay home during lockdown. Our study has also stopped physically. I feel like there is nothing left in life. But our online classes give us hope ! It's also hard for me to maintain my anger. And staying home the whole 24 hours is terrible !
Thank you.
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