SAMUEL BECKETT

Samuel Beckett was one of the most important and influential writers of the 20th century,
born in 1906 in a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, and died in 1989 in Paris, France.
He studied at Trinity College Dublin, where he developed an interest in literature, philosophy
and French. Later, he moved to Paris to further his studies and came into contact with the
influence of existentialism; he also developed a close relationship with James Joyce, one of
the greatest modernist writers. Joyce had a significant influence on Beckett’s writing and
style, but Beckett developed his own distinctive style throughout his career.

He writes most of his works first in French, and then translates them into English. Beckett’s
works range across several literary genres, but is best known for his theatre of the absurd.
His plays, for example 'Waiting for Godot' feature characters stuck in seemingly meaningless
situations and in an infinite cycle of repetition, questioning the nature of human existence,
exploring themes of loneliness, despair, insignificance and absurdity of life.

Beckett’s works have been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including the
Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969. His innovative and provocative writing has left a lasting
mark on the literature of the twentieth century.
WAITING FOR GODOT

"Waiting for Godot" is a famous play focused on waiting and uncertainty, and is open to
interpretations and symbolic meanings.

The work begins with the main characters, Vladimir (called Didi) and Estragon (called Gogo),
who are located in an undefined place, a desolate street with a bare tree. The two men await
the arrival of a certain Godot, but are not sure who he is exactly or when he will arrive.
Therefore, they spend most of their time discussing, playing games, trying to pass the time
and reflect on the meaning of their existence.
While waiting, Didi and Gogo meet several other characters, including Well and Lucky.
Pozzo is a rich and arrogant man who holds Lucky, his slave. Well and Lucky seem to
represent the relationship of power and domination in society. Well mistreats Lucky, makes
him dance and uses him as an object. This relationship can be interpreted as a reflection on
the dynamics of power and submission in society.
Despite the continuous wait, Godot never shows up by continuously sending a guy to inform
them that the next day he would certainly show up, but every day is always the same scene.
The opera ends with Didi and Gogo deciding to leave, but then, undecided, they still remain
there, in eternal expectation.

The show has no development in time, since it seems that there is no past or future, but only
a repetitive devoid of meaning present in an indefinite and aimless time, in which the
characters seem trapped. As a result, time in the novel is characterized by a subjective and
distorted perception. For example, they cannot clearly remember past events or distinguish
between the past and the present. While the characters wait for Godot, they always live the
same day, repeating the same dialogues and the same actions. This creates a sense of
repetition, in which time seems never to progress, highlighting the absurdity of human
existence.

The structure of "Waiting for Godot" has a symmetry both in the organization of the acts and
in the arrangement of the characters and situations that emphasizes the sense of cyclicality
and repetition of the work. The work is divided into two acts, each of which has a similar
structure. Both acts begin in the same place, namely a desolate street with a bare tree and
see the main characters, Vladimir and Estragon, waiting for Godot. The characters also
enter and leave the scene in pairs: Vladimir and Estragon appear and leave together. Later,
Pozzo and Lucky, representing a sort of "double" of Vladimir and Estragon, enter the scene,
interact with Vladimir and Estragon and eventually leave. In this way events are repeated
reflecting the theme of infinite waiting.
Moreover, the lack of a linear plot or definitive resolution contributes to the symmetrical
structure of the work, since the beginning and the end of the work are essentially the same:
Didi and Gogo remain in expectation, uncertain about the future, without a definitive
conclusion.

The protagonists are two human beings perpetually concerned about questions about the
nature of the self, the world and God. They are complementary, since they are different
aspects of a single whole, so the work has no characters in the traditional sense, since a
character presupposes a certain personality. Vladimir is more practical, never dreaming and
keeps waiting; Estragon is a skeptical dreamer about Godot. Because the passage of time is
their mutual occupation, they commit themselves to ask themselves questions, creating a
grotesque and humorous atmosphere; moreover Estragon can not remember anything from
his past while Vladimir, despite possessing a better memory, distrusts what he remembers.
Estragon needs his friend to tell him his story while he serves as a reminder for Vladimir of
all the things they did together. So both men serve to remind the other man of his very
existence.
The other two characters, Well and Lucky, are physically linked to each other by a rope and
a tyrannical relationship between master and servant; Lucky is servile and represents the
power of the mind, while Well is the oppressor and represents the power of the body.
The characters in "Waiting for Godot" are characterized by a combination of humor,
frustration, uncertainty and disillusionment. Their interactions and the power dynamics that
develop between them reflect the human condition, the search for meaning and despair in
dealing with the absurdity of existence.

The language is informal, but fails to communicate information about their present or recent
experiences, or for example current events in the outside world because the dialogue is only
sketched by the characters. The lack of communication is given by language characterized
by pauses, silences, repeated sentences that are used to mean the senseless repetition and
implacable flow of time of human existence. There is also a sense of humor and irony that
permeates the work: despite the serious argument and sense of frustration that the
characters feel waiting for something that seems never to come, the work presents moments
of comedy and witty jokes. Humor is often used as a defense mechanism against the
agonizing reality of endless waiting.

"Waiting for Godot" deals with a series of complex and universal themes, which have made
the opera a classic of the theater of the absurd.
The dominant theme of the work is the expectation of Godot, an event or a mysterious figure
that could bring a sense or a change in the lives of the characters, who do not know how
long they do it, or how long they will continue to do it: time is essentially chaos. Expectation
represents human hope, the expectation of something meaningless, but in the end it proves
frustrating and illusory. The work raises questions about the nature of waiting and the
meaning we give to our lives.
The continuous waiting of the characters seems to take place without any real progression
or change. This theme questions the concept of linear time and suggests a circular vision of
existence, in which events repeat themselves without real evolution.
"Waiting for Godot" has often been interpreted as a work that addresses issues such as
alienation, loneliness, the absurdity of human existence and the search for meaning. The
ambiguous plot and the absence of a definitive resolution offer much freedom of
interpretation to the public, who can see the work as a representation of the human
condition, uncertainty and hopeless hope.

The work also explores the absurdity of human existence. The characters wander without a
clear goal, trapped in an endless routine and without a defined direction questioning the
meaning of our actions, our social conventions and our beliefs.
The relationship between Pozzo and Lucky also reflects the themes of power and
submission. Pozzo wields dominant control over Lucky, who acts as his slave. This dynamic
highlights the injustices and abuses of power in society, as well as raising questions about
individual freedom and coercion.