QUESTIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS (Don’t know about 1-5 because I didn’t take a
pic of them)
Kevin and Thea 1. How is absurdism illustrated in the play?
Rachael 2. Who was Samuel Beckett and what was his literary philosophy?
Ellen 3. How is language used in the play?
a. Lines are repeated
b. Statements seem nonsensical in that there is no linear logic associated with
them
c. Characters make statements that are not followed by corresponding action
Daisy & Anna 4. What biblical allusions are made in the play, and what seems to be
Becket’s statement about religion?
Alex & Abbee 5. Who or what is Godot? Or, more to the point, who or what does he
represent?
Courtney 6. How might it be said that Vladimir and Estragon each represent the
different natures of man: intellectual/spiritual and physical?
Jessica 7. What is the significance of Lucky and Pozzo?
Younjin 8. What are some of the critics’ assessment of the work?
Matthew 9. What is the significance of the minimalist nature of the set?
Sean 10. How is time-- or the passage of time -- treated in the play?
Alex & Abbee 11. What is interesting about the play’s structure? What seems to be
Beckett’s message?
Sean a. In what ways do time and place matter to this work?
Akshay b. What was easy to understand and what was difficult in relation to social
context and issues?
Matthew c. What connections did you find between issues in the work and your own
culture(s) and experience??
Akshay d. What aspects of technique are interesting in the work? (Presenting this
before question B)
ABSURDISM IN GODOT (Kevin and Thea)
·
Absurdism- The conflict between human tendency to seek inherent value and
meaning towards the human inability to find any
o
In Godot this is shown in several main ways
§ Language fails to communicate between characters. All are talking about different
subjects at once and have no recollection of past conversations or activities
§ Time has no sense, meaning or purpose
§ Characters question every aspect of everything
-No one knows who Godot is- they waiting for someone that they do not even know
Emphasized when they first see Pozzo and Lucky and they ask if Pozzo is Godot
and when they see the boy and ask for information about Godot (“Has he a beard,
Mr. Godot?”)
-Inexplicable forces are acting on the characters to prevent them from attaining their
goal
Symbolic of how fate works against mankind throughout life
Ex: page 92 when Vladimir falls and cannot get up and needs Estragon’s help to
get up and get Pozzo off of the ground
·
Absurdism is present in every main character
o
Vladimir
§ Always nervous and restless for no reason at all
§ Seems the most sensible in most cases, but sometimes has to be told that he is
being stupid or at least unreasonable
·
When desiring to hang himself, Estrogen reminds him that the branch will
never hold his weight
§ Is able to remember the past, the boy, and the fact that Godot will never come, yet
still insists on waiting. False hope and dreams for the unattainable
o
Estragon
§ Is always tired and lazy, though he has slept every night.
Can’t even put on his boots without sleeping
§ Time has no sense to him, always seems to be bothered by something.
§ Probably isn’t waiting for Godot since he needs to be reminded constantly, then
what is he waiting for…. Nothing.
§ Though thought as the dim witted one, he understands their predicament and
grasps the absurdist ideals
·
"Nothing to be done" "Nothing is certain," and "Nothing happens, nobody
comes, nobody goes, it’s awful!"
o
Pozzo
§ Compared to Godot constantly and seems almost god-like
·
Has complete control over Lucky, yet is unable to do the simplest of tasks
himself and need help from others
·
He is controlled by time , day and schedule, In a world where time has no
meaning and later is unable to have any sense in time.
o
Lucky
§ Name is absurd and ironic
§ Is Lucky really actually unlucky or can he be Lucky from a point of view
·
Controlled and enslaved by Pozzo yet he doesn’t have to experience the
struggles of the other characters
o
He knows exactly what to do and doesn’t have to worry because he only
follows Pozzo’s instructions.
§ He speaks in act 1, only with his hat on in a jumble of words and language that
can be thought of as above the intellectual capabilities of the other characters. Is he
really the dumb one?
·
Setting and time
o
Where are the characters? When?
§ The characters are trapped in an eternal cycle under a tree in an unknown place
§ No part of the setting has any meaning or value
·
the setting does not stay the same day to day. There are some aspects of
change
§ There is no sense of time.
·
Vladimir believes one day has past, he remembers the events before, sees
Lucky’s hat and Vladimir’s boots
·
Estragon believes it has been months. The tree now has leaves, Pozzo and
Lucky are different (blind and mute)
§ There is no certainty at all, no value in setting, time or anything

Time is insignificant and unimportant for both, their inability to recollect
memories that occurred either the day before or months earlier demonstrate
this
 Significant events in their past as well as familiar characteristics in scenery,
atmosphere, etc. are unable to be recollected
o The current setting, grape-picking in Macon
·
Dialogue
o
Absurd in many ways
§ Arguments have no structure, back and forth same few words until one person
contradicts themselves by accident.
§ Lack of understanding or grasping the situation
·
As Pozzo is crying out for help, Estragon and Vladimir are calmly talking about
something else
§ No dialogue gets anywhere or has any outcome, all lines would have the same
affect not said
·
“Vladimir: ’Well? Shall we go?’ Estragon: ‘Yes, let’s go’ They do not move”
(109).
§ Lacks any meaning
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Use of Language
- Words limited and are insufficient to express the true inner self
a. Lines are repeated
 Many repeated lines regarding the nothingness, such as “there is nothing to
be done.”
 Language only allows self-expression because it allows the discussion of self
in relation to what it is NOT
 Tendency towards nothingness is reflective of the desire towards to get closer
to the real self
b. Statements seem nonsensical in that there is no linear logic associated with them
 Representative of the chaos of the world
 Stream of consciousness
 Moves away from the concrete and the tangible as the constituents of reality
 The world has no absolute meaning
 Language as a means of communication is insufficient
c. Characters make statements that are not followed by corresponding action
 Inability of humans to take action and determine their own fate, blinded by the
expectation of salvation
 Vladimir: “Habit is a great deadener”
Biblical Allusions
Waiting for Godot is a religious allegory.
 Vladimir and Estragon waits for Godot
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Godot is represented as God (Only two letter difference). Waiting for the
Christ’s return (Revelation).
Revelation- revealing of some sort of knowledge
“Vladimir: (musingly). The last moment... (He meditates.) Hope deferred
maketh the something sick, who said that? (4)” This is part of a proverb from
the Bible. They hope to meet Godot but Godot doesn’t show up. This
foreshadow the ending.
Vladimir talks about the gospel (the Crucifixion of Jesus).
 pg. 5-6 The two thieves who were sentenced to death with Jesus
symbolizes Vladimir and Estragon. One is supposed to be saved and one
is sent to hell. Estragon later says “I’m in hell!” in act 2 page 83. Note that
he always states that he spent the night in a ditch.
Religion and logic is not compatible.
 Vladimir talks about how one out of four says that both thieves were
saved and everyone believes that one person (7).
 Society wants to believe what they want to believe even if it isn’t proven or
is illogical.
 Estragon and Vladimir looks down on society.
Why are they waiting for Godot? Going back to the God comment...
 They want to see Godot for a prayer (14). Nothing really definite.
Praying to God
 “You’re Worship wishes to assert to his prerogatives?” “We got rid of them
[rights] (15).”
 Sacrifice. Looking up to Godot.
 Lucky also talks about a “personal God” with a “white beard” on page 45,
and on page 106, Vladimir asks about what Godot’s beard and confirms
that it is white.
Pozzo introduces himself with a condescending attitude.
 “...Made in God’s image! (19)” From Genesis 6th day of the creation. Men
are all the same. Pozzo sees himself as a higher being just by his attitude
and introduction.
“But where he lives it was warm, it was dry! (57)” Because Estragon
compares himself with God, Vladimir points out the differences and their
hardship.
Estragon then compares their suffering with Christ’s suffering/crucifixion.
Religion is uncertain
o Seen in various comparisons between God and biblical figures and
Beckett’s characters
o Pozzo - compared to God
 " Of the same species as Pozzo! Made in God's image! " (19)
 "He can no longer endure my presence. I am perhaps not
particularly human, but who cares?"
 Valdimir and Estragon are uncertain if he really is God. At one
point Estragon asks Vladimir if he really is and try calling Pozzo
by different names like Cain and Abel to see if he responds.
 Satirical, because Pozzo can't possibly be the God they're
waiting for since he's too human: cruel, selfish, and tyrannical
(all the things God shouldn't be)

o
o
o
Like Christ had followers (12 disciples) Pozzo has Lucky. But
it's morr like Lucky is controlled by Pozzo (whipped, burdened
with bags, led by rope, not allowed to talk)
Lucky - also compared to Christ
 Godot supposed to have "white beard" - has white hair
 Suffering mirrors Christ's suffering
Estragon - compared to Christ as well as biblical figure
 Took off boots like Christ was barefoot
 Spent night in a ditch, which connects to Jesus in the cave after
death before resurrection
 Hides behind tree when he things Godot arrived - Adam hid
from God after he ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge of
good & evil
By showing how a lot of characters could potentially be a biblical figure
or God Himself, Beckett emphasizes the uncertainty and futility in
"waiting for godot". He could be any or none of the characters. This is
also satirical of what it symbolizes: Christians' blind waiting for return
of Christ. Not sure when he'd arrive or how he'd look like.
What seems to be Beckett’s statement about religion?
 Background: Samuel Beckett was a protestant born on Good Friday which is
also the day when Jesus was crucified. Talks a lot about the sufferings of
Christ.
 He never represents religion in the play itself. Religion is just symbolism.
 He uses this “waiting for Godot” line as meaninglessness. They are waiting
for something that will never come.
 Some may say otherwise since in Revelation it foretells the so-called future
and Jesus coming back.
 You could infer that the two main characters are old around in their 70s so
they would never be able to meet Godot.
 It shows life had no meaning in the end. They take death lightly by trying to
hang themselves.
 The two men are isolated from society.
Vladimir & Estragon = Mankind
Intellectual/spiritual:
1. Humans are interchangeable
a. Replaceable roles
-Vladimir & Estragon constantly repeat each other, finish each other’s
sentences and switch off lines.
b. No distinction
-“.all mankind is us, whether we like it or not” (90).
-stresses the lack of distinction between an individual and the rest of
mankind. Humans are not unique and together constitute one collective
entity.
2. Turning to religion
a. Waiting for Godot
-V&E reject the notion of being tied down by Godot/God (17) yet it is evident
that they do not completely let go of their belief in God, otherwise they would
not keep waiting.
-Beckett suggests that mankind tends to turn to God as a result of having to
live in a universe lacking meaning and rationality.
3. Absurdism
a. Actions are useless
-V & E try to pass the time spent waiting for Godot by verbally abusing each
other, making up & doing exercises (85-87)
-mankind’s actions are in vain because they still end up waiting for Godot,
who never shows up anyway. The essentials stay the same.
b. Meaning in a meaningless world
-V & E also represent mankind in that they try to make something out of
nothing; they try to find meaning in a meaningless world.
-Vladimir constantly takes his hat off & looks into it as if there is something in
it that is causing him discomfort, but never finds anything.
-Vladimir’s efforts appear completely useless, representing mankind
as a whole and exemplifying the absurd aspect of humanity.
c. Inability to act
-At the end of both acts, V & E decide to go, but in the stage directions it says
that they do not move and instead wait for Godot
-Unable to determine their own fates, and have to wait for Godot
instead, further emphasizing the idea that man’s actions are useless.
Physical:
1. Humans are all the same
a. Pozzo
- “made in God’s image” (19).
- Pozzo has an air of superiority around him, notably in his introduction,
repeating the question: Does that name mean nothing to you??
-implies that he considers himself of a higher statute.
- treatment/abuse towards the inferior Lucky.
-idea that Pozzo considers himself superior yet at the same time
acknowledges that he and V & E are biologically the same supports Beckett’s
portrayal of mankind: ultimately, we are all fundamentally the same.
Significance of Lucky and Pozzo
Pozzo
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Seen as an overpowering person
o Takes authoritative charge over Lucky
o Talks to Estragon and Vladimir in a seemingly condescending manner
 “You are human beings none the less. As far as one can see.
Of the same species as myself. Of the same species as Pozzo!
Made in God’s image!” (19).
Later in Act ll, he becomes less authoritative because he is blind; the rope
between Pozzo and Lucky is even drawn closer together

His blindness forces him to become even more helpless; he even needs help
getting up
Lucky
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Seen as a “slavelike” figure
Through the descriptions provided in the play, Lucky seems to have
characteristics of that of an animal
o His name “Lucky” - a pet name
o Physically abused by Pozzo
o On a leash (rope)
His name is ironic because on the surface, he may seem like he’s not actually
“lucky,” but from an absurdist point of view, he is lucky because as a slave of
Pozzo, Lucky does not have to really anticipate the future; everything is
already laid out for him; he is told what to do; doesn’t have to instigate
anything
o Why he would be considered unlucky: he doesn’t speak nor act unless
Pozzo tells him to do so
o Only has a minimal stand in society as a slave/pet belonging to Pozzo
Critics’ assessment of the work
When this play came out in 1953, the critics were shocked by the appearance
of a drama so different and yet so intriguing that it virtually created the term
"Theater of the Absurd.”
 No definite conclusion or resolution offered to Waiting for Godot because the
play is essentially circular and repetitive in nature
-created a great deal of confusion among the early critics
-Vivian Mercier : “written a play in which nothing happens, twice.”
 Critics view this play in two ways
-witty and poetic conundrum
:"This play speaks about what it is to be human at the most animal and
spiritual level, so subtly that it's like a big beautiful poem or
piece of
music. It doesn't lecture you, it's not polemic, it's not coarse.
It's written
so subtly that its lessons are almost biblical. It teaches you in a
very
gentle, intelligent way and I think it's very relevant today."
-Sean Mathias
-dramatic vacuum
:It has no plot, no climax, no denouement; no beginning, no middle and
no end
-Kenneth Tynan
 Because the play does not have specific meaning or reference to it, it invites
all kinds of social and political and religious interpretation.
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Critic’s interpretation : James Martin Harding
-Waiting for Godot identifies a conflict between two opposing ideas, which are
lordship and bondage.
-This relationship is shown through Pozzo and Lucky and Gogo and Didi.
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Minimalistic Nature of the Set (Matt)
All that exists is the road, the characters, & the tree
The setting has no real meaning
 The entire story focuses on the characters and their conversation and not
on the setting
Absurdism- The conflict between human tendency to seek inherent value and
meaning towards the human inability to find any
The characters never leave the stage and are always forced back on if they
try to leave
We don’t know if they are in the same location in act 2
The world is without purpose
Demonstrates that time is based on chance
The tree has is barren in the 1st act and has leaves in act 2
 Shows a season change instead of a day change
No part of the setting has any meaning or value and the setting does not stay
the same day to day.
Nobody knows where the road leads
Time Portrayal in Waiting for Godot / Discussion Question A (Sean)
1. Time and Setting in Waiting for Godot
a. Depicted as meaningless and unimportant
i.
Unable to determine the familiarity of the setting, despite
having been there the day before
1. Continually express the desire to leave, however this is
useless
2. This desire comes from boredom, they wish to escape
from the bleakness of the current setting
3. However, they end up not moving at all, illustrating that
even a new environment is meaningless, as they
ultimately still have to wait for Godot
ii.
The amount of time spent waiting is insignificant
1. Unable to recollect memories ranging from months ago
to the day before
2. In their perspective, they could be waiting for an eternity
in the same place for the same thing without realizing it
a. Ultimately, they are waiting for an inevitability that
is undetermined by time (Death?)
2. Importance of Time and Setting
. Conveys the basic fundamentals of absurdism
.
They are waiting for a significant event to happen, in this case the arrival of
Godot
i.
All details of the world become negligible compared to this event
1. Pozzo/Lucky, Shoes, Tree, etc.
ii.
A messenger boy often tells the two that Godot is not to arrive until tomorrow
1. An endless, meaningless cycle
Their focus on this event causes everything else to lose meaning
1. Godot never arrived, and is most likely never to arrive,
making their wait as meaningless as can be
The Bigger Picture
Demonstrates human tendency to fall into a meaningless cycle
Waiting for Death
1. Death is inevitable; humans are simply “waiting” for it
2. When put in the grand scope of things, death makes the
“wait” totally meaningless
3. Humans are born just to die
“Waiting for Godot.” “Ah!”
1. There is no practical reason for them to be stuck in the
cycle
Only reason given is simply that they are “Waiting for Godot.”
Failure to determine meaning for their wait
2. Meaning in life is to “wait”
Their entire existence is based on the idea that they are “waiting for Godot.”
Acceptance of this, however delves them into the cycle of meaninglessness
iii.
a.
.
i.
ii.
0.
1.
0.
1.
Discussion Question B (Akshay)
1. Easy to Understand
a.
The importance of time to the theme of the novel.
b.
The theme of hopelessness represented by the absence of Godot.
c.
The purpose of Godot
2. Difficult in Relation to Social and Cultural Context and Issues
.
The bondage of Lucky
i.
In modern day society, bondage is unheard of, so it is difficult to make the
connection that those like Lucky who do not have to think because they are in
bondage are better off than those that are free.
a.
The representation of Godot
Discussion Question C: Connections
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Connections in our Lives
Good Samaritan
 Do you stop and help the man hurt on the side of the road
Is there any purpose to life?
 The whole novel (2 days) is spent waiting for Godot
 We occasionally spend our time trying to seek purpose
 No one knows who Godot is (He holds the answers)
 They decide to hang themselves if Godot doesn’t come tomorrow
What are we waiting for?
 Success, Easy test, Divine intervention, etc.
Friend Dallouts
 Vladimir refuses to listen to Estragon’s dreams

Argue over staying together
Decide it would be lonely if they separated
 Religion
 Doubts in religion with the doubt of Godot arriving
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Discussion Question D/ Interesting Aspects of Technique (Akshay)
1. Repetition of Acts/Forgetfulness
a.
By making Act 2 a repetition of Act 1, Beckett expresses a theme of
hopelessness. The difficulty that Vladimir and Estragon have in passing time also
follows this theme, with the two even going as far as to consider suicide.
b.
Estragon’s forgetfulness leads Vladimir, who actually remembers the
occurrences of Act 1, to question the validity of his own memory.
c.
The fact that in Act 2, Pozzo, Lucky, and the boy cannot remember Estragon
and Vladimir also contributes to the view of life as stagnant and hopeless.
i.
Despite their belief that they would be better off without each other, Estragon
and Vladimir stay together out of need. The two remind each other of their existence.
2. Time Difference Between Acts
.
While it is made to seem like the time difference between the two acts is one
day, Beckett’s description of the setting and the characters leads us to believe that
the time difference is something more along the lines of years.
0.
The fact that the tree that Estragon and Vladimir had considered hanging
themselves from now has leaves shows that the tree has grown over time, as well as
that a seasonal change may have occurred.
1.
Pozzo’s blindness and Lucky’s having gone mute is also semblant of a huge
time gap
a.
The time difference is important to note because it allows Beckett to make the
statement that life as whole is meaningless and absurd, not just a few portions of it
here and there.
3. A third interesting aspect to Waiting for Godot can be found in Beckett’s
naming of Lucky, who, as mentioned before, may be thought of as lucky
because of his not having to find something to do in order to pass the time,
since the burden of finding a pastime is placed on Pozzo, his master, and
other people like Vladimir and Estragon. Lucky plays the preferred role of
listener, and does not have to “think” in the same way that the others must.
Beckett makes a play on words in his naming of Lucky, but at the same time,
he still expresses his belief that those in the same position as Lucky, though
they may not realize it, are also quite lucky.
4. The Absence of Godot
.
By refusing to describe Godot, Beckett leaves his purpose/significance open
to interpretation.
a.
Estragon and Vladimir’s wait for Godot serves as an effective means of
conveying a theme of hopelessness since it is clear that Godot will never arrive, but
Vladimir and Estragon continue to wait in hope.
0.
Their wait allows Beckett to make the case that we all live our lives “waiting
for Godot.”
Alex and Abbee
Topic 5: Who or what is Godot? Or, more to the point, who or what does he
represent?
Godot: Godot represents God of Christianity. He is the hope of Vladimir and even
Estragon in the play; to them he represents somewhat of a salvation to the
seemingly senseless life they are cast in to. He is their version of God. He however
fails to meet up with them despite how he had “promised” them that he would.
Purpose: Beckett is conveying that he is skeptical of the existence of God and that
the religious system of Christianity is futile, ludicrous, absurd, and immature.
Godot relationship with Vladimir and Estragon:
He represents the “God” that they are waiting for. They have “prayed” to him, are
fearful of punishment if they “anger” him, and continually wait for him to come on a
promise to fulfill their prayers. They wait through the end of the play, but Godot still
does not appear.
In the Old Testament of the Hebrew Bible, God appears to figures such as Moses.
He makes covenants with them, he fulfills those covenants, and he even physically
appears and visits them. However, in Waiting for Godot, despite the promise to
appear to Vladimir and Estragon. They wait on him everyday and each day he does
not come, they however have a peculiar hope that he will show up the next day. This
continues throughout the play, and in the end, the men are STILL waiting on Godot.
This represents Beckett’s interpretation of Christianity’s God of the New Testament
and the new current age. Christianity has been programmed to wait on God, or in the
play’s case, Godot, because of a promise that he would return and bring salvation of
some sort. Each day, Christianity is alighted with this perspective and is not
detrimented when the promise is broken everyday. Instead they return the next day
with the same faith and hope. Beckett criticizes the senseless and illogical mindset
of Christianity; “if a guy fails to fulfill a promise when it’s due, then what would make
one seem positive that they would return to fulfill it at all?”. Despite the constant
breaking of the promise, Vladimir does not seem as disappoint ted as he should be,
it is as almost as if he expected it to happen, and he accepts it and continues to
believe in and invest in the promise of Godot—which is a promise of some sort of
salvation, and each day, Vladimir still returns and does and waits for Godot just as
“Godot instructs”. He continues to jump through these hoops each day in fear that if
he does not do so, Godot will not come at all.
Godot in relation Pozzo: Pozzo in the beginning of the play comes across as a selffulfilling aristocrat. Ironically, Estragon mistakes him for Godot by his appearance
(long white beard) and for his treatment of Lucky, his servant. He keeps Lucky
attached on a noose around his neck on a long rope; to keep him subject to his
command, yet to not remain too close to him. He manipulates and inhumanely
tortures Lucky, on his own whim, without a care for the well-being of Lucky himself.
Pozzo stands as a representation of God in the Old Testament. For example,
Abraham is asked by God to sacrifice his only son to Him in obedience and blessing,
and Abraham willingly does so, but God stops him at the very end. This is the same
for Pozzo and Lucky in the aspect that Pozzo dehumanizes Lucky through torture
and servitude but Lucky still does not flee and still presses to serve Pozzo. The
reasoning being behind Lucky’s servitude is that Pozzo will spare him condemnation,
and Lucky will get to serve him forever—that is Lucky’s wish. So, Beckett uses this
parallel to mock the relationships with God and his people in the Old
Testament. Pozzo continually puts Lucky to the “test” by making him do all of these
petty chores and senseless performances to show obedience. The same is as in the
Old Testament where God has his people doing crazy tasks, some seemingly
insignificant, just to prove their faith and loyalty to God. Beckett highlights the absurd
ideals in the relationship with God and his people in Christianity through the
ludicrous treatment of Lucky by Pozzo.
Topic 11: What is interesting about the play’s structure? What seems to be Beckett’s
message?
The circular structure in Waiting for Godot is part of the theater of the absurd.
Circular structure is a style where a sense of completion or closure never occurs
within the storyline. However, closure is somewhat achieved through the repeating of
a certain subject matter, wording, or phrasing seen in earlier parts of the play.
Repetition in both acts seen through:
Setting
§ Same country road throughout both acts
§ Never given location of road
§ One tree
o Act 1- no leaves
o Act 2- some leaves
Time and Place
§ Both acts begin with Vladimir and Estragon in the early morning about to begin
their day of waiting for Godot
§ Both end with the moon rising into the sky, signaling the end of another day of
waiting
Characters Actions
§ Vladimir and Estragon’s conversations
o “We’re waiting for Godot.”
o “I’m going.” or “Yes, let’s go.”
·
Usually followed by stage direction, “They do not move.”
o “So there you are again?”
§ Pozzo and Lucky’s arrival and departure
§ Boy messenger delivering news from Godot
§ Estragon being beaten at beginning of both acts
§ Concern with Estragon’s boots
§ Discussion of hanging themselves from the tree
Beckett conveys the meaninglessness of the human’s existence through the
repetitive lives of Vladimir, Estragon, Pozzo, and Lucky in Waiting for Godot. Life is a
repeated cycle devoid of purpose and having a divine faith will not give life purpose
as many choose to believe. The ceaseless search for meaning in a world lacking
purpose comments on the absurdity of our own lives.
SAMUEL BECKETT AND HIS LITERARY PHILOSOPHY
-considered one of the last modernists, or to some, one of the first postmodernists
-preferred to write in French because it was easier to write without style
-his writing consisted of basic existential conflicts with a bleak outlook on human
nature
basic elements:
 Life
 Time & eternity
 individual loneliness/alienation
 mystery of self
-Writings were heavily influenced by Dante, Descartes & James Joyce
-Used the idea of Descartes’ saying “Cogito Ergo Sum” (I think, therefore I am)
 used this to capture a stream of consciousness in which time
does not exist.
-He and Joyce would join creative circles with the best and brightest authors of
their time
-He wrote an essay called “Dante, Bruno, Vico, Joyce” for a collection of writings
explaining Joyce’s method in his last book.
-His work involves humans in extreme situations to reveal the essential aspects of
human existence
 In Waiting for Godot, the two main characters are bums, but
Beckett does not portray them as average homeless people; he
describes them as two people who are living in a world not
knowing what they are here for.
-He believed that the world lacked any true meaning and he was fascinated
by the way life continues.
-His characters live through the division of body & mind
 the body doesn’t do what the mind wants
 In the book, the characters want to hang themselves,
but cannot physically get themselves to do it.