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| Plot Summary of Waiting For Godot |
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"First performed in 1953, "Waiting For Godot" has famously been described as a play in which nothing happens -- twice. In an indeterminate time on a country road, two tramps philosophize, argue, support and abuse each other, trying to rouse themselves to action and yet never quite doing anything or getting anywhere. A messenger boy several times assures them that the mysterious "Godot" for whom they wait will be along. Two other supporting characters appear periodically and provide some diversion. At times Vladimir and Estragon could be a married couple, at other times government bureaucrats. The absurdist plot, if that's not too grand a term, strips modern life to its essentials."
David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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"This is a downbeat play, very down and very beat. It is sometimes called existential, but do not be fooled - it is anti-existential. Nothing happens, slowly. It was famously performed in a US prison, the prisoners being rather keen theatre-goers, mainly to experience the sight of real live women on stage. It became apparent that the play had no females in it and they were on the point of walking out (in prison no-one judges you for bad manners, and you are already in for something much worse). However they lingered a minute too long. Enthralled, they watched both acts. The whole tragi-comedy. They identified with the two tramps, who unceasingly bicker and fret in a childish and pointless manner. Occasionally they consider suicide, which is as upbeat as it gets.
The plot for this play is taken from Shakespeare's Macbeth, Act v, sc. 5, just after Macbeth's wife commits suicide. 'Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.' Note that Shakespeare says in thirty-eight words what Beckett takes a whole play to say.
So, all in all, this is not an uplifting play. The tramps maunder and apostasize their lives away. Like the book of Ecclesiastes the cry is 'Vanity, vanity, all is vanity'. But whereas the book of Ecclesiastes has an strong element of hope in it, 'Godot' has none. They wait and wait, and do not even know why. Seeing the play as a teenager (and not walking out) I felt claustrophobic, as if I was in a sort of spiritual prison. I can see why the prison inmates empathised. A tragedy only feels tragic if the watcher identifies with the characters: so if you too feel that life is a form of life sentence, then perhaps this is the play for you. But be warned that there are no answers here, the message is that 'there are no answers, and even the questions are pointless'. So if you see this play when you feel blue and end up fatalistic, don't say I didn't warn you."
Michael JR Jose, Resident Scholar
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"Estragon and Vladimir, two bums, try to pass the time as they wait for Godot, an almost unreal man who is supposed to be the answer to everything. AS they wait, a man named Pozzo and his luckless slave, Lucky, pass by. Godot never actually shows up. Most of the play is made of seemingly random thoughts of the bums as they try to pass the time."
Katie, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Waiting For Godot |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- depressed
Time/era of story
- 1930's-1950's
Life of a profession:
- bum
Other aspects:
- story of the poor
Internal struggle/realization?
Yes
Struggle over
- vague finding self/purpose in life (i.e. no plot to book)
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Outside culture (society)
- European
Job/Profession/Status story
Yes
Ethnic/regional/gender life
Yes
Wisdom from homeless/bum?
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- unemployed
Age:
- 40's-50's
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- unemployed
Eccentric/Smart/Dumb:
Yes
Eccentric:
- eccentric
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a lot
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 2 (a little)
Europe
Yes
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Unusual Style:
- a lot of stream of consciousness
- No single main character?
Is this a play?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- mostly dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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