1. Waiting for Godot… “tragi-comedy in two acts”
Published in French as En attendant Godot , by Samuel Beckett.
In 1954, translated into English.
Its an enigmatic play, exasperating and complex.
Achieved Nobel Prize for Literature.

2. Key points
Act-I
Endless waiting by the two tramps for some Godot, to spend the time they talk on various topics- committing suicide; issue of boots; crucifixion of Christ.
Mysterious Godot: they are waiting by the side of a tree which Godot require to do so.
Arrival of Pozzo & Lucky: sores on the neck of Lucky; dances of Lucky.

3. Key points The Messenger Boy. Act- II
The changing moods: love for one another.
Act of waiting: Estragon so often forgets
Reappearance of Pozzo & Lucky: one is blind n the other is dumb.
The second message.
Again they try to hang but failed……ends the story.

4. Summary ACT-1
‘Nothing to be done’- scene is country road. Evening time. Estragon sitting on a mound near a tree trying to take off his boot. Vladimir appears & Estragon says ‘Nothing to be done.’ estragon tells to Vladimir that he spent his night in a ditch. Vladimir recalls their past when they had good fortune & how they tried to commit suicide. Now luck has changed n not able to do that. Vladimir open his hat & looks inside. Says ‘Nothing to be done.’

5. ACT-1
Vladimir talks of Damnation & Salvation-estragon unable to open his boot & refers to the Bible & talks of the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus. At this Vladimir talks of the Evangelists who showed mystery while not talking about the two thieves but one of the three Evagelists says that the thieves abused Christ & thus crucified. Estragon says he likes only the colored maps and Holy Land not anything else. Estragon wanted to leaves but Vladimir says that they can’t as Godot says that he would come & that it is the Saturday that Godot would come but Estragon can’t recognize time, date, place ,etc.

6. ACT-1
Estragon sleeps but Vladimir awakes him coz he feels lonely. Estragon says he had dreams & that he saw they were departed. Vladimir feels they can’t live separately. They embrace though unwillingly. Again Vladimir asks what they should do? Estragon says they can wait & at this Vladimir suggests to commit suicide by hanging. Estragon says Vladimir would feel lonely he hang first. Later Vladimir says that he wanted to know what Godot would offer them. Vladimir says they have not asked anything specific to Godot. Estragon remembers

7. They have done only a prayer to Godot & Vladimir replies Godot said that he would think what he can give. Estragon is hungry & Vladimir gives him a carrot. At this Pozzo & Lucky appears. Vladimir & Estragon tries to help Lucky but Pozzo says that he is wicked. Both Pozzo & Vla, Estr says they are human species. Pozzo wanted to spend more time with the tramps later taken out some chickens & wine. Estragon asks for the bones thrown by Pozzo & Pozzo says he can if Lucky do not eats. Lucky does not wanted them so Estragon takes them. Estragon talks of their appointment with Godot and both of them are sorry at the sight of Lucky’s burden. Lucky’s dance & reflective thought. Pozzo asks tramps to snatch Lucky’s hat becoz the hat stimulates Lucky’s thinking. The y depart to fair. Messenger boy appears. He is in fear, well cared by godot, looks his goats.

8. ACT-2
The same events repeat in ACT-II. Time is evening. Only leaves are seen. Vladimir sings a song of a dog which is killed when stolen a piece of bread. Mutual resentment and affection of the tramps. They feel they are happy at the company of each other. Waiting for Godot; estragon asks if the tree was there yesterday. Vladimir reminds him of all & Pozzo & Lucky. Estragon asks what is the place. At this Vladimir tries to recognise. Estragon speaks: “What is there to recognise. All my lousy life I’ve crawled about in the mud! And you talk to me about scenery! Tell me about the worms.”

9. Vladimir tells that Gogo lived once in Macon country but he says that he lived only in Cackon country. Estragon later suggests that they would talk in low voices, since they can’t stop talking. And this would make them free from thinking. Long silence after argument. Vladimir requests to talk: “Say anything at all!” Estragon felt bore and asks what they would do? Vladimir replies- “Wait for Godot!” estragon can’t remember anything. Estragon becomes restless of waiting and wants to go away. Vladimir says no. gogo asks what they would do? Vladimir says- “There’s nothing we can do.”

10. The problem arises of passing time
The problem arises of passing time..Vladimir suggests to try the boots so that “It’d pass the time I assure you it’d be an occupation.” vladimir later sings a lullaby. Vladimir finds Lucky’s hat and tried it on his head. Then exchange the hat with Estragon’s. later played as Pozzo & lucky. Vladimir plays as lucky. Estragon goes off again returned frightened. He says they are coming. Vladimir feels Godot comes. Later again passes time. Vladimir calls Estra ‘ceremonious ape’ while est calls him ‘punctilious pig’. Pozzo & Lucky appears. Estra thought godot came but vla says they are Pozzo & Luck. Messenger boy appears and says godot is not coming. But the boy says he comes for the first time, on asking says godot has white beard.

11. Major themes
Nothingness, but nothingness itself mysterious: nothing concrete happens. There is neither traditional plot nor conventional story. No traditional characterization; characters do not indulge in Shakespearean conflicts. In fact there is all-round deficiency of action, characterization and emotion in this play. Estragon says to Vladimir: ‘ Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, it’s awful!’

12. themes
Waiting:
Some critics say as waiting is the theme of the play. Waiting 4 Christ,, for man’s redemption from misery & morality. According to some others waiting implies man’s long wait 4 death that relieves him from misery & suffering. Though Vladimir & Estragon are waiting 4 Godot they do not know who Godot is? Whether he will be coming or not. All the while they r waiting and passing time by singing, telling stories, pretended to be Lucky & Pozzo. Vladimir says: ‘What are you waiting for?’ at this Estragon replies: ‘I am waiting for Godot.’

13. Theme:
Time & Identity: According to some scholars Time and identity are the theme of the play, that is the echo of existentialism. The characters’ doubt lead them to think about their existence. The tramps’ major problem is to pass time in such a way so that they can bother it. Neither time nor existence, nor reality, nor memory nor the past has any significance.

14. themes
Suffering: from the point of existentialism as the play echoes thus there exists ignorance, impotence, boredom, etc. suffering has become integral part in the lives of the tramps. Vladimir & estragon suffers excruciating pain. . In Act –II both Lucky and Pozzo suffer great physical pain.

15. themes
Ignorance & boredom: the central characters are ignorant: they suffer from eternal ignorance & darkness. Though they say they r waiting for Godot but they are totally unknown about Godot.

16. themes
Exploitation: the theme of exploitation is also found in the drama. Specifically it is seen in the relationship of Lucky & Pozzo. Pozzo holds lucky on a rope and treats him worse than an animal. Again this Lucky gives a vicious kick to Estragon.
it is a many-faceted drama.

17. Symbols Symbol of Godot- Godly, death, salvation, silence.
Symbolism in two tramps-represent the ordeal of waiting
Symbolism in Lucky & Pozzo-master/slave, capitalist/labour.
The symbolic tree.

18. As an absurd play
The theatre of absurd is a phrase taken fromcamus’ ‘myth of sisyphus; a school of drama developed from , to explore d spiritual loneliness complete isolation n anxiety of the down-n-outs of society; of the failures and social outcasts. In this kind actin n spech reduced to a minimum 4 dramatists believe that communication is not possible through words but through silence. The main belief is that life is essentially meaningless, hence miserable; that really is unbearable unless relieved by dreams n illusions; the final situation is absurd, etc. ionesco, beckett, arthur adamov, harold pinter

19. Absurd drama treats human life and situation as absurd, foolish or unfit. Lack of action. Loss of identity Absurd of man’s existence. Absurdist atmosphere.