Waiting for Godotin the context of Existentialism : Waiting for Godotin the context of Existentialism
Contents : Contents Existentialism
The Characters of the play
Religion/God
Time/Waiting
Language/The play Samuel Beckett
Existentialism : Existentialism
Jean-Paul Sartre1905-1980 : Jean-Paul Sartre1905-1980 ‘existence precedes essence’
Man as the existent individual in his relationship to the universe as well as to others: The Other.
Sartre, J-P. Being and Nothingness.
Søren Kierkegaard1813-1855 : Søren Kierkegaard1813-1855 ‘the single individual’
my life becomes meaningful ‘when I raise myself to the universal’
through faith the ‘single individual is higher than the universal’
‘subjectivity is the truth’
Kierkegaard, S. Fear and Trembling
Martin Heidegger1889-1976 : Martin Heidegger1889-1976 ‘to exist is to be historical’
‘I must understand my choice in light of the potential wholeness of my existence’
Heidegger, M. Being and Time.
The Characters of the play : The Characters of the play
Vladimir and Estragon : Vladimir and Estragon Two friends who are stuck together waiting for something better to come;
Each day in their lives is a repetition of a previous day;
‘Dumb and Dumber’? National Theatre, Warsaw
Pozzo and Lucky : Pozzo and Lucky The master and the slave dependant on each other;
Though they could separate, they choose not to;
They become physically dependant. Theatre Royal, Bath
Godot : Godot Insignificant character?
He may or may not arrive, is it important?
Who is he?
Religion/God : Religion/God
Religion/God : Religion/God ‘The waiting Christian may not presumptuously suppose that salvation is an assured possession, for the future is in God’s hands and not under man’s control.’
I Cor. 4: 4-5 William Blake
Religion/God : Religion/God Estragon: (...) God have pity on me.
Vladimir: [Vexed] And me?
Waiting for Godot, p. 69.
Religion/God : Religion/God Vladimir: We’re waiting for Godot (...)
Estragon: We came too soon.
Vladimir: It’s always at nightfall.
Estragon: But night doesn’t fall
Vladimir: It’ll fall all of a sudden, like yesterday.
Estragon: Then it’ll be night.
Vladimir: And we can go.
Estragon: Then it’ll be day again. [Pause. Despairing]
What’ll we do, what’ll we do!
Waiting for Godot, p.63.
Religion/God : Religion/God Estragon: Let’s go.
Vladimir: We can’t.
Estragon: Why not?
Vladimir: We’re waiting for Godot.
Waiting for Godot, p. 41, 59, 62-63, 76-77.
Time/Waiting : Time/Waiting
Time/Waiting : Time/Waiting "Although a 'stream of time' doesn't exist any longer, the 'time material' is not petrified yet; instead of a moving stream, time here has become something like a stagnant mush.“
Günther Andres
Time/Waiting : Time/Waiting ‘Silence is pouring into this play like water into a sinking ship.’
Samuel Beckett
Time/Waiting : Time/Waiting Vladimir: Habit is a great deadener.
Vladimir: We always find something, eh Didi, to give us the impression that we exist?
Vladimir: They give birth astride of a grave, the light gleams an instant, then it’s night once more.
Waiting for Godot
Language/The play : Language/The play
Modern world : Modern world ‘Modern rushing and dashing about is frozen into quasi immobility, and our big cities (...) fade, like Brigadoon, into solitude of the desolate country landscape.’
Harvey, L. E. p. 139 London, Peter Hall Co.
Language : Language ‘The myth of progress falls in Lucky’s speech, in which we learn that man, in spite of vitamins, sanitation, penicillin, and physical education, is in the process of shrinking.’
Harvey, L. E. p. 139 London, Peter Hall Co.
The Play : The Play ‘We have human existence in the play, and play in human existence. The one gives depth and gravity, the other pleasure and diversion.’
Harvey, L. E. p. 145 The Gate Theatre of Dublin, Ireland
Thank you for your attention : Thank you for your attention