Waiting for Godot
Well since almost everything else has a post, I guess its Waiting for Godot's turn... As I was reading this play a number of questions popped into my mind. When it switches from Act I to Act II the stage directions are "Next day," however the events that occur in Act II seem to be from a time distant in the future (Pozzo is blind now, and Vladimir seems to know exactly what the boy is going to say). Is it possible that these changes could have happened in one day or are the directions just somehow indicating a day in the future? Also, what exactly is the point of Lucky's speech when they put the thinking cap on him and why do they let him go on for so long before finally taking away the thinking cap.
Good luck figuring this one out in time for the midterm....
Questions / Comments / Maybe answers? please post..
steve g
Good luck figuring this one out in time for the midterm....
Questions / Comments / Maybe answers? please post..
steve g
posted by L Lazarow | 3:36 PM
2 Comments:
Throughout the entire play there's always some doubt as to time, what time it is, how long it has been, what day it is, etc. The sudden changes which are supposed to have happened "overnight" seem to me to emphasize another thing that was going on in the book- the notion that they are stuck. They can't leave because as Vladamir constantly reminds Estragon, they're "waiting for Godot." Lucky and Pozzo come, but nothing really happens. Nothing is more than a momentary diversion. I felt that the changes that occurred served to emphasize the futility of their situation. Some stuff changed, but so what? Now the tree has leaves, but that doesn't do anything for them. They still can't hang themselves from it. Now Pozzo is blind, but that doesn't change anything for the two of them. They're just other things for them to observe while stuck.
I'm sure there are other, better interpretations, but to me it all seemed to be about being stuck, and the question of time enhanced that.
Not to get away from that topic without resolving it, but I had another observation. It seemed like, much like the name confusion between Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Vladamir and Estragon could easily become confused to the reader. This was especially noticeable in during their rapid, short exchanges. One would repeat the other, or repeat himself. One would only slightly vary what the other said. If the reader blows through this, it is easy to lose track of who is talking, but it doesn't have too much affect on the conversation. Did anyone else notice this, or have thoughts on why that might be?
Oh yeah, and I definately noticed some religious references. The one that jumped out at me the most obviously was when Estragon made some comment about always having compared himself to Christ (don't have my book on me so I can't find the quote). I can't remember, but wasn't that when he was talking about going without boots? Like Christ?
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