1. LANGUAGE THEORY
1.1. "As we cannot eliminate language all at once, we should at least leave nothing undone that might contribute to its falling into disrepute. To bore one hole after another in it, until what lurks behind it - be it something or nothing - begins to seep through; I cannot imagine a higher goal for a writer today."
1.1.1. Language cannot be the one to bring about truth.
1.1.1.1. Writer's task
1.1.1.1.1. = to destroy the normal meaning of words in order to give them new meaning.
2. WORKS
2.1. Novels
2.2. Radio
2.3. THEATRE
2.4. TV
2.4.1. Short, often mute plays
2.4.1.1. Recorded! => could be repeated endlessly!
2.4.1.2. He could move the spectator's eye!
2.4.1.3. Music could help him communicate, especially rhythm
2.5. Progressively went from the kind of work with more words (novels), to radio broadcasts, to the theatre (less words needed) to finally land to TV
3. THEATRE
3.1. Beckett's theatre is a sort of collective work (plays make sense one by one, but they can also be considered in groups)
3.1.1. SOME of the most known, and most interrelated ones are
3.1.1.1. WAITING FOR GODOT
3.1.1.2. ENDGAME
3.1.1.3. HAPPY DAYS
3.1.1.4. NOT I
4. WAITING FOR GODOT
4.1. A desolate, static world where things don't change but simply go on in an endless circle
4.1.1. one of the main features of this group of plays!
4.2. CHARACTERS
4.2.1. Main characters: DIDI AND GOGO, the tramps
4.2.1.1. 1. VLADIMIR (Didi)
4.2.1.1.1. practical
4.2.1.1.2. protective
4.2.1.1.3. intellectual
4.2.1.1.4. rational
4.2.1.1.5. talkative
4.2.1.2. 2. ESTRAGON (Gogo)
4.2.1.2.1. silent
4.2.1.2.2. childish
4.2.1.2.3. incline to fall asleep
4.2.1.2.4. incostant
4.2.2. Passers-by
4.2.2.1. 3. Pozzo
4.2.2.1.1. country squire
4.2.2.1.2. rich
4.2.2.1.3. master
4.2.2.2. 4. Lucky
4.2.2.2.1. Slave
4.2.2.2.2. owns nothing
4.2.2.2.3. acts like an animal
4.2.2.2.4. obeys
4.2.2.3. 5. THE MESSENGER a child
4.2.2.3.1. Enters at the end of each Act (= the play could go on forever) to deliver "Godot's" message
4.2.2.3.2. In greek drama the messenger brings a solution, in this case there is no solution to the waiting which becomes a sort of metaphorical character
4.2.2.3.3. in romanticism he is the symbol of innocence, here he is th eonly one who (apparently) can speak to Godot
4.2.2.4. 6. GODOT
4.2.2.4.1. never appears
4.2.2.4.2. he is the one who everybody waits for
4.2.2.4.3. who is him?
4.3. STRUCTURE
4.3.1. two acts
4.3.1.1. each ends like it started
4.3.1.1.1. the play could go on forever
4.3.2. SETTING
4.3.2.1. place
4.3.2.1.1. a waste land
4.3.2.2. time
4.3.2.2.1. no time
4.3.2.2.2. waiting
4.3.3. PLOT
4.3.3.1. repetitive
4.3.3.2. no possible change
4.3.3.3. circular structure
4.3.3.4. absence of real plot
4.3.4. LANGUAGE
4.3.4.1. essential
4.3.4.2. repetitive
4.3.4.3. meaningless
4.3.4.4. non-sensical
5. Act II. Pozzo has become blind and Lucky dumb (impossible communication) but Pozzo continues to drive Lucky, who obeys (dependence)
6. THEMES
6.1. ABSURD
6.1.1. Inability to communicate
6.1.1.1. BUT
6.1.1.1.1. Constant need to communicate
6.1.2. Confinement
6.1.2.1. There is no hope for a better future, nowhere to go.
6.1.2.1.1. BUT
6.1.3. Loneliness
6.1.3.1. Every person is lonely, but (see other branches) everyone needs to keep going on
6.1.3.1.1. =>
6.1.4. Dependence on somebody else
6.1.4.1. The master needs the slave as much as the slave needs the master: if there is nobody with whom I can interact, my existence is meaningless
6.1.4.1.1. =>
6.2. ABSENCE
6.2.1. no meaningful time
6.2.1.1. =
6.2.1.1.1. repetition
6.2.2. no hope
6.2.2.1. no possibility of
6.2.2.1.1. change
6.2.2.1.2. salvation
6.2.2.1.3. rescue
6.2.2.1.4. better future
6.2.3. no salvation