In this Readers' Guide, Peter Boxall traces critical responses to Waiting for Godot and Endgame from the 1950s to the present day. The guide presents the major debates that surround these works as they develop, from Martin Esslin's early appropriation of the plays as examples of the Theatre of the Absurd, to recent poststructuralist and postcolonial readings by critics such as Steven Connor, Mary Bryden and Declan Kiberd. Throughout, Boxall clarifies and contextualizes critical responses to the plays, and considers the difficult relationship between Beckett and his critics.
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Review
"I continue to find the Readers' Guides indispensable for teaching - they really give students a sense of criticism having a history." --Rachel Bowlby, University of York
"The series looks really excellent—attractively produced, user friendly; and outstanding value for money." --Ronald Knowles, University of Reading
"The series looks really excellent—attractively produced, user friendly; and outstanding value for money." --Ronald Knowles, University of Reading
About the Author
Peter Boxall is at the University of Auckland.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Waiting and Waiting and Waiting and ...,
By
This review is from: Samuel Beckett: Waiting for Godot-Endgame (Paperback)
Waiting and Waiting and Waiting and ...
Review of Play: Waiting for Godot - A Tragicomedy in Two Acts Written in: 1949 Premiere in: 1953 By: Samuel Beckett (1906 - 1989) Originally written in French and translated to English by the author himself. This play takes place on a desolate road next to a barren tree. There are two aimless men loitering and passing the time in discussion. They are soon joined by two others. The first act of the play lasts through one evening. The second act lasts through a second evening almost identical to the first. When ever the subject of leaving their spot arises, we learn that they can't leave because they are "Waiting for Godot" and need to stay at this particular spot on the road. There is a sense of timelessness. The second evenings (second act) seems to be slightly altered copy of the first evening (first act). The characters are "Waiting for Godot" and for salvation. Their wait for salvation might well be endless since all of them are loath to face their true motives, their real needs, their personal wants and honest desires. They don't seem to know why they are "Waiting for Godot" or what Godot (God?) will bring them. When they mention suicide they flippantly dismiss the subject. One time they say they can not hang themselves because they have no rope when in fact there is a rope lying on the stage as one of the few props. They appear to have voluntarily subjected themselves to a purgatory and don't have the courage or initiative to even question their situation. The discussion ranges from an inane account of boots being too tight to sophistic meanderings on the purpose of life. The characters seem to relentlessly keep talking to avoid facing something. We are not privy to any of their pasts or in fact any personal information about any of the characters. They might have been meeting on the desolate road for an endless time, so that any past that they had is lost in the mist of their memories. The nearly barren tree reminds them of a hanging tree and by implication a crucifixion cross. The tree dominates the stage background just as Godot dominates the lives; free choice and every expression of the four main characters. Does the milieu force the characters to think of salvation to the exclusion of a meaningful life? Could their need for salvation keep them trapped in a purgative existence where escape would be a form of condemnation which none of them could tolerate? The play "Waiting for Godot" forces the reader to ask questions of himself/herself. Review of Play: Endgame Premiere: 1957 By: Samuel Beckett (1906 - 1989) The play "Endgame" is set in a single room with only four characters. The two main characters (Hamm and Clov) bicker throughout. The other two characters (Nagg and Nell) are in trash cans in the room and someone needs to life the lids to talk to them. Nagg and Nell are Hamm's parents. Outside of the room it seems that either the earth is uninhabited or else the outside world is entirely void. Hamm (Hamlet?) is decrepit, blind and immobile. Hamm depends on Clov (Clown?) for everything. Clov serves him food and medicine and gives him warm covers. Clov serves Hamm grudgingly. Although Nagg and Nell (Nag and Hell?) are Hamm's parents he shows no warmth or feeling toward them. They show no humanity or awareness of the world. There is no interaction between parent and child that would indicate human feeling. Nagg and Nell (Nag and Hell?) are just stage props to reinforce the premise that time stopped passing and the universe is a void. Nell's death invokes no sense of loss making the audience wonder if she was really alive at the start or was her trash can actually an urn for her ashes. Perhaps the voices of Nagg and Nell are faded memories. Waiting for Godot Krapp's Last Tape Endgame and Act Without Words I completely enjoyed and highly recommend this book.
5.0 out of 5 stars
I can't go on. I'll go on.,
This review is from: Samuel Beckett: Waiting for Godot-Endgame (Paperback)
God-(ot) never comes. The waiting for the God-(ot) who never is going to come is endless. But still the hanging tree / cross is there. You can hang yourself on it. Or not. He still won't come.
The garbage cans are supposed to symbolize skulls. How people are trapped inside their skulls and how the potential for getting out of your skull and really being understood by another human being who is trapped inside his or her skull is futile.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
