Thinking activity given by Prof. Dilip Barad sir,
Here I want to clarify that what is aspect behind given
thinking activity? According to my point of view it’s better way of learning
and improving writing skill. If we try to find deeper fidelity so that maybe we
can understand thoughts and philosophy of writer with better way. Another
aspect is that we can apply in our living life and we live with good habit of
thinking whenever and wherever. So here I want to start this activity without
waste time So let’s start our journey of learning with together…
- Samuel Beckett:-
Samuel Beckett was one of the famous Irish novelist,
playwright, short story writer, theatre director, poet and literary translator.
He was born at Dublin in 13 April 1906 and died at Paris in 22 Dec. 1989.
Beckett was awarded the 1969 for Nobel Prize in Literature for his writing
which in new forms for the novel and drama. He also has known for “Theatre of the Absurd”.
His work generally focused on the idea of Existentialism and expressed what
happens when human existence has no meaning or purpose and therefore all
communication breaks down. ( Wikipedia)
- Waiting for Godot:-
Waiting for Godot is remaining only two characters Vladimir
and Estragon who waits someone named Godot. In this play no female character,
Plot less play, no beginning no end.
This play also translation of his own original French language play “En
attendant Godot”. Its Tragicomic play which divided into two acts.
Que.:-1) What connection do you see in the setting (‘ A
country road, a tree and Evening’) of the play and these paintings.
Ans.:-
Caspar David Friedrich is a famous German romantic landscape
painter. The visualization and portrayal of landscape in entirely new manner
was Friedrich’s key innovation.
According to Friedrich that “The artist should paint not only what he
sees before him but also what he sees within him…” So here following painting
was drawn by Friedrich may be from which Beckett obtained idea of setting of
the play. I think that here Beckett wants to connect with waiting and also two
characters who stay on and their notice movements of sun under the tree.
Que.:-2) The tree is the only important ‘thing’ in the
setting. What is the importance of tree in both acts? Why does Beckett grow few
leaves in act 2 on the barren tree the tree has four or five leaves?
Ans.:-
The ancient symbol of the tree has been representing
physical and spiritual nourishment, transformation and liberation, union and
fertility. Another way I can connect with reference of Paradise lost which
known as tree of knowledge. Same here happen that there are tree is remain as
hope but when both are talked about that tree at that time they compare with “
weeping willow tree” and “ Burning Bush tree”
So that here tree used different way because weeping willow also
connected with melancholy, dream and death. Another reference of Bush tree
which was connected with Moses who was appointed by God. In the play Beckett
put only one tree which presented loneliness among the world. Moreover here may
be he try to interpret that human being depend on nature because both character
reached near tree that’s their get hope and some kind of power for waiting.
Que.:-3) In both acts, evening falls into night and moon
rises. How would you like to interpret this “Coming for night and moon” when
actually they are waiting for Godot?
Ans.:-
I don’t believe into sun or moon are raising to falling down
but Beckett used that so If I want to interpreted that thing with our common
life because we know that moon is doing its daily work with time to time so
that moon never stop its daily life Same we all spend time to completed our
duty. Moon never tired through its work so that it’s indicated that we never
become frustrated through common life.
Que.:-4) The director feels the setting with some debris.
Can you read any meaning in the contours of debris in the setting of the play?
Ans.:-
If I am not wrong so that Debris is like some kind of
discarded garbage and remaining of something destroyed but here I would like to
interpret as materialistic way. We know
that when we have not something at that time we feel some kind of missing that
thing but when we get that thing then we don’t care. So I want to add that
materialistic thing not forever for us. It’s all are like basket of garbage. I also
connect with humanity. We all are born
for specific purpose but died without understand of real purpose of born on the
earth like debris things. Moreover debris is useless thing and static same we
live without useless.
Que.:-5) The play begins with the dialogue “Nothing to be
done”. How the theme of “Nothingness” does recur in the play?
Ans.:-
When I study ‘Waiting for Godot’, So that at the end of the
play I don’t get some kind of message. There were both wait for Godot who solve
all problem of the world but they don’t know about Godot’s look and behavior
although both waiting. Here I want to say that both are not waiting but passed
their important time behind nothingness. Another way I interpret this line that
if we do nothing which not done so as a result we have to more doing work.
Que.:-6)Do you agree: “The play (Waiting for Godot), we agreed, was a positive play, not negative, not pessimistic. As I saw it, with my blood and skin and eyes, the philosophy is: 'No matter what— atom bombs, hydrogen bombs, anything—life goes on. You can kill yourself, but you can't kill life." (E.G. Marshal who played Vladimir in original Broadway production 1950s)?
Ans.:-
I am agree with the ideas of Marshal because normally we
thought about better future or happy ending of our life but I think that If we
do work with appropriate time with proper process so that at the end of the
life we can get as a result something more achieve rather which we think.
Another thing is that nobody come to help and solve our problem hence we find
solution own way without waiting of somebody.
Que.:-7) How are the props like hat and boots used in the play? What is the symbolical significance of these props?
Ans.:-
Samuel Beckett was well known for used trivial symbol. Here
in the play he used one two symbols like hat and boots which check reader’s
thinking level. In the play I think that hat also connected with spiritual
power, inner charm, intellectual, thinking process, mind and rational life.
And boots also connected with body, physical life, earth and roots and
dumbness.
Que.:-8) Do you think that the obedience of Lucky is extremely irritating and nauseatic? Even when the master Pozzo is blind, he obediently hands the whip in his hand. Do you think that such a capacity of slavishness is unbelievable?
Ans.:-
In the play Lucky’s character play vital role because He presented
many thing like slave, intelligent, dumbness but he doesn’t betray his master.
If Lucky thinks about he has whip and run away from there. So that may be Lucky
enjoy his life freely but it’s nothing happen there. Moreover after Pozzo’s
blindness, he remains free but he works continues as a slave for his master. We
also connected this idea with our life that we all are living within so many particular
chain which leads to us. We can’t escape from that chain and always waiting for
their order.
Ans.:-
In the play Godot used like God, object of desire, death,
goal and success...etc. If I read as a religion point of view So that Godot is
as God but If I think as a materialistic view so that Godot is used as desire
so here we can see with various obstacles. According to my point of view Godot is not interprets
as god but as desire for something more achieve in the life which never fulfill.
One desire complete then another desire keeps in our mind So that desire never
ends and we all suffer through failure desire like Vladimir and Estragon.
Que.:-10)“The subject of the play is not Godot but ‘Waiting’” (Esslin, A Search for the Self). Do you agree? How can you justify your answer?
Ans.:-
Yes, I am agreeing with views of Esslin because at the end
of the play nothing happens like message or open secret which reflected
meaningless of life. We all are waiting of unknown Godot till our last breath
of body.
Ans.:-
Audio-visual more helpful for better imagination off scene
and understanding but I think here sometime audio- visual remains useless. When
I watched movie at that time I clarify about background, setting and frame of
film but Sometime dialogues moving very fast between Vladimir and Estragon and
monologue of Lucky. It’s difficult to understand so here I want to prefer
reading rather than watching movie.
Que.:-12) Which of the following sequence you liked the most:
o Vladimir – Estragon killing time in questions and conversations while waiting
o Pozzo – Lucky episode in both acts
o Converstion of Vladimir with the boy
Ans.:-
I liked to prefer here conversation between Vladimir and
Estragon because both characters are present reality of human being during
conversation. Moreover both are create interesting conversation through hat and
boots. I like to Estragon’s idea rather than Vladimir because his idea rational,
try to justify reality of human being and daily life.
Ans.:-
In the both traps thinks about suicide on the tree, illusion
by boy, hidden chains in our life as character of Lucky who can’t escape from
the slavery…etc all the things are presenting existential crisis or meaninglessness
of human existence in irrational and indifference universe during screening of
the movie.
Que.:-14)Vladimir and Estragon talks about ‘hanging’ themselves and commit suicide, but they do not do so. How do you read this idea of suicide in Existentialism?
Ans.:-
Sometimes struggle leads to suicide. According to escapism
and existentialism anybody try to escape from daily life but it doesn’t mean
that they have not capacity to face problem.
So in Christianity suicide highly considered one of the parts of sin.
Same happen here that both tramps decide about suicide then avoid suicide and
again ready to start waiting.
Que.:-15) Can we do any political reading of the play if we see European nations represented by the 'names' of the characters (Vladimir - Russia; Estragon - France; Pozzo - Italy and Lucky - England)? What interpretation can be inferred from the play written just after World War II? Which country stands for 'Godot'? So far as Pozzo and Lucky [master and slave] are concerned, we have to remember that Beckett was a disciple of Joyce and that Joyce hated England. Beckett meant Pozzo to be England, and Lucky to be Ireland." (Bert Lahr who played Estragon in Broadway production). Does this reading make any sense? Why? How? What?
Ans.:-
If we read play with political reading so here we connected Vladimir
as a Russia, Pozzo as a Italy, Lucky as a England Estragon as a France and for
the character of Godot Germany as Hitler. In the case of Pozzo and Lucky we can
connect as master-slave. Here Pozzo represents England and Lucky represents Ireland.
Que.:-16)The more the things change, the more it remains similar. There seems to have no change in Act I and Act II of the play. Even the conversation between Vladimir and the Boy sounds almost similar. But there is one major change. In Act I, in reply to Boy;s question, Vladimir says:
"BOY: What am I to tell Mr. Godot, Sir?
VLADIMIR:
Tell him . . . (he hesitates) . . . tell him you saw us. (Pause.) You did see us, didn't you?
How does this conversation go in Act II? Is there any change in seeming similar situation and conversation? If so, what is it? What does it signify
Ans.:-
Normally both act work similar way but If it above mentioned
context we find some differences like as Vladimir. Another thing here Vladimir
remain as selfish man who leaves his friend when his motives are not fulfill.
Thank you...
Very well explained in easy language.
ReplyDeleteThank you brother
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