Hello ! Everyone,
Welcome to my blog.Here I am going to give answers of questions which was a part of my thinking activity and given by Dilip sir,so here is sir's blog link https://dilipbarad.blogspot.com/2014/09/worksheet-screening-movie-waiting-for.html?m=1
Waiting for Godot is a play by Samuel Beckett, in which two characters, Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), wait for the arrival of someone named Godot who never arrives, and while waiting they engage in a variety of discussions and encounter three other characters.Waiting for Godot is Beckett's translation of his own original French-language play, En attendant Godot, and is subtitled (in English only) "a tragicomedy in two acts".The original French text was composed between 9 October 1948 and 29 January 1949.It begin in very tiny theatre.No women characters are there in play.It was a plotless play.The play raises the question of Existentialism and we reffered the MYTH OF SISYPHUS written by Albert Camus during the learning of play.The play does not tell a story but it explores the static situation ;
"Nothing happens,nobody comes,
nobody goes, it's Awful."
About Samuel Beckett :-
Samuel Barclay Beckett (13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989) was an Irish novelist, playwright, short story writer, theatre director, poet, and literary translator. A resident of Paris for most of his adult life, he wrote in both English and French.
• He got the NOBLE PRIZE for literature in 1969.
• Most famous Beckett's subsequent plays :-
During the 15 years following the war, Beckett produced four major full-length stage plays:
En attendant Godot (written 1948–1949; Waiting for Godot),
de partie (1955–1957; Endgame),
Krapp's Last Tape (1958),
and Happy Days (1961).
Que :- 1 ] What connection do you see in the setting (“A country road. A tree.Evening.”) of the play and these paintings?
Ans :- Through this painting Beckett was inspired for the' setting'of his play - 'Waiting for Godot'.Here Beckett's universe was quite different.His waiting is related to longing in a sense of nature but it was not Beckett's wordly vision.maybe longing or desire maybe fulfilled sometimes but here Beckett's used this Waiting has it's no end.It never going to be finish.. Beckett was inspired by these painting but he makes use of this 'longing' as 'never ending wait'.
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 a few leaves in Act II on the barren tree - The tree has four or five leaves - ?
Ans : - In the screening of the movie there was a one scene of tree where both tries to do suicide but they don't.In Act 1 the tree was barren ,there was no leaves ,as in plays Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for Godot but Godot doesn't come.Then next day there are leaves on tree maybe it was a kind hope with new morning that Vladimir and Estragon has.yesterday Godot hasn't come then today he comes and they are waiting for whole day.But as we know that there is no ending of wait.
Que :- 3]
In both Acts, evening falls into night and moon rises. How would you like to interpret this ‘coming of night and moon’ when actually they are waiting for Godot?
Ans : In both Acts, evening falls into night and moon rises.so in this situation Vladimir and Estragon are waiting so they have to pass time.They don't care about night and moon as they are waiting for Godot so they are thinking about the time that when is Godot comes.At night Estragon sleep easily but Vladimir has some past memories so he can't sleep .He also can't eat.
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 :- Yes,I can read they the director feels the settings with some debris.The place where both act plays ,it was a hill ,first day barren tree and second day with some leaves.yet with this kind of debris which Beckett has used it says alot to us . He talk here about human being,its life ,etc.
Que : - 5] The play begins with the dialogue “Nothing to be done”. How does the theme of ‘nothingness’ recurs in the play?
Ans :- As the play was absurd it includes the theme of Nothingness.Baisically Estragon and Vladimir haven't done anything just what is to wait,one moment comes when they forgot what they doing and for what they are waiting?Just for the waiting of Godot they uses some gymics,some tricks,time killing questions.Maybe they are enjoying their this waiting work.In real sense this Nothingness teach us real word or meaning of Beckett's play,his purpose of writing.
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 : - Ya, the play "Waiting for Godot" is positive play,not negative ,not pessimistic.But it depends on reader's mind.How reader want to look it.Everybody hasits own point of view or perspective.I am agree with that everything goes on life on it's time idea of E.G.Marshal.
Que :- 7] How are the props like hat and boots used in the play? What is the symbolical significance of these props?
Ans : - In the novel as well as in movie props like hat and boots are used .Both are used as a symbolic way.it is symbolically trival things . Vladimir and Estragon are doing as jokers as jokers doing in circus.Hat &Boots are Necessity and Absurdity of the play.It was also great to pass and kill the time.we can connect Waiting with Happiness with futile time or things.They are Experiencing the time which is painful and in a way they are waiting for death maybe.
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:- How can it's possible a slave is carrying luggage of master and also carry whip from which he maybe beaten still he is giving it to his master.Even when pozzo, the master was blind then why don't lucky leave him why still he is giving whip to pozzo.which kind of this slavishness is.
Que :- 9] Who according to you is Godot? God? An object of desire? Death? Goal? Success? Or . .
Ans :- The question of Godot is remaining that who is Godot ? A supernatural character whether humanbeing? I think it was a object of desire and they thought if Godot will come then everything will be fine .They have a desire of Godot .
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 :- Martin Esslin : " The search for the self ".He gives some characteristics of the play which are;
1. Constructed story/ plot :- No story, no plot.as I above mentioned that it was a plotless play.it has not ant constructed story about particular things.
2. Subtlety of characterization and motivation :- Mechanical puppets ,it was without motive.The motivation was important because it describes what is good or bad in this play.
3. Theme :- Fully explained - solved at the end ,neither beginning nor end,no resolution of theme .
4. Hold mirror upto nature & portray manners & mannorism of age ,reflection of dreams and nightmares.
5. Dialogues :- Witty repartee pointed , meaningful, Incoherent bubblings.so,with this point I agree that the subject of the play is "Waiting" not Godot.
Que :- 11] Do you think that plays like this can better be ‘read’ than ‘viewed’ as it requires a lot of thinking on the part of readers, while viewing, the torrent of dialogues does not give ample time and space to ‘think’? Or is it that the audio-visuals help in better understanding of the play?
Ans :- If I say yes it needs reading before play studied.because it was a Absurb play still Samuel Beckett had gone very deep and connected dot with some events or myths.so,before studying play we have to aware about it,our concept should be clear then dialogue or audio-visuals help in better understanding of play.
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 :- Basically I like all sequence and I was interested in all sequence and I like to watch.But if I have tell about only one sequence then it would be first Vladimir – Estragon killing time in questions and conversations while waiting. Now why I like because they are talking which was very interesting yet they are talking Absurb things it has no meaning,still it leaves a meaning.They are talking as they have a lot of wordly knowledge and both put a good argument against among.
Que :- 13] Did feel the effect of existential crisis or meaninglessness of human existence in the irrational and indifference Universe during screening of the movie? Where and when exactly that feeling was felt, if ever it was?
Ans : - In movie I saw and feel that they are waiting for a person for whom they don't know.Even they don't know who is Godot a humanbeing,a supernatural power,a god or what else? They don't aware then still why they waiting.We have our Existence in life then we have think it and use it on proper way.As Vladimir and Estragon are talking to pass time they are raising rational questions then what about their identity or existence.
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 :- so, Vladimir and Estragon talks about 'hanging ' themselves and commit suicide .so, according to me are they really want to suicide or for time pass they doing this kind of stupid activity.They don't no how to hang with what and Estragon suggest his wrist belt and Vladimir says it was too short we can't hang with this.They both decides that tomorrow if Godot doesn't come then we will hang ourself and we will bring rope for it.
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'?
Ans :- In play GODOT stands for Germany.yes,we can do political reading of characters because the characters are representing the European nations by some characteristics or event or person.
Que :- 16] 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 :- Here Beckett meant Pozzo to be England,because as we know England rule over other Country. In play Pozzo was a master and Lucky Was a slave.Lucky blindly follows his master.He even don't think about going against his master or to betray pozzo.He is carrying a whip from which he will be beaten still he is giving to pozzo.we can see in movie that lucky
lucks is not moving for a single step or word.one more thing he is thinking or talking a lot on command of Master.
Que :- 17] 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 :- yes,there is a change in Act 1and Act 2. When in Act 1 boy comes to them and asked Vladimir that what I asked to Godot sir ? Then Vladimir replies that tell him that you saw us,and in Act 2 when boy asked the same question and Vladimir replies a quite different,this time he says you tell godot that you saw me not us.So,here comes self-perspective ,he thought that if Godot comes then he will save me and Estragon was sleeping so he wasn't thought about him.According to Vladimir only he deserved God's attention or presence.so,here we can see self motive of Vladimir.It was a great change in both act and it questions on humanbeing,how a person was changed.
Thank you......
Welcome to my blog.Here I am going to give answers of questions which was a part of my thinking activity and given by Dilip sir,so here is sir's blog link https://dilipbarad.blogspot.com/2014/09/worksheet-screening-movie-waiting-for.html?m=1
Waiting for Godot is a play by Samuel Beckett, in which two characters, Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), wait for the arrival of someone named Godot who never arrives, and while waiting they engage in a variety of discussions and encounter three other characters.Waiting for Godot is Beckett's translation of his own original French-language play, En attendant Godot, and is subtitled (in English only) "a tragicomedy in two acts".The original French text was composed between 9 October 1948 and 29 January 1949.It begin in very tiny theatre.No women characters are there in play.It was a plotless play.The play raises the question of Existentialism and we reffered the MYTH OF SISYPHUS written by Albert Camus during the learning of play.The play does not tell a story but it explores the static situation ;
"Nothing happens,nobody comes,
nobody goes, it's Awful."
About Samuel Beckett :-
Samuel Barclay Beckett (13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989) was an Irish novelist, playwright, short story writer, theatre director, poet, and literary translator. A resident of Paris for most of his adult life, he wrote in both English and French.
• He got the NOBLE PRIZE for literature in 1969.
• Most famous Beckett's subsequent plays :-
During the 15 years following the war, Beckett produced four major full-length stage plays:
En attendant Godot (written 1948–1949; Waiting for Godot),
de partie (1955–1957; Endgame),
Krapp's Last Tape (1958),
and Happy Days (1961).
Que :- 1 ] What connection do you see in the setting (“A country road. A tree.Evening.”) of the play and these paintings?
Ans :- Through this painting Beckett was inspired for the' setting'of his play - 'Waiting for Godot'.Here Beckett's universe was quite different.His waiting is related to longing in a sense of nature but it was not Beckett's wordly vision.maybe longing or desire maybe fulfilled sometimes but here Beckett's used this Waiting has it's no end.It never going to be finish.. Beckett was inspired by these painting but he makes use of this 'longing' as 'never ending wait'.
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 a few leaves in Act II on the barren tree - The tree has four or five leaves - ?
Ans : - In the screening of the movie there was a one scene of tree where both tries to do suicide but they don't.In Act 1 the tree was barren ,there was no leaves ,as in plays Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for Godot but Godot doesn't come.Then next day there are leaves on tree maybe it was a kind hope with new morning that Vladimir and Estragon has.yesterday Godot hasn't come then today he comes and they are waiting for whole day.But as we know that there is no ending of wait.
Que :- 3]
In both Acts, evening falls into night and moon rises. How would you like to interpret this ‘coming of night and moon’ when actually they are waiting for Godot?
Ans : In both Acts, evening falls into night and moon rises.so in this situation Vladimir and Estragon are waiting so they have to pass time.They don't care about night and moon as they are waiting for Godot so they are thinking about the time that when is Godot comes.At night Estragon sleep easily but Vladimir has some past memories so he can't sleep .He also can't eat.
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 :- Yes,I can read they the director feels the settings with some debris.The place where both act plays ,it was a hill ,first day barren tree and second day with some leaves.yet with this kind of debris which Beckett has used it says alot to us . He talk here about human being,its life ,etc.
Que : - 5] The play begins with the dialogue “Nothing to be done”. How does the theme of ‘nothingness’ recurs in the play?
Ans :- As the play was absurd it includes the theme of Nothingness.Baisically Estragon and Vladimir haven't done anything just what is to wait,one moment comes when they forgot what they doing and for what they are waiting?Just for the waiting of Godot they uses some gymics,some tricks,time killing questions.Maybe they are enjoying their this waiting work.In real sense this Nothingness teach us real word or meaning of Beckett's play,his purpose of writing.
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 : - Ya, the play "Waiting for Godot" is positive play,not negative ,not pessimistic.But it depends on reader's mind.How reader want to look it.Everybody hasits own point of view or perspective.I am agree with that everything goes on life on it's time idea of E.G.Marshal.
Que :- 7] How are the props like hat and boots used in the play? What is the symbolical significance of these props?
Ans : - In the novel as well as in movie props like hat and boots are used .Both are used as a symbolic way.it is symbolically trival things . Vladimir and Estragon are doing as jokers as jokers doing in circus.Hat &Boots are Necessity and Absurdity of the play.It was also great to pass and kill the time.we can connect Waiting with Happiness with futile time or things.They are Experiencing the time which is painful and in a way they are waiting for death maybe.
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:- How can it's possible a slave is carrying luggage of master and also carry whip from which he maybe beaten still he is giving it to his master.Even when pozzo, the master was blind then why don't lucky leave him why still he is giving whip to pozzo.which kind of this slavishness is.
Que :- 9] Who according to you is Godot? God? An object of desire? Death? Goal? Success? Or . .
Ans :- The question of Godot is remaining that who is Godot ? A supernatural character whether humanbeing? I think it was a object of desire and they thought if Godot will come then everything will be fine .They have a desire of Godot .
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 :- Martin Esslin : " The search for the self ".He gives some characteristics of the play which are;
1. Constructed story/ plot :- No story, no plot.as I above mentioned that it was a plotless play.it has not ant constructed story about particular things.
2. Subtlety of characterization and motivation :- Mechanical puppets ,it was without motive.The motivation was important because it describes what is good or bad in this play.
3. Theme :- Fully explained - solved at the end ,neither beginning nor end,no resolution of theme .
4. Hold mirror upto nature & portray manners & mannorism of age ,reflection of dreams and nightmares.
5. Dialogues :- Witty repartee pointed , meaningful, Incoherent bubblings.so,with this point I agree that the subject of the play is "Waiting" not Godot.
Que :- 11] Do you think that plays like this can better be ‘read’ than ‘viewed’ as it requires a lot of thinking on the part of readers, while viewing, the torrent of dialogues does not give ample time and space to ‘think’? Or is it that the audio-visuals help in better understanding of the play?
Ans :- If I say yes it needs reading before play studied.because it was a Absurb play still Samuel Beckett had gone very deep and connected dot with some events or myths.so,before studying play we have to aware about it,our concept should be clear then dialogue or audio-visuals help in better understanding of play.
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 :- Basically I like all sequence and I was interested in all sequence and I like to watch.But if I have tell about only one sequence then it would be first Vladimir – Estragon killing time in questions and conversations while waiting. Now why I like because they are talking which was very interesting yet they are talking Absurb things it has no meaning,still it leaves a meaning.They are talking as they have a lot of wordly knowledge and both put a good argument against among.
Que :- 13] Did feel the effect of existential crisis or meaninglessness of human existence in the irrational and indifference Universe during screening of the movie? Where and when exactly that feeling was felt, if ever it was?
Ans : - In movie I saw and feel that they are waiting for a person for whom they don't know.Even they don't know who is Godot a humanbeing,a supernatural power,a god or what else? They don't aware then still why they waiting.We have our Existence in life then we have think it and use it on proper way.As Vladimir and Estragon are talking to pass time they are raising rational questions then what about their identity or existence.
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 :- so, Vladimir and Estragon talks about 'hanging ' themselves and commit suicide .so, according to me are they really want to suicide or for time pass they doing this kind of stupid activity.They don't no how to hang with what and Estragon suggest his wrist belt and Vladimir says it was too short we can't hang with this.They both decides that tomorrow if Godot doesn't come then we will hang ourself and we will bring rope for it.
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'?
Ans :- In play GODOT stands for Germany.yes,we can do political reading of characters because the characters are representing the European nations by some characteristics or event or person.
Que :- 16] 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 :- Here Beckett meant Pozzo to be England,because as we know England rule over other Country. In play Pozzo was a master and Lucky Was a slave.Lucky blindly follows his master.He even don't think about going against his master or to betray pozzo.He is carrying a whip from which he will be beaten still he is giving to pozzo.we can see in movie that lucky
lucks is not moving for a single step or word.one more thing he is thinking or talking a lot on command of Master.
Que :- 17] 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 :- yes,there is a change in Act 1and Act 2. When in Act 1 boy comes to them and asked Vladimir that what I asked to Godot sir ? Then Vladimir replies that tell him that you saw us,and in Act 2 when boy asked the same question and Vladimir replies a quite different,this time he says you tell godot that you saw me not us.So,here comes self-perspective ,he thought that if Godot comes then he will save me and Estragon was sleeping so he wasn't thought about him.According to Vladimir only he deserved God's attention or presence.so,here we can see self motive of Vladimir.It was a great change in both act and it questions on humanbeing,how a person was changed.
Thank you......
Very well written 👍
ReplyDeleteThank you dear......
DeleteVery well described
ReplyDeleteTnx dear.
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