 Hello and welcome to our video summarising all you need to know about the play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. My name is Barbara and in this video we'll examine in lots of detail the play's plot, its key characters, the main themes you need to be aware of as well as important information about the author himself which constitutes as part of the context. So let's get started. Now Waiting for Godot as I've mentioned earlier is a play by Samuel Beckett in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, wait for the arrival of someone named Godot who never arrives. 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 Aton Godot and is subtitled in English only, a tragic comedy in two acts. The original French text was composed between 9 October 1948 and 29 January 1949 and the premiere, which was directed by Roger Blin, was on 5 January 1953 at the Theatre de Babilon, Paris. The English language version premiered in London in 1955. Samuel Beckett himself was born in Dublin in 1906 and he befriended famous Irish novelist James Joyce and his first published work was an essay on Joyce. In 1951-1953, Beckett wrote his most famous novels, the trilogy Molloy, Malone Dies and the Unnamable. Waiting for Godot, Beckett's first play was written originally in French in 1948. It premiered at a tiny theatre in Paris in 1953 and the play began Beckett's association with the Theatre of the Absurd, which influenced later playwrights like Harold Pinter and Tom Stoppard. So now, when you're thinking about the plot in a nutshell, essentially we meet two men, Vladimir and Estragon, who are near a tree. They converse in various topics and reveal that they're waiting there for a man named Godot. While they wait, two other men enter. Pozzo is on his way to the market to sell his slave Lucky. He pauses for a while to converse with Vladimir and Estragon. Lucky entertains them by dancing and singing and Pozzo and Lucky leave. After Pozzo and Lucky leave, a boy enters and tells Vladimir that he is a messenger from Godot. He tells Vladimir that Godot will not be coming tonight, but that he will surely come tomorrow. Vladimir asks him some questions about Godot and the boy departs. After his departure, Vladimir and Estragon decide to leave, but they do not move until the curtain falls. The next night, Vladimir and Estragon meet near the tree to wait for Godot. Lucky and Pozzo enter again, but this time Pozzo is blind and Lucky is dumb. Pozzo does not remember meeting the two men the night before. They leave and Vladimir and Estragon continue to wait. Shortly after, the boy enters and once again tells Vladimir that Godot will not be coming. He insists that he did not speak to Vladimir yesterday. After he leaves, Estragon and Vladimir decide to leave. But again, they do not move as the curtain falls, ending the play. Now when it comes to looking at this play in a more detailed way, let's start with Act 1. So we have in Act 1 Pozzo and Lucky's entrance. So Estragon is trying to take off his boot when Vladimir enters. The two men greet each other. Vladimir examines his hat while Estragon struggles with his boot. They discuss the versions of the story of the two thieves in the Gospels, and Vladimir wonders why one version of the story is considered more accurate than the others. Estragon wants to leave, but Vladimir tells him that they cannot because they're waiting for Godot. Who they are supposed to meet by the tree. They wonder if they're waiting in the correct spot, or if it's even the correct day. Estragon falls asleep, but Vladimir waits him because he feels lonely. Estragon starts telling Vladimir about the dream he was having, but Vladimir does not want to hear his private nightmares. Estragon wonders if it would be better for them to part, but Vladimir insists that Estragon will not go far. They argue and Vladimir storms offstage, but Estragon convinces him to come back and they may come. They discuss what to do next whilst they wait, and Estragon suggests hanging themselves from the tree. However, after a discussion of the logistics, they decide to wait and see what Godot says. Estragon is hungry and Vladimir gives him a carrot. They discuss whether they are tied to Godot when they hear a terrible cry nearby and huddle together to await what is coming. Pozo enters, driving Lucky ahead of him by a rope around his neck. Vladimir and Estragon wonder if Pozo is Godot, but he tells them that he is Pozo and asks if they have heard of him. They tell him that they have not, and Pozo commands Lucky to put down his stall and sits down and begins to eat some chicken. While he eats, Vladimir and Estragon circle around Lucky, inspecting him. They notice a sore on his neck and begin to ask him a question, but Pozo tells them to leave him alone. Estragon asks Pozo if he can have the bones from his chicken, and Pozo tells him that Lucky gets priority over him. Estragon asks Lucky if he wants the bones, but he does not reply, and Pozo tells Estragon that he can have the bones. He comments that he has never known Lucky to refuse a bone and hopes that he is not sick. Vladimir suddenly explodes with anger at Pozo's treatment of Lucky, but then seems embarrassed about his outburst. Pozo decides to go, but then decides to stay and smoke another pipe. Vladimir wants to leave, but Pozo reminds him of his appointment with Godot. Estragon begins to wonder aloud why Lucky does not put down his bags. Pozo begins to answer the question after much preparation involving his vaporizer spray, but gives a convoluted and contradictory response. Vladimir asks Pozo if he wants to get rid of Lucky. Pozo responds that he does and is taking him to the fair to sell him. Lucky begins to cry, and Pozo hands Estragon a handkerchief to wipe away his tears. Estragon approaches Lucky, but Lucky kicks him in the shin. Pozo tells Vladimir and Estragon that he has learned a lot from Lucky and that Lucky has been serving him for nearly 60 years. Vladimir becomes angry that Pozo is going to get rid of Lucky after so much time, and Pozo gets upset. Vladimir then gets angry at Lucky for mistreating Pozo. Lucky Pozo comes down, but he realises that he has lost his pipe and begins to get upset again. While Estragon laughs at Pozo, Vladimir exits, apparently to go to the bathroom. He then returns in a bad mood, but soon calms down, and Pozo sits down again and begins to explain the twilight. When he finishes, he asks him to evaluate his performance and then offers to have Lucky perform for them. Estragon wants to see Lucky dance while Vladimir wants to hear him think, so Pozo commands him to dance and then think. Lucky dances and Estragon is not very impressed. Pozo then tells him that he used to dance much better. Vladimir asks him to tell Lucky to think, but Pozo says that he cannot think without his hat. Vladimir puts Lucky's hat on his head and he begins to think aloud, spouting a long stream of words and phrases that amount to gibberish. As he goes on, the other three suffer more and more and finally throw themselves at him and seize his hat and make him stop. Pozo tramples the hat and the men help Lucky up and give him all the bags. Pozo is about to leave, but he finds he cannot. He decides that he needs a running start, so he starts from the opposite end of the stage and drives Lucky across as they exchange goodbyes. After Pozo and Lucky depart, Vladimir once again tells Estragon that they cannot leave because they're waiting for Godot. They argue about whether Pozo and Lucky have changed and Estragon suddenly complains of a pain in his other foot. A boy enters timidly, saying that he has a message from Mr. Godot. Estragon believes the boy, who reveals that he's been waiting a while, but was afraid of Pozo and Lucky. While Estragon shakes the boy, badgering him to tell the truth, Vladimir yells at him and sits down and begins to take off his boots. Meanwhile, Vladimir talks to the boy. He asks him if he's the one that came yesterday, but the boy tells him that he is not. The boy tells Vladimir that Mr. Godot will not come this evening, but that he will surely come tomorrow. Vladimir asks the boy if he works for Mr. Godot and the boy tells him that he minds the goats. The boy says that Mr. Godot does not beat him, but that he beats his brother who minds the sheep. Vladimir asks the boy if he's unhappy, but the boy does not know. He tells the boy that he can go and that he's to tell Mr. Godot that he saw them. The boy then runs off stage and as he goes, it suddenly becomes night. Estragon gets up and puts his boots down at the edge of the stage. Vladimir then tells him that the boy assured him that Godot will come tomorrow. He tries to drag Estragon off stage to shelter, but Estragon will not go. Estragon wonders if they should part, but they decide to go together. As the curtain falls, they remain still. Now moving on to act two. This act begins in the next evening and at the same time and place. The tree now has four or five leaves on it. Estragon boots and Lucky's hatch remain on stage when Vladimir enters, looks around and begins to sing. Estragon enters and suggests that Vladimir seemed happier without him. He says that he does not know why he keeps returning to Vladimir since he too is happier alone, but Vladimir insists that it's because Estragon does not know how to defend himself. Vladimir suggests that things have changed since yesterday, but Estragon does not remember yesterday. Vladimir reminds him about Pozzo and Lucky and they begin to argue about whether Estragon has ever been in the Macon country. Estragon once again says it would be better if they parted, but Vladimir reminds him that he always comes crawling back. They decide to converse calmly and soon run out of things to say, but Vladimir grows uncomfortable with the silence. Vladimir then looks to the tree and notices that it's now covered with leaves, although yesterday it was bare. Estragon says that it must be spring, but also insists that they were not here yesterday. Vladimir reminds him of the bones that Pozzo gave him and the kick that Lucky gave him and shows him the wound on his leg. He asks Estragon where his boots are and when Estragon replies that he must throw them away, points out the boots on the stage triumphantly. Estragon, however, examines the boots and says that they're not his. Vladimir reasons that someone must have come by and exchanged his boots for Estragons. Vladimir gives Estragon a black radish, but since he only likes the pink ones, he gives it back. Estragon says he will go and get the carrot, but he does not move. Vladimir suggests trying the boots on Estragon and they fit, but Estragon does not want them laced. Estragon sits down on the mound and tries to sleep. Vladimir sends him a lullaby, he falls asleep, but soon wakes up from a nightmare. Vladimir is pleased to find Lucky's hat on the ground because he believes it confirmed that they are in the correct place. He puts on Lucky's hat and hands him to Estragon, who takes off his hat and hands it to Vladimir. This switch occurs several times until once again, Vladimir wears Lucky's hat and Estragon wears his own hat. Vladimir says that he will keep Lucky's hat since his bothered him. They begin to play Pozzo and Lucky's roles with Vladimir imitating Lucky, telling Estragon what to do to imitate Pozzo. Estragon leaves, but quickly returns because he hears someone coming. Vladimir is sure that this is Godot coming and Estragon hides behind the tree. He realises he's not hidden and comes out and the two men begin a watch with one stationed on each side of the stage. When they both begin to speak at once, they get angry and begin insulting each other. After they finish the insults, they decide to make up an embrace. They briefly do some exercises and then do the tree staggering on one foot. While Vladimir and Estragon stagger about, pitting themselves, Pozzo and Lucky enter. Pozzo is blind and runs into Lucky, who's stopped at the site of Vladimir and Estragon. They fall along with all the baggage. Vladimir welcomes the arrival since it will help pass the time. Pozzo calls for help while Vladimir and Estragon discuss asking him for another bone. Vladimir decides that they should help him, but first he and Estragon discuss how they should have kept their appointment. Pozzo continues to cry for help and eventually Vladimir tries to assist him. However, he falls also while trying to pull up Pozzo. Estragon threatens to leave, Vladimir begs him to help him up first, promising that they will leave together afterward. Estragon tries to help him up, but ends up failing as well. All four men now lie on the ground and Vladimir and Estragon begin to nap. They are woken shortly by Pozzo's shouting and Vladimir strikes Pozzo to make him stop. Pozzo crawls away and Vladimir and Estragon call him. He doesn't respond and Estragon decides to try other names. He calls out Abel and Pozzo responds by crying for help. He wonders if the other one is called Cain, but Pozzo responds to that name as well and Estragon decides that he will be all of humanity. Vladimir and Estragon decide to get up, which they do with ease. They help Pozzo and hold him up and Pozzo tells them that he does not recognize them since he's blind. They tell him that it is evening and begin to question him about the loss of his sight. He tells him that it came upon him all of a sudden and he has no notion of time. Pozzo asks the men about his slave and they tell him that Lucky seems to be sleeping. They send Estragon over to Lucky and Estragon begins kicking Lucky. He hurts his foot and goes to sit down. Vladimir asks Pozzo if they met yesterday but Pozzo does not remember. Pozzo prepares to leave and Vladimir asks him to have Lucky sing and recite before they leave. However, Pozzo tells them that Lucky is dumb. They exit and Vladimir sees them fall off stage. After Pozzo and Lucky leave, Vladimir wakes Estragon. Estragon is upset and be woken up but Vladimir tells them that he was lonely. Estragon gets up and his feet hurt so he then sits down again and tries to shake off his boots. Meanwhile, Vladimir reflects upon the events of the day. Estragon does his off again after unsuccessfully struggling with his boots. The boy enters and calls to Vladimir. Vladimir recognizes the routine and knows what the boy is going to say before he says this. They establish that the boy was not there yesterday but that he has a message from Mr. Goddow saying he will not come this evening but definitely tomorrow. Vladimir asks the boy what Mr. Goddow does and the boy replies that he does nothing. Vladimir then asks the boy about his brother and the boy tells him that his brother is sick. Vladimir asks that Mr. Goddow has a beard and what color it is. The boy asks Vladimir what he should tell Mr. Goddow and Vladimir tells him that he should say that he saw him. The boy runs away as Vladimir springs towards him. The son then sets and Estragon waits up, takes off his boot and puts him down at the front of the stage. He approaches Vladimir and tells him that he wants to go. Vladimir tells him that they cannot go far away because they have to come back tomorrow to wait for Goddow. They discuss hanging themselves from the tree but find that they do not have any rope. Estragon says that they can bring back some tomorrow. Estragon tells Vladimir that he can't go on like this and Vladimir tells him that they will hang themselves tomorrow unless Goddow comes. Vladimir then tells Estragon to pull up his trousers which have fallen down when he removed the cord, holding them up in order to determine whether it will be suitable for hanging. They decide to go but once again do not move as the curtain falls. So now when it comes to the characters and analyzing each character, the first set of characters of Vladimir and Estragon. Now in spite of the existential concept that man cannot take the essence of his existence from somewhere else, in viewing this play we have to view Vladimir and Estragon and their relationship to each other. In fact, the novice viewing this play for the first time often fails to note any significant difference between the two characters. In hearing the play read, even the most experienced theater person will often confuse one of the characters with the other. Therefore, the similarities are as important as the differences between them. Both Vladimir and Estragon are tramps dressed in costumes which could be interchanged. They're both wear big boots which don't necessarily fit and both have big bowler hats. They're suits are baggy and ill-fitting. For instance in Act Two when Estragon moves the cord he uses for a belt, his trousers are so baggy that they fall about his feet. The costumes recall the type found in Burlesque and vaudeville houses. The type often associated with the character of the little tramp portrayed by Charlie Chaplin. The next set of characters are Pozzo and Lucky. Together they represent the antithesis of each other. Yet they're strongly and irrevocably tied together both physically and metaphysically. Any number of polarities could be used to be applied to them. If Pozzo is a master and father figure, then Lucky is the slave or the child. If Pozzo is the circus ringmaster, then Lucky is a trained or performing animal. If Pozzo is a sadist, then Lucky is the masochist. Or Pozzo can be seen as the ego and Lucky as it is according to Freudian analysis. An inexhaustible number of polarities can be suggested when looking at these two characters. Other minor characters to consider offer see the boy who appears at the end of each act to inform Vladimir that Godot will be coming that night. In the second act, he insists that he was not there the previous night. Godot is the other character to consider. He's the man from whom Vladimir and Estragon wait unendingly. Godot never appears in the play. However, his name and character are often thought to refer to God. Now, when it comes to the author himself, so Samuel Beckett, the Irish playwright, theater director, novelist and poet, is one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. He's a modernist, often associated with what's called the theater of the absurd and his work tends to eschew conventional plotting or structure while exploring the human condition in ways that are both bleakly humorous and profound where laughter is a weapon against despair. Beckett was born in Dublin in 1906 where as a young man, he studied French, Italian and English at Trinity College. He went to Paris for the first time in 1928 and he'd spent most of his adult life there to teach English. During World War II, his Irish citizenship allowed for him to remain in Paris and he worked as a courier for the French resistance. Foring arrest of members of the group by the Gestapo, the German Nazis, he fled to the unoccupied zone where he remained until the end of the war. After the war, he settled in Paris and began a prolific period as a writer. His most famous play is Waiting for Godot, the play in which, as one critic put it, nothing happens and it was first performed in 1953. He's also the author of several other plays as well as novels. So that's all. If you found this video useful, do subscribe to our channel and give us a thumbs up but also make sure you visit our website which is www.firstreadtutors.com. There you'll find a variety of revision guides, model answers and essay samples that you can use in order to help you when you're studying this and different texts in English. Thank you so much for listening.