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Samuel Beckett
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Waiting for Godot: A Tragicomedy in Two Acts (Beckett, Samuel) 1st Edition, Kindle Edition

by Samuel Beckett (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,907 ratings
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From an inauspicious beginning at the tiny Left Bank Theatre de Babylone in 1953, followed by bewilderment among American and British audiences, Waiting for Godot has become of the most important and enigmatic plays of the past fifty years and a cornerstone of twentieth-century drama. As Clive Barnes wrote, “Time catches up with genius … Waiting for Godot is one of the masterpieces of the century.”

The story revolves around two seemingly homeless men waiting for someone—or something—named Godot. Vladimir and Estragon wait near a tree, inhabiting a drama spun of their own consciousness. The result is a comical wordplay of poetry, dreamscapes, and nonsense, which has been interpreted as mankind’s inexhaustible search for meaning. Beckett’s language pioneered an expressionistic minimalism that captured the existential post-World War II Europe. His play remains one of the most magical and beautiful allegories of our time.
Previous page
  1. ISBN-13
    978-0802144423
  2. Edition
    1st
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Grove Press
  5. Publication date
    April 12, 2011
  6. Part of series
    Beckett, Samuel
  7. Language
    English
  8. File size
    315 KB
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Waiting for Godot
“One of the true masterpieces of the century.” —Clive Barnes, The New York Times

“One of the most noble and moving plays of our generation, a threnody of hope deceived and deferred but never extinguished; a play suffused with tenderness for the whole human perplexity; with phrases that come like a sharp stab of beauty and pain.”—The Times (London)

“Beckett is an incomparable spellbinder. He writes with rhetoric and music that . . . make a poet green with envy.” —Stephen Spender

“Reading Beckett for the first time is an experience like no other in modern literature.”—Paul Auster

“[Godot is ] among the most studied, monographed, celebrated and sent-up works of modern art, and perhaps as influential as any from the last century. The nonstory of two tramps at loose ends in a landscape barren of all but a single tree, amusing or distracting themselves from oppressive boredom while they wait for a mysterious figure who never arrives, the play became the ur-text for theatrical innovation and existential thought in the latter half of 20th century.” —Christopher Isherwood, The New York Times

About the Author

Samuel Beckett (1906-1989), one of the leading literary and dramatic figures of the twentieth century, was born in Foxrock, Ireland and attended Trinity University in Dublin. In 1928, he visited Paris for the first time and fell in with a number of avant-garde writers and artists, including James Joyce. In 1937, he settled in Paris permanently. Beckett wrote in both English and French, though his best-known works are mostly in the latter language. A prolific writer of novels, short stories, and poetry, he is remembered principally for his works for the theater, which belong to the tradition of the Theater of the Absurd and are characterized by their minimalist approach, stripping drama to its barest elements. In 1969, Beckett was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature and commended for having "transformed the destitution of man into his exaltation." Beckett died in Paris in 1989.

At the age of seventy-six he said: "With diminished concentration, loss of memory, obscured intelligence... the more chance there is for saying something closest to what one really is. Even though everything seems inexpressible, there remains the need to express. A child need to make a sand castle even though it makes no sense. In old age, with only a few grains of sand, one has the greatest possibility." (from Playwrights at Work, ed. by George Plimpton, 2000)

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B008UX3QU0
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grove Press; 1st edition (April 12, 2011)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 12, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 315 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 132 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,907 ratings

About the author

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Samuel Beckett

Samuel Beckett

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Samuel Beckett was born in Dublin in 1906. He was educated at Portora Royal School and Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated in 1927. His made his poetry debut in 1930 with Whoroscope and followed it with essays and two novels before World War Two. He wrote one of his most famous plays, Waiting for Godot, in 1949 but it wasn't published in English until 1954. Waiting for Godot brought Beckett international fame and firmly established him as a leading figure in the Theatre of the Absurd. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969. Beckett continued to write prolifically for radio, TV and the theatre until his death in 1989.

Photo by Roger Pic [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
1,907 global ratings
its decent story
5 Stars
its decent story
makes you think and feel the characters emotions
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Top reviews from the United States

Emperor Ashokan
5.0 out of 5 stars read for school, pretty good
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2024
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i personally had to read this for school but if you like existentialist topics and absurd humor then you'll enjoy this book
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Richard C. Geschke
5.0 out of 5 stars Defining A Classic
Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2013
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After reading the screenplay of Waiting for Godot I did many things. I laughed, I scratched my head, I wondered who this Godot was and I tried to find the elusive plot and meaning of it all. In all, maybe it was Mr. Beckett's primary intention to have all the theater goers go mad!

The essence of this two act play revolves around two longtime friends by the names of Vladimir and Estragon who are in search of a character called Godot. The reader or theater goer never really knows who Godot is. Is it the search for God? Could be but who knows. Godot could represent anyone or anything.

Beckett gives the impression that Vladimir and Estragon are hobo-like characters who wear bowler's hats and carry on a most nonsensical and repetitious continuing conversation. In fact most of their dialogue is very much like Abbot and Costello's Who's On First. The dialogue goes in circles much like Abbot and Costello.
Also another comedy team comes to mind as I read on in what can only be called a farce of a play dominated by absurd allusions. As Vladimir and Estragon continue with their absurd conversations along comes two other characters which add more speculation into what seems to be like the rabbit in Alice In Wonderland added confusion and wonderment in that rather absurd tale. These characters named Pozzo and Lucky add their own comedic scheme to this rather confusing and jumbled tale. When the seemingly intellectually challenged Lucky, who has the IQ of Rocky Balboa, breaks into an outright intellectual diatribe it made me laugh so hard like I remember when I watched old Laurel and Hardy routines as a young boy.

The play's meaning and plot is an open book. It can mean anything to anybody. It is full of symbolism and begs for a solid debate. To me it represents life and that life in and of itself at times lacks meaning, shows comedy and can be disappointing and hard to really understand. After seeing this play on February 2, 2014 on Broadway I can compare the play to one TV Series that being "Seinfeld" and the classic movie titled "Groundhog's Day." These are the current comparisons but in the end this play represents a mystery for us to interpret. I'll stick with Groundhog's Day!!!

For some reason this play should probably be read and seen multiple times to gain what was in Beckett's mind. I can see why this play is considered a classic. It has all the elements of what the word classic is all about.
44 people found this helpful
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Rahul D.
4.0 out of 5 stars Good reading
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2024
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Excellent book
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Gubio3
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Plays representing Theatre of the Absurd
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2013
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Waiting for Godot, End Game, Krapps Last Tape, and Happy Days are some of Samuel Beckett's best works. These plays are existential and very bleak. The heros of these plays are 'everyman.' These characters live dark, seemingly meaningless existences; however, what makes them heroic is that despite their dark oppressive lives, they continue trying. Happy Days is probably the brightest of all of these plays because it ends on a relatively positive note, but I think Waiting for Godot and End Game are Beckett's finest.

Waiting for Godot is about two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, who are waiting in what seems like a post apocalyptic world, on a road, near a tree. What are they doing? They are waiting for Godot. We don't meet Godot. We don't really know who Godot is. He could be God. As they wait, they sort of discuss philosophical and biblical themes and ideas. These moments provide interesting insights on both. There is no plot. Nothing happens. And, we begin and end the play with these two characters on the road. However, the journey in Beckett's plays are not made by the characters. It is the viewers who are changed. We, along with these characters, are waiting. Ultimately, we need to decide who or what we are waiting for and if it is worth it.

I love Samuel Beckett. I love Theatre of the Absurd.
5 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars I'm not one to brag
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2023
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The room was soothing, like a dream as the fire crackled in its place, singing a comforting like as Vladamir shifts in his nightgown,c crossing his legs over Estrogon warm lap. Estrogon laughs, stretching his arms back, before grasping ahold of his soft angle. The tension in the room grew thick as Vladamir leaned toward, batting his eyes before taking another sip of wine.
"The night was truly magical tonight wasn't it?" Estrgon laughs at his question. He smiles. "Darling, tonight was the best night of my life". Vladamir bats his eyes again. " Well I do know if one thing that could make the night even more magical" Estrogon unbuttons the first three on his white, flowy long sleeve. showing a forest of hair in his wake. This caught Vladamir in his breath. He was beautiful. He leans forward, grasping Estrgon in a passionate kiss.

Anways read this in school and it was really boring okie byeeeeeeeeeee
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Maureen DeVoe
5.0 out of 5 stars Pre-performance reading
Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2023
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I’m attending a performance based on Samuel Beckett so I’m preparing by reading his most famous work
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H.G. Galt
5.0 out of 5 stars How do you keep an idiot in Suspense?
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2009
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Waiting for Godot is a masterful display of how prolonging conflict is the essence of all good reading. The characters are all "Waiting on Godot" and one wonders why, and who the HELL is Godot anyway. Well, you'll just have to read to find out.

Then again, does it matter? It does if you - I can't finish this review now, I'm leaving - wonder what the point of this insane excercise in the repetition of the scenes might be.

I can summarize this play in its entirety with a few short sentences. First however, I shall hang myself. It is reputed to give one an erection. This is daft I think, I'm leaving...Where am I going? I'm going.

On second thought, I shall wait here and give a review, at least until I can summarize this play. But first I can finally meet Godot! What does Godot look like? Don't think I'm patronizing you, all you've readers ever done is kick me in the mud and abuse me relentlessly.

Ah, the summary. Well, I shall leave it to Beckett and his characters...or Godot. I think I'll wait. Ah, he shall review - I'm told - shortly after my own review. Delightful!

I hope you don't mind waiting...

-H.G.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Roberta Rovere
5.0 out of 5 stars PERFETTO
Reviewed in Italy on November 9, 2023
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Arrivato nei tempi, uso scolastico universitario
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Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Muy satisfecha con la compra
Reviewed in Spain on January 11, 2019
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Ingeniosamente gracioso.
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She-Hulk
5.0 out of 5 stars It is a very short and funny play with much deeper messages and themes
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 1, 2017
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Hilarious modernist text. It is a very short and funny play with much deeper messages and themes. A great little read, it made me want to see it live.
One person found this helpful
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Norman Mc Neely
5.0 out of 5 stars A Tragicomedy
Reviewed in Australia on December 26, 2021
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A play wrote by a man who is trying to make sense on the horrors of WW2 and the different facets of the human condition. Read it slowly and carefully. A few times.
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Biswajit M.
5.0 out of 5 stars Very thought provoking as well as inspiring to stay alive ...
Reviewed in India on February 9, 2017
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Very thought provoking as well as inspiring to stay alive for the lost causes of a progressive life.
Though formatted as drama but very much a poem of life.
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