Published in 1949
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The story revolves around two seemingly homeless men simply 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.
VLADIMIR: I don't understand.
ESTRAGON: Use your intelligence, can't you?
Vladimir uses his intelligence.
VLADIMIR: [finally] I remain in the dark.
Waiting for Godot is a sentimental read from high school. I recently gave it a reread because I realised I didn't remember much from it and felt like a fake fan, so I needed to redeem myself.
I think I enjoyed it even more on this reread than I did in high school. Maybe it was the nostalgia or maybe it was because I finally wasn't reading for class haha.
I admit that I don't think I would have liked this play so much in high school if it weren't for the fact that my friends seemed to enjoy it. Despite my doubts, I had fun quoting the play with them in our everyday life (nerds, I know). But personally, the play was a bit nonsensical and repetitive for me. And maybe that isn't a personal opinion. Some may argue that it is even the point--the point that life is meaningless.
But on this reread, without having to do any analysis for my high school English class, I found humour in the nonsense and great fun in Vladimir and Estragon's dynamic. That quote, case in point.
