Summary The ultimate A* revision guide to Waiting for Godot
2 views 0 purchase
Course
Waiting for Godot
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
Book
Waiting for Godot
The ultimate A* revision guide to Waiting for Godot, with top A02 quotes and analysis and unique A03 and AO5 context to impress your examiners. Written by an A* student who received 30/30.
A* essay exploring the relationship between Vladimir and Estragon
Absurd theatre practice essay - Waiting for Godot
All for this textbook (3)
Written for
A/AS Level
PEARSON (PEARSON)
English Literature 2015
Waiting for Godot
All documents for this subject (2)
Seller
Follow
aliceland
Reviews received
Content preview
Complete Study Notes on Waiting for Godot – A01, A02, A03
A tragicomedy in 2 Acts.
Waiting (for Godot): waiting: present progressive participle. Suggests
expectations – hope or hopelessness?
Beckett visited Germany in 1930s, shocked and appalled by brutality
of Nazis. Took part in French resistance and draws upon his
experiences.
Written originally in French, first performance in 1953, Paris. 1 st
performance in English, 1955, with a rewritten script, not translation.
Had difficulty finding a theatre that would accept it, early audiences
were repelled by it. Marked a landmark in Western theatre. Paris
more receptive to early modernism than London and other major
metropolitans. Philosophical context – Jean Paul – existentialism.
The Poetics by Aristotle (335 BC) - 6 elements of drama:
- Spectacle
- Music/melody
- Diction/ dialogue
- Theme
- Character
- Plot
“With respect to the requirement of art, the probable impossible is
always preferrable to the improbable possible”
Gustav Freytag’s Pyramid (1863):
1. Exposition
2. Inciting incident
3. Complication
4. Climax
5. Reversal
‘Theatre of the Absurd’ Essay (1965) Martin Esslin.
WFG rejected the conventions of “the well-made play and built on
more experimental forms of drama in the early 20th century. Became
a key text in the movement. Psychological realism part of the
theatrical innovations of the 20th century.
When the plays of Ionesco, Beckett, Adamov first appeared on the
stage, they puzzled and outraged most critics as well as audience.
And no wonder.
The basis of the well-made play is the implicit assumption that the
world does make sense, that reality is solid and secure, all outlines
clear, all ends apparent. The plays that we have classed, under the
label of the ‘Theatre of the Absurd’, on the other hand, expresses a
sense of shock at the absence, the loss of any such clear and well-
defined beliefs or values.
Esslin cites mid-20th century “social and spiritual reasons” that
created a “sense of loss of meaning” and “sense of disillusionment”
in society. Suggests that post-war years have created a climate
where: “previously held certainties have dissolved, the firmest
foundations for hope and optimism have collapsed. Suddenly man
sees himself faced with a universe that is both frightening and
illogical – in a word, absurd”.
Beckett’s constant juxtaposition of philosophy, with bathos to
undercut it, confuses the audience, mirroring the confusion that
Beckett feels in an apparently meaningless world.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller aliceland. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $13.33. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
