Present by:- Zala Krutikaba. DRoll no :- 15

Semester :- 32014 - 2015

Paper :- The Modernist Literature

Topic:- Waiting for Godot –As an Absurd Theatre

Submitted to :- Smt. S.B. GardiDepartment of English

M.K. Bhavnagar University

The “ Theatre of the Absurd “ is also known as a “ New Theatre “. The word “ Absurd “ means foolishness , senseless , opposed to reason , something silly and ridiculous. Critic “ Martin Esslin “ coined the term in his 1960 essay “ Theatre of the Absurd “. The Theatre of the Absurd commonly associated with “ Existentialism “.

What is the “ Theatre of the Absurd “ ?

Meaninglessness of life

No wonder

No Organized movement

Lack of plot

Elements of “ Existentialism “

Very hard contain

Puzzled dialogues

Nonsense language

Characters are stereotypical and archetypal

Importance of Repetition.

Absurd or unexplained ending

Comic Scenes

Different from Traditional drama

Main Features of “ The Theatre of the Absurd “

“Waiting for Godot “ as

“ The Theatre of the Absurd”

Senseless activity of Vladimir and Estragon

Waiting for Godot.

Meaninglessness of life

No beginning , climax and ending.

Same place and time Unexplained story Nothingness and emptiness

Lack of Plot

Song of “ death of a dog “ by Vladimir : A dog came in the kitchen

And stole a crust of bread.Then cook up with a ladleAnd beat him till he was dead.

Then all the dogs came runningAnd dug the dog a tomb– Changing hats scene

Comic Scenes

Who is Godot ? God or Man ? Act 1 : Pozzo - Master

Lucky – Slave Act 2 : Pozzo – Master

Lucky - Slave No female character

Complexity of Characters

Nonsense language of Lucky makes confusion. Given the existence as uttered forth in the

public works of Puncher and Wattmann of a personal God quaquaquaqua with white beard quaquaquaqua outside time without extension who from the…….

Dialogues of Vladimir and Estragon make misunderstanding.

Nonsense Language

Same time , place , action in Act 1 and 2. Same dialogues :-

ESTRAGON:What do we do now? VLADIMIR:Wait for Godot. ESTRAGON:Ah!Silence.

Importance of repetition

No use of interesting plot. No sense of story Meaningful dialogues No use of dream , fantasy

and poetic language.

Different from Traditional drama

Believe in existence of “Man” Believe in “God” Waiting for God

Element of “ Existentialism “

Unexplained ending Here ending is not conclusion No satisfaction Decision of suicide if Godot

fails to arrive. A play gives confusion

and problems. And no solution.

Absurd ending

Thank you