Waiting for Godot
Ratings146
Average rating3.9
15
Ratings146
Average rating3.9
Two old tramps wait on a bare stretch of road near a tree for Godot.
Reviews with the most likes.
What can I say? Bleak? Depressing? Inspires countless personal crises of meaning? My favorite kind of literature! The first time I ever read Waiting for Godot was in high school detention - how perfect.
This was shockingly simplistic, yet heartbreaking at the same time. Suprised it took me this long to read it. I'd highly recommend!
The post war desolate atmosphere is thick and wraps everything in the avail of timelessness and mild depression while the two main characters babble their way in circles, sometimes normal, other times imbecile. The humor has roots in the art of making fun of the dumb, the unable and the poor, which I disdain, but it also has some good moments and the language is very quick, and at times impressive, especially since the original was crafted in French.
Ted-Ed says this play is a part of the “Theatre of the absurd” movement and even though I don't really know what that is, it sounds about right. In general, I don't enjoy non sensical tales and didn't expect much from this, but I gave it a try because it is famous and quite short. Oh and if you didn't know, there is a recording of the entire play/movie on YouTube.
Overall, I understand what Beckett was trying to show us about life and time and waiting and wanting and needing and not having and never reaching the end; but having to sit through this felt like I was trapped in there, with him - and perhaps that was intentional, but dear god, let me out.
This play is iconic, so I'm glad I read it. And it is conceptually brilliant, a story about nothing, probably with deep existential themes if I cared to analyze it. But as such, it was painful to read.
