WAITING FOR GODOT - Page 2 of 3 - book summaries and study materials

Summary and Analysis Act II: Arrival of Boy Messenger

Vladimir’s depression is suddenly interrupted by the appearance of a boy. Since this boy asserts that he was not here yesterday, he has to be a different one. However, the message that he brings is identical to the one brought yesterday by a boy: Mr. Godot will not come this […]

Summary and Analysis Act II: Departure of Pozzo and Lucky: Vladimir and Estragon Alone

Samuel Beckett

While Vladimir and Pozzo have been talking, Estragon has been sleeping again in his fetal position. Vladimir, feeling lonely, awakens him. Significantly, since Estragon was sleeping in his fetal position, his dreams were happy ones; but even so, Vladimir refuses to listen to them. Vladimir’s final speech before the entrance […]

Summary and Analysis Act II: Arrival of Pozzo and Lucky

Samuel Beckett

Suddenly and without warning, as in the first act, Pozzo and Lucky come back on stage. Their arrival puts an end to Vladimir and Estragon’s games. Things have changed significantly for Pozzo and Lucky. The long rope which bound them together is now much shorter, binding them closer together and […]

Summary and Analysis Act II: Vladimir and Estragon Alone

Samuel Beckett

The second act begins almost exactly as the first act did — with one exception: there are now four or five leaves on the once barren tree. As in Act I, Estragon is alone and Vladimir enters, singing some repetitious doggerel about a dog which was beaten to death because […]

Summary and Analysis Act I: Vladimir and Estragon Alone

Samuel Beckett

After the boy leaves, Vladimir and Estragon are left alone. Night has fallen and the moon has risen. The two tramps resolve to leave since there is “nothing to do here,” but then, hopefully, Vladimir reminds Estragon that the boy said “Godot was sure to come to-morrow.” Thus, they must […]

Summary and Analysis Act I: Arrival of Boy Messenger

Samuel Beckett

Out of nowhere a boy with a message from Mr. Godot appears, but the boy is too frightened to come close to the tramps. They question the boy about his fears and ask him if he has been here before. Suddenly, the boy delivers his message: “Mr. Godot told me […]

Summary and Analysis Act I: Departure of Pozzo and Lucky: Vladimir and Estragon Alone

Samuel Beckett

With the departure of Pozzo and Lucky, Vladimir realizes that he is glad that the episode helped pass the time. Constantly, the two are faced with finding some way of passing the time while waiting, even though Estragon philosophically points out that time “would have passed in any case.” Thus […]

Summary and Analysis Act I: Lucky’s Dance and Speech

Samuel Beckett

Lucky’s dance is merely a clumsy shuffling, which is a complete disappointment to Vladimir and Estragon. Thus they decide to have Lucky think. They give him his hat, and after protesting Pozzo’s brutality, they arrange themselves for Lucky’s performance of thinking. It takes the form of a long, seemingly incoherent […]

Summary and Analysis Act I: Arrival of Pozzo and Lucky

Samuel Beckett

As Vladimir and Estragon sit in peaceful resignation to their condition, a loud cry destroys the quietness and terrifies them. They immediately run to hide, huddling together and “cringing away from the menace.” Suddenly Pozzo and Lucky arrive on the scene. Lucky has a rope around his neck and is […]

Summary and Analysis Act I: Vladimir and Estragon

Samuel Beckett

The rising curtain exposes a landscape that is strange and alien. It most resembles some strange place in outer space with its haunting and brooding sense of despair. A country road or an actual lonely road is the main setting, and there is a single tree. We know there is […]