Waiting For Godot

Presents a series of critical essays discussing the structure, themes, and subject matter of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot.

Texts -- Meaning -- Intellectual contexts -- Dramatic art -- Performance.

Explores the impact of Waiting for Godot on the theatre and its many interpretations.

Describes the background of Waiting for Godot, discusses its themes, and looks at its critical reception

Beckett was one of the greatest and most influential literary figures of this century, and 'Waiting for Godot', now regarded as a classic of 20th-century European literature, is part of the standard repertoire in theatres around the world

Gathers together interpretations of Beckett's best-known plays, illustrating a range of theoretical approaches from deconstruction to reader-response theory, psychoanalysis and feminism. Steven Connor has written books on Dickens, Beckett and Postmodernist culture.

Presents a collection of critical essays on the play that analyze its structure, characters, and themes.

"An impressively complete survey of the play in its cultural, theatrical, historical and political contexts." - David Bradby, co-editor of Contemporary Theatre Review Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot is not only an indisputably important and influential dramatic text -it is also one of the most significant western cultural landmarks of the twentieth century. Originally written in French, the play first amazed and appalled Parisian theatre-goers and critics before receiving a harshly dismissive initial critical response in Britain in 1955. Its influence since then on the international stage has been significant, impacting on generations of actors, directors and audiences.

"It is the only book available that provides a detailed essay on the play and its author. The book acts both as an essential text and a study aid for students of A level as well as for those enrolled in graduate and post-graduate courses in English Literature."--BOOK JACKET.

Two hapless understudies occupy their time backstage, trying to understand art, life, theatre and their precarious existence within it. Described as “delectable” by The New York Times and “gleefully absurd” by Time Out New York this hilariously witty comedy ponders Beckett, showbiz and just what on earth it’s all about. Turns out, the only people who truly understand Beckett’s Waiting For Godot, are the understudies.

"The Theatrical Notebooks of Samuel Beckett is beyond doubt a major contribution to Beckett scholarship and to the study of drama as a genre."--Richard J. Finneran

The author discusses the symbolical significance of the play in relation to the language, the characters and the "god" the tramps are waiting for. The meaning of the term "Godot" in both French and English is considered. Various productions are mentioned and the intentions of the author, Samuel Beckett, are analysed. It is argued that this is an anti-Christian play.

The Icon Readers' Guides series assembles a comprehensive collection of extracts from critical essays, reviews and articles, providing the reader with ready access to the most influential writings on a single text, or related texts.

This volume offers a comprehensive critical study of Samuel Beckett's first and most renowned dramatic work, Waiting for Godot, which has become one of the most frequently discussed, and influential plays in the history of the theatre. Lawrence Graver discusses the play's background and provides a detailed analysis of its originality and distinction as a landmark of modern theatrical art. He reviews some of the differences between Beckett's original French version and his English translation.