Waiting for Godot set direction Themes in Waiting for Godot

o Theater of the absurd- words have no meaning, and are very repetitive Demonstrated by estragon and Vladimir’s respective actions and lines that

are interchangeable. “Hurts he wants to know if it hurts . . . Hurts he wants to know if it hurts,” (Waiting for Godot 38-42).

o They are unable to make decisions, they cannot do anythingo Very desperate times, nothing happens and all of Estragon and Vladimir’s actions

are futile o Estragon can’t exist without Vladimir; Vladimir has to make all of the decisions.

For example Estragon always asks Vladimir about what to do “What are we waiting for” “We are waiting for Godot”

Alternate setting/ outcome for Waiting for Godot o References are made to a life before the action that takes place in the play. “Do

you remember the day I threw myself into the Rhône?” (Waiting for Godot 1125)o Therefore, I would like to have a post apocalyptic setting. Clearly they are not

leading the life they once did, one explanation could be due to some sort of nuclear apocalypse

Setting similar to The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Post apocalyptic, futile and repetitive action.

oo Very sparse set, some dead trees, more than what is presented in the play. Dirtier

and filled with dust and debris from the previous society. o Vladimir and Estragon are wandering, simply trying to survive after the

apocalypse. They keep looking for some kind of savior so they don’t have to wander for survival (Godot). They are looking for any sign of civilization even though they know that it is very unlikely that any civilization exists.

o The other characters such as Pozzo and Lucky are also wanderers like Vladimir and Estragon, the two sets of characters have very similar relationships

The two main characters are skeptical and afraid of survivors like them

Ex. When they fear going near to help them set directions on page 1240

Estragon and Vladimir have a father son relationship or as if they were in a family. In my version of waiting for Godot they could be brothers, Vladimir the older of the two trying to take care of Estragon.

In the second act of Waiting for Godot the only tree in scene grows a leaf, which could be thought of as a false symbol of hope

o Similarly in my version of the play, I would have some form of life, perhaps a domesticated animal like a dog, to come across the stage as a reminder of what life used to be like.

o It would represent a false sense of hope as well Finally, I would portray the boy as a survivor of the apocalypse as well. Instead of telling

Estragon and Vladimir that Godot will come tomorrow, he will tell them that there are people just down the road.