by Paul Kappel
The play’s major characters Estragon and Vladmir are certainly not characters renowned for their lengthy and wordy conversations, a number of their discussions spanning less than just a few lines:
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- VLADIMIR:
- Did you ever read the Bible?
- ESTRAGON:
- The Bible . . . (He reflects.) I must have taken a look at it.
- VLADIMIR:
- Do you remember the Gospels?
- ESTRAGON:
- I remember the maps of the Holy Land. Coloured they were. Very pretty. The Dead Sea was pale blue. The very look of it made me thirsty. That’s where we’ll go, I used to say, that’s where we’ll go for our honeymoon. We’ll swim. We’ll be happy.
A major reason for this is Becketts clear disregard for the details of life. Our two men are in a state of purgatory while waiting for Godot, being forced to make small talk in order to pass the endless amount of time which is passing. Conversations which are described as being “curt” are generally a good symbol of people who might not be the greatest of friends or who are simply bored with eachother’s company. All that needs to be said has been said.