Author: adam ferguson

Quote

by Adam B. Ferguson

An interesting quote that continues to stick in my mind as I read through the play each time —

POZZO:
He’s stopped crying. (To Estragon.) You have replaced him as it were. (Lyrically.)
The tears of the world are a constant quantity. For each one who begins to weep,
somewhere else another stops. The same is true of the laugh. (He laughs.) Let us
not then speak ill of our generation, it is not any unhappier than its predecessors.
(Pause.) Let us not speak well of it either. (Pause.) Let us not speak of it at all.

This quote is very philosophical and profound in its approach.   I feel this quote and others like it made by Pozzo are contrasting to the rest of the text.  A majority of the text is very simple and short wording, however, this is a stark opposite to all of that.  It also speaks to the greater world around the characters instead of the immediate setting surrounding them.  It makes it seem as if things like this encounter, this meeting, this constant waiting, happen on a continuous basis.  The past present and future seem to be blurred together to create something much bigger and greater – life.

Second Reading Notes (& comments)

by Adam B. Ferguson

In regards to the setting (a country road, a tree)

this description is very nondescript and unspecific.  It is quite ironic that they are supposed to meet Godot by the tree but have no specifications to which tree (what kind, where, etc.) By making the setting description so general and nonspecific it plays into the overall tone of the play and the dejavu feeling.

ESTRAGON:
We came here yesterday.
VLADIMIR:
Ah no, there you’re mistaken.
ESTRAGON:
What did we do yesterday?
VLADIMIR:
What did we do yesterday?
ESTRAGON:
Yes.
VLADIMIR:
Why . . . (Angrily.) Nothing is certain when you’re about.
ESTRAGON:
In my opinion we were here.
VLADIMIR:
(looking round). You recognize the place?
ESTRAGON:
I didn’t say that.
VLADIMIR:
Well?
ESTRAGON:
That makes no difference.
VLADIMIR:
All the same . . . that tree . . . (turning towards auditorium) that bog . . .It is clear that neither Vladimir or Estragon truly knows what is going on or fully understand where they are or supposed to be.  However, their discussion about the tree itself is quite fascinating.  According to Paul’s comments on the symbol of the tree earlier a tree usually pertains to life and continuous growth and change unless affected by a foreign force. Each character tries to identify the tree where they are waiting for Godot, however, with each  description or identification the image begins to change and completely evolve until finally they believe they may be in the wrong place.

VLADIMIR:
He said by the tree. (They look at the tree.) Do you see any others?
ESTRAGON:
What is it?
VLADIMIR:
I don’t know. A willow.
ESTRAGON:
Where are the leaves?

VLADIMIR:
It must be dead.
ESTRAGON:
No more weeping.
VLADIMIR:
Or perhaps it’s not the season.
ESTRAGON:
Looks to me more like a bush.
VLADIMIR:
A shrub.
ESTRAGON:
A bush.
VLADIMIR:
A€”. What are you insinuating? That we’ve come to the wrong place?
ESTRAGON:
He should be here.

Much like the growing and changing of an actual tree, their conversation does the same from tree, to weeping willow, to a tree without leaves (no longer having to weep), to a shrub, to a bush.  A tree starts as a single, tiny seed which once planted begins to grow and flourish until it becomes a completely different being from that of the single seed.  The tree then produces seeds which start the entire process over again.  This talk of the tree and the changing description of it keeps the conversation moving forward as it grows and flourishes to become a completely separate entity.   It moves the conversation from simply talking about what kind of tree it is and its many changing aspects to the question at heart – are they in the right spot as they continue to wait for Godot?

THEMES 2

Adam B. Ferguson

Group 4

Vice vs. Piety: Several character in the play seem to over indulge or in things or either are too strict.  Measure for Measure attempts to punish those who are too lewd, and teach those who are too pious, by the time the end is reached.

Temptation: Whether a person can resist temptation is a sign of how good or wicked they actually are. Temptation plays on the tendency of human nature to be flawed and vulnerable, and those who allow themselves to be tempted too far are weak of character.

Disguise: Disguise allows all of the Duke’s plans to take place. Without disguise, and the way the Duke uses and abuses the privileges that this disguise affords him, many events in the play would not have taken place at all.

THEMES 3

Adam B. Ferguson

Group 4

Moderation and mercy: These  two things are the two necessary qualities of a ruler that Angelo lacks, and which also make him a poor judge. Every ruler must govern with an eye for human nature and its weaknesses.  He must also show mercy for those who commit the same sins as the ruler himself.

Manipulation:  Manipulation pays a huge role in the plot since most of the events in the throughout are manipulated by the Duke. Without his manipulation of people and events, Claudio would have died, Angelo have remained unexposed, and Mariana would not have gotten married.  Justice depends upon the Duke’s schemes and manipulations within the play, however self-serving his actions may turn out to be.

THEMES

Adam B. Ferguson

Group 4

Actions vs. words: In Measure for many character say they are doing or will do one thing and then completely do the opposite.  The Duke often announces that he is doing one thing, and then acts completely different from what he said he is doing. This causes the reader to question why the Duke would be deliberately misleading, and what his overall intent for this deception of leaving the city is.

Appearance vs. reality: This is especially seen in the character of Angelo.  Angelo has the reputation and appearance of being good do not truly match who he is as an individual.  This idea can also be extended to the city of Vienna itself which appears to be pretty and serene but instead hides a lot of sin.

Corruption: The city in this play (Vienna) is corrupt on many different levels.  This corruption seems to spread from the city and affect Angelo who later becomes corrupt.  This corruption seems to be the result of too much indulgence, or a belief that one will get away with one’s crimes.

Willy’s Religion

Adam B. Ferguson

Even though direct religion is never openly discussed in this book an almost “different” kind of religious outlook is prevalent.  Willy’s strive for success no matter what the cost and his views of the American dream almost become of a type of a religion to him.  The idea remains “holy” to him.  Willy also comes from another “religious” approach by referring to Greek mythological gods or over exaggerating things.  He has the tendency to make people mythological and godly which leads to his overall delusional state of mind.  He speaks of Dave Singleman as a legend and imagines that his death must have been beautifully noble. Willy compares Biff and Happy to the mythic Greek figures Adonis and Hercules. He believes his sons are the epitome of "personal attractiveness" and power through "well liked"-ness and to him they seem to be the very incarnation of the American Dream.  It is these jaded visions and over exaggerated stories that cause Willy to view the world in a godly manner.  Through his jaded glasses, Willy fails to realize the hopelessness of Singleman’s lonely, on-the-job, on-the-road death. By trying to reach what he considers to be Singleman’s heroic status, Willy commits himself to a pathetic death and meaningless legacy Similarly, neither Biff nor Happy ends up leading an ideal, godlike life; while Happy does believe in the American Dream, it seems likely that he will end up no better off than the decidedly ungodlike Willy.  So although religion of an organized, westernized, or even any religion, is not necessarily mentioned, the ideas of many religions and beliefs are scattered throughout.  Willy also appears to create a religion of his own where he actively seeks the American Dream as if on a pilgrimage to the (un)holy land.

Societal American Dream

Adam B. Ferguson

Willy becomes so enthralled in the American Dream that he is willing to sacrifice most everything to get what he wants.  This sacrifice includes his son Biff.  Willy believes that he has every right to expect Biff to want the same dream as him.  Like father like son? However, when Biff walks out on Willy’s ambitions for him, Willy takes this rejection very personally and sees it as vengful and spiteful. Since Willy is a salesman, he is distraught when he cannot even sell his son the idea of the societal American Dream.  Biff’s rejection is like a rejection of society to Willy.  The American dream is like a disease that cannot be cured in Willy.  Instead of being cured, however, Willy is further contaminated by society and its definition of success in a materialistic sense.

Society’s Effects

Adam B. Ferguson

Willy’s struggle and hardhips throughout his time reveals the pressure of society to not only achieve but to achieve greatness. In order to achieve and live the American Dream (either that of society or of Willy), social, political and economic envirornments are affected. Throughout his life Willy experiences much despair and abandonment which in the end affected his feature and him as an individual. From early on Willy’s visions and ideas of society are tainted leaving him wanting more for something he didn’t have. Things which society projected as good and successful traints. Wi Willy’s father leaves him and Ben when Willy at a young age which leaves him wanting the tangible (money) nor an intangible (history) legacy he has always yearned to have. Willy’s actions as well as thos events which ahve affected him, eventually push him to strive for the unreachable American Dream. Willy considers his son Biff to be the embodiment of promise and wants to achieve success and reach his dream through him / for him. However, Biff is unable to succeed in business which further estranges the two. This shows how much society and Willy’s outlandish ideas derived from societal beliefs has affected Willy to the core.At Frank’s Chop House, Willy finally believes that Biff is on the verge of succes. However Biff and Happy shatter this illusion of Willy. It is then that Willy has reached a point where he loses all control. This “let down” leaves Willy derranged and babling in the washroom. Not only can Willy no achieve his warped American Dream but neither can his son. Willy values money and business success over the true success and hapiness of himself as well as his family. He believes that if he reaches that unreachable dream he will be happy because society says he should be happy. If he has a pretty wife, a good job where he makes good money, a car, and a nice house that he will be happy. However, even if Willy ever achieved these things – would he even be happy?

Enviornment

 Adam B. Ferguson

Willy is a man who sets up a very different view of the Political, Social, and Economic environment.  Willy believes wholeheartedly in what he considers the promise of the American Dream (the American dream being a person who is "well liked" as well as  "personally attractive").  If Willy is able to obtain to “American Dream,” he beleives he will obtain the comforts offered by modern American life. However, this  fixation on superficial qualities such as attractiveness and likeability is different then that of the true American Dream.  Willy believes he can “cheat” the system by using only his good looks and charm, but overlooks the what that he must work hard without complaining in order to succeed and obtain the true American Dream.  It is Willy’s childish tendencies to judge based on superficial qualities (he dislikes Bernard because he considers Bernard a nerd) that ultimately gets him in trouble. Willy’s blind faith in his obscured version of the American Dream leads to his rapid psychological decline in which is is unable to differentiate between his own life and the “dream.” Willy’s need for success and affirmation labels him as someone who believes he must prove something to someone.  In order to achieve success you must first be at the bottom in order to work yourself to the top.  Willy must go through this same journey but tries to shortcut or work the system which leaves him grasping at imaginery ladders.

Given Circumstances

Adam B. Ferguson

The action in DEATH OF A SALESMAN take place “today” (aka the present) in Brooklyn New York.  This meaning, either the late 1940s or the time period in which the play is being produced.  However, "Daydreams" take us into Willy’s past.  All of the action takes place during a twenty-four-hour period between Monday night and Tuesday night, except the "Requiem," which takes place, presumably, a few days after Willy’s funeral.