Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett detailed summary

 

One evening, while sitting on a low mound near a bare tree beside a country road, Estragon tries unsuccessfully to remove his boot. When his friend Vladimir enters, he gives up pulling the boot, remarking that there is “nothing to be done.” He broods briefly about having “resumed the struggle.” He is, he says, glad to see Estragon again, having believed him permanently gone. He suggests a celebratory embrace but Estragon irritably declines. He says he spent the night in a ditch nearby and “they” beat him again, though he does not know whether it was the usual people who do so. Vladimir insists that, without his presence throughout the years, Estragon would be a small accumulation of bones.

Estragon feebly resumes pulling the boot and asks for help, complaining that it hurts.  There is, he reiterates, nothing to be done. Vladimir examines his hat; Estragon removes the boot. Estragon suggests that they repent having been born. “people are bloody ignorant apes,”.

 After scanning the horizon, Estragon proposes that they leave their current spot, but Vladimir reminds him that they are to await Godot by the tree although they see no others. Godot did not say for certain that he would come; if not, they will wait again daily. They are uncertain that they waited here the day before, that they have been in this place before, or that they were to meet on this evening, on a Saturday. They are also unsure of the day of the week. It is therefore possible that Godot came yesterday and they missed him; if so, he will probably not come again.

Estragon feels he may be mistaken that they were in this place the day before, but he falls asleep as Vladimir paces. When Estragon is awakened by Vladimir’s shouting at him, the latter emphatically does not want to listen to his recounted nightmares. Estragon resentfully claims that he sometimes believes that they should part, but Vladimir asserts that his companion would not go far. Estragon then begins a story about an Englishman visiting a brothel, but Vladimir stops him. Vladimir exits the stage as Estragon watches, but he soon returns and, after some mutual silences, asks forgiveness. Eventually they embrace, though Estragon complains that Vladimir stinks from garlic.

Pondering what to do while waiting, they consider hanging themselves. Since the bough may not be strong enough, Vladimir suggests that Estragon, who weighs less, should go first. Estragon, however, believes that he should not go first, because of the fact that he is lighter than Vladimir. When Vladimir cannot figure out why that would matter, Estragon explains with difficulty that if the bough broke with Didi going second, he would be left alone. If, however, it hangs the heavier man, it will hang the lighter one. Vladimir is uncertain that he is heavier; Estragon is unsure too. They decide not to do anything, which is safer.

They will continue to await Godot, They wait in silence. Estragon wonders whether they have no more rights; Vladimir suppresses a laugh, noting that such has been prohibited and that they “got rid of” their rights Vladimir thought he might have heard Godot, perhaps shouting, possibly at his horse. It was, he concludes, more likely wind stirring reeds.

When Estragon says he is hungry, Vladimir offers him a carrot but pulls a turnip from his pocket. When Estragon protests, Vladimir finds a carrot, saying it is the last. Estragon takes up his previously disregarded question of whether they are “tied” to Godot. There is “no question about it,” Vladimir says, though he is even unsure of Godot’s name. Estragon finds
that things get worse, but Vladimir asserts that he grows accustomed to this as time goes on. Again, nothing can be done about it.

After a terrible cry from offstage, two strangers enter. The first, Lucky, is bound by a long rope tied around his neck. He carries a picnic basket, a folding stool, a heavy bag, and a greatcoat. His master, Pozzo, cracks a whip, urging him on. Lucky crosses the stage, but Pozzo stops when he sees Vladimir and Estragon and yanks the rope, pulling Lucky back, causing him to fall. Pozzo warns that Lucky can be a danger to strangers. Estragon wonders if this is Godot. Pozzo introduces himself, asking whether they recognize his name; Estragon claims they are not from nearby. Pozzo notes that they are of the same species, apparently, and thus “made in God’s image.” Pozzo asks who Godot is.

Pozzo claims that they are on his (Pozzo’s) land, though the road is open to everyone, disgraceful as he finds that fact to be. Again he jerks Lucky’s rope, addressing him as “pig” and “hog,” ordering his every move. Lucky holds the whip in his mouth to help Pozzo put on his coat. Then he picks up his burdens again as Pozzo chats about his journey and his need for company. As he orders Lucky to prepare the stool on which Pozzo will sit.  From the picnic basket he takes out a bottle of wine and a piece of chicken, which he eats voraciously. Vladimir and Estragon inspect the motionless Lucky, who seems to be falling asleep on his feet without dropping the bags. Pozzo discards the sucked-dry bones. Vladimir and Estragon examine Lucky’s rope-abraded neck, then notice his slobbering (wet) mouth and protruding eyes, speculating that he is perhaps half-witted. When they start to ask him a question, Pozzo tells them to leave Lucky alone since he (Lucky) obviously wants to rest.

As Pozzo lights his pipe, Estragon desires the discarded chicken bones on the ground. Estragon haltingly asks Pozzo if he has finished with the bones, but such impropriety shocks Vladimir.

After a long silence from Lucky, Pozzo tells Estragon that he can have the bones. He worries that Lucky, who never refused a bone before, may be sick. As Estragon gnaws the bones, Vladimir protests that Pozzo’s treatment of Lucky is scandalous. Estragon agrees but continues gnawing. Pozzo considers their criticism harsh and asks their ages. Receiving no reply, he asks their estimation of Lucky’s age. Estragon guesses 11. Pozzo says he must leave but decides to smoke another pipe, despite worries about nicotine’s effect on his heart.

 Bleeding, Estragon fears that he will no longer be able to walk; Vladimir says he would carry him. In a way, Pozzo remarks, Estragon’s crying replaced Lucky’s; the amount of the world’s tears remains constant, since whenever one person in the world stops weeping, somewhere another starts, he prefers not to talk about the current generation at all.

Pozzo suggests having Lucky entertain them by thinking aloud, though Estragon would prefer him to dance. Addressed as “hog” and “misery,” Lucky complies, dancing what Pozzo calls “The Net.” Estragon and Vladimir suggest “The Scapegoat’s Agony” as title.

After a silence, Estragon complains that “nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, it’s awful!”

Pozzo kicks Lucky and jerks the rope to make him move on, but even with assistance from Vladimir he falls to the ground. They prop him up and return the bag to his hand. He gradually recovers his familiar stance and totters along on command. Pozzo thanks them.  Pozzo finds that he seemingly cannot leave. Estragon replies, “Such is life.” Stretching the rope until he is offstage, Pozzo cracks the whip and orders Lucky to move on. They depart. After a lengthy silence, Estragon suggests that they too depart. Vladimir reminds him that they can’t, since they are waiting for Godot. Trying to make conversation.

From offstage, a boy calls them and timidly approaches, bringing a message from Mr. Godot that Godot will not come today. Asked why he is late, he replies that it is not his fault: he was afraid. He claims to have been there for some time but was afraid of the whip, the noise, and the men he did not know. He works for Godot, he says, tending goats; Godot does not beat him and is good to him, but he beats the boy’s brother, who tends sheep.

 The boy runs away, and night suddenly falls; the moon rises. Estragon leaves his boots for someone else to find. He intends to go barefoot.  Vladimir expresses hope for a better day tomorrow, when, according to the boy, Mr. Godot will surely come. They begin to leave, look again at the tree, and wish they had some rope. They have been together for perhaps fifty years, Vladimir says, though he admits he does not know.

They resolve to go but do not move. The curtain descends.

 

In act two, four or five leaves are on the tree. Vladimir enters, anxiously examines Estragon’s neatly arranged boots, searches the horizon, and sings a song about a dog killed by a cook for stealing bread from the kitchen. Estragon enters but refuses an embrace or discussion, though he implores Vladimir to stay with him. After a long look, they embrace. Estragon, hearing Vladimir sing when alone, thought his friend happy at his absence; he claims he prefers being alone too. Reassuring each other, they say they are happy and will continue to wait for Godot. Changing the subject, Vladimir notices that the tree has changed and asks whether Estragon recalls that they considered hanging themselves from it yesterday. Estragon claims Vladimir dreamed it; he has forgotten the incident. He also does not recall the names of Pozzo and Lucky.

After a silence, Vladimir sighs. Estragon suggests it would be better if they separated, but Vladimir notes that he always comes back. It would be best, Estragon says, to be killed like billions of others.

A long silence ensues; they continue waiting for Godot. They consider contradicting each other but instead ask each other questions. Vladimir wonders where “these corpses” and skeletons are from. Estragon suggests turning toward nature; Vladimir claims they have tried that already. Silence again follows; they concentrate, hats off, trying to find something else to think about. Vladimir tries to describe what happened from the beginning, noting that the formerly bare tree now has leaves after a single night.

 

 

Vladimir points to the boots onstage where Estragon left them yesterday, but Estragon contends that they are not his; they are not the same color. Vladimir contends that someone must have taken Estragon’s boots and left his own. Estragon suggests that they go; Vladimir reminds him that they are waiting for Godot. When Estragon claims he can’t go on, Vladimir offers him a black radish from among the turnips in his pocket. Estragon likes only pink ones and says he will go get a carrot, but he does not. When Vladimir complains that “this is becoming really insignificant,” Estragon replies, “Not enough.”

They sit awhile on the mound; Vladimir sings. Estragon sleeps but wakes suddenly from a dream of falling. He is consoled by Vladimir as they walk together up and down. Estragon proposes that they go but is reminded that they are waiting for Godot. Though cold, they cannot leave until nightfall. Estragon despairingly asks what they will do; Vladimir chides him for whining.

Estragon announces that “they” are approaching. Vladimir asserts that it is Godot, that they are “saved.” They run and scan the horizon, but there is no one. Estragon tries unsuccessfully to hide behind the tree, then admits his error and asks forgiveness. They continue watching the horizon in silence, seeing nothing. They begin to ask each other a question simultaneously, apologize, and then angrily insult each other. Estragon cries out for God’s pity.

Pozzo and Lucky again arrive. Pozzo is now blind. Lucky is burdened as before, but the rope is shorter so Pozzo can follow more easily. Pozzo walks into Lucky, who has stopped on seeing Estragon and Vladimir. Lucky drops the possessions into a heap. Estragon asks whether it is Godot. Pozzo cries for help. Vladimir welcomes the fact that they are no longer alone; as time flows, they will soon be away from there. Vladimir tells Estragon the person who arrived is not Godot but Pozzo and reminds him of the chicken bone, encouraging him to ask for another.

Estragon does not remember Lucky, who, Vladimir worries, might get away. The ultimate question, he notes, is “What are we doing here[?]” Unlike many, and despite “immense confusion,” they know the answer. They simply wait until the arrival of Godot, or the fall of night, keeping their appointment whether it is ever to be fulfilled or not.

 Estragon contends that everyone is “born mad. Some remain so.” Pozzo offers to pay 100 francs for help, then raises the offer to 200. Appreciating the diversion but dreading being left alone again “in the midst of nothingness,” Vladimir tries to help Pozzo up but falls several times. Estragon says he will go; Vladimir agrees to go with him if he will help him up.

When Pozzo calls for help again, Estragon concludes “he’s all humanity.” He wants to do something else but cannot think what. They get up. They plan to leave, but Vladimir reminds him they cannot since they are waiting for Godot. Finally they help Pozzo get onto his feet, but he falls again. Supporting his arms around their necks, they get him up again. When Pozzo tells them he is blind, Estragon thinks he can perhaps see the future. Pozzo asks if they are his friends and implores them not to leave. He asks the time and whether it is evening; they consider the sunset, though they are unsure where the west is. Estragon maintains the sun is perhaps rising, but Vladimir tells Pozzo that the long day they have lived must be nearing its end. Pozzo recalls the wonderfulness of having sight, and Vladimir asks if the blindness came suddenly. Pozzo says he awoke one day blind but does not know when, having now no notion of time.

Vladimir confirms that they are Pozzo and Lucky, but Pozzo does not remember meeting them or anyone yesterday; tomorrow, however, he will not remember meeting them today. Vladimir summarizes the previous day’s events, but Pozzo intends to go. Lucky gathers his burdens, setting them down to hand Pozzo the whip and rope.

He orders Lucky to move on. Vladimir asks Pozzo to command Lucky to sing or recite, but he cannot; he is now mute, unable even to groan. Pozzo furiously replies to Vladimir’s question of when that happened, reasserting that he has no concept of time. Calming down, he claims “they give birth astride of a grave, the light gleams an instant, then it’s gone once more.” He again orders Lucky to move on; they leave the stage but are heard to fall. Vladimir awakens Estragon, who was “dreaming [he] was happy.” Vladimir wonders if Pozzo is really blind. Estragon asks if Pozzo was Godot, and Vladimir is increasingly unsure.

A boy arrives. He insists he does not recognize Vladimir and did not come the day before, but he accedes to Vladimir’s claim that he (the boy) has a message from Godot, who will not come tonight but will come without fail tomorrow. The boy says he did not see Lucky and Pozzo, and he claims Godot “does nothing.” The boy’s brother is sick, he says, but he does not know whether he came yesterday. The boy confirms that Godot has a beard, which the boy thinks is white.

There is silence. The boy runs away. The moon rises. Estragon wakes, removes his boot, and says he will go. Vladimir reminds him they must return tomorrow to wait for Godot. If they did not, they would be punished. They look at the tree. They consider hanging themselves but have no rope and Estragon’s belt is too short. Estragon’s trousers fall when he removes the belt, which breaks when they pull on it.

Estragon says they can bring a good piece of rope tomorrow. He claims he is unable to “go on like this.” Vladimir resolves that they will hang themselves the next day, “unless Godot comes,” in which case they would be “saved.” Estragon pulls on his trousers. They resolve to go but do not move. The play ends.