Question

How do Pozzo and Lucky end up in a heap on the ground during their second encounter in "Waiting for Godot"?

• A. Estragon trips them
• B. Vladimir pushes them
• C. Pozzo bumps into Lucky and they both fall
• D. They slip on a banana peel

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Pozzo bumps into Lucky and they both fall

The Fall of Pozzo and Lucky in Act II of 'Waiting for Godot'

• In Samuel Beckett's 'Waiting for Godot', Pozzo and Lucky's second appearance in Act II highlights their further deterioration and increased dependency.
• During this encounter, Pozzo has become blind, and Lucky has become mute, having lost his ability to speak (or rather, choosing not to or being unable to produce his previous long monologue).
• The specific incident of their fall occurs when Pozzo, now blind and struggling to navigate, stumbles over the prostrate Lucky, who has fallen or is lying on the ground. This results in both characters ending up in a heap.
• This physical comedy is characteristic of the Theatre of the Absurd, where mundane, often painful, events are depicted with a sense of futility and dark humor.
• The fall emphasizes their profound helplessness and the eroding faculties of both characters, symbolizing the universal decay and loss that is a central theme of the play.
• Pozzo's repeated cries for help and inability to get up without assistance further underscore his newfound vulnerability, while Lucky's silent suffering highlights his complete subjugation.
• This scene serves as a stark reminder of the passage of time and its debilitating effects, contrasting sharply with Vladimir and Estragon's seemingly static existence.
• For competitive exams, remember that this scene is a prime example of Beckett's use of physical theatre to convey deeper existential themes, such as the fragility of existence, the dependency between master and slave (or oppressor and oppressed), and the absurdity of the human condition.