Question

What does Vladimir call Estragon after Estragon suggests hanging themselves in "Waiting for Godot"?

• A. A genius
• B. A poet
• C. A fool
• D. His only friend

Answer 1

Answer:

B. A poet

Contextualizing Vladimir's Remark in Waiting for Godot

• Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot is a seminal work of the Theatre of the Absurd, first performed in French as En attendant Godot in 1953 and in English in 1955.
• The play centers on two tramps, Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), who endlessly wait for a mysterious figure named Godot, who never arrives. Their existence is marked by repetition, futility, and a pervasive sense of meaninglessness.
• The dialogue between Vladimir and Estragon often highlights their contrasting personalities: Vladimir is more intellectual and philosophical, while Estragon is more focused on physical discomfort and immediate needs.

The Scene and Its Significance

• In Act I, after much despair and contemplation of their bleak situation, Estragon suggests that they hang themselves as a way to pass the time and potentially escape their suffering. He asks Vladimir, "What about hanging ourselves?"
• Vladimir's response, "Hm. It'd give us an erection," followed by Estragon's persistent suggestion, prompts Vladimir to call him "A poet!"
• Vladimir's calling Estragon "A poet!" in this context is ironic and multifaceted:
  • It acknowledges Estragon's sudden, imaginative, and somewhat dramatic (though dark) proposal, which stands out amidst their mundane and repetitive exchanges.
  • It highlights Estragon's unexpected ability to formulate a 'solution' that, while morbid, offers a definitive (if fatal) end to their waiting, contrasting with Vladimir's more practical and often hopeless outlook.
  • The term 'poet' here implies someone who finds a unique, perhaps even 'beautiful' or 'expressive,' way to articulate a profound despair or a desperate possibility, even if it's fantastical or absurd.
  • It can also be seen as a sarcastic jab, implying that Estragon's idea is as impractical or detached from reality as some poetic notions.

Key Facts for Competitive Exams

• Author: Samuel Beckett (Irish playwright, novelist, and poet). He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969.
• Genre: Absurdist Drama / Tragi-comedy.
• Themes: Existentialism, the meaninglessness of life, the futility of human existence, the passage of time, hope and despair, companionship, and the search for meaning.
• Setting: A country road, with a single tree. This sparse setting emphasizes the desolation and lack of purpose.
• Characters: Besides Vladimir and Estragon, other key characters include Pozzo (a cruel master) and Lucky (his enslaved servant), who also appear in both acts, and a Boy who brings messages about Godot.
• The play's enduring impact comes from its exploration of universal human conditions through minimalist dialogue and a static plot, making it a cornerstone of 20th-century theatre.