Question

What is the title of the original French version of the play?

• A. Le Théâtre de Babylone
• B. En attendant Godot
• C. Le Tragicomedy
• D. L'absurde

Answer 1

Answer:

B. En attendant Godot

En attendant Godot: The Original Title of a Landmark Play

• The play En attendant Godot is the original French title of Samuel Beckett's renowned work, translated into English as Waiting for Godot.
• Samuel Beckett (1906–1989) originally wrote the play in French, demonstrating his bilingual mastery as an Irish playwright, novelist, and poet. He often translated his own works into English or vice versa.
• En attendant Godot was first published in 1952 and premiered on stage in Paris in 1953 at the Théâtre de Babylone, directed by Roger Blin.
• This play is a quintessential example of the Theatre of the Absurd, a theatrical movement exploring existential themes and the meaninglessness of life through disjointed dialogue and repetitive actions.
• The play features two main characters, Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), who wait endlessly and in vain for the arrival of a mysterious character named Godot.
• Beckett was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969, largely for his minimalist and innovative works like Waiting for Godot, which "in his novels and plays, in new forms for the novel and drama, has transformed the destitution of modern man into his exaltation."
• The term 'Godot' itself has been subject to various interpretations, including a reference to God or a diminutive of 'go'. Beckett himself famously stated, "If I knew who Godot was, I would have said so in the play."
• The play's structure and dialogue are highly influential, impacting subsequent generations of playwrights and artists. It is often cited as one of the most important English-language plays of the 20th century, despite its French origin.