Question

What was the original language in which "Waiting for Godot" was written?

• A. English
• B. Irish
• C. German
• D. French

Answer 1

Answer:

D. French

Waiting for Godot: Original Language and Context

• Original Language: Samuel Beckett originally wrote Waiting for Godot (French: En attendant Godot) in French. This is a significant fact for competitive exams, as many associate Beckett with English literature.
• Author's Choice: Beckett, an Irish writer, chose to write many of his most important works, including Waiting for Godot and Endgame, directly in French. He later translated them into English himself, or closely supervised the translations.
• Reason for French: Beckett stated that he found it easier to write 'without style' in French, which he considered a language that allowed him to express himself with greater objectivity and precision, avoiding the stylistic temptations of his native English.
• First Performance and Publication (French):
  • The French version, En attendant Godot, premiered on January 5, 1953, at the Théâtre de Babylone in Paris.
  • It was first published in French by Les Éditions de Minuit in 1952.
• English Translation: Beckett himself translated the play into English, and this version premiered in London in 1955. The English translation is titled Waiting for Godot: A Tragicomedy in Two Acts.
• Genre: The play is a seminal work of the Theatre of the Absurd, a term coined by critic Martin Esslin to describe plays that express the meaninglessness of human existence, often through unconventional structures and dialogue.
• Key Characters: The play features two main characters, Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), who wait endlessly for the arrival of someone named Godot, who never comes.
• Samuel Beckett (1906–1989): He was an Irish novelist, playwright, short story writer, theatre director, and poet. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969 for his unique body of work, which, in the words of the Swedish Academy, 'through new forms for the novel and drama—in the destitution of modern man acquires its elevation.'
• Influence: Waiting for Godot remains one of the most significant and frequently performed plays of the 20th century, profoundly influencing modern drama.