My MOVIE (slideshow)

Hi :-3
Here are short clips that I made by myself. I hope you like them. (all these clips are base on the real Endgame but are shortened versions). 

The beginning of Endgame

The kissing scene of Nagg and Nell

The end of Endgame

The MOVIE

Hello J

            There are few version of the movie that is base on the play endgame. Actually, they are exactly film as the plays. Let me describe movie version of Endgame (from collection Beckett on film) made in year 2001and directed by Conor McPherson

            Honestly, I love that version of the Endgame. It is exactly the same as the play/book. I think that the actors were great. It was exactly what I expected. Even the gloomy atmosphere (that I adore so much) is there. Of cores, It wasn’t really what I have drawn before (my imaginations and pictures) but this movie really satisfy me. I follow the lines from book with the script of the movie and they were identical.

            Again, if you don’t understand or like absurd plays you will not get it. The movie, like the book could be WEIRD and freak out some people. It doesn’t really matter because I really like this version of the Endgame. I highly recommend this movie for the lazy ones who do not read much but adore absurd plays.

Here is the link for the whole movie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkkEDZO5f0s

"I do not own the copyright to this video, but I have uploaded it here so that a broad and interested audience may first be introduced to the works of Samuel Beckett. If the owner of the copyright should wish it to be taken down, they need only say the word."

"QUOTES"

Hi J

            Absurd plays can seem like a total nonsense. However, they always hide something behind all their strangeness. Endgame is no exception. Lot of people complain that it is totally weird. Still, it contains lot of (hopefully meaningful) symbols. Here are few quotes that might help you to understand it more.     

 

“Finished, it's finished, nearly finished, it must be nearly finished”

 By Clov

            This is the first line that is said in the play. What a paradox the play start with word finished. The name Endgame already hinds that something is going to end. What Clov mean by that? As you may already know (from previous blog articles) Clov plans to go and leave Hamm.

“Then there's no reason for it to change.”

By Hamm

            Ham is the master of the room (the place where the whole play happens). As I mentioned earlier, one of the theme of Endgame and absurd plays in general is cycle. It might refers to everyday living that Hamm and others have to live together. Another theme can be “scare of the DEATH.” Our characters live in a weir room and the world outside seems post apocalyptic. The characters are actually waiting for dead and Hamm by saying “no reason for it to change” meant “I still don’t want to die.”

“Why this farce, day after day?”

By Nell

            Nell is the only women in the whole play. She is wife of Nagg and Nagg really loves her. She said this quote after they failed to kiss each other. The line can mean more than being in miserable life. Actually, it point out, that Nell start to question. She as a only female character was able to think of something that complex. In other words “isn’t this ridiculous?” She also as the only character died in the play. This could be her reward after all, she as the only one realized that their life is Absurd. 

“Don't say that.”(When Nell hind that everything is useless)

“Do you remember?”

“Do you want to go in?”

By Nagg

            These quotes are all said by Nagg to Nell. These line are examples of how madly in love is Nagg with Nell. He is only character, that shows true emotions. The other characters are not showing much emotion including Hamm when his mother died. He also cry when he found out that Nell died. It is really sad because Nell and Nagg cannot touch each other, even though they live next to each other.

“Old endgame lost of old, play and lose and have done with losing.”

By Hamm

            The word endgame (also name of the play) is term in chess that is use when the game is almost finished and only few figures remain. This quote summarize it all, in this case end that is near and which lead to losing. The characters in the play are in “destroyed world” and are probably only one who remains and

their own end is coming.  

Review and Critic (What other think)

Hi J

"Samuel Beckett ... obviously knew Endgame was a stupendously boring play and took precautions to keep his audience awake. This Beckettian nightmare makes Waiting for Godot look positively mainstream and giddy”

Quentin Letts in the Daily Mail 

            This very personal and negative criticism was written by Quentin Richard Stephen Letts who is British journalist and theatre critic. Was the play that horrible? Does he really hate Beckett and his works so much? Was he addressing to the play itself or just a performance?

                I am not critic.  Still I would like to defend and support this play (make it more positive ^.^). First of all, Quentin seems to “hate” Beckett’s works in general. He refers to them as Beckettian nightmares and mentioned Beckett’s other work (Waiting for Godot) as something bad and from his tone Endgame is probably even worst. I cannot say that Mr. Letts is wrong. After all, he is the real critic and it is just HIS opinion and if he does not like Beckett, just leave him hating it.

                Absurd plays are weird, that is true but there is reason for it. Just the word ABSURD says that the plays are nothing easy to understand. Not all of us can get it for first time or second or third or ever. The plays are usually difficult to be understand due to the style of it language. The basic concept is to point out that there is lack of communication among the people (as you remember). Another fact is that Absurd plays have no historical context to the plot or any specific information about the characters. That makes everything more difficult and confusing.

                Endgame is no exemption. The play is strange; we do not really know anything specific about the character (at the beginning) and the language that is use is very nonsensical from times. The reason for that is to force the audience to make the rest of the story up and make their own way to understand it.

                In conclusion, the theatre of the absurd is making us (the audience) think about the play. Some people will like it and some people will not. I am not the one who decides for other whether the play is awesome or bad as hell. You are the one who work it out. Hate it or love it…      

        

Protagonists VS Antagonists

Hello J

            Who are the baddies (antagonist) and goodies (protagonist) in the play Endgame? First of all, are there any good or bad/evil characters? Endgame is not ordinary (common, classical, usual) play. It is Theatre of the absurd so we cannot expect anything obvious as in Shakespeare’s plays.

            From my point of view, there are no good or bad characters. They are just characters which individually react toward each others. As you already know (if you have read my blog since beginning) there are only 4 character, Hamm, Clov, Nagg and Nell. I wouldn’t say that they are evil or nice; they are just people that somehow have to mutually be together. Don’t forget that all of them depend on each other. Hamm feeds Clov, Nagg and Nell and Clov have to take care of blind Hamm and legless Nagg and Nell.

            The relationship between Hamm and Clov is really odd. Hamm rules to everyone especially to Clov. Clov is sometimes treated as slave and he actually few times thread that he will leave. Hamm is the one that always order other to do everything but I don’t think that he is evil or bad. I would say that he is just careless.

            The relationship between Hamm and his parents is also “comical/ tragic.” Hamm is so careless; that he was not emotionally touch when his mother Nell dies (yes she dies in the play), actually no one was really touch by this event, only Nagg (father of Hamm and husband of Nell). Nagg is only one who shows feelings, he cries when Nell die. However, he “got in shape” after some time. From this, I can presume that Nagg and Nell really love each other.

            Why the characters are emotion less? I have a theory, as I previously wrote on blog, the characters might be waiting for the dead or trying to avoid it, they knew that the dead is near, that’s why no showing of feelings. (Except of Nagg, after all he really love his wife Nell)

            What is the thing that is against our four characters? The Antagonist doesn’t need to be only character. Can it be the room, that they are trap in or the outside world where is “Nothing”? The characters does not leave the room or go outside, the only one who said he will is Clov.

Again, don’t forget that this is absurd play. It is forcing us to think about it. Everyone probably have their own interpretation and this is mine.

Motif of the play

Hello J

            Samuel Beckett (13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989) is the author of absurd play Endgame (as I wrote earlier). He is Irish poet, playwright and novelist who lived in France and is master in writing absurd plays. Most of his works are Tragicomic and contain lot of black and gallows humor.

            What is his reason of writing the play Endgame? We already know that the play is about hopeless human nature. His plays are Absurd and also contain existentialist theme which focused on “worth of living.” Still, what is all behind it?

            Let’s start with the name of the play. Endgame refers to term in chess which is use when the end of the game is near. Surprisingly, Beckett was big fan of chess and he was also dedicated player. The play also starts with line “It’s finished.” That supposedly refers to last part of a chess game when everything is going to finish soon. Beckett uses the chess motive in his play.

            Another evidence of the chess motive is Hamm and Clov acting and their movement on stage. Hamm acts as the king. He is the master, he is most powerful but he is most vulnerable and cannot move much (he is blind and cannot stand) as figure of the king which is the most crucial but also vulnerable one. Hamm also fears of death and he must stay alive because he is important for the play/game.

            Clov probably refers to the knight (the one with horse figure which moves in L-shape). Clov is only one that can move better than anyone else and he must ride and protect Hamm. Nagg and Nell are probably pawns (minions); they could only appear only if King (Hamm) allows it.

            Endgame symbolizes chess. The characters are the figures and the room, in which they are whole play, is the chess board. The term endgame refers to the end, to the death which is metaphor of “hopeless human nature” (mostly used in Beckett’s works) that always comes. All the characters are trying not to die (like the chess figures that must stay as long on the chess board as they can), even though the end is near. After all everybody must die and every game must be finished.      

The troublesome themes

Hello J          

            Endgame is absurd play that does not make much senses, still there are hints that might give us some idea. After all, the purpose of theatre of the absurd is to make audience thinking.  All of us can get it in different way; there is never wrong one (usually) so each of us can have our own interpretation on the play.

How I see it:

            The plot of Endgame is kind of creepy. It’s basically about crippled people, one is blind and cannot stand and the other one cannot sit. Other two lives in rubbish bins and are probably legless.All the characters in the play are depended upon others for their existence. And all this craziness happens in one darken room. The atmosphere of the play is really gloomy and somber. Don’t forget, that it is tragic-comedy. Well the tragic is already explained, what about comedy. The characters are speaking and behaving in absurd way, which can evoke humor.

            One of the themes is isolation and loneliness. All the characters are trap in one room and also feel lonely. Take example of Nell and Nagg; they are wife and husband; they live next to each other (literally) but in two separated bins.  They cannot even touch each other due to lack of proper movement.            

Nagg: Kiss me

Nell: We can’t

Nagg: Try (Their heads strain toward each other, fail to meet, fall a part again.)  

Nell: Why this farce, day after day

            Another theme is cycle. Some dialogues are repeating over times (example: Hamm asking for painkillers). Some of characters’ actions are also repetitive. One and only female character in play Nell notes that they must do “this farce, day after day.”Another evidence of cycle is Hamm. Hamm seems to be scared of dead and he rather lives miserably for ever than die. Hamm many times claims he wants to be finished but he also admits that he hesitates to do so.

            The last theme is Death. There are three really old characters (at least they seems so) that have lifeless life. Their conversation is full of emptiness and desperate. All characters repetitiously use words like “zero, finished or nothing. Maybe, they are trap in life itself and they are waiting for the death. The idea can be also reverse, they might try to avoid dead but still show morbid behavior.

(Example: living in dustbin= rubbish is in dustbin= rubbish is not useful anymore= not useful=comes to its end= dead)

How will it finish? How? Tell me plzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Hi J

                So what is Endgame exactly about? As I previously mentioned, it is about a relationship between master (Hamm) and his servant (Clov). Their relationship is pretty weird because Hamm treats Clov like a slave. Still Clov is not leaving him, even though he plans it.

                Clov and Hamm kill their time together by conversation, the rare absurd conversation that doesn’t say much. The reader can be easily confused because they use dialogue that doesn’t make much sense. What are they talking about? Few understandable lines hinds that Clov complains and wants to leave but Hamm always persuade that he cannot. However Clov can go any time and leave because his master cannot stand and is blind. Hamm is not able hold back Clov physically, so what is the problem?

                Will Clov leave his master? He can leave any time but is he psychically able to do so? I know the end (I just finished the book:-P) and I am not telling you HAHA :-D.   
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I am gonna spill the beans :-D

                Ok, so I guess that you want to know how the play ends. I already mentioned that Absurd plays involve audience into the play by making them thinking about it. I also hind (write) how the play ends. “Will Clov leave his master? He can leave any time but is he psychically able to do so?” This is the ending of the play(really). It is up to the audience/person how the play ends. It is opened end so if you want Clov to leave, than he leaves. If you want him to stay, he will or if you want crazy end you can think of something really abstract.  

Play and Today

Hi :-)

                I hope you still know what the theatre of the absurd is about. Well basically these plays play with language (as you remember). The idea shows that there is lack of communication among the people. Why are we saying something even though no one really cares? We will die one day so why saying useless things. So that is an absurd play, the Endgame by Beckett is about confusing language. Absurd plays have no history context; still can it be relevant to these days?

It is some as in nowadays? Let’s see……..

My own meme………....

Conversation between Friends:

Have your friend ever ignored you? Have you ever realized it and stop bothering him?

Typical school lecture:

Was seeking for answers always that easy? Is asking useless thing?

Speaking with your mom:

Have your mark ever changed you into drug abuser? Well everything is possible…….


World is crazy, isn’t it? Same as Absurd plays don’t you think? 

Stage

Here is the image of the stage in Endgame. It is picture that I draw myself and how do I imagine it.

            Endgame is term in chess. This term refers to the stage of the game when only few figures remains and the end of game is near. Well, that will explain why I made the floor as a chessboard.

            The shape of the room should looks as a head/skull. It is all because the whole act happens in only one room. In my opinion, it can be symbol of the head and everything that happens there can be the mind. The windows represent the eyes (although they are on sides).

            The thing in the centre and cover in white blanket is Hamm. The other things covered with blanket (on the left side) are dustbins where Nell and Nagg sleep/live.   

Characters

Hello :-)
            Endgame, The absurd play(theatre of the absurd), is about a relationship between master and his servant/slave.

            Do you still remember Beckett’s style of writing? He uses chaotic dialogs to present the comedy but in some time underline the tragic beneath it.

There are 4 characters..........

Hamm and his servant Clov are living mutually together(Clov takes care of Hamm and Hamm allows him to eat). However, Hamm treats Clov very badly (example: Hamm use a whistle to call Clov). Still, Clov cannot leave his master, even if he wants it so much.

            Those two are arguing in very rare talks. Their conversation is really chaotic and it does not make much sense. Sometimes, Hamm´s parents interfere into the weird quarrel, just to request some food or to say something.

(Here are my own drawings of those 4 characters)

Hamm

He is blind and he is unable to stand

Clov 

 Servant/slave  of Hamm, he is unable to sit

Nagg and Nell 

Hamm's father and mother,they have no legs and live in a dustbin next to each other

The PLAY Endgame

This blog focuses on play Endgame (Fin de partie - 1957) that was written by Irish author Samuel Beckett who represents "Theatre of the Absurd"

Samuel Beckett

                                                                      (1906-1989)

            An Irish novelist, play writer and poet who was awarded by Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969. His works were written in English and French as a consequence of living in France which might influence his style of writing.

            Beckett is representative of “Theatre of the Absurd.” His works mostly consist of tragicomic, black comedy and it is all focus on human nature. The typical Beckett’s themes are “fear of an unknown world, sense of tragedy and alienation.” Beckett use chaotic dialogs to present the comedy but in some time underline the tragic beneath it. 

Other works:

En attendant Godot-1949

Krapp's Last Tape - 1958

Come and Go - 1966

More Pricks Than Kicks - 1934

Theatre of the Absurd

(50’s in 20^th Century-Europe)

“Theatre of the Absurd” is type of drama (play) that seems to be absurd, strange and ridiculous. This particular play tries to show the individual in hopeless world/situations as in existentialism. It has no typical drama “curve line” as in Ancient Greek, Classicism or Shakespeare’s plays, actually “Absurd plays” sometimes don’t have curve line at all. The typical characters and the plot of Absurd play have no history context. In other words, “It is like that and you must make it up by your way to understand it.” These plays involve audience by making them think about the play.     

Other authors of Absurd plays:

Eugene Ionesco- Romanian

Edward Albee-American

-Surprisingly these play writers also spent part of their lives in France (specifically Paris) and were not French. Could living in France as a foreigner be influential to write Absurd plays?

What do you think…….