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.
It is an interesting concept -- is the room the antagonist? This would be worth exploring in more detail. As the audience, being forced to think, what is it forcing you to think about?
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