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.
Why d you think it starts with the line, "It's finished."? What does this indicate, and what mood or atmosphere does this create? What expectation do you have as the reader when you begin a story with what appears to be an end? Also, is it ever established what "it" is?
OdpovědětVymazatVery good work! You seemed to get really into the themes and feeling of the play, we can see it clearly from your animations, but its backed up by very good explanantions!
OdpovědětVymazat