Structure
Vladimir’s feet smell; Estragon’s breath smells. Estragon has his boots; Vladimir has his hat. Variant repetitions are a significant structural feature of ‘Waiting for Godot’.
The orchestration of verbal symmetry and variant repetitions throughout the play convey a sense of never-ending ritual.
Act 1
Estragon on stage; Vladimir enters …
Vladimir: Get up till I embrace you.
Act 2
Vladimir on stage; Estragon enters …
Vladimir: Come here till I embrace you.
···
Act 1
Act 1 begins with Estragon trying to pull off his boots …
Act 2
Vladimir constantly toys with his hat …
···
Act 1
Pozzo notes Estragon’s bleeding leg …
Pozzo: It’s a good sign.
Act 2
Vladimir examines Estragon’s leg wound …
Vladimir: Beginning to fester!
···
Act 1
Estragon: What is it?
Vladimir: I don’t know. A willow.
Act 2
Estragon: What is it?
Vladimir: It’s the tree.
Estragon: Yes, but what kind?
Vladimir: I don’t know. A willow.
···
Act 1
Vladimir: Speak.
Boy: [In a rush.] Mr Godot told me to tell you he won’t come this evening but surely tomorrow.
[Silence.]
Vladimir: Is that all?
Boy: Yes, sir.
[Silence.]
Act 2
Vladimir: You have a message from Mr Godot.
Boy: Yes, sir.
Vladimir: He won't come this evening.
Boy: No, sir.
Vladimir: But he'll come tomorrow.
Boy: Yes, sir.
Vladimir: Without fail.
Boy: Yes, sir.
[Silence.]
···
Act 1
Boy: What am I to say to Mr Godot, sir?
Vladimir: Tell him … [He hesitates] … tell him you saw us. [Pause.] You did see us, didn't you?
Boy: Yes, sir.
Act 2
Boy: What am I to tell Mr Godot, sir?
Vladimir: Tell him … [He hesitates] … tell him you saw me and that … [He hesitates] … that you saw me.
···
Act 1
Lucky’s lengthy monologue
Act 2
Lucky’s dumb silence
···
Act 1
Act 1 closes —
Estragon: Well, shall we go?
Vladimir: Yes, let’s go.
[They do not move.]
Act 2
Act 2 closes —
Vladimir: Well? Shall we go?
Estragon: Yes, let’s go.
[They do not move.]
Structure of Act 1 [or is it Act 2?]
The cyclical structure illustrates the recursive nature and quality of human existence. Life just goes on, more or less unchanging …
Estragon: [Turning to look at the boots.] Another will come, just as … as … as me, but with smaller feet, and they'll make him happy.
It is not what Beckett’s characters do or say that matters but how they do and say: to Estragon’s ‘I tell you I wasn’t doing anything,’ Vladimir replies ‘Perhaps you weren’t. But it’s the way of doing it that counts, the way of doing it, if you want to go on living.’ Orchestrating the repetitive rhythms of the dialogue, the gestures, lighting effects, and so forth was what was all-important to Beckett in any productions that he directed.
‘I am interested in the shape of ideas even if I do not believe in them … It is the shape that matters,’ he insisted.
~ ~ ~ close of Act 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ close of Act 2 ~ ~ ~
