Waiting for Godot (MAXNotes Literature Guides) (MAXnotes) | 
| Author: Rita
Publisher: Research & Education Association
Category: Book
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Avg. Customer Rating:  162 reviews
Sales Rank: 326638
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 96
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.2
ISBN: 0878910573
Dewey Decimal Number: 842.914
EAN: 9780878910571
ASIN: 0878910573
Publication Date: September 11, 1996
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Product Description
MAXnotes offer a fresh look at masterpieces of literature, presented in a lively and interesting fashion. Written by literary experts who currently teach the subject, MAXnotes will enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the work. MAXnotes are designed to stimulate independ ent thought about the literary work by raising various issues and thought-provoking ideas and questions. MAXnotes cover the essentials of what one should know about each work, including an overall summary, character lists, an explanation and discussion of the plot, the work's historical context, illustrations to convey the mood of the work, and a biography of the author. Each chapter is individually summarized and analyzed, and has study questions and answers.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 157 more reviews...
 Waiting for the book to end... September 9, 2008
If the author was trying to effect in the reader the pain of interminable, open-ended waiting in line with no insight as to when the line might move, with no other diversions, he succeeded. I found this book excruciating to read. Imagine the dull rambling--desalinated of anything whatsoever interesting--of two nondescript nobodies with nothing to say. That pretty much sums it up. Once one gets that, then some nuances come in to play. First, it is funny at times. The author manages to insert some subtle plays on words; irony; playful symbolism. These are not pointed to with a neon sign, but have to be watched for--no sleeping here! The insertion of the rich man and his human 'horse' pulling a cart was truly demented. While there may be a few ways to take this work, I'll stick with re-interpreting the phrase 'waiting for Godot' not to mean a long wait, but rather an interminable wait so filled with boredom that not only can I understand why the characters in this play considered suicide, but wonder why I am not considering it as well.
 Too Abstract August 24, 2008
I am not a very big fan of reading plays but appreciate the humor of "The Importance of Being Earnest" and the drama and tragedy of "Death of a Salesman". This play, however, didn't do anything for me. The plot (characters waiting for someone who never comes) intrigued me and was very original. The dialog, though, was too abstract and I thought could have been a lot better. This is a very quick and easy read though so not too much of an investment to read.
Waiting and Waiting and Waiting and ... March 24, 2008
58 out of 59 found this review helpful
Waiting and Waiting and Waiting and ...
Review of Play: Waiting for Godot - A Tragicomedy in Two Acts
Written in: 1949
Premiere in: 1953
By: Samuel Beckett (1906 - 1989)
Originally written in French and translated to English by the author himself.
This play takes place on a desolate road next to a barren tree. There are two aimless men loitering and passing the time in discussion. They are soon joined by two others. The first act of the play lasts through one evening. The second act lasts through a second evening almost identical to the first. When ever the subject of leaving their spot arises, we learn that they can't leave because they are "Waiting for Godot" and need to stay at this particular spot on the road.
There is a sense of timelessness. The second evenings (second act) seems to be slightly altered copy of the first evening (first act). The characters are "Waiting for Godot" and for salvation. Their wait for salvation might well be endless since all of them are loath to face their true motives, their real needs, their personal wants and honest desires. They don't seem to know why they are "Waiting for Godot" or what Godot (God?) will bring them. When they mention suicide they flippantly dismiss the subject. One time they say they can not hang themselves because they have no rope when in fact there is a rope lying on the stage as one of the few props.
They appear to have voluntarily subjected themselves to a purgatory and don't have the courage or initiative to even question their situation.
The discussion ranges from an inane account of boots being too tight to sophistic meanderings on the purpose of life. The characters seem to relentlessly keep talking to avoid facing something. We are not privy to any of their pasts or in fact any personal information about any of the characters. They might have been meeting on the desolate road for an endless time, so that any past that they had is lost in the mist of their memories.
The nearly barren tree reminds them of a hanging tree and by implication a crucifixion cross. The tree dominates the stage background just as Godot dominates the lives; free choice and every expression of the four main characters. Does the milieu force the characters to think of salvation to the exclusion of a meaningful life? Could their need for salvation keep them trapped in a purgative existence where escape would be a form of condemnation which none of them could tolerate?
The play "Waiting for Godot" forces the reader to ask questions of him/her self.
Waiting for Godot
Krapp's Last Tape
Endgame and Act Without Words
I completely enjoyed and highly recommend this book.
Waiting and Waiting and Waiting and ... March 24, 2008
61 out of 63 found this review helpful
Waiting and Waiting and Waiting and ...
Review of Play: Waiting for Godot - A Tragicomedy in Two Acts
Written in: 1949
Premiere in: 1953
By: Samuel Beckett (1906 - 1989)
Originally written in French and translated to English by the author himself.
This play takes place on a desolate road next to a barren tree. There are two aimless men loitering and passing the time in discussion. They are soon joined by two others. The first act of the play lasts through one evening. The second act lasts through a second evening almost identical to the first. When ever the subject of leaving their spot arises, we learn that they can't leave because they are "Waiting for Godot" and need to stay at this particular spot on the road.
There is a sense of timelessness. The second evenings (second act) seems to be slightly altered copy of the first evening (first act). The characters are "Waiting for Godot" and for salvation. Their wait for salvation might well be endless since all of them are loath to face their true motives, their real needs, their personal wants and honest desires. They don't seem to know why they are "Waiting for Godot" or what Godot (God?) will bring them. When they mention suicide they flippantly dismiss the subject. One time they say they can not hang themselves because they have no rope when in fact there is a rope lying on the stage as one of the few props.
They appear to have voluntarily subjected themselves to a purgatory and don't have the courage or initiative to even question their situation.
The discussion ranges from an inane account of boots being too tight to sophistic meanderings on the purpose of life. The characters seem to relentlessly keep talking to avoid facing something. We are not privy to any of their pasts or in fact any personal information about any of the characters. They might have been meeting on the desolate road for an endless time, so that any past that they had is lost in the mist of their memories.
The nearly barren tree reminds them of a hanging tree and by implication a crucifixion cross. The tree dominates the stage background just as Godot dominates the lives; free choice and every expression of the four main characters. Does the milieu force the characters to think of salvation to the exclusion of a meaningful life? Could their need for salvation keep them trapped in a purgative existence where escape would be a form of condemnation which none of them could tolerate?
The play "Waiting for Godot" forces the reader to ask questions of him/her self.
Waiting for Godot
Krapp's Last Tape
Endgame and Act Without Words
I completely enjoyed and highly recommend this book.
 Waiting for Godot November 1, 2007
3 out of 37 found this review helpful
I know this is one of those works that are supposed to be masterpieces, but it did absolutely nothing for me. To be fair, I'm not a theater person, and I never got the appeal of absurdist works or anything else along those lines. I got about a third of the way into this and just couldn't stand to read it anymore, it drove me nuts. If you can appreciate that kind of stuff then I guess I can see why so many people love it, I'm just not one of them.
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