Samuel BeckettBy Olivia Martinez and Bella Woodward

Time Period● 1929-1989

● World War 1 (1914-1918)

● The Great Depression (1929-1939), Alluded to in Krapp’s

Last Tape (published 1958)

● His father’s death in 1933 inspired Watt and Waiting for

Godot

● The Vietnam War 1955-1975

● World War 2 and the French Resistance (1939-1945), was

alluded to in Watt

(published 1953)

Background

● 1906-1989 in Dublin, Ireland

● Learned music at the young age of 5

● Attended Trinity College (1923-1927)

● Studied French, Italian, and English

● In 1929, he published his first work, a critical

essay

Significant plays● Murphy (1938)

● Molloy (1951)

● Malone Dies (1951)

● The Unnamable (1953)

● Waiting for Godot (1953)

● Watt (1953)

● Endgame (1957)

● Krapp's Last Tape (1958)

● How It Is (1961)

Common Themes Throughout his works● The passage of time

● Life and inevitability

● uncertainty of the past, present, and future

● Specifically in the play Endgame: Suffering,

defeat, perseverance, isolations, absurd, and

pride

Sample of Plays & Writing Style

● Endgame: set after an apocalyptic disaster, Hamm (main character), his servent, mother,

and father are trapped in Hamm’s home.

● The writing style of Endgame is minimalistic. The dialogue is kept short, but long enough

so the adequate information is given.

● Krapp’s Last Tape: On his 69th birthday, Krapp rewatches old tapes of himself

throughout his life. His childhood, his peak, and into retirement. When the last tape is

played, Krapp films one of himself right then, as the absence of light engulfs him.

● The writing style of Krapp’s Last Tape is also minimalistic. It is a one man show, the

entire dialogue comes from either present day Krapp, or past Krapp.

Suggested/Famous Scenes of Beckett’s● The Hat Swapping Scene from Waiting for Godot

● Many scenes between Hamm and Clov (a blind

man and his servant) in Endgame

● Scenes with Hamm’s parents as well in Endgame

● Lucky’s monologue from Waiting for Godot

Technical Aspects of Beckett plays: Costume, Set, etc.

● Per Mr. Beckett’s instructions, the set/technical instructions for his play Waiting for Godot was strictly “A country road. A

tree. Evening.” In Act II, everything remains the same, yet the tree has leaves now.

● Beckett liked to abstract so much of the scene away so that the actors were forced to create it themselves (with their

performance).

● His sets were very minimalistic- he was often very openly critical of others performing his work with highly decorated

stages.

● Some have even taken it so far as to grow the tree themselves between 2 planks of wood and have he brick back wall of the

stage become the backdrop.

● As for costumes, Beckett stayed true to his current era. Actors wore/wear clothing relevant to what was worn commonly in

the 1950’s, yet a bit tattered.

● Costumes were not very extravagant, consisting of mainly regular suits, coats, and dresses of the time.

Fun Vocabulary!Jocularly: habitually joyful; playfulSyllogism: subtle, suspicious, or crafty argumentMirth: gaiety or jollityAvuncular: pertaining to a characteristic of an uncleOstensibly: outwardly appearing as such; professed; pretendedAccost: to confront boldlyCadence: rhythmic flow of sequence or sounds of wordsPragmatism: behavior that emphasizes practicalityDogmatic: asserting opinions in a doctrinaire or arrogant manner; opinionatedDown-Gyved: to shackleExtemporize: improvise musicVentages: small hole or vent, like finger holes in flutePhlegmatic: not easily excited; sluggishPrivation: lack of the usual comforts or necessities of life Bawd: woman who maintains a brothel; madam; prostituteMandrakes: a narcotic plant resembling human formAffectation: Conspicuous artificiality of manner or appearance; effort to attract notice by pretense, assumption, or any assumed peculiarityDudeen: short tobacco pipe

Yo t ki v t i v

Bibliography

● Esslin, Martin J. “Samuel Beckett.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 18 Aug. 2017, www.britannica.com/biography/Samuel-Beckett.

● “Samuel Beckett.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 1 June 2015, www.biography.com/people/samuel-beckett-9204239.

● Beckett, Samuel. “Samuel Beckett.” (Author of Waiting for Godot), www.goodreads.com/author/show/1433597.Samuel_Beckett.

● “Samuel Beckett.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Mar. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Beckett.

● Jerome P. Crabb “Theatre of the Absurd” Theatre Database, September 3rd, 2006, http://www.theatredatabase.com/20th_century/theatre_of_the_absurd.html

● Epling, Leslie Rose, "Costume Designing for Theatre of the Absurd - Come and Go, Footfalls, and The Dumb Waiter." (2010). Undergraduate Honors Theses. Paper 6. http://dc.etsu.edu/honors/6

● Christopher Rawson, “PICT tackles the complete works of Samuel Beckett” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 17, 2006, http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/theater-dance/2006/08/17/PICT-tackles-the-complete-works-of-Samuel-Beckett/stories/200608170328