Why should you read 'Waiting For Godot'? - Iseult Gillespie

Two men, Estragon and Vladimir, meet by a tree at dusk to wait for someone named “Godot.” So begins a vexing cycle where the two debate when Godot will come, why they’re waiting and whether they’re even at the right tree. The play offers a simple but stirring question- what should the characters do? Iseult Gillespie shares everything you need to know to read the tragicomedy.

Lesson by Iseult Gillespie, directed by Tomás Pichardo-Espaillat.

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[evrasdustysandal]

The Irish for the word "forever" is "go deo".
Beckett was Irish, loved languages and plays on words, so rather than waiting for God that people assume, it's more likely the play is "waiting forever" which is exactly what the characters do..

[DianaMatienzo]

*watches video* Maybe I should re-read this!
*she does not move*

[Brainstorm]

Hats are the only thing you can be sure of in life.

[felipee]

Could you do a ‘why you should read’ playlist? Please

[neoir]

Godot is that one douchbag friend that always flakes at the last minute and doesn’t tell you

[Max-bodi]

Two men are waiting, when they got tired of waiting, they decided to wait some more. The End.

[mariapazgonzalezlesme]

We are all like Estragon and Vladimir, we are waiting for something / someone to find meaning in our everyday life. Hoping for Godot to give us an answer ( or an allegory to God. )

[bkg]

wrote a term paper on this play, essentially my take was: human action is irrelevant (“they do not move”), just as effective communication is irrelevant (E and V constantly repeat themselves and each other without ever being on the same page), and lastly socioeconomic status is irrelevant (Pozzo’s need for adulation), because the only thing worth living for is human connection. Without each other, E and V would have nothing left and no reason to continue waiting, nothing to “live” for.

[gcvrsa]

It's certainly important to read "Waiting for Godot", but it is far more important to see it performed. It is, after all, a play, and it is meant to be experienced as a live theatre performance.

[iknig]

I once saw this play acted in a theatre in Melbourne by two actors in their seventies, who had both played the characters before in a play together in their youth at University. Absolutely magical to see them having lived out these lines together over decades. <3

[istalkghosts]

I just love how the message given here in this play. The sad state of human existence, the waiting process, waiting for life to be given a meaning by something or someone. And this play is relevant even now. Just look at what is happening around us. We are all waiting for this lockdown to be over with. We are all waiting for life to return to normal.

[parn]

I can relate to this story so much on a personal level. How the two characters are waiting for an imaginary character to show them the way, give some sign.. I'm doing the same. I'm waiting for something miraculous to get me out of this viciousness in my life and I know there's no point and there'd be no sign, no change, but I'm still waiting. I don't know for what exactly.

[karansmittal]

Always the best animation for Educational content no one can beat it

[sonalithakur]

Half of the things you've read in school and never paid attention, turn out to be pretty interesting when it is taught by TedEd.

[ivanaceran]

“What do we do now, now that we are happy?”. Amazing work.

[royall]

Shall we take a moment to appreciate the narrator. He is a true rhetorician.


His name is Jack Cutmore-Scott.

[castle]

The animation is beautiful, just beautiful.

[toaryangupta]

The best theatre keeps us thinking and waiting...

[drewwon]

Take a minute to appreciate how good the animation of these videos are. Makes the experience so pleasant to learn about

[Mazidox]

Probably my favorite play to date. Every time I come back to it, I seem to find meanings in new ways. Highly recommend it.