
Reading Godot
Lois Gordon(Author)
Yale University Press
Published on 11. July 2002
Book
Hardback
224 pages
978-0-300-09286-8 (ISBN)
Description
Waiting for Godot has been acclaimed as the greatest play of the twentieth century. It is also the most elusive: two lifelong friends sing, dance, laugh, weep, and question their fate on a road that descends from and goes nowhere. Throughout, they repeat their intention "Let's go," but this is inevitably followed by the direction "(They do not move.)." This is Beckett's poetic construct of the human condition.
Lois Gordon, author of The World of Samuel Beckett, has written a fascinating and illuminating introduction to Beckett's great work for general readers, students, and specialists. Critically sophisticated and historically informed, it approaches the play scene by scene, exploring the text linguistically, philosophically, critically, and biographically. Gordon argues that the play portrays more than the rational mind's search for self and worldly definition. It also dramatizes Beckett's insights into human nature, into the emotional life that frequently invades rationality and liberates, victimizes, or paralyzes the individual. Gordon shows that Beckett portrays humanity in conflict with mysterious forces both within and outside the self, that he is an artist of the psychic distress born of relativism.
Lois Gordon, author of The World of Samuel Beckett, has written a fascinating and illuminating introduction to Beckett's great work for general readers, students, and specialists. Critically sophisticated and historically informed, it approaches the play scene by scene, exploring the text linguistically, philosophically, critically, and biographically. Gordon argues that the play portrays more than the rational mind's search for self and worldly definition. It also dramatizes Beckett's insights into human nature, into the emotional life that frequently invades rationality and liberates, victimizes, or paralyzes the individual. Gordon shows that Beckett portrays humanity in conflict with mysterious forces both within and outside the self, that he is an artist of the psychic distress born of relativism.
Reviews / Votes
"There will never be 'a last word' on [this] play but Gordon digs with such a Heaney-like trowel, poetic and passionate, you might hear cries and whispers you never heard before." - Frank McCourt, author of Angela's AshesMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
3 b-w illus.
Dimensions
Height: 210 mm
Width: 140 mm
Weight
404 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-300-09286-8 (9780300092868)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Lois Gordon
Reading Godot
E-Book
10/2008
1st Edition
Yale University Press
€51.39
Available for download
Person
Lois Gordon, professor of English at Fairleigh Dickinson University, is also the author of The World of Samuel Beckett and the coauthor of American Chronicle, both published by Yale University Press.