About Beckett:
<< In a way he could never be considered an optimist. In an often repeated story, on a glorious sunny day he walked jauntily through a London Park with an old friend and exuded a feeling of joy. The friend said it was the kind of day that made one glad to be alive. Beckett responded, "I wouldn't go that far". -- Mel Gussow >>
From "Waiting for Godot"
ESTRAGON: (giving up again). Nothing to be done.
VLADIMIR: (advancing with short, stiff strides, legs wide apart). I'm beginning to
come round to that opinion. All my life I've tried to put it from me, saying
Vladimir, be reasonable, you haven't yet tried everything. And I resumed
the struggle. (He broods, musing on the struggle. Turning to Estragon.) So there you are again.
ESTRAGON:
Am I?
VLADIMIR:
I'm glad to see you back. I thought you were gone forever.
ESTRAGON:
Me too.
VLADIMIR:
Together again at last! We'll have to celebrate this. But how? (He
reflects.) Get up till I embrace you.
ESTRAGON:
(irritably). Not now, not now.
ESTRAGON:
Wait! (He moves away from Vladimir.) I sometimes wonder if we
wouldn't have been better off alone, each one for himself. (He crosses the
stage and sits down on the mound.) We weren't made for the same road.
VLADIMIR:
(without anger). It's not certain.
ESTRAGON:
No, nothing is certain.
Vladimir slowly crosses the stage and sits down beside Estragon.
VLADIMIR:
We can still part, if you think it would be better.
ESTRAGON:
It's not worthwhile now.
Silence.
VLADIMIR:
No, it's not worthwhile now.
Silence.
ESTRAGON:
Well, shall we go?
VLADIMIR:
Yes, let's go.
They do not move.
Curtain.
VLADIMIR: Wait.... we embraced ... we were happy ... happy ... what do we do now that we’re happy ... go on waiting ... waiting ... let me think ... it’s coming ... go on waiting ... now that we’re happy ... let me see ... ah!
The tree !
ESTRAGON: The tree?
VLADIMIR: Do you not remember?
ESTRAGON: I am tired.
VLADIMIR: Look at it.
They look at the tree.
ESTRAGON: I see nothing.
