分类号学校代码10542密级学号200808020082TheShapingofChaos——AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaitingfo，．Godot混沌的建构——解读《等待戈多》中的时空结构指导教师姓名、职称萱达到塾撞学研湖南师范大学学位评定委员会办公室二0一一年五月专方科究
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TheShapingofChaos——AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaitingfo，．GodotAThesisSubmittedtoForeignStudiesCollegeOfHunanNormalUniversityInPartialFulfillmentoftheRequirementsForDegreeofMasterofArtsintheSubjectofEnglishLanguageandLiteratureByLiDanxiaUndertheSupervisionofDoctorCaoB0Changsha，HunanMay,2011眦7，眦4叭7I¨Ⅲ¨¨■Imjjj¨¨●■I㈣9⋯川1㈣Y
AbstractSamuelBeckett，arenownedIrishnovelistandplaywrightinthetwentiethcentury,ishailedasabrilliantmasterinliterature．Histwo。actdramaWaitingforGodot(1953)wonhiminternationalrecognitionovernightandmadehimapioneeroftheTheateroftheAbsurd．Theartisticachievementofthisplayliesinthefactthatituncoversthechaoticsituationoftheabsurduniversethroughhisminimallanguageandstagesettings，annotatesandapprehendstheabsurdityofhumanbeingsaswellasthepredicamentofsociety．Inpursuingtheprincipleof“Hereformiscontent，contentisform'’(McDonald89)，Becketthas．realizedthattherealityisSOabsurdandchaoticthathisplayscanonlybe“shapeless．’’Toachieveaform‘‘accommodatingchaos’’，Beckeahasdisintegratedtheassumptiveunityandcontinuityofthetraditionalconceptoftimeandspaceindramas，utilizinghisuniqueartisticchronotopestructureandanti-dramatechniquestohighlightthechaosandcomplexityofhumanbeings’existence．Focusingontheartisticformaccommodatingchaos，thisthesisistoanalyzeWaitingfo，．Godotfromthetime，spaceandchronotopefacetsinthelightofMikhailBakhtin’SChronotopetheory．ItaimstodetectBeckeR，Sartisticinnovationandmaintaintheuniquenessofhis
chronotopeindrama：thecircularityoftimemanifeststhedullnessandfutilityofthehumanworld；theminimalismofspaceillustratesahopelesspictureofbitterandisolatedlife；thestaticspiralstructureembracesamodemwastelandepitomeofnihilism．Theexistenceofthecharactersischaotic，whilethemeaningofexistenceistofindorder---theartaccommodatingchaos．Asawhole，theinterpretationofisacriticalmethodcombiningboththeformalistcriticismandthethematicstudy,whichwillpavethewayforafurtherstudyonthosecomplicatedandobscuredramasBeckettfinishedinhislaterdays．KeyWords：SamuelBeckett；Waitingfo，Godot；Absurdity；Chronotope；Chaos
摘要爱尔兰著名小说家、戏剧家塞缪尔·贝克特堪称20世纪文坛和戏剧界的一颗璀璨的明星。他凭借两幕剧《等待戈多》(1953)声名鹊起，一跃成为荒诞派戏剧的领军人物。该剧的艺术成就在于它用极简的语言与舞台艺术形式赤裸裸地揭示了人类在一个荒谬宇宙中的混沌处境，诠释了现代人孤独、异化，现代社会杂乱无序、荒诞不经的现实状况。在戏剧创作中，贝克特遵循“形式即内容，内容即形式"的原则：既然现实世界已是如此荒诞不堪和混沌无序，他的作品就只能是“无可名状”。为了找到“一种能容纳混沌的艺术形式”，在《等待戈多》中，贝克特消解了传统戏剧时空的假定整体性和连贯性，利用独特的艺术化的时空结构与简约、直接、精确的反戏剧手法，揭示了人类存在的复杂与混沌本质。本论文立足于挖掘“混沌"这一艺术形式，结合巴赫金提出的时空体理论，对《等待戈多》中的时间、空间以及时空体结构进行细致分析研究，旨在揭示其艺术革新的主要形式以及贝克特戏剧时空结构的独特性：关于时间变形与夸张的艺术手法表现的是滑稽可笑、荒诞不经的现实生活；关于空间极简与缺席的艺术手法描绘的是空寂隔绝、杂乱无序的荒诞世界；趋于静止的螺旋型时空结构刻画的是现代荒原社会中人类“虚无"的缩影。剧中人物的存在是混沌的，而存在的意义在于为混沌找到一种秩序——容纳混沌的艺术。对《等待戈多》iii
展开时空体解读是一种是兼具形式批评与主题研究优势的文艺批评方法论，这将为其后期复杂晦涩的戏剧展开深入研究铺平道路。关键词：塞缪尔·贝克特；《等待戈多》；荒诞；时空体；混沌
ContentsAbstract⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯1摘要⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯iiiIntroduction．．⋯．⋯⋯⋯．⋯⋯．．．⋯．．．⋯．⋯．．．⋯⋯⋯．⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯．．．．．．．．．⋯．⋯⋯⋯．．．1ChapterOneTheCircularTemporalStructure⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯．191．1TheBreakawayfrom‘‘UnityofTime’’．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．191．2TheCircularityofTime⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯．231．2．1WaitinginCircularity⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯．251．2．2RitualsinAction⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯281．2．3RepetitioninLanguage⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯．321．3TheDur6e(Duration)ofTime⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯．．361．3．1PureDurationandtheFutilityofLife⋯．⋯．⋯．⋯．．．．．．．．．．．．．⋯．．．⋯．．391．3．2TheDurationofMemoryandHabit⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯．．43ChapterTwoTheFragmentedSpatialStructure⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯．492．ITheMinimalismofSettings⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯502．1．1AnEmptyStage⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯．502．1．2TheMinimalTheaterProps⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯552．2TheVoidoftheOffstageSpace⋯⋯．⋯．⋯⋯⋯．⋯．⋯⋯⋯．．⋯．．．⋯．⋯⋯⋯582．2．1GodotmtheIncarnationofOffstageSpace⋯．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．592．2．2Boy_cheMessengerofOffstageSpace⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯64
2．3TheSpatializedSymmetriesofCharacters．．．．⋯．．．．．．．．．．．．⋯．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．682．3．1BeckettianSpatializedCharacters．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．692．3．2BeckettianSymmetricalCharacters．．．．．．．．．⋯．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．76ChapterThreeTheBeckettianChronotopeAccommodatingChaos．．．．853．1BeckettianChronotopeinWaitingfo厂Godot⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯863．2TheChronotopeasaDevicetoDepicttheHumanPlight．．．．．．．．．．．．．．913．2．1TheDeviceofContraction．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．923．2．2TheDirectImageryTechnique．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．933．3TheAim--AccommodatingChaos．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．⋯．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．95Conclusion．⋯．⋯．⋯．．⋯⋯⋯．．⋯．⋯．．⋯．⋯．⋯．．．⋯．⋯．．⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯．．⋯．．⋯⋯⋯．⋯．．⋯．．⋯．97Bibliography⋯．．⋯⋯．⋯．⋯．．．⋯⋯⋯．．．．⋯．⋯．．．．．．．．．．．．⋯．．．⋯⋯⋯．．．⋯．．⋯．⋯⋯．．．⋯⋯．．101Acknowledgements⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯．．，⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯105湖南师范大学学位论文原创性声明⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯．．107湖南师范大学学位论文版权使用授权书⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯107
Introductioni．WaitingforGodotandTheaterofAbsurdTheIrish．bornplaywrightandnovelistSamuelBeckett(1906-1989)，oneofthegiantsofthetwentieth-centuryliterature，winsaninternationalrecognitionforhisoutstandingabsurdistmasterpieceWaitingfo，Godot．FirstperformedinParisonJanuary5，1953，thistwo-acttragicomedyreceivesworldwideacclaimbeyondexpectationandsincethenithasbecomeaneye—catchingcorewherecriticsswarlnoutpromptlytosharetheirpointofviews，includingRubyCohn，MartinEsslin，HughKenner'JamesKnowlson，JohnPillingandSOforth．EmergingastheauthorofMolly(1951，English．version，1955)，Malonemeurt(1951；MaloneDies，1958)，L'lnnommable(1953；TheUnnamable，1959)andEnattendantGodot(1952；Waitingfo，Godot1956)，Beckettgainsthenameof1969NobelLaureateinliteratureasanavant．gardewriter,whoseplaysandnovelsarededicatedtotheloneliness，meaninglessness，despairandhumandegradation．Accordingly,Beckett，withhisuniqueidentityofoneman，twolanguagesandathirdnation，itselfdivided，hasareputationforobscurityanddifficulty．Miredindarknessanddespondency,Becketthasbeenplaguedwithphysicalandmentalsufferingsallhislife．Itisquiteeasytoseetoomuchuncertainty
MAThesisinhiswork，toomuchdoubtandbewilderment，inwhichtheviewsexpressedinhisdramaappropriatelyreflectthedepressingmentalconditionsofthepost—warhumanbeings．However,thesuccessofGodotdoesnotalleviatethesufferingsBeckeRundergoesinhiswriting．Tohim，“Successandfailureonthepubliclevelnevermatteredmuch．，"Tosomeextent，heevenconfesseshimself“tiredofGodotandallhisworks．’’2Withtwentyyearsworkingasanovelistandessayist，Beckettturnstowritedramaforthereasonthathe“didn’tchoosetowriteaplay．⋯Itjusthappenedlikethat．’，3ButinfactBecketthasmoredefinitereasonsforchanginggenres：in1972hetellsDeirdreBairthat“Iturnedtowritingplaystorelievemyselfoftheawfuldepressiontheproseledmeinto⋯life[inthelateforties]wastoodemanding，tooterrible，andIthoughttheatrewouldbeadiversion．’’4WhatBeckeaisstrivingtodowithallhispersonallifeistheconsolidationofhisinsistenceon“Formiscontent，contentisform’’(Beckett199927)．Beckettturnstodramaprovisionally,whichshowstobeanicechoice．AfterWaitingfo，．Godotcomesintobeing，amongthetwentieth—centurycelebratedwriters，Beckettgenerallygeneratesthelargestnumberofcriticisms．CriticMartinEsslincoinsthetermTheater‘Thisisquotedfromtheconv黝tionb醴wcQIBeckeaandAlans‘知孵id瓯L阳toAlanSdmeidetofIJanuaryl956；D／s，106．2L,eUertoMaryManningHoweof14JulyI955．’IsraelShenker．“MoodyManofLetters．”NewYork77mes．6May1956．sectlOrl2，P．3．4QuotedinSamuelBeckett：AS／ogr,掣,hy．London：JonathanCape,1978．361，690．2
TheShapeofChaos--AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaitingfo，．GodotofAbsurd，5referringtoaparticulartypeofplaywhichfirstbecomespopularduringthe1950sand1960s，andamongwhichthemostfamous，mostcontroversial，andmostrepresentativeabsurdistplayisprobablyBeckett’SWaitingforGodot．Sincethen，thisplayisusedtobeinglabeledtotheTheaterofAbsurd．GoingbacktoBeckett’Sautobiographyasmentionedbefore，weareeasytotracethatBecketthasreachedanimpasseinhisfiction，6andheisdrawntodramabya“needtocreateforasmallerspace，oneinwhichIhadsomecontrolofwherepeoplestoodormoved．’’7fictionsBeckettcomposescouldneverbeignoredinthatthenumerousandfantasticachievementsinfictionplaythefoundationforthegreatsuccessofhisplays．Nevertheless，itisactuallyinhisdramaratherthanhisfictionthathispreoccupationwiththematterofartandformismorefullyexpressed．Therefore，whattransformedBeckettfromanavant—garde，experimentalnovelisttoglobalstardomisWaitingfo，．GodotwrittenbetweenOctober1948andJanuary1949；whatmakeshisdramasprettyattractiveandcontroversialisthatBeckettclearlyarticulateshislifelong5Esslinregardstheterm“TheatreoftheAbsurd'’merelyasa“device"bywhichhemeanttobringattentiontocertainfundamentaItraitsdiscernibleintheworksofarangeofplaywrights．Theplaywrightslooselygroupedunderthelabeloftheabsurdattempttoconveytheirsenseofbewilderment，anxiety,andwonderinthefaceofaninexplicableuniverse．AccordingtoEsslin，thefivedefiningplaywrightsofthemovementareEu96nelonesco，SamueIBeckett。JeanGenet，ArthurAdamov'andHaroldPinter,althoughthesewriterswerenotalwaystomfortablewiththelabelandsometimespreferredtousetermssuchas“Anti·111eatgT'’or“NewTheater'’．6InSamuelBeckettManuscripts：AStudy(Boston：GK．Hall，l979)lap．45，60，and66，RichardAdmussennotesthatBeckettcompletedMaIonem翱，f01130Mayl948andbegantoworkonEnattendantGodoton9Octoberl948．HedidnotstartwritingL'lnnommabieuntiI29Marchl949．RubyCohndiscussestheimpassehereachedbetweenMa，DnemeurlandL'Innommablein“Growing(Up?)withGodot”inBeckettat80／BeckettinContext．NewYork：OxfordUP,l986．P．I3．7SamuelBeckett．quotedbyEnochBratcri11Beckettat80／BeckettinContext，。d．EnochBrater．N州York：OxfordUP．1986．3
MAThesisconcentrationontheideaof“absurdity'’．TheabsurdistoutlookBeckettowns，namely,thesensethathumanexistenceisfutileandwithoutmeaning，isgenerallyreflectedintheformaswellasthecontentoftheplays．Inthisway,absurddramastendtorejectlogicalconstruction，clearcharacteridentityorcoherentrelationsbetweencauseandeffect．Comparedwiththetraditionaltheaterwhichattemptstocreateaphotographicrepresentationoflifeasweseeit，theTheaterofAbsurdaimstocreatearitual—like，mythological，archetypal，allegoricalvision，SOastomakemanbeawareoftheultimaterealitiesofhiscondition．Theabsurdistinstillsinpeoplethesenseofbeingtrite，mechanicalandcomplacentintheworld．Manbecomesbewilderedandconfusedwhenbeingasked：whywearealive，whywehavetodie，whythereisinjusticeandsuffering．．．Theyhavenoanswertosuchbasicexistentialquestions．ThisisofthesameconditioninWaitingfo，．Godot．Infact，Waitingfo，．Godotissometimesreferredtoasaplaywherenothinghappens．ThecharactersoftheplayarestrangecaricatureswhohavedifficultyincommunicatingthesimplestconceptstooneanotherwhentheybidetheirtimeawaitingthearrivalofGodot．Thelanguagetheyuseisoftenludicrous，inacyclicalpattern，andtheplayseemstoendinpreciselythesameconditionasitbegins，withnorealchangehavingoccurred．TheseundoubtedlyprovethatBeckettdeservesthenameoftheprecursoroftheTheaterofAbsurd．However,Becketthimselfexplicitly4
renouncesanyassociationwiththeTheaterofAbsurd．Because，hethinksthatthistermistoojudgmental，tooself-assuredlypessimistic．8Ihaveneveracceptedthenotionofatheatreoftheabsurd，aconceptthatimpliesajudgmentofvalue．It’snotevenpossibletotalkabouttruth．That’Spartoftheanguish．9RonanMcDonaldpointsoutthatBeckett’SresistancehereispartofhisLVfromohilosoohyndrationalirtofarmorefusedmoveawayfromphilosophyandrationalitytoalarmoreconruseo,epistemologicallyhumblecondition．ToBeckett，onecannotspeakanymoreofbeing；onemustspeakonlyofthemess．TheshapeofchaosormessstandsfortheessenceofBeckett’Sartisticaestheticism．ii．TheLiteratureReviewofWaitingfo，Godot，“Nothinghappens，nobodycomes，nobodygoes，it'sawfull"(41)!Beckettprobestogethisworkmuchmore“minimized”forthat，itseems，thelessthereistosay,thebetteritissaid．Buoyedbythesimplicityitadoresandthecontroversyitgenerates，Waitingfo厂Godothasbeenhailedasoneofthemostrevolutionaryandinfluentialplayofthetwentiethcentury．SwedishAcademyacknowledgedthisandannounced，Mr．Beckettwasbeinghonoredforwritingwhich，innewformsfornovelanddrama，acquireditselevationinthedestitutionofmodemman．WhatBecketttriestodoinawayistoSOWthe+seedofhisaestheticideasinto。ItisquotedfromTheCambHdgeIntroductiontoSamuelBeckettwrittenbyRommMcDonald．Shanghai：ShanghaiForeignLanguageEducationPress，2007．25．9Cha—rlesJuliet,“MeetingBeckett”。trails．Anded．SuzanneChamier,TriQuarterly77(Winter,1989-90)，P．17．AnextractfromThPCambridgeIntroductiontoSamuelBeckettwrittenbyRommMcDonald．Shanghai：ShanghaiForeignLanguageEducationPress，2007．17．
MAThesisreadersoraudiences’mindsSOastoobtaincolossalcolorfulblossomsbeyondexegesis．Inaddition，agenerationafterhisdeath，BeckeRdrawsstilltheinterestofworldwidereadersandaudiences，notbecauseofsomeimpliedorperceivedideas，butbecauseofthecompellingandutterlyuniquevoicehehasonstageandpage．1oComparetheshapewiththesenseofhiswork，whichcomestoaclearconclusionthatBeckettalwaysputsmuchmoreemphasisontheaestheticqualitiesofhisworkratherthanthemeaningthatcouldbeextractedfromthem．InBeckett’Swords，“thekeywordinmyplaysis“perhaps”．11Withthecollectionofnumerousfractionsonstageorpage，heissurelypronetouncertainty,leavingadequateroomforreaderstothinkabouttheirownlife．．Overthepastsixtyyears，despiteofthenotoriousdifficultyofBeckea’Swork，thecriticismandcommentaryhisworkhasproducedhaveballoonedintohundredsofmonographsandthousandsofarticles，farmorethanBeckeaexpected，whichhavemainlyoccurredinthreelanguages：English，FrenchandGerman．BasedonhiscloseliteraryaffiliationwithDescartes，Schopenhauer'ProustandJoyce，Beckea’Sworkcouldalwaysbefitintoanynumberofmodelsorsystems：existentialism,narrativetheory,post·structuralism，hermeneutics，ethics，feminism，religiouscritics，evenpsychoanalyticcriticsandSOforth．Here10ItisquotedfromTheCambridgeIntmductiontoSamue／BecketwrittenbyRonanMcDonald．Shanghai：ShanghaiForeignLanguageEducationPress，2007．p．3．‘‘Ibid．6
●TheShapeofChaos--AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaitingfo，．GodofBeckett’Sworklookslikeamirrorthroughwhichsundrycriticalmethodsandschoolscouldfindtheirownreflections．ThemainfocusofthisthesiswillbetheEnglishlanguageandChinesecriticism．ThenumberofEnglishcriticismonWaitingfo，．GodotisconsiderablewhilemostoftheculturalstudiesonBeckettareconcernedwiththisfantasticplay,sparselytouchingonothers．However,Beckettcriticismhasindeedbeenamatterofdimcultbirth．ItiSuntilthe1950s．1960sthatBeckettcriticismbeganinfull—lengthstudies．‘‘Beckett’Sworkgarneredlittlecriticalattentionuntilthetrilogybegantoappearjustaftermid．century,”S．E．Gontarskimentioned．12EarlystudiesonBeckett’SdramainEnglishtendtoseeBeckettinbroadlyexistentialistterms，namely,predominantlyphilosophicalstudies．Cohn，KennerandEsslinareindispensableguidesofthisgroup．AspecialissueofPerspective(v01．11，no．3，1959)waseditedbyCohnanddevotedtoBeckett’Swork，whichcouldbedefinedasastartingpointforacademicBeckettstudiesinEnglish．SheisacriticwhohasgivenmostsustainedattentiontoBeckettandherfirstbookSamuelBeckett：TheComicGamut(1962)usefullyensuredthatthecomplexitiesofBeckettiancomedywerenotlostinthemeaninglessnessandabsurdityelsewhereinBeckettstudies．13SamuelBeckett：ACriticalStudy(1961)writtenby12From‘‘CriticsandCriticism：‘GettingKnown”1．刘爱英．塞缪尔·贝克特l见证身体之所在．上海l上海外国语人学，2007．¨ItisquotedfromTheCambHdgeIntroductiontoSamuelBeckettwrittenbyRonanMcDonald．Shanghai：ShanghaiForeignLanguageEducationPress。2007．P．1I8．7
MAThesisKenneristhefirstbook-lengthstudyofBeckett，whichdescribesBeckeR’SemphasisonDescartesandphilosophicalaspectsofhiswork．MartinEsslinpublishedTheTheaterofAbsurd(1961)andSamuelBeckett：ACollectionofCriticalEssays(1965)．TheintroductionofthelateronecomposedbyEsslinhasbeenknownas‘‘undoubtedlythemostinfluentialfifteenpagesinthehistoryofBeckeRcriticisminEnglish''．14InhisintroductionhestressesBeckett’SinterestinshapeandformandheresiststhetendencytotranslateBeckett’Sartintoabstractphilosophicalideas．Esslinproposedthat“anartistlikeBeckeadoesnotconcernhimselfwithabstractandgeneralverities"．1Meanwhile，herefersthat“ThesubjectoftheplayisnotGodotbutwaiting，theactofwaitingasanessentialandcharacteristicaspectofthehumancondition”(49)．Inthisway,thelatercriticsareinclinedtofollowthisfirstgenerationofBeckeRcritics’steps，ponderingonthemeaningoflife，talkingaboutthehumansituation，concentratingon‘‘existentialism'’and‘‘Nihilism’’，andexcludingthehistoricalmediationofhumanfeelingandhumanexpenence．Inthe1970s，thankstotheawardoftheNobelPrizein1969，numbersofnewlifehavebeeninfusedintotheBeckeaindustry．Theliteratureworldhasbeenpervadedbyextraordinarycriticalworks：EugeneWebb’SThePlaysofSamuelBeckett(1972)andJames¨ItisquotedfromTheCambridgeIntroductiontoSamue／BeckeawrittenbyRonanMcDonald．Shanghai：ShanghaiForeignLanguageEducationPress．2007．P．iI8．8
TheShapeofChaos--AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaitingfo，GodotKnowlson’SLightandDarknessintheTheatreofSamuelBeckett(1972)aretypicalones．Duringthistenyears，itismorecommontoseesomecomprehensivecriticalworks，likeDavidHesla’SShapeofChaos：AnInterpretationoftheArtofSamuelBeckett(1971)．ItrecordstheculturalandphilosophicalcontextofBeckett’Sdramas，theinfluenceonBeckett’SdramafromtheancientGreekphilosophy,rationalismintheseventeenthandeighteenthcentury,existentialismandSOforth，whichpaveasolidtheoreticalwayforthedramacriticism．JohnPilling’SSamuelBeckett(1976)，whichbuildsadirectbridgelinkingBeckett’Sdramaandhisculturalbackground，introducesdetailedliterarytheoriesappliedtotheWaitingfo厂Godotanalysis，andincludesalargescaleofdetailedculturalandhistoricalinformationaboutBeckett’Swork．OnemorebookaboutthehistoricalbackgroundofBeckett’SplaysisAStudent'sGuidetothePlaysofSamuelBecke距(1978)，writtenbyBerylFletcherandothers，providinghelpfulcluestothehistoricalcontextspertinenttoBeckett’SdramaticpiecesandofferinginterestingdiscussionsoftheproblemsininterpretingBeckett’Splays．Beckettcriticisminthisdecadegetsexpandedandconsolidatedinalargescale，highlymanifestingitsculturalsignificance．Beckettcriticismconcerninghisdramasinthe1980shasswitchedtomoreinsightfulapproachesandbroaderissuesinvariedcontexts．Ithasemployedavarietyofliterarytheories，suchasstructuralist，post一9
MAThesisstructralist，post-modernistandfeministapproaches．ThemainsuperbcriticismsinvolveSidneyHoman’SBeckett'sTheaters：Interpretationsfo厂Performance(1984)”andS．E．Gontarski’STheIntentof“Undoing’’inSamuelBeckett'sDramaticTexts(1985)16bythemid．1980s．PeterGidaltriestointerprethisplaysinthelightoffeministtheory,andthendevotedtoafeministstudyofthelanguageandpoliticsinUnderstandingBeckett：AStudyofMonologueandGestureintheWorkofSamuelBeckett(1986)．Furtherthanthese，therearesomecriticsconcentratingondramaticperspectiveorBeckett’SminimalistartwhicharticulatecarefullytheessenceandfeaturesofBeckett’Suniquedramatictechniques．17StudiesofBeckett’Sdramainthe1990sbloomandexpandasthedaygoesby．AgroupofcriticalbookssituateBeckettwithinseverallandscapes：firstly,AnnaMcMullan’STheateronTrial：SamuelBeckett'sLaterDrama(1993)inwhichquotesJacquesDen-ida，JacquesLacanandJuliaKristevatogetabetterunderstandingofBeckett’Sobscurewords；secondly,FeministcriticismappearsintheformofMaryBryden’SWomen。inSamuelBeckett"sProseandDrama(1994)；thirdly,psychoanalyticapproaches，especiallytheoriesofFreud，JungandLacan，PhilBaker’SimportantbookBeckettandtheMythologyofPsychoanalysis(1997)isabreakthroughinthisfieldbecauseitturnsto．15．Thisbookisperfbrm彻cccriticism,specifyinghowBeckett'splaysaleactedout加thestage．16Itisconsideredasasuperbmanuscriptstudy．”Namely,itmeansAlisonHale’sTheBrokenWindow：Beckeu3；DramaticPerspective(1987)andEnochBrater’sBeyondMinimalism：BeckettLateStyleintheTheater(1987)．10
usepsychoanalysisasahistoricallyformedsetofintellectualphenomena；finally,itissurprisingtoseethatthepost—colonialtheoryinrecentyearshasbeenutilizedintoreadingBeckett．Theuncertainsubjectivity,alienation，self-consciousmarginality,repetitionandmimicryinBeckett’Sworld，aswellashisIrishblood，makeeverythingappropriateinBeckett’Spost．colonialismstudies．Inconsequence，variouskindsofcriticismtheorieshavebeendeployedintointerpretingBeckett，andtheircriticismsarehighlyrelatedtotheircontemporaryinterestandlife．Fromthenon，Beckettcriticisminwesterncountrieshasbeenripeandprosperous·SofarBeckettcriticisminEnglishhasgonethroughvoluminousstudieswhileitisstillgrowing．Comparativelyspeaking，BeckettcriticisminChinawitnessesaruggedanddifficultwaybecauseofthepoliticalandsocialenvironmentinChinainthepastsixtyyears·WhenWaitingforGodotmadeitsdebutandinFrancein1953，“Politicsfirst，Artssecond"wasbeingyelledasthesloganinChinesetranslationfield．TocommonChinesepeople，thegreatdoortotheBeckettworldwasclosedfortheworkswerenotedas‘‘decadent’’，‘‘reactionary'’，and“backward"．ItisaftertheCulturalRevolutionthatpeoplegettoknowmoreaboutBeckettandhisdramas．HugecontributionsaremadebyShiXianrongwhotranslatedWaitingfo，．GodotintoChinesein1965andpublisheditlater．Academyhasrippedoffthegirdleofpoliticsand
MAThesisbroughttoChinathespringoftheTheaterofAbsurdinthe1980s．What’Smore，ShiXianrongfinishedthetranslationofTheAnthologyoftheTheaterofAbsurdin1980．Since1981，moreandmoreeyesweredrawnandseveralarticlesandessaysonabsurddramawerepublished．ThefirstcomprehensivecommentarywaswrittenbyZhuHong，“OntheTheaterofAbsurd"(1978)，inwhichsheconcludedthattheplayendeavoredtoexpressthelifeconditionofhumanbeings，theirspiritualcrisisandthedecadencyofthebourgeoisie．In1995，Beckettcriticismwelcomedthefirstmonograph，thatis，ZhangRong’S‘‘Absurdity,Weirdness，andGrotesque---AStudyontheFrenchAbsurdistDramas．’’Ingeneral，criticismsinthisperiodarejustconcernedaboutonethem亨一absurdity．Intheliteraryworld，absurdityisinthevogueatthatmoment．Fromtheendof1990suptOnow,especiallythe100幽anniversaryceremoniescommemoratingBeckeRin2006，Beckettstudiesmushroomwithassortedmethodologiesandapproaches．NumerousnewcriticsareattractedsuchasZhuDake，HeChengzhou，WangYahua，ZhangHelong，ShuXiaomei，CaoBo，ZhuXuefeng，LiuAiyingandetc．Dissertationsondramaaccretedramatically,suchasBaiYuhua’S‘‘ThreeApproachestotheArtofSilenceinSamuelBeckett’SPlays"，ZhangYadong’S“TheSearchfortheSelf：onSamuelBeckett’SStageDramas'’andLiuAiying’S“TheBodyMatters”．ArticlesonWaitingfo，．GodotamounttOmorethanonehundredinthelasttenyears，whichundergoatremendous12
TheShapeofChaos--AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaitingfotGodotdevelopmentinliteraryhistory．ItispleasanttoseeBeckettcriticismexertsmoreemphasisonBeckett’Spersonalexperience，historicalandculturalbackground，andtheinfluenceofvisualartsandmusic．However,mostofthecommentariesonWaitingforGodotarejustrepeatingtherepresentativeideasofcriticsathomeandabroad．Someofthestudiesarestillfocusingonitsthemesortechniques：“absurdity'’，‘‘hope’’，‘‘search’’，‘‘existentialism'’，‘‘Godot’’，‘‘anti—drama’’andSOon．Essentially,theseachievementsarejustthesummarizationandconclusionofBeckett’Sartthroughlearningfromthecontents．Incontrast，thedialecticalarttheoD叫hecontentsshouldrelyonitsformwhiletheformmustreflectsitscontents--hasalwaysbeenignored，whichremainsasablankpageinBeckettcriticism．Adetailedstudyontherelationshipbetweenthechronotope(temporalandspatialstructure)ofWaitingfo，．Godotandthecontentsitexpressesissurelysignificantandmeaningful．iii．TheriseofBeckettianChronotopeStudyinBeckettCriticismInHistoryofEnglishFiction，ProfessorLiWeipingremarksonBeckettandsaysthatBecketthasbeenlivinginsuchanabsurdandchaoticworld，thushisworkcouldonlybe“unnamable"．InspiredbyProfessorLi，thisthesisintendstopointoutthatthebiggestaccomplishmentBecketthasconceivedliesinthefactthathe‘‘borrowsanexperimentalformandinnovativedevicestoshowthewesternerssufferinginpredicamentanddreadfulplights，andfindsoutaformthat
MAThesisaccommodatesthemess’’(LiWeiping330)．Inordertocreatehisown，newformofanti-theater,Beckettconfessesthat‘‘WhatIamsayingdoesnotmeanthattherewillhenceforthbenoforminart．Itonlymeansthattherewillbeanewform，andthatthisformwillbeofsuchatypethatitadmitsthechaosanddoesnottrytosaythatthechaosisreallysomethingelse．Theformandthechaosremainseparate．Thelatterisnotreducedtotheformer'’(Abbott14)．Asaplaywright，BeckettregardsstructureorformtobemoreimportantthananyinformationormeaningtheplayconVeys—-‘‘itistheshapethatmatters"(Pilling75)．Crucially,Beckettwriteschaosintohishighlystructuredplaysnotbyimposinghisownideasorvision，onthecontrary,hedemandsthattheyshouldbeseenorreadbyreceiverswhorealizethattheformisimportant．Inthecontextoftwentieth-centurytheatre，theessenceofexistenceisbeingchaotic．Themeaningofbeingistheirsearchfororder．ToBeckett，thebestwaytofindorderrestsonhisartisticform．Adetailedstudyontheformofhisplays，especiallythetemporalandspatialstructure，helpstounderstandthat“hisfirstplaysmarkthetransitionfromModemismwithitspreoccupationwithself-reflectiontoPostmodemismwithitsinsistenceonpastiche，parodyandfragmentation’’(Pilling69)．Therefore，withtheaimofprobingintotheartforminWaitingfo厂Godot,thisthesiswillbedevotedtomakeadeepanalysisonthetime，14
space，andchronotopeoftheplayinthelightofthechronotopetheorycoinedbyMikhailBakhkin．SummarizingBeckettiantimeandspaceinWaitingfo厂Godot，thisthesiscouldreachaconclusion：theuniquecirculartemporalandfragmentedspatialstructurehighlightsbothBeckett’Smodernistandpostmodernistartisticfeatures．ItiscalledkindofBeckettianchronotope，whichinitiallyfrustratesitsaudiences，butultimatelyrewardsthemwithaestheticdelight．ThetermchronotopeisfirstusedinliterarystudiesbyMikhailBakhtin．Bakhtin’Stheoryofthechronotopeissurelyoneofthemostsignificanttextsinpostmodemliterarytheorydealingwiththeinterdependenceofliteraryspaceandtime．Literally，itmeansanopticforreadingtheinterplaybetweenspatialandtemporalelementsintheliteraryworks．Inthestudyofchronotope，Bakhtindefinestherelationshipbetweentimeandspaceintofourlevels：Firstly，thechronotpeinrealityisanintegeroftimeandspace，SObothofthemareinseparable；secondly，thechronotopeinliteratureisinseparablebecauseitisthereflectionoftherealchronotope．ThisisinaccordancewithMarxism’Sviewthatliteraturetruthfullyrepresentsthereality；thirdly，ininterpretingchronotopesofliteratures，timeandspacecouldbeanalyzedrespectively，todiscovercharacteristicsofvariouschronotopesthroughabstractreflection；finally，thoughtimeandspaceareinseparableinliterature，itistime，asthekeyelementofliterature，
MAThesisthatpredominatesinchronotopeanddeterminesthegenresandimages．Furthermore，1wouldliketomentionthetermpostmodemchronotope．PaulSmethurstintroducesthat，Sothepostmodemchronotopeisfirstconsideredinthecontextoftheideasthatcanbesaidtoproduceitundertheseparateconditionsofparticularformsanddisciplines．ThenitCanbeusedasanoptic，rangedbackontocontemporaryculture，hereintheformofthepostmodernnovel．Finally,theplanisthatthepostmodemchronotopeactsasakindofWeltanschauung---atime—spacemapofthecontemporaryworld．(66)HerewhatImeanaboutpostmodernchronotopeistheonethatrepresentsdisillusionmentwithconventionalartisticformsandafoCUSonthealienationoftheindividualandthemeaninglessnessofhumanexistence．AlthoughBakhtinandSmethurst’Stheoriesareconcernedwithnovels；tosomeextenttheyarealsoapplicableandfeasibleininterpretingdramas．Thenonlinearityandunpredictabilityoftimecreatesasenseoffiercedislocation；whilethespace，inseparablylinkedtoritualfractions，becomesatorturouscageforboththeplay’Sactorsandaudiences．Inthisway,wecansayWaitingfo，．Godotmanipulatestimeandspaceinordertocreateafarcicalquasi—contemporaryworlddevoidofcommunication，love，orhope，whichillustratestheabsurdandmeaninglessconditionofhumanbeings．Inconclusion，thisthesisinvestigatestherelationshipbetweenthe16
formandcontentofWaitingfo，．Godotthroughhismanipulationsoftimeandspace．ItetchesontothechronotopeofWaitingforGodotasawayofperceivingthecomplexspatio-temporalarrangementsofthepostmodernelementsBeckettexpresses．Thus，thisthesisisdividedintothreeparts：PartIintro≮lucesatrulywhollysurveyofWaitingfo，．Godot，inwhichitisfullydemonstratedthatreadingitinthelightofBakhtinianchronotope(anexusoftemporalandspatialconcerns)deservesourkeenattention．PartIIisthebodyofthisthesis．ItconsistsofthreechaptersandcontributestodetectBeckett’Sartisticinnovationandmaintaintheuniquenessofhischronotopeindrama：Chapteronedelvesintothecircularityoftimewhichmanifeststhedullnessandfutilityofhumanworld；Becketthasabandonedthetraditional‘‘UnityofTime’’SOthatthecirculartimeconcepthasbeenadopted．ThecircularityoftimeinstructureaccompanieswiththedurationoftimebasedonBergson’Stimeconcept，whichwillbuildupanintegratedunderstandingontimeinWaitingfo，．Godot．Chaptertwofocusesonthefragmentedspatialstructurewhichillustratesahopelesspictureofbitterandisolatedlifespace；inthisplay，theminimalismofBeckett’Ssettingscooperateswithhissurrealoffstagespace，whichshowsforththeabsurdstandingonameaninglessandabsurduniverse．Lifehasalsobecomeschaoticasthecharactershasbeen
MAThesisspatializedinasymmetricalstructure．Chapterthreeisaninterpretationonthestaticspiralstructure--theBeckettianchronotopeembracesamodemwastelandepitomeofthenihilism．InBeckett’Sview，theexistenceofcharactersisbeinginmess，whilethemeaningofexistenceistofindorder---theartaccommodatingchaos．PartIIIconcludesthatastheanalysisgoeson，itisevidenttoseethatBeckettenjoysusingthetemporaldeformationandexaggeratedartistictechniquestodescribetheabsurdandhopelessreallife；therepeatedlanguage，lifelongwaiting，andmeaninglessactionsofthetwotrampsarethereflectionsofhisformthataccommodatesthemess．Thisiscalledtheunityofformandcontents，namely，adialecticalcriticism．18
ChapterOneTheCircularTemporalStructureThetitleWaitingfo厂Godothasrevealedthisplay’Scentralaction：waiting．TwoelderlytrampshavenothingtodobutwaitingonabarecountryroadwithamoundandatreefortheirappointmentwithamancalledGedot，whonevercomes．Clearly,whatembeddedinWaitingfo厂GodotaremajorelementsofBeckett’Sthoughtsontime，whicharecomplexandoftenseemcontradictory．Beingadreadedbarrierwhilewaiting，timehasbecomeaproblematicconcernduetoitsbreakawayfromthetradition，itsuncertainty,nonlinearityanddeconstruction．Itisusuallycustomarytothinkof‘‘difficulty'’or‘‘obscurity'’whilemingledwithBeckett’Stimeconcept．SinceBakhtinianChronotopestressesthepredominanceoftime，ananalysisoftemporalstructureandtherepresentationsoftimeinWaitingfo，．GodotmightbenecessaryandofgreatmomentousnessinreadingBeckett．1．1TheBreakawayfrom‘‘UnityofTime’’Becketthasbeenseenasamarvelousinnovatorandexperimenterinplaywriting．Heonceremarked，“Iproduceanobject．Whatpeoplemakeofitisnotmyconcern【⋯】I'dbequiteincapableofwritingacriticalintroductiontomyownworks"(Pilling67)．Itlooksasifherefusesto19
MAlllcsisacceptanydecodingofhisworks．Confrontedwiththequestion“WhoorwhatdoesGodotmean?’’hereplied，“IfIknew,1wouldhavesaidSOintheplay'’(Pilling67)．Actually,alltheseyearshewasstrivingtocreateordiscovertheliterarystructureorprocesswhichwilladmitchaoswithoutenforminganddomesticatingit．Itisamatterofshapeandstructurethatworthourdeepanalysis．Drama，auniquegenreregardedasthehighestformofliteraryart，isbasedonitsspecialchronotope．Likeotherformsofart，dramaisamediumthroughwhichmindspeakstomind．Generallyspeaking，fromthelandmarkoftheancientGreektragedyinthefifthcenturyB．C．totherealisticdramasinthel850s，thewesterndramasareinclinedtofollowtheconvention，asdefinedbyAristotle，aplayshouldconsistoffiveactsandfollowthethreedramaticunities。肋atdothethreeunitiesofdramamean?Inthe1500sand1600s，criticsofdramaexpandedAristotle’SideasinthePoeticstocreatetheruleofthe“threeunities．"ThePoeticsiSallaboutdrama，andplaysperformedbyactorsinthepresenceoftheaudience．Agoodplay,accordingtothisdoctrine，musthavethreetraits．AsconcludedfromAristotle’SPoetics，Thisunityofactionevidentlycontainsabeginning,amiddleandallend，wherethebeginningiswhatis‘'not130steriortoanotherthing,”whilethemiddleneedstohavehadsomethinghappenbefore，andsomethingtohappenafterit,butaftertheend‘'thereisnothing‘else．”Theunityoftimeme孤sthattheeventsshouldbelimitedto
TheShapeofChaos—AnInterpretationofChronotopcinWaiting．加rGodotthetwoorthreehoursittakestoviewtheplay,oratmosttoasingledayoftwelveortwenty-fourhourscompressedintothosetwoorthreehours．Thethirdisunityofspacemeanstheplaymusttakeplaceinasingleseaingorlocation．18Threeunitiesderivefromthenon．narrationofthewesterndramas．Theydemandthataplayshouldfocusonasingleplotwhilethestorymusthappenwithinadayatacertainplace．Theplotistreasuredasthemostimportantthingindrama．Theabsen．ceofnarratorstandsforthemajordifferencebetweendramasandfictions．Withoutanarratorwholinksthecharactersandplotsasawhole，everythingmustbeenacteddirectlyinfrontoftheaudiences．BeckettresortstotheaterforthereasonthatwhenhewasworkingonWatt，he“felttheneedtocreateforasmallerspace，on．einwhich[he】hadsomecontrolofwherepeoplestoodormoved，aboveallofacertainlight．【He】wroteWaitingforGodot'’(Pilling69)．Thatmeans，inthehandsofthenovelists，timeisplastic．Onthecontrary,timeonstageisoftenregular,rigid，unidirectionalandirreversible．Traditionally,itisdifficultfortheplaywrighttostoptimeorspeeduptimeonstage．Skippingaheadintimeoverseveraldaysoryearswithouttheauthor’Sasideisconsideredundesirable，becausetheaudiencecouldnotaccepttheweirdandunclearpassageoftime．Timeintheatreisastructuralelementasaplay’senvironmentorframework．Theplaywrightwhocouldmanagetomaketheaudienceforgetthenatural博Aristotle．Poetics．TranslatedbyLiuXiaopeng．Taipei：Wunan，2008．58
MAThesistimebutloseitstimeinstagetimefinallycomposessuccessfulplays．Uptohere，itisnotablethatBeckettoftenb．reaksthethreeunitiesinhisplays．Insteadoffollowingthetraditionmentionedbefore，Beckettdiscardedthedemandthataplayhaveanexposition，aclimaxandadenouement．Waitingfo，Godotisthebestparadigmhere．Infact，thisisBeckeR’ssecondtheatricaltrial：in1947，Beckettfinishedhisfirstfull—lengthplayEleutheria，whichBeckettsawitasafailureanddroppedit．Thenthistwo—actplayisfilledwithabsurd，futilewordsandtrivialitiesinwhichcriticsusuallycallitmerely“nothinghappens--twice’’19．Amongallthebrillianceandcharacteristicsofthisplay,timeisprobablythemostimportant：atfirst，becausewaitingisthroughoutthewholeplay,timehasbecomeavitalthemeoftheplay,andsometimescharactershavetofacetimefranklyonstag伊一asUnnamableobserves，“whenyouhavenothingtotalkabout，youtalkabouttime"(Rosen174)；Secondly,timeisconstructedinacircularstructured，whichgeneratesthecircularityofcharacters’absurdandmeaninglessactionsandcommunication；thirdly,similartoHenryBergson’Spuredurationconcept，Beckett’Shandlingoftimeassimilatesthemoderniststyleinwhichtimebecomesasuccessionofsmallestinstantsalongwiththeperceptionofthepastandfuture．AllthesedemonstratethatBecketthasendeavoredtoportraythemultiplelevelsofmathematical，psychologicalandexistential19ThisisafrequentlycitedcommentmadebyVivianMercier,whichisrecordedin"TheUneventfulEvent"in刀kIrishTunes,l84Februaryl956．22
time，inwhichBeckettgoesfarbeyondthemererejectionoftraditionalnarrativedramaturgy．IndoingSOBeckettfindsashapefortheanguish，frustration，precariousnessandchaosofthehumancondition．ThefollowingwillfocusonthebreakthroughBecketthasmadeintheshapeofhistemporalstructure．1．2TheCircularityofTimeBeckeR’SexperimentinWaitingfo厂Godotrelatesbrieflytotheawarenessoftime．Timeisthemajorsourceofchaospeoplearesufferingfrom．CircularitymeansBeckettabandonsthetraditionalunityoftimewhileitfollowsnotalinearbutacircularstructure．Whattheaudienceseeonthestageistwotrampsplayinggames，murmuring，dallyingandjesting，SOastowait，andmoreexactlytokilltime．Theytrytheirbesttofillintheblankorvoidoftimewiththeirmeaninglesstalksandgestures．Theirunusualarrangementoftimeisametaphoricrepresentationofman’sconditionandinnerworld．Nothingiscertainbutwaiting：whoisGodot?Whyaretheywaiting?Whenistheappointment?Howlonghavetheywaited?Theydonotknow．However,VladimirandEstragonremindthemselvesallthetimetodiscussthemeaningoftheirlives，aquestionwhichtheywillnevergettheanswerwhileitislikelytoshakethefoundationoftheirexistence．Thispointofviewformskindofparadox．
MAThesisLet’SgobacktoBeckett’Sreport“Iftherewereonlydarkness，allwouldbeclear．Itisbecausethereisnotonlydarknessbutalsolightthatoursituationbecomesinexplicable"(Abbott12)．ThemostinterestingnotionwecangetfromthisdialogueisthatputtingcharactersandaudiencesintotheCO—existenceofmeaningandmeaninglessness，hopeandhopelessness，waitingandnevershow—upisjusttheeffectBeckettpursues．ThisisthereasonwhyBrendanBehanoncesaid，“Idon’tknowwhathisplaysareabout，butIdoenjoythem．Idonotknowwhataswimintheoceanisabout，butIenjoyit．Ienjoythewaterflowingoverme’’(Abbott2)．Beckettistoshowhowitis，whatitisratherthanwhatitmeans．ThecircularityoftimeinWaitingforGodotmattersmoreratherthanitsplotorwhattheysayinit．IthelpstomeetBeckett’Sdesiretogivethechanceofsufferingextremedespairtohisaudiences．Thisis‘‘morecruelandpreciseexpression’’of‘‘【．．．】sufferingthantheconsciousestimateofthesuffererwhoissparedatleastonedespair,thedespairofthespectator．’'20WorksthatBeckettworksatareessentiallyconcernedwithconveyinghissenseofmystery,bewildermentandanxiety,andthenconfrontedwiththehumanconditionandhisdespairatbeingunabletofindameaninginexistence．TheliteraryeffectofBeckett’ScirculartemporalstructureinWaiting．forGodotcouldbemainlyseenfromthefollowingthreeaspects：∞SmnueiBeckett,Prouat．NewYork：GrovePress,1931，lLd，29．24
TheShapeofChaos--AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaitingforGodot1．2．1WaitinginCircularityWaitingfo，Godotisatwo-actplayengagedinaperpetualactofwaiting．Thesecondactechoesthefirstonewithmuchlessdissimilarity．waiting，theroutinesofVladimirandEstragon，thevisitsofPozzoandLucky,andtheboyreappearinthesameallottedplaces．WhyBeckettchosetwo．actbutnotoneorthree?Whythesecondplayinthisworkisalmostanexactrepetitionofthefirstplay?MichaelWortononcecommentedthatItisworthpointingoutthatBeckettoriginallyintendedtomakeGodotathree—actplay,butfinallydecidedthattwoactswereenough．reasonforthisdecisionisthatBeckeRwasfascinatedbymathematics．Inmathematicaltheorythepassagefrom0to1marksamajorandrealchangeofstate，andthatthepassagefrom1to2impliesthepossibilityofinfinity,SOtwoactswereenoughtosuggestthatVladimirandEstragon，PozzoandLuckyandtheboy,willgoonmeetinginincreasinglyreducedphysicalandmentalcircumstancesbutwillnevernotmeetagain．(Pilling70)InActone，theplaybeginswithEstragonsittingonalowmoundandtryingtotakeoffhisbootinanevening．Acttwostartswith“NextDay．SameTime．SamePlace”(Beckett53)．Noextraintroduction，nodetailedinformationismentioned．Besides，theentireactionboilsdowntothis：inaplacewherethereisnothingbutatree，twotrampsdawdleawaytheirtimebywaitingforarescuerfrommisery．Practically,nointerestingplots，
MAThesisnothinghappens，nothingisdone，nodevelopmentisdiscernible，anditlooksasifthereis．nobeginningandnoend．Itdoesnottrytotellanystorytoaudiences．ThefirstdayEstragonandVladimirshowuponstage，aftersomegesturesliketalkingaboutsometrivialthings，eatingcarrots，takingoffshoes，playinghatsandSOforth，theyareinformedthatGodotcannotcome，butsurlywillcometomorrow．Acttworepeatsthesameendingpattern．Thesameboymeetsthematthesceneandbringsthesamemessage．Twoactsendasfollowsrespectively：(Actone)ESTRAGON：Well，shallwego?VLADIMIR：Yes，let’sgo．[Theydonotmove．】’(Acttwo)VLADIMIR：Well?ShallWego?ESTRAGON：Yes，let’sgo．【Theydonotmove．】Thelinesarepreciselythesame，“butspokenbythesamecharactersinreversedorder'’(Esslin45)．Itisevidentthatwaitinginthisplayhasformedacyclicalstructure，namely,“adiminishingspiral”(Pilling69)．Thesamethinghappenstwiceinthesameplay,itenforcestoaudiencesasensethatthisnullwaitingwillgoonthenextday,aswellasthecomingdaysbeyondexpecmtion．Beckett’Sconceptofwaitingistoexperiencetheactionoftime，whichisuncertainandconstantchanging．Thehopeto
TheShapeofChaos--AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaitingfo，．Godofmeetthemysterioussaviortheyarealwayswaitingforisdevouredbytheuncertaintyofcirculartime．Thereisnodifferencebetweenanydayandanyotherday,sinceasillustratedinthecharacters’discussionoftime：POZZO：、^mattimeisit?VLADAMIR：【Inspectingthesky．】Seveno’clock⋯eighto’clock⋯ESTRAGON：Thatdependswhattimeofyearitis．POZZO：Isitevening?【Silence．VLADIMIRandESTRAGONscrutinizethesunset．】ESTRAGON：It’Srising．VLADIMIR：Impossible．ESTRAGON：Perhapsit’Sthedawn．VLADIMIR：Don’tbef001．It’Sthewestoverthere．ESTRAGON：Howdoyouknow?POZZO：【Anguished．】Isitevening?(79-80)Itisdifficultforthemtoidentifyacertainpointintimetoprovewhetheritissevenoreighto’clock，itisatdawnorintheevening．IfGodotdoesn’tcome，theywillcomebacktowaitforhimtomorrow．“Andthenthedayaftertomorrow．”“Possibly．"“AndSOon’’(16)．FromtheirdiscussiononwhattodoifGodotfailstocometoday,theiranswersreflectthecircularityofwaiting．Theuncertaintyoftimecreatestheruptureandvacuum，whichiscrammedwithempathyfromaudiences．Beckettmakesaudienceswinachancetoimagineandunderstandhisfundamentalintentions．Therefore，whathappensnowcouldbeanymomentinreallife，andcouldbeexperiencedbyanyonewithinor
MAThesisbeyondliterature．Thewaitinghere，isuneasywaiting，helplesswaiting，moretragicthancomical．Althoughtheircomicroutinestrytocamouflagethefactofwaiting，BeckettisforeverremindingUSthattheyarewaitingforGodotinanantithetical，inexplicableandprecariousworld．Hencewaitingincircularitysuccessfullymirrorsthetruepictureofmodempeople’Sanxious，hopelessandmeaninglessmind．1．2．2RitualsinAction‘‘ItisimpossibleformetotalkaboutmywritingbecauseIamconstantlyworkinginthedark．Itwouldbelikeaninsectleavinghiscocoon．Icanonlyestimatemyworkfromwithin．’’21Beckettsaidbyhimself．Accordingtohispointofview,heassertsthatanartis‘‘the．expressionthatthereisnothingtoexpress，nothingwithwhichtoexpress，nothingfromwhichtoexpress，nopowertoexpress，nodesiretoexpress，togetherwiththeobligationtoexpress．’'22However,thiscouldnotdisguisethetruththatBeckeRhasformedhisownstyleinwritingwhichiswell-knownallovertheworld．Godot，BeckeR—Watt，andBeckett-Mollyhavebeentokensofhisnihilism，alienationandmeaninglessness．Beingtrappedinhisself-imposedlimitations，criticsshouldstraintofindawaytoexperiencesomethingcalledinexpressible．H．PorterAbboaindicatesthatBeckettexperiments”ItjsqI·ot。dfromRmd’sAll，CanManage，53．“SamuelBeckettandGeorgesDuthuit,”ThreeDialogues,"inMartinEsslined．SamuelBeckeu：一CollectionofCriticalEssays，17．
withwhatYvorWinterscalled“imitativeform，’’andtodevelopamodeofcriticalresponsewhichisappropriatetothatexperiment(Winters1)．WhatIemphasishereistheform，butnotformalist．InWaitingfo厂Godot，theactofwaitingincircularityisanessentialandcharacteristicaspectofthehumancondition，strainingtobehopefulbutfruitless．Beckett’Sattackonthetraditionaltemporalstructure，thatis，thedisintegrationoftime，achieveskindofthecompositeofformandcontent．Backtothecircularityoftime，itisman’sfutilityandmeaninglessconditionwhichisformalizedtocharacters’boringandboredexperiencesenactedinadiminishingspiralstructure．Whatthecharactersgothroughandwhattheyaredoingisjustthesimplestrepetitionoftrivialities．Timeisalwaysthesameasusualandthereforeitisabominable．Timedoesnotpassinthisworld；onthecontrary,manshouldfindwaystopassthetime．Inthismanner,mechanicalrepetitionhasbeenasolutionadoptedbyBeckeRtoreenactsituationswithoutperceivinganysignificanceintheserepeatedactions．Tosomeextent，itrealizeshisaccommodationofchaosinplaywriting．Actinginroutineandritualsistheexpressionofawithdrawalfromlife．Itisnotforfunbutman’sdefenseagainsttheworld‘theydonotknowandcannotcomprehendoraccept．Themagicalrepetitionofanactionshowsthenegationofman’spassivityinlife．AsMartinEsslinputs：Throughourliveswealwayswaitforsomething，andGodotsimply29
MA，nlesisrepresentstheobjectiveofourwaiting--anevent，athing，aperson，death．Moreover,itisintheactofwaitingthatweexperiencetheflowoftimeinitspurest，mostevidentform．Ifweareactive，wetendtoforgetthepassageoftime，wepassthetime，butifwealemerelypassivelywaiting，wealeconfrontedwiththeactionoftimeitself．(197249)Thenegationofexcitingandextraordinaryplotformsaslewofcharacters’“agonized"repetitivetrivialrituals．Therapidandrepetitivegive-and—takebetweentwobumsarequitefunnyinperformance．However,theaudienceisconfrontedwithactionsthatlackapparentmotivation，charactersaremakingconstantteensyweensychanges，andwhathappensonstageisalwaysoutsidetherealmofrationalexperience．ThefeelaudiencesperceivefromtheirroutinesisthatBeckettispresentingtheplay’Stragiccontentinanabsurdform．ItisonecaseofBeckett’Sexploitationofthetragichumorinherentintheabsurdityofhumanbeings．VLADIMIR：SometimesIfeelitcomingallthesame．ThenIgoallqueer．【Hetakesoffhishat，peersinsideit,feelsaboutinsiderit,shakeit，putitonagain．】HowshallIsay7．Relievedandatthesametime．．．【Hesearchesfortheword．】．．．appalled．【Withemphasis．】AP—PALLED．【Hetakesoffhishatagain，peersinsideit．】Funny．【Heknocksonthecrown嬲thoughtodislodgeaf-orei印body,peersintoitagain,putitonagain．】Nothingtobedone．【ESTRAGON砸tllasupremeeffortsucceedsinpullingoffhisboot．Helooksinsideit,feelsaboutinsideit，turnsitupsidedown,shakes
it，looksonthegroundtoseeifanythinghasfallout，findsnothing，feelsinsideitagain，startingsightlesslybeforehim．】Well?ESTRAGON：Nothing．(12·3)Everythingcomesasthesame，whichmakessensethattheyalwaysdosuchkindofdullandnullthings．Ontheisolatedandbarrenstageisaman’staking．off＼putting．onhatagainandagain，oraman’spullingoffhisboot，shakingandfeelingitagainandagain．Itproducesasenseoffuntoaudiencesandmeanwhileitisdark，dating，intelligentanddisturbing．EstragonandVladimirareaccustomedtothesekinks．“Neverneglectlittlethingsoflife’’(12)．Inconclusion，Luckyandhisluggage，Pozzoandhiswatchandglasses，Estragonandhisboots，Vladimirandhishat，theyarerepeatingtheirillogicalandirrationallittlethings，butfrequentlygettroubleindoingthis．Estragonpullsathisbootwithbothhands，givesup，rests，triesagainasbefore．Thegreattroubletheyundertakeinaccomplishingthesetriflesmakesthemridiculousfigures．Estragoncan’ttakeoffhisboots，Pozzoneedsotherstoinvitehimtositdown，LuckycoulddoanythingforPozzeifonlyPozzeordershim，andSOforth．Theyareunlucky,buttheycouldnotseetheirunluckiness．Nothingisfunnierthanunhappiness．Estragoncanfeelthepaininhisfeetwhenrepetitivelytakingoffhisboot，buthedoesnotknowwhatcausestheproblemandhowtosolveit．Lifeispainful，butmancandonothingtodowithit．Justundertakeitandletitbe．ItisofteninBeckett’SplaysthatSO
MAThesisscrupulous，preciseandpainstakingsceneriesareformedagainsttheseeminglychaoticandmiserablelifeconditionsthatbeingdescribed．Themeanin91essnessoflifeisSOgravethatitrequiresmantodiverttheirattentionfromit；theirrepetitiveritualsandactionsareSOfrivolousandfrothythattheyonlydeepenourawarenessofman’Smeaninglessness．1．2．3RepetitioninLanguageWiththetimecyclingwithoutanexit，manwaitingincircularityandnotethatthelanguagerepetitionisworthmentioninghere．Theanalysisoftheatricallanguageisbasicallytheanalysisofspeech，whichoccupieslargequantityoflanguageintheatre．InwaitingforGodot,charactersspendmostoftheirtimeonstagetalkingaboutsomething，nothingsignificant．Mostoftheirspeechesaretrivialliketheboot，thethief,thetree，thetime，theEnglishman，thedeath，thecarrot，Godot，thedream，andsometimestheBible．Ononehand，thetopicstheysharingistrivialwhichrevealthetrivialityoftheirexistence．Ontheotherhand，whattheyaretalkingaboutdoesnotreallymeansomething．Itisactuallyawaytopassthetime．WhenEstragonrejectstohearthestoryoftwothieves，Vladimirconvinceshimthat“It’11passthetime'’(14)．Superficially,wecanhearthemtalkingandchattering，underneathitisthedumbnessoftheirmind．Repetitiveandcircularlanguagebecomesthatwhatfillsthegapsofsilenceintime．32
Thefirstmeaningfulrepetitionoftheplayis“Ithurts?⋯Hurts!Hewantstoknowifithurts!”Besidesthis，Becketthimselfnotedthatthereweretwenty．onecriesforhelp，withinwhichfourteenareignored，inpreparingfortheplayforperformance．EstragonasksVladimirto“stopblatheringandhelpmeoffwiththisbloodything’’andcallsfor‘‘Helpme!’’attheopeningofthisplay；Pozzo’Scriesforhelpstirssharpcontrastbetweenhisarroganceinthefirstactandthemiserableconditioninthesecond．PozzoreentersthestageclutchingontoLuckywhostaggers，asks‘‘Whatisit?Whoisit?’’Afterthatishisfifteenloudyellof‘‘Help!’’‘‘Help!Help!Helpmeup!’’WhathashappenedtoPozzo?WhatcausesPozzotoblindnessandLuckytodumbness?Whataudienceiscertainisnothingbutthepassingoftime．Togiveaudiencesaconfusionshape，Beckettformsashapethroughrepetition，arepetitionoflanguage--notonlythemesinthescript，butalsocharacters’disregardandindifferenceoftherepetition(criesforhelp)．EstragonandVladimir,frozeninmiseryintheirconditions，areawaitingatomorrowthatwillnevercome．effectivenessofthisrepetitiveandcircularlanguageformisembodiedinthepeculiarstageimages．Theirspeechesarerepeatedinnonsense，whichhelptoengravetheseabsurdimagestoaudiences’minds．Intheatre，imagesaremuchmoreimportantandpowerfulthanlanguagebecausetheyaremoreaccurateandclearer．23Therefore，Beckettexerts23詹姆斯·诺尔森，王绍祥(译)：‘贝克特肖像》，J：海：．1：海人民l|j版社，2006年·第5l页·33
MAnesismoreemphasisonthevisualeffectofhisplaysratherthanonlanguage．Thisistosaythathowto’sayaccountsformoreinBeckeR’Sworkratherthanwhattosay．VLADIMIR：Youmustbehappy,too，deepdown,ifyouonlyknewESTRAGON：Happyaboutwhat?VLADIMIR：Tobebackwithmeagain．ESTRAGON：Wouldyousayso?VLADIMIR：Sayyouare，evenifit’Snottrue．ESTRAGON：WhatamItosay7．VLADIMIR：Say,Iamhappy．ESTRAGON：IalTlhappy．VLADIMIR：SoanlI．ESTRAGON：SoamI．’VLADIMIR：Wearehappy．ESTRAGON：Wearehappy．Whatdowedonow,nowthatweal'ehappy7．VLADIMIR：WaitingforGodot．(55-6)NooneCandenythatasenseofbarrennessandbewildermentisbestappreciatedintheselines．Theyaletalking，butdonotknowwhattOsay．Evenonecannotbethemasterofhisownmood．“Iamhappy．’’Asimplesentencetoexpressone’Sinnerfeelingshouldbetaughtbyothers．EstragonrepeatsVladimir’Sspeechmechanically,whichshowsthepovertyandineffectivenessoftheirspeech．Imagesareincapablewhilewaitingandhoping，whichresultsinanatmosphereofdullandgloom．Underthiscircumstance，speechturnstobepoorandmeaningless．
Therefore，languagebecomesthecarrierandindicatorofpeople’sinability,hopelessness，and“Nothingtobedone．’’Beckettprefersthecircleandtheridiculousrepetition，whichcouldbeaword，agesture，amovement，oranidea．Inaccordancewiththese，anotherparadigmisthecirculardogsongVladimirsingsatthesecondactaRerheseesthatthetreehasfourorfiveleaves：AdogcameinthekitchenAndstoleacrustofbread．ThencookupwithaladleAndbeathimtillhewasdead．Thena11thedogscamerunningAnddugthedogatomb一【Hestops，broods，resumes．】ThenallthedogscamerunningAnddugthedogatombAndwroteuponthetombstoneFortheeyesofdogstocome：AdogcameinthekitchenAndstoleacrustofbread．ThencookupwithaladleAndbeathimtillheWasdead．ThenallthedogscamerunningAnddugthedogatomb—fHestops，broods，resumes．】ThenallthedogscamerunningAnddugthedogatomb一【Hestops，broods．Softly．】Anddugthedogatomb⋯(53)Thisdogsonginvolvestwoideas：lifeistheendlessperpetuationofafundamentalprocesswhilesuchaperpetuationisirrational．ThecomparisonofthetwoparagraphsoflyricsmanifeststhatthestructureisthesameasthatofWaitingfo厂Godot．BecauseboththeeventsonstageandtheeventsinVladimir’Srecitationimplyanendlessreiterationbywhichtherecitationseemstobeconfirmedtobeofferedseriouslyasanimageoflife．Bothofthemaredividedintotwoparts，inacircularstructure．IfVladimiriswillingto，hecoulddefinitelygoonandonwiththesongwithoutending．Thesongiscircular,theeffectislinear．Onsingingit，Vladimir’Sbroodingrepetitionoftheword“tomb’’marksitsthefinalityandconclusiveness，thatis，theword“tomb’’itselfisafinal35
MAThesisdestinationwherealltheanimateobjectswillgo．Beingsetinthebarrenplace，thecharactersarerepeatingwhattheyaredoingandtalking，SOthatthereisnorealchangeexceptthepassageoftime．Therecomesalinkagebetweenapainfulmadnessandthemereabsurdity．Inaddition，theeightrefrainsof“waitingforGodot'’intheircross-·talkestablishaground··workofitsmonotony,aswellasthevagabonds’verbalgamesofmakingconversation，questioningeachotherresistively,contradictingeachother,andabusingeachother．Therepetitionoflanguagehelpstobuildstageimages，andmeanwhileitseemsthattimehasbeentransformedintoaprisoninwhichcharacterscouldnotseeanyhopebutrepeatwhatisinhandtokilltime．TheimageofmonadicrepetitionwhichreflectstheoverallstructureofWaitingfo厂GodotisameansBeckettdeploystojustifyhisthinkingonthisendless，pointlessandabsurdworld．1．3TheDur6e(Duration)ofTimeThecirculartemporalstructureinWaitingforGodotenhancestherichnessoftheunderlyingplan，thatis，toconveytotheaudiencetheplay’Smessagethatlifeisnever-endingmisery,butmeanwhile，itstillcallbeentertainingtowatch．Whatisfantasticisthattheplaydoesnotconveythismessageofhumanmiserytotheaudiencedirectly．Beckettendeavorstomaketheaudiencefeelit，fellempathywithit,andgradually
TheShapeofChaos--AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaitingfo厂Godofbechangedbyit．Onwatchingit，audiencescannothelpcomparingitsownconditiontothatofthemuchworsecharactersportrayedbyBeckett．Itdoesnotonlydevelopasenseofsympathyandabetterunderstandingofthemiserableandunfortunates，butalsoprobablyarousesnumbersofpeopletogeneratesomeinnovativethoughtsinordertodosomethingwiththehumanpredicament．Toobtainthisidealeffect，Beckettexertslifelongefforts：allhislifehestruggleswithtime，space，arts，languageandartistries，eventhoughwecansaythatnoonecouldbebeyondhismiracleofexpression，healwaysfeelsdissatisfiedwithitsinabilitytoexpressexactlythemeaningheintendstoexpress．Nevertheless，believeitornot，youngBeckettwona￡10prizegivenbyNancyCunard，oneoftherichculture-lovingladyoftheday．Theprizewasforhisninety—eightlinepoemWhoroscopewrittenonthesubjectoftime．InWhoroscope，thereisnofuture，onlyapast．InJohnCalder’Seyes，“thislookingbackwhenneardeathisveryProustian，butBeckettwasalsotoportraymanyofhisfuturecharactersisasimilarway,especiallyMolloy,Malone，KrappandHamm”(Calder63)．HisviewsarequotedhereistoexemplifythecontributionsBeckett’Sconceptoftimehasmadeinwriting．TocatchaviewofBeckett’Ssubjectoftimewillgetourworkmuchclearandsimplified．Itwillhelpreadersknowbetteraboutboththestageimagesaswell弱theplay．OneofBeckett’sachievementsinWaitingfo，．Godotishis37
MAlllesisdistinctivetreatmentoftime．Aswehavediscussedabove，inWaitingfo，_Godot，timeiscircularinstructure．Thecircularityoftimeisareflectionofman’smiserable，unchangeableandmeaninglessnever-endinghumanpredicament．Nevertheless，ongroundofHenryBergson，anoutstandingFrenchphilosophyfromwhichBecketthasabsorbedthoughtsontime，timeshouldbedistinguishedintotwoforms：puretimeandmathematicaltime．Themathematicaltimeisamethodofphysicalscienceworkingwithspatialcategories，inwhichtimeisdividedintounitsandbecomesmeasurableanddiscontinuous，anditdoesnotandcannotcarryUSveryfarinourknowledgeofReality．Andyet，theoutsideisrejectedinWaitingforGodot，forthereasonthatthetimemeasurementslikethewatch，thesun，thestarorthemoonareunreliable．Thesubstanceofthemathematicaltimehasbeendrainedanddiminishedintouncertainty,substantiatedbythefactthatPozzo’Swatchcannotbefoundandthetwotramps’reiterationofwhereandwhen，questioningoftheday,anduncertaintyofthetime．Withoutthereliabilityofthemeasurement，timebecomesafluidforce，whichiSendlessandsimultaneous．Therefore，tocatchaglimpseofultimatenatureofRealityinWaitingforGodot,anewinterpretingmethodisnecessary．Hence，let’Snarrowitdown，andconcentrateourattentiononaspecificpoint，namely,thepuretimeandintuition，whichaccordingtoBergsonistheonlysuitablewaytorevealthenatureoflife．38
1．3．1PureDurationandtheFutilityofLifeDifferentfromthemathematicaltime，whichonlyrenderingtimetoapaceofonedimensionwithmomentsasitsconstitutivepoints，pure·durationisactuallya“present"whichdoesnotleavethepastbehindit，butcarriesitalonginitsbosomandcreatesthefutureofit．ThusReality,onBergson’Spointofview,isacontinuousforwardcreativemovementwithoppositesimplicitinitsnatureandbecomingmoreandmoreexplicitasitevolvesitself．24Beckett’SinterestintimeandBergsonisofnoaccident．Twenty—fouryearoldBeckettagreedtowriteastudyofProust(deeplyinfluencedbyBergson’Sphilosophy)，andin1931hefinishedProustwhichhasbeenrecognizedasanaestheticandepistemologicalmanifesto．ThisessayismarvelousforthatittrulyconsistsofBeckett’SownthoughtsonthehumanpredicamentexpressedthroughhisanalysisofMarcelProust’S彳laRecherchedutempsperdu．OnanalyzingProust，Beckettseestimeasanindividualizedobjectivityandanytimeoutsidetheindividualhumanexperiencebecomessomethingelse．Heisconcernedtolocatethepresentinstantinrelationtothefutureandpast．Beckeaseestheindividual’Sexperienceofthepresentmomentas：Theseatofaconstantprocessofdecantation，decantationfromthevesselcontainingthefluidoffuturetime，sluggish，paleandmonochrome，tothevesselcontainingthefluidofpasttime，agitatedandmulticoloredbythephenomenaofitshours．(Beckett1931：15)“LeszekKolakowski．Bergson．NewYork。OxfordUP'27．
MAThesisAlongwiththat，inCreativeEvolutionBergsonsuggeststhatindividualscaninterpretartintwodifferentways：byusingtheirintellectorintuition．Intheformerway,theywillusesymbolstodescribehowthepieceofartmakesthemfeel．Butiftheyusetheirintuition，theywillrejectallsymbolsandembracethefeeling，whichtheartinternallycreates．25CombinedwithBergson’S“intuition’’theory,afluidityofpsychologicalexperience，timehasledtoanewperceptionofwaiting，whichhasbecomeacontinuousdurationincludingthepastmemoriesandinvolvingthefuture．ForbothBeckettandBergson，usingintuitionisamoreappropriatewaytoperceivetheworldandtherealityratherthanunderstanditintellectually．Therefore，backtotheplay,man’sconditionofexistenceseemshopelessandfutileinWaitingfo厂Godot,whichresultsintoapessimisticviewontheworldandhumanbeings．Thecertainreasonisexplicitasthefollowing．Firstofall，itiseasytoseizeasenseoffutilelifefromthesolitarylandscape，peculiarlyfromcharacters’experienceoftheirpureduration．Thetramps，PozzoandLuckyareagingandwearyastheplaygoeson：thecircularityoftheirexistenceaccompanieswithitslineardirectionleadingtotheterminationoflife--death．Whiletheyarewaiting，Vladimirannouncesthat“Timehasstopped'’(36)asPozzoconsultshiswatchinActOne．Here，thedeadisthemathematicaltimeforVladimir25Charlottearaay,"TheTheoryofMentalism"．StaffordSocialHub：http：／／staffordsocialhub．org．uk／25．html．40
whoisoutsidethe‘‘askedmetositdown’’dialoguebetweenPozzoandEstragon．Ostensibly,timehasquitmoving；substantively,itisapieceofVladimir’Sepiphanyinwhichhehasrealizedthattheyarestuckatbay．ItisafterhissecondexitthatVladimirreentersthestage，indifferenttothestooges，“somber,comesandgoesagitatedly'’(35)．Buthepitches—intothemwithanirrelevantstatement‘‘Willnightnevercome?"followedby“Timehasstopped"(36)afewminutes’silencelater：Hiseyeshavelockedonpuretime．Herecomeshisdirectexpressionandcommentonthefluidityoftime．Encompassedbytheconsciousnessofnothingnessandintuition，Vladimirhasrealizedtheirmiserablestaticsituation：lifeisnothingbutanunpleasantduplicationofyesterday；andtherebytoexistintime，manhastotoleratetheguiltofyesterday,themeaninglessnessofthepresent，andthedeathwhichliesinthefuture．TheappointmentwithGodotfixedinthepastdominatesthedramabythesheerforceofadherence．Astheboytellsthemthat“Mr．Godottoldmetellyouhewon’tcomethiseveningbutsurelytomorrow”(49)．Andhecommitsthereiterationtheotherday．Godotwillcometomorrowbutnotnow．Thus，thefutureintheirmindissimplythefailureofGodot’Sarrivalateveryinstantoftime．Duringtheirwaiting，‘‘nothinghappens"(38)．Gradually,theyhavegotusedtotheirmiseries：VLADIMIR：Onecallbideone’stime．ESTRAGON：Oneknowswhattoexpect．
MAThesisVLADIMIR：Nofurthertoworry．ESTRAGON：Simplywait．VLADIMIR：We’resuedtoit．(37)Thelandscapeonstageunfoldsadirectexperiencethatisqualitative，dynamic，andcontinuous．Owingtotherealdurationandintuitionwhichissympatheticanddisinterested，Becketthascharacters，spectators，aswellashimselfletinhisplaywritingtoreachanempathicidentification．Thiscouldbeseenfromtheprisonpaper：Itwasallexpression，symbolicinordertoavoidallpersonalerror,byallauthorwhoexpectedeachmemberofhisaudiencetodrawhisownconclusions，makehisownerrors．Itaskednothinginpoint，itforcednodramatizedmoralontheviewer,itheldoutnospecifichope⋯．We’restillwaitingforGodot，andshallcontinuetowait．Whenthescenerygetstoodrabandtheactiontooslow,we’11calleachothernamesandsweartopartforever---butthen，there’Snoplacetogo．(Esslin1972：20)Theyknowwhatismeantbywaiting，evenifGodotfinallycame，thetruthwouldonlybeadisappointment．Learningfromcontinuouswaiting，thetrampsareignoranttotheirabsurditySOastobehavelikeapropstand-upcomedy．Throughtheflowofpureduration，avisionofhelplessandhopelesslifeisfeltsimultaneously．
TheShapeofChaos--AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaiting力，．Godot1．3．2DurationofMemoryandHabitSecondly,onthebasisofthedurationofmemoryandhabit，communicationbetweencharactersisalsofutile．AccordingtoBergson，wecanperceivethatthepuretimeinWaitingfo，．Godotisdifferentforeachofthecharacters．Theyalelivinginrespectivetimecellswherealwaysignorantofthesurroundings．Time，habit，memoryholdtheplaytogetheranddecorateitwithitsliteraryandtheatricalinterest．HugeKenneronceremarksthat‘‘BeckettmusthavefoundProust’Sconceptofinvoluntarymemoryespeciallyappealing”(Kenner42)．AndinProust，BeckettdiscussesmemoryandhabitinawaywhichwillsufficeforourunderstandingonGodot．InProust，time，habitandmemorybetweenthemhasbecomeathree．headedmonsterinBeckett’Sdiscussion，inwhichinvoluntarymemoryisthemostpotentone：lawsofmemoryalesubjecttothemoregenerallawsofhabit．Habitisacompromiseeffectedbetweentheindividualandhisenvironment．．．．Breathingishabit．Lifeishabit．Orlifeisasuccessionofhabits，sincetheindividualisasuccessionofindividuals；⋯Thecreationoftheworlddidnottakeplaceonceandforall，buttakesplaceeveryday．(BeckeR1999：18)BothProustandBecketttreathabitasabanefulnecessity．Herewemayremarkthattheregularityofahabitisgenerallyinproportiontoitsabsurdity,itsmeaninglessness．InBeckett’Stheater,heofferstwowaysto43
MAThesisdealwithtime：“involuntarymemory'’26and“habit”．Habitisakindofactionthatmantriestofilluptheirdayswithroutines，paradigmsandscenarios，SOthatasenseoforderandevenmeaningcouldbeimplantedonexistence．ItisevidenttoseethatthebasicrhythmofWaitingforGodotishabitinterruptedbymemorywhilememoryobliteratedbygames．AsJohnCalderputsin“TheConquestofTime’’：ThenaturalconclusiontoProust’Sconceptionofthepastlivingintheinvoluntarymemoryofthepresentis，asBeckettseesit，boththatthepastissuperiorandthatthedeadCanliveagain．SoProusthadtobeabletobringhisgrandmother‘livingandcomplete’backtolife，totallyinhismindandmemorybeforehewasabletorealizethefullimpactofherdeath⋯．Beckett’SessayonProustappearstobethefirsttimethathehimselfhadexaminedthecontinuinglifeofthedeadthroughthememoriesofothers：thisWassoontobecomeanimportantimageandLeitmotifinhiswork．(Calder68)TomuchthesamepointwithitisthatinWaitingfo，Godot，thecontinuinglifeoftheisolatedcharactersisdepictedonstagethroughtheirpoormemoryaswellastherepetitivehabit．BeckettportraystheimageofGodotinthemethodofothers’impression，memoryandhabit．Inhiswords，“ifmanwerewhollyindifferenttotheworld，itwouldalwaysseemnewandwonderfultohim--whichiSanevidentcontradictioninterms’’(Rosen202)．Beckett’Sartisrepletewithcontradictions．ThesameMAtcrmcoinedbyBeckettinanalyzingProust’sRememberofThin苫sPast．Theinvoluntarymemoryhasnothingtod0withthelogicortime-sequencesofreality．Itisunconscious,immediate,unplanned；itnotonlyrocreatesthepastobjectOrexpefi印cc'butalsoencompassedthewhole“mystery"ofthepast,informingthepresentwiththatmystery．
toit，thisplayisacontinuoustime-avoidinggamewithdiscontinuousgaps，pauses，silence，broken-offdialogueandroutines．Suspensionandsilenceisthebestmomentforbothspectatorsandcharactersreflectontheirlife．Waitinghasbecomeadreadfulhabit，inwhichpresenceimpliesabsence；hopeimplieshopelessness；memoryimpliesforgetfulness；meaningimpliesmeaninglessness．Whathabitandmemoryhaveincommonisthattheycarryonwhathappenedonthembeforeandmakeitemergecontinuouslyonman’spresentposition．Agreatdealofhumorarisesfromthetramps’failureenactsimpletasks，thus，absurdityandillogicalityiseasilytracedbyintuitionencompassedbysensoryexperienceinthisplay．Habitandmemoryisseenasa“greatdeadener'’ofanxiety：whenhabitandmemoryisimplantedintomentality,theirconcernandfearsgetallayed．Whathabitandmemorycontinuesdoingisdemonstrateone’Slogicinarandomandchaoticuniverse．Inthementalworld，timebecomesdisorderedanddifferentamongthecharacters．Habitoverrulescommonsenseinthisplay．InWaitingfo，．Godot，thedurationofhabitandmemoryattemptenablethecharactersperceiveorderandhenceachieveasenseofsecurity．However,ithasfailed．Herehabitiseverything：itisameanssurvivingalittlelonger,bycarryingonrituals，playinggames，longingGodot，tryingfindawaybemeaningful，SOthatallthepastandpresentdoesnotbecomea
MAThesisquicklyforgottenwasteinthegreatwastageofhumanexistence．Furthermore，EstragonismoreforgetfulthanVladimirinthisplay．Onthescene，VladimiristryingtOlookforacertainshapeoftime，butallhecanachievefromEstragonisaneternal，formlessmudandblather．Thetimetheyaccompanyeachotheris‘‘blatheringaboutnothinginparticular'’，andthishas“beengoingonnowforhalfacentury．’’Memoryandhabitareamixtureofjoyandsadnessforthereasonthattheyarequalifiedwithlogicconsciousnessfullofhopewhiletheysaddentheaudienceimmediatelywiththesheerfailoftheirhope．ItlooksasiftwobumsisclosetofigureouttheirabsurdsituationwhenVladimirfindsthatEstragondoesrememberthekickLuckygavehimthepreviousdaywiththeevidenceofthewound．Butthere—arrivalofPozzoandLuckyisanunwelcomeinterludewhichdestroysthekindoffeeblecertainty．Timequitsmoving；timeflowsagainalready．Thetrampscannotrelievethemselvesfromtheirpresent，norcantheyobtaineasefromtheirmemoryandhabit．Changesappearinthem，butthetimebehinditisunspeakable．WhenVladimirasksPozzowhyheisblind，whenithappens，Pozzecannottellfirmlyeither：VLADIMIR：I'maskingyouifitcameonyouallofasudden．POZZO：1wokeuponefinedayasblind弱Fortune．【Pause．】Sometimes1wonderifI’mnotstillsleeping．Ⅵ．ADIMIR：AndwhenWaSthat?POZZo：Idon’tknow．
VLADIMIR：Butnolaterthanyesterday--POZZO：(Violently．)Don’tquestionme!Theblindhavenonotionoftime．Thethingsoftimearehiddenfromthemtoo．(80)Pozzocannotmakesenseoftimeandspacewhileheisconcernedaboutthemallthetime：‘‘Whattimeisit?’’(79)‘‘Isitevening?’’(80)‘‘Wherearewe?’’(81)Theirargumentandconversationpicturesaworldinwhichthepsychologicaltimeisasfutileasthestageshows，maninmodemsocietyaredesperate，helplessanddisoriented．AsPozzomentions，memoryisdefective．Spectatorswillbewhollysurprisedbythefactthatthesecondscenerepeatsthefirstoneexactlythesame．Theywillalsobefilledwiththe“horror'’whichpeoplecanfeelinfrontofpeoplewhosufferfromamnesia．Amnesiaheightensthecharacters’anxiety．Whatistypicalisthat，withoneexceptionofVladimir,noneofthecharactersisawareofthisrepetition．Todayisaduplicationofyesterday,tomorrowwillbeaduplicationoftoday,whiletomorrowisclosetodeathattheendoftheline．Asperformedintheplay,lifehasbecomeameaninglessdurationoftheirfutileexistenceandtheirteensyabsurdworld．47
MAnesis
TheShapeofChaos--AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaitingfo——r——G———o—do——tChapterTwoFragmentedSpatialStructureinterplaybetweenformandchaoshasbeenatechnicalproblemhauntingBeckettpermanentlyasheisexperimentingtopermitchaostoentertheformalstructureofhisart．Beckettconsidersthedramaturgystructuretobemoreparamountthananymessageforthecommunicativefunctioningofaplay,SOhewriteschaosintohishighlystructuredplaysnotbyimposinghisownvisionsbutbydemandingthattheyshouldbeseenorperceiveddirectly．TheplayWaitingfo厂Godotfollowsthistrendsuccessfullyandassaultsthebasicunitiesoftheconventionaltheaterfromitstime，spaceandplotfacets．Howdoesthisplaymanagetochangethewayinwhichwethinkabouttheartofthestage?Itisbecausethatitaimsatworkingfortherevelationofmeaninglessnessin‘‘anunenviablesituation，’’directlyspeakingintoman’Sinnerheart．Keepingfromtheconventionalchronotope，Beckettattemptstoputforthanewonetodigtheprofoundsignificanceoftheplay．Onthespatialdimension，Beckettstartswithaminimalsettingonstage，accompanieswithfragmentedfractionsofspace，andfinallypresentsthespatializedsymmetricalrelationships．IndoingSO，Becketthasbeendeemedas“atoweringfigure⋯whoalteredthecourseofcontemporarytheater．''27”ItisnotedfromWhatArtis：theEstheticTheoryofA．vnRandeditedbyLouisTorres．MichelleMarderKamhi．P246．49
MAThesis2．1TheMinimalismofSettingsAsAlecReidhascommented，“Waitingfo广GodotisnotaboutGodotorevenaboutwaiting．Itiswaitingandignoranceandimpotenceandboredom，allmadevisibleandaudibleonthestagebeforeUS．’’28WhatinthisplaycanmanifestBeckett’Sverifiedpresentationoftherealfactsofhumanconditions?Rigorously,Waitingfo尸Godotisnotaplaythatchasesafterthenaturalisticorrealisticplaytomakecharactersdoasrealpeopleenactingrealevents．Theconventionalnaturalisticdramatistsprefertopresentaudienceswithaseaofdetailsaboutthesettings，plotsandcharacters．BeckettdiffersfromthembyhisinsistenceonconveyingtoUSwiththeconceptofabsoluteminimum．Furtherthanthat，whatBeckettintendstotellUSissomethingvague，obscure，discursiveandself-contradictory．Enclosedinaclosedstage，charactershavecreatedasenseofuncertaintyratherthanreality．Surprisingly,itistheinexplicableanduncertaincircumstancethatarousesaudiencestoaconclusion_1heuncertaintytheyperceivefromtheplayisnomorecertainthantheinfinitelypointlessandcomplexworldaroundthem．2．1．1AnEmptyStageFimtandforemost，thesetdelivers“nothing’’inWaitingfo，．Godot．Ingeneral，thetheaterisprobablythemostadorableandnaturalplaceto嚣ItisquotedfromDavidBradby’sBeckett,WaitingforGodot．Londoll：CambridgeU．P2003．28．50
representreality．Whattheplaywrightfeelsdisposedtosharewithaudienceswillbeonthescenewithoutanycamouflage．However,certainthingshavechangedbecauseofthediversionofBeckett’Sthoughts．Forinstance，inBeckett’Snovels，hisheroeslikeMurphy,Molly,Malone，MahoodandWormdeterioratemorerapidlyasthesettinggetsmorediminished：fromtheaidofabicycle，totheloseoftheuseoflegs，shutupinaroom，ajar,ameretrunk，andthefinalstagesofdisintegration．Allthesecharactershavecontributedtothequestofselfbehindtheirselfthroughtheformaldecay,thatis，thedisappearanceoftimeandspace．Waitingfo，．Godotfollowssuitinitssetting．Thustheaudiencewillfindthatthesettingoftheplayisreducedtoanapparentsimplicity．Unlikethehonedandflamboyantdecorationandsettingoftheclassics，Beckett’Sstageseemsbarren，dull，sterileandmonochrome．Inordertogiveconfusionshape，Beckettpersistsinthattheplayshouldbedoneverysimplywithoutlongpassagesbutwithashapeofrepetition，repetitionofthemes，notonlyrepetitioninthescript，butalsointhesetting．Tryingtoachieveaunitybetweenitssubject—matterandforminwhichtheyareexpressed，Beckettusesbarelyonescenethroughbothacts．Itisabouttwotrampsarewaitingonacountryroadbyatreefromthefreshstarttotheend．YetBeckett’Ssheerpurityofpresentationisconcealedinsomethingdeceptivelysimple．Beckett’Sjuxtapositionofallunnamedroad，atree，twomen
MAThesischatteringunmindfullyandwaitingforGodotwhotheytreatastheirsavior,fromthisverysimplicityofpresentationtheaudiencedrawanuncannilydeepresponse．Thisveryminimalismonstageelicitsstronglyfeltemotionsamongthetheatergoers．Originatingearlyinthetwentiethcentury,minimalism，theartofsubtraction，isexemplifiedinthediverseworksoftheimagistpoetEzraPound．Waitingfo厂Godotsubtractsallsemblanceoftheconventionaldramaticplottingthroughcomposingaplayinwhich“nothinghappens--twice．’’Beckettistryingtoconveyasmuchaspossibleusingaslittleaspossibleofthematrixofhisart．Theless，bycontrast，ismoreineffect．Theplaybeginswith：“Acountryroad．Atree．Evening"(11)andthen“Nextday．Sametime．Sameplace"(53)．Beckettisalwaysawareofthisminimalismandhisartisanartthataspirestobe“anartofzero"．Thesettingcouldhardlybelessspecificthanthis．Itisnowhereinparticularwhichturnstobeeverywherespontaneouslyorsimultaneouslyengravedintotheaudience’Seyes．AsBeckeRsuggestsaparadox：‘‘allyouhavetodoissayyousaidnothingandsaynothingagain’’29inhis“TextforNothing．’’Thepointemphasizedhereisthatevenwhensayingnothingitmustaccountforsomethingintheend，particularlywhenrepeating‘‘nothing’’againandagain．ItCandefinitelybetransformedintosomething．Onthestage，thebackgroundissetonacountryroad，fromnowhere捞SamuelBeckat,"TextforNothing,”fromSamuelBeckett．TheCompleteShortProse,ed．S．F-Gontarski．NewYork：GrovePress,1995．124．52
TheShapeofChaos--AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWait—i—ng——f—o———rGodo——tandleadstonowhere．Vladimirexpressesthat“I'mgladtoseeyouback'’(1)，buttheyhavenoideaaboutwheretheycomefromandwheretheyarenOW．Theyareontheseemlyendlessjoumey,thejourneyofwaitingforthemeaningoftheirlife．Tosomeextent，theemptystagedrawstheouteremptinessofthisplayaswellastheinneremptinessofcharacters．VLADIMIR：【Lookinground．】Yourecognizetheplace?ESTRAGON：Ididn’tsaythat．VLADIMIR：Well7ESTRAGON：Thatmakesnodi伍dence．VLADIMIR：Allthesame⋯thattree⋯【Turningtowardstheauditorium】⋯thatbog．(16)ESTRAGON：Andherewherewearenow?VLADIMIR：Whereelsedoyouthink?Doyounotrecognizetheplace?ESTRAGON：【Suddenlyfurious．】Recognize!Whatistheretorecognize?AllmylousylifeI'vecrawledaboutinthemudlAndyoutalktomeaboutscenery!【Lookingwildlyabouthim．】Lookatthismuckheap!I'veneverstirredfromit!VLADIMIR：Calmyoursel￡calmyourself．(57)Concludedfromthesetwoepisodes，twopointsarepellucid：firstly,theplacethebumsaretalkingaboutdemonstratesmuchvagueness．Theycannotconvincethemselveswheretheyarenow．Thedirectionofthestageindicatesthateverythingtakesplaceonanopenroadinoneevening．Butsomeminutechangeshaveappearedonthescene．Theplayisgoingona53
MAlllesisdiminishingdirectionasthestagetimepassingaway．FromEstragon’Sangerand如巧onthesecondactwecancatchthesensethattheyactuallyknowtheirhopelessconditions．Timeisreachingtheendbuttheystillcannotfindawaytoknowthepurposeoftheirbeing．Thestageisimbuedwiththesmellofanxietyandemptiness．Theemptystageconveysasenseofimpotenceandhopelessnessofhumanbeings．Thus，thecollapseofrationalismandGodmakestheworldshroudedindisorientationanddisturbance．Theemptyextemalworldendsinman’sspiritualpovertyandbarrenness，whichisBeckett’Smappingofanewtheater．Secondly,Estragon’Sbewildermentabouttimeandspaceindicatesman’s“nothingtobedone”onthehumanpredicament，andunderlinestheirnowherenessconsciousness．Asenseoffutilityhasstolenoverthem．Tosomeextent，Estragonhasgivenuphisperceptionofplaceforthereasonthatplaceisvoid．Theworldisintheshapeofchaos，SOthatitisintelligibletoseethenegligibleindividualslosetheirsight，especiallymentalsight．Brooksalsoseesthatthevagabondshavebeenlostintheprofanespace．Hewrites，“VladimirandEstragonaretiredpilgrimsofthelonganddustyway,whichordinarilyleadsfromdeath，tolife，frommantodivinity,fromtimetotimelessness．Theplayderivesitspowerfromitsironicimplicationthattheroadleadsnowhere．’'30LookingintoEstragon’Svision，wecanseethatwhatherefusestoconfrontisan30Brooks．“TheMythicPatterninWaitingforGodot,”295．54
ostensiblecover-upofthevoid．Hopingfortheirrescuetoarrive，Estragonrecognizestheessentialrealitythat“I'minhell”(69)!Castingasidethedisguise，EstragonopensawindowforthespectatortoseethesparsenessandsimplicityBeckettbuilds．Inshort，nostagesettingcanbemoresimplifiedthanthisone．Anemp妙stagesetwithanambiguousroad，atree，amoundwhereEstragonsits，theleavessproutingtheotherday,thesombermoon，alongwithfourcharacters’bodies，Beckettcondenseshisinformationintoanextremeofnodecoration．Butheconcentratesonthisvisualandplasticscenicelementintensively．WhatBeckettattemptstoistoutilizetheemptinessofthestagetoshowhisartisticself-consciousness，andhisself-reflection．2．1．2TheMinimalTheaterPropsWaitingfo，．Godotencompassesasparseworldwhereamorerelevantandinterestingdiscussionofthepropsonthisplaydeservesourattention．Beckett’Swordsjustmeanswhattheysa舯omore，noless．Thepropsmentionedarelimitedinnumberbutpivotalineffectiveness，whichdisplayman’smaterializedinnerworld．Stagepropsareobjectsinform，whiletheyareplaythingsintheirrepetitivetime-killinggames：ononehand，theyhavealmostlosttheirproperinherentfunction；ontheotherhand，charactersonstagehavebloomedirrationalandkeendependenceontheseabsurdobjects．Thefollowingwilltakeacloselook55
MAThesisatthepropsnthetree，Vladimir’Shat，Estragon’Sshow,Pozzo’Spipe，atomizer,watchandwhip，andLucky’Sbasket．Thetreebelongstothevegetalpropinwhichthetreeistheonlycertainfacetofthesetting，SOitisnecessarytotraceitssignificance．Thetreeintheonlypropthatupholdingonthestagealloverthetwonights，anditistheonlymarkpronouncedbyGodotwheretheappointmentis．InEstragonandVladimir’Seyes，thewholeouterworldisassembledonthepaleemptystageandreducedtosucharoadandanunnamabletree．Theirdestinyisthesamemiserableasthetree，blanklywaitingtheredayandnight．Theobscurepictureofthedesertedstageisthemostauthenticcanvasofman’smentalemptiness．Beckettthinksthatthesolitarytreecouldorienttheemptinessofthestage．Furthermore，thetree，firstbeskeletalandlatersprouting，doesnotworkoutpermanently：itisnotasymbolofhopebutindicatesthepassingoftime；itisnotaplacewheretheycanhangthemselvesorcommitsuicide；nordoesitfulfillitsdesignationasaplacetomeetGodot．Theleavesofthetree，suchminimalobjects，drawtheirattentionandimmediatelygiverisetotheirecstasyorrage．Becausesuchtinythingsrecalltheechoesofthepast(thehistoricandmythicpast--JuseswasnailedonatreeandtheBiblesays“Hopedeferredmakethsomethingsick，butwhenthedesirecometh，itisatreeoflife'’(Proverbs，13：12)thatitisdelighttoSeethechangewhilethechangebringsnothingsoundtotheiragonizedcondition．
TheShapeofChaos—AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaitingforGodotConsideringonthemanipulationofcharacters’respectiveprops：thehat，boots，pipe，atomizer,watchandthebasket，itpopsupwithsequentquestions--thesearethenecessitiesindailylife．However,thereseemtobesomethingwrongwiththemalongthetwoacts．WhyVladimirfeelsitchbutcondemnsitasthehat’Sfault?WhyEstragontriestotakeoffhisshoe?WhyPozzomisplaceshispossessions?WhyLuckyalwaystakeshisbasket?Everythingprovestoberidiculous．TogetherVladimirandEstragonjugglethreehats，takegorillapostures，huddleinexaggeratedfright，examineLuckyasanobject，poseasscoutsonthelookout，“do’’thetree，andtugataropethatnearlyknocksthemdownwhenitbreaks．31Theirunconsciousactionsandfiddlingwiththepropsshapesawaytojuttheirinnerfutility．Parallelwiththeemptystage，hiseconomicuseofpropsisexactlywhatcharacterizesthecharacters．Comparedwiththetraditionaltheater，itisclearthatthepropsherearemadetobeableto“speak"，enlargeandextendthedramaticeffectofBeckett’Splay．RubyCohnisseriouslyconcernedwiththefundamentalsofart—lifenexusinBeckett’Sworks，andsheholdsinSamuelBeckett：TheComicGamutthatBeckett’Smodeiscompoundedofmanysimplesas‘‘acomiccomplexandacomplexcomic"，andanyexplanationaboutlifeisashape，，agame，aartisticpicture，allclosetotherealitywhichisdefinitelyunknown，inexplicable，alluringbutdisappointing(298-9)．Inthisway,3IRubyCohn．“EnattendantGodot．”ABeckettCannon。AnnArbor：．MichiganUP,2001．1761183·39957
MAThesismanipulatingtheartistictheoryofminimalism，Beckettproducesobjects，agroupoffiguresbickering，jugglingandchatteringinthegeneralizedworld，whichreceivesnumerousechoesfromtheaudience---absurdity．2．2TheVoidoftheOffstageSpaceNumbersofcriticshavetalkedabouttheimportanceoftheemptinessofthestageinBeckett’Stheater,andsomeothershavearguedtheimportanceofthebodywithinthestage．ButafamouscriticJaneAlisonHalewritesthatBecketthas‘‘drawnaudiencesfurtherawayfromtheconcrete，stablespaceofthestage，anddeeperintotheabstract，fluctuatingspaceofthecharacters’mind．'’32Soweadmitthatplaywrightsenjoyusingthevisiblestagespacetoevokeanimageofinnerspaceforthespectator；conversely,theyusetheirinnerspace(offstagespace)tobuildupallextendedvoidworld，whichisanewuniquewayusedbyBeckettintheater．Inaddition，thechaosissimplyinthenameoftheabsurdityofhumanexistencewhilethemissionBeckettundertakingistoleadmanfacetheirexistence，thatis，theabsurdexistence．IndoingSO，thisplaywrighthasappliedarevolutionaryconcept“offstage’’．ShimonLevypointsoutthat‘‘Itisnotonlytherelevanttothestageunseenspace．Ithasdevelopedtobeatheatricalentity,always‘there’觞apresent，exclusivelytheatricalvoid，ablackhalo，32LesEssif．EmptyFigureOnallEmptyStage：theTheaterofS田,metBeckettandhisGeneration．Bloomington：IndianaU．P．200I．67．
over(andsometimeson)eachandeverystage"(Englbens200018)．Thisapproachleadstoafocusontheoffstageornarrativespace，whichcontributestothefragmentationoftheclosedspace，andthefragmented，absurdandchaotichumanconditions．2．2．1Godot--theIncarnationofOffstageSpaceDemocriteanskepticismrefersthat‘‘Weknownothinginreality；fortruthliesinanabyss"(Hesla9)．ThetruthisSOdifficulttoattainthatBeckeR’SWaitingforGodotisbuilt“onthecontrastbetweentheactualityofthecontingent，inauthenticselfandthepossibilityoftheself-grounded，authenticself’(Hesla11)．Withaimstodigintoman’sinnerheartandpursuethemeaningofbeing，Beckettmakesuseofanabsenttheatricalbein邸odot，constructinganoffstagespacewhichextendsthevisibleonetopavethewayforafullunderstandingofhumanconditions．ThecontrastbetweenthevisiblestageandtheoffstagespacewitnessesagainthatBeckett’Smajorworksarebuiltuponcontrariesandoppositions．PozzomakesitclearthatPOZZO：He’8stoppedcrying．【ToESTRAGON．】Youhavereplacedhimasitwere．【Lyrically．】Thetearsoftheworldareaconstantquantity．Foreachonewhobegiastoweep，somewhereelseanotherstops．Thesameistrueofthelaugh．【Helaughs．】LetUSnotspeakillofOUrgeneration，itisnotanyunhappierthanitspredecessors．【Pause．】LetUSnotspeakwellofiteither．【Pause．】LetUSnotspeak、
MAThesisofitata11．【Pause．Judiciously．】Itistruethepopulationhasincreased．(33)InBeckett’Sworld，thereisnofinalwordorsomethingabsolute．AsPozzohasexpressed，foreverytearthereisalaughter,foreverydarkthereisalight，foreverypositionthereisanopposition，foreveryaffirmationthereisanegation(thesquabblebetweenbums)，foreveryhopethereisadespairandetc．Itistotallya‘‘syzygy'’(Hesla10)．ItissuchanantithesisworldthatbroodsBeckett’Soffstageidea．Godotnevershowsupduringthewholeplay,butheindeedmeansomethingforboththetrampsandtheaudience．ShimonLevyhasalreadymentionedthisoffstagespaceinhisSamuelBeckett'sSelf-ReferentialDramain1990．Besidestheminimalstagewehavediscussedinthefirstsection，thespacehasbeeninternalizedgraduallyinBeckett’Sdramas-_．intheformsofinnerworldandoffstagespace．Theinterplayofthevisiblestagespace，innerspaceandtheoffstagespace(psychologicalspace)，alongwiththevoidspacearound，adequatelyrealizestheshapeof“theabyss’’andCO-operateswiththeemptinessthatcontainsthem．Theoffstagespaceisjusttheabsenttheatricalbeings，meanwhiletheembodimentofwhichisactuallyvoidandfutile．Peoplearewaitingforafutileobjectinachaoticworldwithheartandsoul，inreturnforthis，themeaninglessnessandabsurdityispouringdowndirectlyonstagewithoutanydisguise．Waitingfo，．GodotdemonstratesthattheintentionofBeckett’Sdrama60
TheShapeofChaos--AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaitingforGodotisnottodescribethelanguage，text，ornarrationinvolvedwithman’sinnerheart，buttoattractthespectator’SattentionandshiRittoman’sextended，spatialandinnercondition．Fundamentally,Godotisthemoststrikingparadigm，whoistheincarnationoftheoffstagespace．Godotcanbedefinedasthefirstmodemoffstagecharacter．WhoisGodot?Whereishisorigin?Whytheyarewaitingforhim?EvenBecketthasnoexactanswertothesequestions．Ironically,theyarewaitingforaman，andtheyareexpectingforhimwithawe．Butheisinthespacethattheaudienceandcharacterscanneverdabbleinto．Thisistheabsentbeingthatlivingintheirmindandmemory．Beckettisprobingintobigquestionslikebirthanddeath，comeandgo，hopeanddespairinhisworks．Hischaracterisnotanauthenticrealisticmanbutadirectimageofinnerworld．Thevariousfigureswhichheputsonthestagearenotreallypersonsbutfiguresintheinnerworld．Yet，Godot，asanabsentbeing，encompassesacentralcharacteristicofthespace，itsuncertainty．Theuncertaintyisopen，norestrictiontotheirguess，providingatotallyfreezonefortheaudiencetoimagine．ForinstanceinthefirstactEstragonandVladimiragreethattheyarewaitingforGodotbutnotsurewhetheritisbesidethewillowonSaturdayornot．Andwhentheyaretalkingabout“Whatexactlydidweaskhimfor'’，itis“nothingverydefinite"(19)，asthedialoguegoesonlikethis：6l
MAlllesisESTRAGON：Andwhatdidhereply7．VLADIMIR：Thathe’dsee．ESTRAGON：Thathecouldn’tpromiseanything．VLADIMIR：Thathe’dhavetothinkitover．ESTRAGON：Inthequiteofhishome．VLADIMIR：Consulthisfamily．ESTRAGON：Hisfriends．VLADIMIR：Hisagents．ESTRAGON：Hiscorrespondents．VLADIMlR：Hisbooks．ESTRAGON：Hisbankaccount．VLADIMIR：Beforetakingadecision．ESTRAGON：It’Sthenormalthing．VLADIMIR：Isitnot?ESTRAGON：IthinkSO．VLADIMIR：IthinkSOtoo．(20)Ontheoffstageimage，whatBeckettadoresisthewaitingandchatteringprocessbecausealmostalltheconclusionlooksunreliableanduncertainhere．Thispatternshortensthedistancebetweenthecharacterandtheaudience．This“absentspace'’ismorerealthanthestream-consciousness，becauseitexpressesitselfinanun—arriving“presence’’withtheparticipationoftheactivespectator．BeckettimitatesthewaitingscenewhilethethoughtsoftwobewilderedtrampsrunintoacruxofGodot．OntheabsentGodot，firstly,dialoguesmaketheimageauthenticandtruthful．Bakhtin’Saestheticscommendsthatideologyisnottheideaofanindividual，butthedialoguebetweendifferentideologies．Sundriesof
voicesandideasgathertogetherandformaconsensus．Thereareonlytwotrampsonthestage，andbothofthemadmittheappointmentofGodot．Therefore，itlooksasifthispropositionisdefinitelytrue，Godotisthereandwillcomesomeday；secondly,beingabsent，Godotisdeprivedofthediscourseright．Hehasnochancetospeakforhimself．Thus，thespectatorshavenoabsoluteprooftotestifyGodot’Sauthenticity．Finally,themomthecharacterandaudienceentrustthevoidoffstageGodot，themoreridiculous，hilariouseffectivenessthisplaywillachieve．Inaword，inordertomakehisreadersthinkandspeculate，tomakethemparticipateinhisostensibleparadoxbetweentheir‘‘certainty'’aboutwhatisuntrueand“uncertainty'’aboutwhatmaybetrue，BeckettmakesGodotabsentonstage．Inthisway,hisauthorialpowerhasalsobeenabdicatedtohisappealtotheinterventionofreaders．Intheatre，theoffstageconceptis“anti—space”．Asaconceptandasatechnicaldeviceitiscloselyrelatedtostagespace．Theabsentbeingfromanoffstagespaceseemsliketheholeonacanvasorthesilenceinapieceofmusic，commonbutmeaningful．Itbridgestheaudienceandthestage，whichaffordsthemwiththemosttrustandrespect．Justliketheword“nothing”Beckettstickstoallthetime，theoffstageimageisvoid，butitisnotvoidinshape．Itperplexesthetwo—actplay,andithasbeenanindispensablepartinBeckea’Saestheticorderofmess．
MAThesis2．2．2Boy_theMessengerofOffstageSpaceTherearetworeasonswhythecharactersofBeckettcanbethereonstage：timeputstheminchasingsomethingthattheywillneverattain；ortheyaretacitlystrivingfortheirexistence．Nobodycouldbetherewithoutcertaintimeandspacebackground．Inordertorealizetheirlocationsandsituations，andreacttothem，theymustconsequentlyguess，findorcreatecomesenseforthespaceinwhichtheyarestuck．OnWaitingforGodot，wehavediscussedaboutthetypicaloffstagebeingGodot，whoconfusesreaderswithitscontraryofauthenticandunauthenticself．ItisnecessaryforUStodedicateourworktotheboy,whodeliversamessageforGodot．Ifthespaceisdividedintotheonstageandoffstage，theboywillbeappropriatetocalledasthemessengeroftheoffstage．Heisontheborderbetweentheonstageandtheoffstage．BeckettoncetoldtheBiittnersthat“Theboyisafterallamessenger,comingfromatotallydifferentsphere，fromatotallydifferentdimension”(Englberts24)．Beingontheclashoftheonstageandoffstage，theboyhasbeenactuallygivenmanydifferentandinterestingdirectorialmeanings．Firstandforemost，theboyisanembodimentofinnocence，whichdemonstratesasenseofambiguityanduncertainty．ItistruethatWaitinglbrGodotisoftenreadasagloomyphilosophicalstatementwhichoffersmananegativevisionoflife：mallislivingaconfusingandmiserablelife．Becauseofthecatastrophesofthecruelworldwar,waitinghasbecome
TheShapeofChaos—AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaiting加rGodotthecommonhumanconditions．However,Godot’Smessengerisnotcorrupt，butaninnocentboy．Hedoesnotunderstandhismaster’Sinclinations，hedoesnotknowwhyheisfavoredoverhisbrothelandhedoesnotrecognizeVladimirandEstragonfromdaytoday．Itlooksasiftheoffstageintheirwaitingfunctionsasaneraser：eachtimethecharactersreturnonstagetheymustrelocatethemselves，spaceandtime．alike；eachtimetheyreenteronstagetheirmemoryaboutyesterdayhasbeenerased．Answerslike‘‘Yes，sir．’’and‘‘Idon’tknow,sir．’’(49)arethehabitualwordsinhisreplytoVladimirandEstragon．TheboyisSOnaivethattheaudiencecannothelpbelievinginwhatheisiterating；onthecontrary,thevoidofoffstageprovesitsun·authenticity．Inthismanner'theaudiencehasbeentrappedinadilemma：tobelieve，ornottobelieve，thatisaquestion．Secondly'theboyasamessengerdeliverstheinformationfromGodotdayaRerday,whichwitnessesadown—towardstrendoftheirlifeandtheemptinessoftheirinnermind．FromVladimir’Squestionof‘‘Thisisyourfirsttime?’’inthefirstacttohisexclamationof‘‘Thisisyourfirsttime．"inthesecond，sometinychangeshaveappeared：Vladimir’SincreaseddoubthasdeepenedhisrealizationontheunachievableappointmentwithGodot．LearningfromPozzoandfromhisownexperience，Vladimirhasrealizedthathemerelyismerelyrepeatingwhathedoeseverysingleday：
MAlllesisVLADIMIR：WasIsleeping，whiletheotherssuffered?AmIsleepingnow?【⋯】ThatwithEstragonmyfriend，atthisplace，untilthefallofnight，1waitedforGodot?ThatPozzopassed，withhiscarrier,andthathespoketous?Probably．Butinalthatwhattruthwilltherebe?【⋯】He’11knownothing．He’11tellmeabouttheblowshereceivedandI'llgivehimacarrot．[Pause．】Astrideofagraveandadifficultbirth．Downinthehole，lingeringly,thegrave—diggerputsontheforceps．Wehavetimetogrowold．Theairisfullofourcries．【⋯】Buthabitisagreatdeadener．【-．．】Atmetoosomeoneislooking,ofmetoosomeoneissaying．Heissleepingheknowsnothing，lethimsleepon．ICan’tgoon![Pause．】WhathaveIsaid?(84)Vladimirannounceshisexplorationofthelevelsofrealityinhisworld．Itlooksasifhehasbeenabletomoveoutsideofhimselfandobservethemthroughanotherperspective．Vladimircomestoknowthathewillneverpossesshisdeedsorknowhimselfaswellastheworld，nomatterwhenGodotordeathcomes．、№athehastodealwithiStosharethedarknessthattheiruniverseinhabits，pursuingthemeaningofexistence．However,heinsiststhatthemessageoftherealityoftheselfandbeingperceivedbesentbacktoGodotbythemessengeras“Tellhim⋯tellhimyousawmeandthat．．．thatyousawme’’(86)．Thearrivaloftheboyhasdisorderedhisrationalperception，“WhathaveIsaid?’’tellsthathehaseliminatedhisdoubtandithassenthimbacktothepossibilitythatspringmaycomeagain，thewastelandwillbesavedbyGodot，andthebumswillgainmore
meaningfulexistence．Inessence，theboy’Srepetitivewordsandactionscanbeexperiencedasaconscious，ironicallypatheticattempttoimposemeaningupondesolatespacesandhumansituationswhereperhapsthereisn’tany．Moreover,theboycanbecharacterizedasadeliberatequalitativeelementinvolving‘man’sinvisible。wasteland，translatingthenvolvingintomansinnerwastelanal，‘‘unspeakable’’intoa‘‘livable'’，atleast‘‘bearable’’situation．Thankstothis，alandscapeofinneremptinesshasbeenfightthereonanisolatedanddesertedwasteland．Theinneremptinesswillcontributetoorientaveryconsciousness：itnotonlyprovidesapsychicspacewithinwhichourconcreteideassuspended，butitalsocreatestheultimateperspectiveofmeaninglessness．Thankstotheoff-stagedescription，．anareaofdarknessandvaguenessimpossibletocomprehendintellectuallyorperceptuallycouldalwaysbeeasilytracedinBeckett’Sdramas．Beckett’sjuxtapositionoftheon／off-stageshasmingledman’sphysicalandmentalworldintoaperplexedunity．Inaddition，Beckettexcelsatperplexinghisdramasuccessfullythroughsimplicity．ThecooperationbetweenGodotandtheboy,alongwiththeirdailydialogues，confusesboththetrampsandtheaudience．An“empty'’stagedecoratedwithcharacter’Sdescriptionofoffstagesoundslikeallemptyroomrepletewithnumerousechoes．Thustheaudiencewillstarttomakespiritual，aestheticandevencognitive
MAlllesisconnectionswiththeon／off-stageemptinessaroundthemordeepwithinthem．ThetheatricalspaceinBeckett’Splayhasbeenonemarchingtowardthevoid．Whentheyviewtheopen，expansivestagefromareferentialperspective，theyhavebeenseducedintotheemptychaos．2．3TheSpatializedSymmetriesofCharactersInTheTheateroftheAbsurd,MartinEsslinpointsoutthatcommonabsurdcharacters，beinginsignificant，degrading，andfarcical，shouldbedeprivedofastableidentity．However,asanumberofcriticshave．observed，thecharactershavecertainlyplayedadecisiveroleinBeckett’Sart，especiallyinhisminimaldramassetwithanemptystageinanuncertainspace．Theyaremorethanthesubjectswhoimplementactionsandsustainthecontinuityoftheplay．ItisexplicitthatthequintessentialelementofBeckett’Splaysistheclearnessandblanknessofthesettings．Therefore，charactersaccountforitscontentsaswellasthestructureoftheplay．Theywillundoubtedlyprovokeintheaudienceanawarenessofthevoidandtheabsurdityofexistence；meanwhile，itisthereforeessentialforthecharacterstoappearentrappedinthiscircumstancefromBeckea’Spointofview．Charactersareendowedwithaperceptionofspace，thatis，theyareexactlyBeckettianspatializedonesonthespecificplace；secondly,BeckeR’Scharactersaleportrayedinthepauemofsymmetryinwhichasheercontrastisbestowed．Tosomedegree，the
TheShapeofChaos—AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaitingforGodotmeaningofthisplayresidesinitsstructuralfelicity,themoleculeoftheplay,itsunitofeffect，issymmetry,asymmetricalstructure．Furthermore，Beckett’Sinviolablepursuittosignifyemptinessinawaywillmakethespaceconnectedwiththefutilehumaninnerpsyche．Inthisway,thetensionbetweenmeaningandformorpatterngetsallayedandtheaccommodationbetweencanbedirectlychasedbythespectator．2．3．1BeckettianSpatializedCharactersItiswell．knownthatthetypicalbarrennessofthecharacters’surroundingsonthestageisametaphoricrepresentationoftheirinnerworld；however,theportraitofthesecharactershasbecomeanindispensiblepartactuallyattachedtothisbarrenworld．TheyarespatializedonesundertheguidanceofBeckett．Trappedinthedilemmaofafruitlessandfutilelife，fivefiguresappearonthestageforthechaseforsomemeaningsoftheirexistence：thetrampsVladimirandEstragon，themasterPozzo，themenialLuckyandthemessengerboy．Besidesthem，anunforgettableoffstageimagehauntingintheirmindmustbeinvolvedhere--Godot，whoisamysteriousmanwhopuzzlesandbewildersmanfromstemtostem．Firstly,thebizarrestagenamesontheBeckettianstage‘unfoldaproblematicmicrocosmofthewholeofmankindinhisyears．Whenmanwatchesthecircularrepetitionsofcharactersonstage，hecannothelp
MAThesisaskingquestionslikewhythingsgoonlikethis，whatthesepessimisticfaceshaveundergone，andwhytheyareSOintheirsocialenvironment．Theplayappearstotakeplacenowhereinparticular,butthetramps’wordsandactionssuggestamodemsetting．WhatshocksalmostthewholeworldisthatalmosteveryonecanfindareferentialselfinWaiting声厂Godotsinceitsdebut．Vladimir’S“Wearemen”(76)andEstragon’S“He’Sallhumanity'’(78)soundliketheiremptyboasting，nevertheless，somethingstemmingfromitcanbeseenasBeckett’Sintention．Thereasonisthatthistinysquarestagesignifiesthefull—spotpanoramaofthehumanbeing．Itisclearthatthiscontentioncanbeunderpinnedbythenamesofthecharacters．NothinginBeckettistrulymeaningless．Hischoiceofnamescanneverbesimplyaccidentaloroccasional．FrederickBusihasaccomplishedaspecializedbookthatfocusesonthesignificanceofonomastictechniquesemployedbyBeckettinhismasterpiece．Hisbattleofpropernameswillshedsomelightonmystudyhere．InWaitingfo，．Godot,thestrangeandbizarrenamesofBeckett’Sfourmaincharactersstandoutincontrastagainstthebarrenlandscapeofthisplay．Thenamesstimulateman’sfurtherimagination．Thenamesareofdifferentnationalities，SOthat，theirplightisreflectedandamplifiedbytheassociationsconjuredupbytheirnames．Let’Sfocusonthenamesinthisplay．Estragon，aFrenchname，isshortenedasGogobyVladimir,which
TheShapeofChaos--AnInterpretationofChronotopeinWaitingfo，．Godotstandsfor“comingandgoinghereandthere"inEnglish．OnhearingoryellingoutGogo，manassumesafeelingofanxiety．Vladimir,remindingreadersthenameofVladimirGrandDukeofKiev(956—1015)，isaRussianname．HisnicknameDidisoundsthesameas“dire—dire”inFrenchwhichmeanstelling，blabberingandbickeringcontinuously．Thefancypointhereisthat‘‘Gogo’’and‘‘Didi’’soundsimilarto‘‘gege’’(olderbrother)and“didi"(youngerbrother)inChinese，whichshowsarelationshipbetweenthedualbrothersconfrontedwiththestemworldtogether．TheFrench，Italian，FrenchandSpanishnamePozzocanbeconnectedwithPozzodiBorgo(1768-1842)whoisaprestigiousnoblemaninCorsicainFrance．Yet，Pozzomeans“well"，whichtellsthatPozzoiskindofasqueezerinthisplay．Lucky,anironicEnglishname，hasnokeenrelationshipwithsomethingluckyallhislife．UponGodot，MartinEsslinsaysthat，AgooddealofingenuityhasbeenexpendedintryingtoestablishatleastalletymologyforGodot’Sname，whichwouldpointtoBeckett’SconsciousorsubconsciousintentioninmakinghimtheobjectiveofVladimir’SandEstragon’Squest．IthasbeensuggestedthatGodotisaweakenedformoftheword‘God’，adiminutiveformedontheanalogyofPierre-Pierrot，Charles-Charlo，withtheaddedassociationoftheCharlieChaplincharacterofthelittleman，whoiscalledChariotinFrance，andwhosebowlerhatisWOITIbyallfourmaincharactersonthestage．(Esslin197248)
MAlllesisSeenasamythicalhumanbeingwhoisexpectedtOchangetheirsullensituation，Godothasbeeninastageoffluxoruncertainty,nomatterwhatGodotintervenesorstandsfor．Thus，agroupofpeoplebeingmixedwithvariousracesandnationalitiesgettogether,repeatingdulldailythings，alongwiththeirdifferentidentities，formsafaithfulepitomeofthemodemwesternworld．Thesufferingssuffusingonthefutilestagebecomessomethinguniversal．Whatthecharactersundertakingnowisnotlimitedinonespecificplacebutafaithfulreflectionoftherealityinthemodemworld．Thesefixednamesservetoshowthelogicalidentitiesofthecharacters；however,BeckeRisnotsatisfiedwiththisinthatuncertaintyorambiguityisthelifelineofhisplay．Secondly'thesituationonstageisuniversalbutmeanwhiletheaudienceshavetoadmitthatthecharacters’awarenessoftheirawkwardsituationhasgotitsabsurditymuchmorestrengthened．Thiscanalsobedemonstratedbyafurtheranalysisonnames．Moresignificantly,Beckeadoesnotusetheirfixednameconsistently,butalwaysinaconfusedandmistakenway．Becauseofthecharacters’badandinfectiousmemory,theycannottellonenamefromeachotherdirectlyoraccurately．That’Stosay,theysignifythereallifeofhumanbeings，beinginastateofabsurdityandchaos：1)Morethanonenamearepreparedforonecertaincharacter；intheirnullchat，VladimirrespondstoothernameslikeDidi，Albert，EstragontoGogoandAdam，PozzotoCainandAbel，Luckyto
TheShapeofChaos--AnInterpretationofChronotopeinr／aitingfo，．Godotpig，hog，menial，andSOforth．2)Oneisalwaysmistakenforsomeoneelseinthisplay；moreridiculousisthattheycommitthesemistakeswiththeirawarenessofit．Let’Stakeacloselookatthisepisode：VLADMIR：OrIcouldcalltohim．ESTRAGON：Yes，calltohim．VLADMIR：Pozzo!【Silence．】Pozzol[Silence．】Noreply．ESTRAGON：Together．VLADMIR／ESTRAGON：Pozzo!Pozzo!VLADMIR：Hemoved．ESTRAGON：AreyousurehisnameisPozzo?VLADMIR：【Alarmed．】MrPozzo!Comeback!Wewon’thurtyou!【Silence．】ESTRAGON：Wemighttryhimwithothernames．(77)spectatorsaredefinitelysurethatthemanfallendownthereisPozz．o，thesamemanwhocamehereyesterday．However,onhearinghisrealname，Pozzopaysnoattentiontoitandcontinueshisdiscontinuoussilenceandmoans．Thedialoguegoeson：VLADMIR：I'mafraidhe’sdying．ESTRAGON：It’dbeamusing．VLADMIR：What’dbeamusing?ESTRAGON：Totrywithothernames，oneaftertheother．It’dpassthetime．Andwe’dbeboundtohitontherightonesoonerorlater．VLADMIR：ItellyouhisnameisPozzo．ESTRAGON：we’11soonsee．【Hereflects．】Abel!Abel!POZZO：Help!
MAThesisESTRAGON：Gotitinone!VLADIMIR：Ibegintowearyofthismotif．ESTRAGON：PerhapstheotheriscalledCain．Cain!Cain!POZZO：Help!ESTRAGON：Heisallhumanity．(78)Estragon’SattempttocallPozzowithAbelandCain，whichisrefusedbyVladimir,finallymakessensebasingonPozzo’Srespondtoit．Whatisillogicalandabsurdhastumedtobesomethingnormalandacceptablehere．Whattheyshoulddodependsonwhetheritkillstime，butnotonwhetheritisrightornot．EstragonisindifferenttoPozzo’S“help”，buteagertomakefunfromit．Helpingothersisofthesecondaryimportanceinhismind．“Heisallhumanity'’tellsUSthatallhumanityareentrappedinthesameconditionasPozzodoes；andthenman’sawarenessoftheirmiserablesituationmakesasharpcontrastwiththeirun—dowithit．Theyhavenootherchoicebutwaitingforthesavior；theyplantoleaveortodiebutfailed；theycannotgoonbutcontinuingtheirwaitingdayafterday．Lifeisabsurd，SOmeaningiswhattheyarechasingforallthetime．AmeaningfullifeisbeyondtheBeckettianworld，whichequalstheconceptthatBeckeRusuallyattemptstofindlightindarkness，meaninginabsurdity,andorderinchaos，Beckett’Scharactersarequiteawareofthebleaksituationstheyarein．Anotherspecialpartofthesecharactersintheuncertainspaceisthattheyhaveastrongawarenessofbeing“looking'’．AsVladimirremarksin74
hisfinalepiphanybeforetheboy’Sre-arrival，“[HelooksagainatEstragon．】Atmetoosomeoneislooking，ofmetoosomeoneissaying，heissleeping，heknowsnothing，lethimsleepon"(84)．VladimirhasconcludedEstragon’Smiserablelifeasatragedythat“Hewillknownothing．’’Onthecontrary,hehimselfislookedorexposedtoawatchingsomeoneelseinapublicsetting．Theyknowthattheywillnotonlybeseenasanobjectonstagebutalsobeobservedandjudged．Thestageisempty；therefore，itisopenfortheaudiencetoimaginethepresenceofamysteriousGodot，andtojudgeorscrutinizethecharactersonstage．For、instance，inActtwo，Vladimirsays，We’resurrounded!【Estragonmakesarushtowardsback．]Imbecile!There’Snowayoutthere．【HetakesEstragonbythearmanddragshimtowardsfront．Gesturetowardfront．】There!Notasoulinsight!Offyougo．Quick!【HepushesEstragontowardsauditorium．Estragonrecoilsinhorror．】Youwon’t?【Hecontemplatesauditorium．】Well，Icallunderstandthat．(69)Fromtheirhurryandnervousperformance，theaudiencesareinvolvedintotheplay：theyturntotheaudienceforhelpandknowthatitisoutofthequestion；theaudiencesalsowinachancetolookinwardandquery—ofabsurd‘’ndifferent,henomenon．Waitinfortherootcausesofthisabsurdandlndltterentphenomenonwamng●Godotisaplayaboutmanythings，butasCalderannounces，“itscentralmessageisthehorrorofbeingunknown，unrecognized，andforgotten’’(16)．Thespatializedtramps，representativesofallthehumanity,have75
MAThesisbeenwaitingfortheonlysaviorinapublicplaceforlong．TheycannotfindtheiridentitiesthroughPozzo，Lucky,orthemessengerboy,whocomeandgo，butpaylittleattentiontothesepoortramps’businesshere．Theyareeagertofindamanwhocanwitnesstheirexistence，thatis，Godot．However,Godot’Sabsenceprovesthattheyarenotsociallyrecognized，andthereforetheirendlesswaitingcanonlybemeaningless．Observingtheirspatializedcharacters，wecouldcometoaconclusionthatinBeckett’Stheater,thecharacterisconsideredwith“minute”attention：hetreatsitjustlikehowhedealswithspace，objects，lightand·languagewhichcanbemodified，sculpted，shapedanddistortedforthestage．Thecharactershavebecomekindofmotionalpropsundertakingmetamorphoses，besidestheirtaskofbeingthesubjectsonstage．2．3．2BeckettianSymmetricalCharactersGroundbreaking，Waitingfo，．Godotisseenasacertainlystylisticallypiece．Itexertsadeepambivalentandambiguouslookintothehumanconditions．Thus，afurtherstructuralassessmentonthespatializedcharactersisworthadaptingto．Inaddition，itistruethatdramatistsareusedtoshapingcharactersontheouterorvisiblestagespacetoevokeallimageofinnerspaceofthespectator,whichwilldrawaudiencesfurtherawayfromtheconcrete，stablespaceofthestageanddeeperintotherelationshipsbetweenthecharacters．Inspectingthecharactersingroup，
wecanseethateachgrouptypifiestheclassificationofdifferentpeopleinsociety．Thus，thefollowingwillconcentrateonthethreegroupsofsymmetricalcharactersinthisplay：VladimirandEstragon，PozzoandLucky,Godotandtheboy(thispairhasbeendiscussedinChapter2—2)．1)VladimirandEstragonbelongstothestaticgroupwhichstaysonstagewaitingforthearrivalofanunachievableGodot．Inasymmetricalstructure，thetrampsareofcomplementarypersonalities：Vladimiristhemorepracticalonewhoisseenasaphilosopher,cannotbearinghearingaboutdreams，havingastinkingbreath，beingpatientandhopefultoGodot，providingfood(carrot)andbeingparentaltoEstragon(actingasEstragon’Sprotector,singinghimtosleepwithalullaby,andcovinghimwithhiscoat)，gettingsomethingwrongwithhishat，demandingLuckytothinkratherthandance，havingakeenmemoryaboutthepastandswollenfeet，alwaysbeingnervousandagitated，SOthatheisthemorewakeful，persistentandalertoneofthetwo．Onthecontrary,Estragonisthemoreimpracticalonewhoclaimstohavebeenapoet，enjoyingdreamingallthetime，havingstinkingfeet，beingbadtemperedanddoubtfulaboutthearrivalofGodot，acceptingfoodfromVladimirinachildlikeposition，thinkingthatthereissomethingwrongwithhisboot，wishingLuckytodanceratherthanthink，losinganamnesisandmemories，havingapainfulprostate，alwaysbeingsleepyandbored，SOthatheisthemorelethargicandvolatileoneintheplay．
MAThesisLanguageisthemajordramatictechniqueinWaitingfo，．Godot．Theircomplementarysymmetricalstructurehasalsoexertsinfluenceontheirspeechpatterns．Thus，DoctorBaiYuhuahasdefinedthatthisplaycanberegardedasonefragmentedmonologueinthemindofBeckett(29)．ThecomplementarysymmetryoftheirtemperamentsisthecauseoftheirendlessbickeringandoRenleadstoparallelspeechormonologueinachaoticspeechpattern．Bothofthesedefytheruleofcommunication，SOthatitlooksasiftheyarelivingintheworldoftheirownandpreferringtalkingtothemselvesratherthantoothers．Forinstance，ESTRAGON：Hecannolongerenduremypresence．．．whathappensinthatcasetoyourappointmentwiththis．．．Godet．．．Godot．．．Godin⋯anyhowyouseewhoImean，whohasyourfutureinhis．hands⋯[Pause．】⋯atleastyourimmediatefuture．VLADMIR：Whotoldyou?POZZO：Hespeakstomeagain!Ifthisgoesonmuchlongerwe’11soonbeoldfriends．POZZO：【Delighted．】Aquestion!Who?What?Amomentagoyouwerecallingmesir⋯．Nowyou’reaskingmeaquestion．Nogoodwillcomeofthis!VLADIMIR：[ToEstragon．】Ithinkheislistening．ESTRAGON：【CirclingaboutLucky．】What?VLADIMIR：Whyhedoesn’tputdownhisbags．ESTRAGON：1wonder．(29-30)
、Fromtheirirregularconversation，wecancatchtheideathattheyaresharingaworldwherecommunicationisimpossiblewhilelanguagecanneverbeaneffectivemeansofcommunication．Thereisnocertainindicatortoshowwheretheyare，butfromtheirineffectivespeechitiscleartoseethattheyarelivinginachaoticworld．Pozzo’S“He’’indicatesthathedoesnotrespondtoVladimir’Swords，buttoathirdperson．Maybeheisspeakingtohimselfortheaudience．AboutEstragon’Squestion“whydoesn’theputdownhisbags"，Pozzo’Sreplyisasuprisingandhappyvoice“Aquestion!Who?What?”．Pozzoiswillingtoanswertoothersanddealwithproblems，butheis‘‘blind’’and‘‘deaf’tothepoorwhoarewaitingforhelp，whichsoundsinthesamewayasEstragonandVladimirwhoareanxioustodosomethingmeaningfulbutnevermakeit．Theyaremurmuringtheirownwordsindividually；thereisalmostnocommunicationamongthemsincenoneofthemisconcernedabouttheothers’speech．Inaword，beingcomplementarysymmetricalones，VladimirandEstragonoftensuggestthattheyshouldpartwhiletheyalsoaredependentoneachotherandhavetostaytogether．Theyhavenothingtodowhilelanguage，themajorcomponentoftheplay,hasdemonstratedtotheaudienceachaoticandfutileworldtheimpotentmankindsinhabit．2)PozzoandLuckyareinthemotionalgroupwhichcomeandgoonandoffthestage．Theycomefromanunknownplaceandleaveforthe
MAThesis“fair'’inActonetosellLucky,andthenreachto‘‘nowhere”inActtwo．Spatiallyspeaking，theportraitofPozzoandLuckytellsthatanairoftortureandpressureissuffusinginsuchabarrenworld．Confrontedwiththeseundeniableandunavoidabletortures，thehumanbeings’impotenceandmeaninglessisunfoldedcompletelytotheopenair．TherelationshipbetweenPozzoandLuckydiffersfromthatofEstragonandVladimir．Thebumsalefreeandnaturalindividualsthatdependentoneachother；ThroughPozzoandLucky,Beckettsuccessfullyputsforwardarepresentationandextensionoftheirsocialrelationshipsonstage．Becauseoftheexistenceoftheoppressorandtheoppressed，thesenseofequalityandhappinesshassteppedbacktothemiseryoflife．Withawhipinhand，PozzoperformsasthesadisticandcruelmasterofLuckyforheistormentingthesubmissiveslaveLuckyallthetime．HeinsultsLuckyas‘‘pig’’and‘‘hog’’，drivesandordersLuckytoservehimwithoutresistance．ThepoorLucky,whowishestohavearestandsleeponhisfeet，isdrivenlikeabeastofburdenwitharopearoundhisneckandaheavybaggagefilledwithsandonhisshoulder．HeacceptseverythingPozzoorderswithoutanycomplaint：【He(Pozzo)jerkstherope!】UPpig!【Pause．】On!Everytimehedropshefallssleep．【Jerkstherope．】Up，hog![NoiseofLuckygettingupandpickinguphisbaggage．Pozzojerkstherope．】Back!【EnterLuckybackwards．】Stop!【．Luckystops．】Turn!【Luckyturns．ToVladimirandEstragon,。affably．】⋯Stool!【⋯】Closer!【Lucky
putsdownbagandbasket，advances，movesstool，goesbacktohisplace，takesupbagandbasket．Pozzositsdown，placesthebuttofhiswhipagainstLucky’schestandpushes．]Back![Luckytakesastepback．】Stop![Luckystops．】(25)PozzoenjoyshisimperiouscommandtomakeLuckywhollysubmissivetohiswill．Thepowerfulcanalwaystakechargeofandtormentthepowerless．PozzonotonlyordersLuckytoundertakethephysicalburdenbutalsodemandshimtothinkonPozzo’Swill．ThinkingisaworstthingforPozzo，SOheswitchesitovertoLucky．Pozzo’SreinoverhimhassunkintoalmosteverycomerofLucky’Slife．Ironically,LuckyisanintelligentoneinnaturebuthisbodyaswellashismindhasbeendeadforthatheisdelightedtoesteemPozzomuchmorehighlythanhimself．Lucky,apassiveroleintheplay,hasessentiallylosthisidentityandletPozzobethemasterofhim．TheemphasisonthetortureofthecharactersistopinpointthatthesefiguresareBeckett’Sdeviceofstagesetting：arecordofwhattheyaregoingthroughandexperiencingbecomesaconvenientmethodtoexploreandopenuphistheatricality．OnPozzoandLucky,thedramaticchangeinActtwoisamanifestlysignofbreakdown．Theplayisgoingonincircularitywithadecliningdirection．Thevictimisshrinkingfromhisbeautifulpastdays；therefore，thepainandsufferingareessentialsoflife，nonecouldescapefromitforthatthepossibilitytosufferisuniversal．Besidestheireffectivenesstouncoveramiserableworld，themaster
MAThesisandslaverelationshipisareferentialonethatthetwotrampsarelongingfor．‘‘We’rewaitingforGodot’’appearsintheirspeechesmorethanninetimesasawhole，andGodothasbeenasaviortOprovetheirexistence，toleadtheirlife，andtobethemasterofthem．AsVladimirstresses，“Let’Swaitandseewhathesays．’’“Let’Swaittillweknowexactlyhowwestand．"“I’mcurioustohearwhathehastooffer．Thenwe’11takeitorleaveit”(33)．Ononehand，thenon—arrivalofGodotdeclaresthefutilityoftheirwaiting；ontheotherhand，thebreakdownofLuckysetsavividexamplefortheirmiserableandfutiledestiny．Eveniftheygotamaster,thefutilityandabsurdityoflifewouldhavenochange，evenbeingmuchworse．ThisCanbemanifestedbyPozzo’SutteranceinterwovenwithVladimir’Sfiveiterationsof‘‘Youwanttogetridofhim?’’asfollows：POZZO：Ah!Whycouldn’tyousaySObefore?Whyhedoesn’tmakehimselfcomfortable?Let’stryandgetthisclear．Hashenottherightto?Certainlyhehas．Itfollowsthathedoesn’twantto．There’Sreasoningforyou⋯．POZZO：Hewantstoimpressme，sothatI'llke印him．POZZO：Ido．ButinsteadofdrivinghimawayasImighthavedone,Imeaninsteadofsimplykickinghimoutonhisarse,inthegoodnessofmyheartIambrininghimtothefair,whereIhopetogetagoodpriceforhim．Thetruthisyoucall’tdrivesuchcreaturesaway．Thebestthingwouldbetokillthem．【Luckyweeps．】TheslaveLuckyhastopleaseandmollifyhismasterwithsomesillyand
tiresomeactionsSOastoavoidbeingdrippingaway．LuckyissimplyeitherinhissleepysilenceorservingPozzo，whichisthefull。sceneofhislife．ThemeaningofhislifeistoservePozzo，SOastobeaccompaniedwiththesenseofself-fulfillmentandbeingneeded．HoweveLheisSOfocusedthathehasbeendehumanized，lostofidentity,andsubjecttosomeoneelse．FromLucky,thespectatorcanseethefinalendingofthetramps，eventhewholemankind．Finally,Beckett’Sinnovationintheatricalspacehasbeenapleasantbreezeinthewesterntheaters．PierreChaberthasmadeaforcefulremarkonspace，stressingthatBeckett’Sgoalinthisfieldis“tosystematicallyexploretheatricalspace，toconstructaphysicalandsensoryspace，filledwiththepresenceofbody,toaffirmcruelly【⋯】apaceinvestedby[characters]"．33Theeconomyofsettings，theextensionoftheoffstageaswellastheparticipationofthespectator,andthedeviceofcharacter-space，havecontributedtothequintessenceofBeckeR’Splays·33Pien．echabcn，“TheBodyinBeekett’sTheater．’’JournalofBeckettStudies8(Autumn1982)：23-28．ItisquotedfromLiuAiying’sdissertation“SamuelBeckett：TheBodyMatters．”P．146．83
MAThesis
ChapterThreeTheBeckettianChronotopeAccommodatingChaosBeckett’Sworksarehighlyconcentratedonponderingtheexistentialquestionslike‘‘Whyarewehere?’’‘‘Whatislifeallabout?’’or‘‘Whatisthemeaningofourexistence?"Forhim，literatureandartsarethemightiestmethodstoshowhisanswers．Beckettdeemsthat，asanartist，themajortaskis“tofindaformthataccommodatesthemess’’inhistimes(Hesla7)．Heenjoysshowingtheuncertaintyofuniversaltruththroughitsuncertaintimeandspace．Thereforehehasexertedhugeeffortsandmadedistinctinnovationinthechronotopestructureasanalyzedintheformerchapters．IndoingSO，thisinnovatedBeckettianChronotopehasalsocontributedtohisuniqueartisticforms：contractionisananti—dramaapproachBeckettintroducestogeneralizethetimeandspace；secondly,shuttlinginthepeculiartimeandspacedimension，Beckettchoosesadirectimagerytechniquetoexpresshisthoughtsonman’spredicamentconditions．Theaimofartistohelpmanseekthemeaningofexistence---manisbeinginchaos，whilethegreatesttaskofartistsistoleadmantoconfrontthemessdirectlySOastoshapeanorderinthechaoticworld．
／坯4砀esis3．1BeckettianChronotopeinWaitingforGodotItiswidelyknownthatBeckett’Sworksalwaysreflectthesamepatternofconcerns：hisProustbeginstotumawayfromtheworldindisgust；hisMurphyandWattmanagetodiscoverthefutilityofcontemplation；andthenhisMolloy，MaloneDiesinclinetoembracethefutility,whilehisWaitingfo，．Godotaimsatunderliningthepathosandabsurdityoffutility．Toplaceemphasisonthisgoal，asaplaywright，BeckeRconsidersthatstructureismuchmoreimportantthananyotherinformationormessageforthefunctionofaplay．Waitingfo，．GodothasbeenacclaimedasaworkwhichcameearlyinBeckeR’Sagendatotouchthevoid．Asheworksfurtheronhiscareer,BeckeRhimselfbecomesprogressivelymoreconscious，moreintouchwiththeaestheticdepthand‘‘complexity'’ofhisowntextualdesignofthechronotopeforhisplays．BeckeRattemptstomovetoanincreasedambiguitybetweenexteriorandinteriorstageinhisplay．Hissettingsbecome1)increasinglyemptiedofobjectsandarchitecture；2)moreconcentratedintermsofanincreaseinthemonologicallocationoftext，thereducednumberofcharacters，thelimiteddimensionsofstagespace，andrestrictedrangeofactions；3)andperhaps，morefragmentedtotrulyproduceandcomprehendtheplay’Semptiness．AndGarhardHauckhasoncenotedthat“By1988，【BeckeR】eveninsistedthatthecountryroadin
possible!"(Essif64)．Beckettistoshowhislatentauthorialintentiontoexploretheaestheticrichnessoflossandemptiness．Withageneralsurveyofplays，itisafactthatastheplaywrightscontinuetocompose，theywillbemoreandmoreconcentratedintheoverallheftandstructure．SinceWaitingfo，．Godot，definedas“ahighlyobscure，intellectualplay'’inMartinEsslin’Swords，Becketthasseemedtodepartfarfromthemoretraditionaltheatricalstructures．Inhisplays，Beckettmovestowardsanewandmuchmoreaustereformofdrama．HeoncementionsthatIalTlinterestedintheshapeofideasevenifIdonotbelievethem．ThereisawonderfulsentenceinAugustine．1wishIcouldremembertheLatin—itisevenfinerinLatinthaninEnglish．‘Donotdespair：oneofthethieveswassaved．Donotpresume：oneofthethievesWasdamned’．Thatsentencehasawonderfulshape．ItiStheshapethatmatters．(Schneider196734)Becauseofhisinterestintheform，itissuperfluoustopointoutthatBeckett’Splayshasbecomemoreandmoreconcise；theyhavealsoshedthenotionofcharactersinaction，whichisusuallyconsideredasthebasicminimumdefinitionofdramaitself．Hisinnovationintimeandspacestructureisequivalenttohisanti-dramaaspiration．Itmightbeusefultogroundthefollowingdiscussionwithoneobservation：thisplaytakesplaceinanunidentifiableplaceandtime，SO87
MAThesisthatthechronotopeinWaitingfo厂Godotturnsouttobekindofacontractedandmeaningfulonethatshapesintoadiminishingspiralinwhichthetimeisstaticbutcircular,thespaceisminimalbutuniversal．ThechronotopepresentedinWaitingfo厂Godotmarksadeepimpressiononspectators：thestillnessoftime，theduplicationofdailylife，andthechaosofman’sexistencemode．Differentfromthetraditionallineartemporalandspatialsetting，Waitingfo，．Godotiscomposedinadiminishingspiralstructure．Here，thediminishingspiralisrecyclingbutnotwhollyequivalent：InBeckett’Sfamousimpasseofthefifties，hecommittedthat“attheendofmyworkthere’Snothingbut(1us卜thenamable．Inthelastbook_一‘L'Innommable’_there’Scompletedisintegration．No⋯Ino‘have’no‘being．’Nonominative，noaccusative，noverb．There’Snowaytogoon’’(Abbott131)．Withouttime，space，story,things，andcontexts，theplaybecomestheirwordsinterruptedbysilenceandsuspension．Finally,itisherethatreadersandspectatorsgetadirectattempttoimitateinformtheexperiencethecharacterisgoingthrough．Here，timehasbeensimplifiedtoatimelessposition；spacehasbeensimplifiedbutamplifiedtothewholeuniverseinmeaning．Similarasmanymodemplays，Waitingfo，．Godotisan·dramaticbuthighlytheatrical．Traditionally,theamazingplotwillinvolvethephysicaltimeofspectatorsintothestagetime，SOthattheyarebeingthereunconsciousof
theirphysicaltime．EstragonandVladimircomefromtheambiguouspast，。he．。future．Time，fothem，。‘ustblankIon；ingfotowardstheuncertaln1lmetormemlSjustaplanKlongingior一，beingfilled．Whattheyshoulddoistothinkabouthowtokilltime，dealwiththesufferingsfromtimeandfacethedulltime．Asthedaysgoby,theirangerontimehasbeenstrengthenedandignited：Pozzogetsfurioussuddenly,andshouted，Haveyounotdonetormentingmewithyouraccursedtime!It’Sabominable!When!When!Oneday,isthatnotenoughforyou，onedaylikeanyotherday,onedayhewentdumb，oneday1wentblind，onedaywe’11godea￡onedaywewerebom，onedayweshalldie，theSallleday,thesamesecond，isthatnotenoughforyou?[Calmer．】They#vebirthastrideofagrave，thelightgleamsaninstant，thenit’Snightoncemore．【Hejerkstherope．】On!(83)ForPozzo，everythingishappeninginaninstant，thesameday,thesamesecond．Itisjustlikeashortday’Sjourneyintonight．Histimeismeasuredbyhisdecisionsandhiscircumstances，andprobablythetimebetweenhisdepartureandhisretumofhismanor．ThebestofwhatBecketthaswrittenisbasedonhiscapacitytodismantleitscontentandcontext．Itownsanattractiveaspectwhichstemsfromitssimplicity．Heispushingdoubtandambiguityonspectators．Differentfromthetraditionalplays，Beckettshowsthatthereisplentyoftimewithreferencetotheexperienceoftheplay．Waitinghadbeenkindofananti—playaction，onethatdeniesthewholebasisofWesterndramatictradition，hascometo
MAThesisbeseenasonewhichmightbebetterdescribedascommentingonitinself-awaremoderniststyle，whileatthesametimeexploitingallofitsexpressivedevices，frommovementtostillness，soundtosilence，lighttodark，andfromlaughtertotears．ThereisnodoubtthatBeckettisdisturbedbythefussandconfusiongeneratedbyhisplayandcompositioninhisfiftiesandbeyond．Hisviewissimple，butcomplexinmeaningandsignificance．Hisplayisamirrorofboththesocietyaswellasman’Sconscience．Furthermore，whatBeckettendeavorstodoisthatincompletingaplay,playwrightsmustintegratethescript，therehearsal，andtheaudiencetogether,whichisthefinalcreativeingredientthatcompletesthework．Heemphasizestheparticipationofaudience，ashetellsanAmericantheaterdirectorSchneiderinaletterthat，“myworkisamatteroffundamentalsounds(nojokeintended)，madeasfullyaspossible，andIacceptresponsibilityfornothingelse．Ifpeoplewanttohaveheadachesamongtheovertones，letthem．Andprovidetheirownaspirin．''34Theplay’Sspatialandtemporalcontextwillbeclearandcertainonlyafteratimeinwhichmeaningfulandsignificantactionshaveoccurred．However,timeinthisplayistosomeextentredundantanddefunct．Therefore，Beckett’Scharactersaresituatedinadilemma--astrangepositionofnostalgiaandexpectation--thelongingfortomorrowversusMGory嗽，“TheGodotPhenomenon,"fromSamuelBeckettWaitingforGodot,editedbyHaroldBloom．142．
animpossibleexpectationforwhatmaybutnevercome．Wherenow?Whonow?Whennow?Theyhavenoidea．Itisjusttheunknownselfwedgedinunknownspaceandtime．TherelationbetweenBeckettianchronotopeandhisanti—dramaapproachismutualandinterdependent．Beckettianchronotopeisthefoundationwhilehisanti-dramatechniquesleadthewayforthe“dismantlement'’oftimeandspace．3．2TheChronotopeasaDevicetoDepicttheHumanPlightInWaitingforGodot，timepassesandmanages，lifeisnotwhatthetraditionaldramatistsportrayaseriesoforderedeventswithaclearbeginning，middles，andends．EstragonandVladimirarelongingfortheirneedforpurposeandfulfillmentalltheirlife．However,theirimpotencehasmadeitcertainthattheyarecapableofparticipatingonlyintemporarilymeaningfulactionandfragmentedcommunication．Theabsurdityofhumanconditionisironicallypresentedintheconcretestageimagessetinawell—arrangedtimeandspace．Chronotopeisshapelessinnature，butithasbeenindexicalelementthatunderpinsthestructureof．theplay．ThetrampsendeavortodosomethingforfunwhileBeckettseldomstageshappymomentsinlife．ItlooksasifBeckett’Sworkshavebeendeprivedofblissandhappiness．Thebestpartofhumanlifelikeyouth，romanticlove，happiness，hope，joy,beautifulsceneries，andSOforthdoes厂
MAThesisnotoccuratpresent，norwillitappearinthefuture，butslightlyexistinginthecharacters’poormemory．Yet，inWaitingforGodot，nomemoryisreliableandcertain．Thus，thetraceofblisshasbeenwomawayastheweakeningbodies．LifeinBeckett’Shandshasbeenapronounofdispleasure，misery,unhappiness，sorrow,pain，torture，sadness，andhumanplight．Andthenaquestionisproposed：isthereanyconnectionbetweenthechronotopeandtheoverwhelminghumanplight?Beckett’ScontributiononthetheaterandtheoreticaldiscourseiSimmense，whilehehasstrivedforintegrationbetweenthesubject—matterandtheforminwhichitisexpressed．TheBeckettianchronotopesubvertedtheconventionsandenabletheaudiencenotonlywitnesseswhatishappeningonstagebutalsofeelsSOsympatheticwiththestagesettingsastoproducesimultaneousemotionalandcriticalresponses．Hischronotopeaccommodatetheuncertaincirculartime，isolatedmicrospace，andtheproblematicbodies，whichhasbeenadeviceofBeckeR’Scontinualartisticrepresentation．Itgetsthestagesimplifiedandevokesintheaudienceanawarenessofbeingthere．Hischronotopehisbeenseenasadevicetodepicthumanplightismainlyshowinthefollowingtwomethod：3．2．1TheDeviceofContractionItisimportanttorecognizethatthislinearmodeliscompletelyantitheticaltoBecken’Sownartisticconvictions．InProust,aworkofhis
youth，BeckettcontrivedthemanifestoofhisownartinphraseswhichwillhelpUSconsiderably---theonlyresearchisexcavatory,immersive，acontractionofthespirit，adescent．Insteadofextension，Beckettinvokescontraction；insteadofexteriority,adescenttowardsaninterioritytoofundamentaltobelived_—-tooprofound，thatis，tobereflectedinthelinesegmentcalledlifeandthesuperficialpersonalidentityittraces．ThisisperhapsthesinglemostimportanttruthtograspaboutBeckett’Sart．Hestepsbeyondthegreatmimetictraditionofrepresentingrealityintermsoflifeandinsteadexpresseshumanexperienceonalevelfarbelowtherelationofselfandworldthatthelinearnotionoflifeassumes．Buthisartfacesatremendouschallenge：howcanitovercomethehabitsofmimesisandexpresshumanexperienceinadifferentway?3．2．2TheDirectImageryTechniqueBeckeaianchronotopeconfusesmanintheirtemporalandspatiallocationthroughanuntraditionalmethod，whichshowsadiminishinginclinationofman．Morethanthis，thiskindofplayrepletewithincomprehensionandbewildermentdrawslargenumbersofcriticsandtheatricalreviewers．Theyarestimulatedtodigoutthisnewdevelopingstageconvention．Itiswellknownthatplaywrightshaveagooddealincommon，theyhastheirownpersonalapproachtowhattheyareworkingat，tothesubjectmatterandtotheartisticform，withthesamedestinationofreflectingandminoringtheanxietiesandthinkingofmanintheworld．
MAThesisConsequently,Beckettinnovateshiswayofcomposing，utilizingamethodcalledthedirectimagerytechnique，whichisdifferentfromtheSO-calledmetaphorinthetraditionalway．Mirroristhetokenofdirectimagerytechnique．Iteliminatestheantithesisbetweenessenceandsuperficiality,potentialandrepresentation，signifierandsignified．Inaword，thedepthinwritingisreplacedbythesuperficial．ThetheaterofabsurdplaywrightBeckettisgoodatsuchkindofcomposingmethod：itemphasizestheimportanceofimages，incliningtoexpresstheirmentalandinternalactionthroughdirectimages，withoutanyindirectintroductiofiorexplanation．Generallyspeaking，literaryminimalismintheateroftheabsurdcanbecharacterizedasafocusonasurfacedescriptionwherereadersareexpectedtotakeanactiveroleinthecreationofaplay．Thecharactersinminimaliststoriesandnovelstendtobeunexceptional．Infact，theshortplaysare‘‘sliceoflife”stories．Minimalism，theoppositeofmaximalism，isarepresentationofonlythemostbasicandnecessarypieces，specificbyeconomywithwords．Minimalismopensawindowforreaderstoseeandunderstanddirectlywhattheplaywrightwantstoexpress．Forinstance：ESTRAGON：(Violently．)Youletmealone!(Advancing,totheboy．)Doyouknowwhattimeitis?BOY：(Recoiling．)It’snotmyfault,sir．ESTRAGoN：Andwhoseisit?Mine?BOY：1wasafraid，sir．94
ESTRAGON：Afraidofwhat?Us?(Pause．)Answerme!VLADIMIR：Iknowwhatitis，hewasafraidoftheothers．(48)Generallyspeaking，minimalistplaywrightsarealwayshesitatedtouseadjectives，adverbs，ormeaninglessdetails．Insteadofprovidingeveryminutedetail，theauthorprovidesageneralcontextorevennocontextmentionedandthenallowsthereader’Simaginationtoshapethestoryintheplay．Amongthosecategorizedasmodernistandpostmodemist，literaryminimalismismostcommonlyassociatedwithSamuelBeckett．Thefragmentation，intertextuality,anddiscontinuitycharacterizeSOmuchofexperimentalmodemistandpostmodernistliterature．3．3TheAimmAccommodatingChaosWhathashappenedisaparadoxofsurvivalwhichsoundssimilartoCamus’“TheMythofSisyphus．’’Sisyphushasthechoiceofabandoninghisrockatthefootofthemountainorofcontinuouslyrollingittothetoptheonlycertaintybeingthataftertherockfell，hecould，ifesoshoes，oncemoreperformthisarduous，uselessact；VladimirandEstragon’SonlycertaintyinWaitingforGodotistheirterribleuncertaintyoftheworld，togetherwiththeiraccompanyingneedtoassumethatsomehowandsomedaymeaningwillcomeintobeingandbecomemanifest．BeckettoncetoldTomDriverthat‘‘Theconfusionisnotmyinvention．．．．ItisallaroundUSandouronlychancenowistoletitin．theonlychanceofrenovationistoopenoureyesandseethemess”(Hesla229)．
MAThesisItisatleastpossiblethatBeckettsaidthattherewasnothingtopaint，hemeantthattherewasonlyonethingtopaint--thechaos；butatthattime，hecouldn’tseeanywaytoincludetheformlessnessofchaoswithinthestructureofart．Butinhisfollowingwritingcareer,hehasbeentryingtocreateordiscovertheliterarystructureorformwhichadmitchaoswithoutenforminganddomesticatingit．ThetaskhasfallenontoBeckea，andifisquiteevidentthatreadersshouldshifttheirattentiontothemessSOastounderstandthisimmenselygiftedwriterandwhathemeansby‘‘themess"．Thesimilaritiesbetweenthevocationoftheartistandthevocationofthesainthavefrequentlybeenremarked，butrarelyhavetheybeenSOexemplifiedasthecaseofSamuelBeckett．Inhisarthehasindeedrenouncedallthings，despisedallthings，deridedallthings．Becausehehasdone。SO，hehasseemedtosomeaskepticandcynic，embitteredwithlifeandthoughtandevenartitself．ButheretootheparadoxicalWordhasbeenfulfilled，forinlosinghisarthehasfoundit，bycastingawayhehasbeenenriched，bydescendingintothemudofexistencehehasascendedintoarealmofpurepoetry．(Hesla12)Inconclusion，therelationbetweenfromandchaosisthetechnicalproblemwhichBecketttriestosolve．Andinsolvingthisproblem，thechaositselfhasbecomeacontinuingthemeofBeckett．Here，“thechaos'’，simply,Canbeinterpretedastheabsurdityofhumanexistence．
ConclusionWaitingfo，．Godothasbeendescribedasthekindofplaythatexplorestheabsurdityofthehumancondition．Existentialistthemesoftenprevailinit．Characterizedbytheirstrikingimagistictableaus，itshighlyunconventionalstyleofChronotope，theirnonlinearplots，spareorsurrealsettings，andseeminglyirrationalornonsensicaldialogue，ittendstoexploretheimplicationofameaninglessuniverseinwhichhumanvaluesseemirrelevant．Thecosmosandhumanlogosareincongruent，incompatible，unharmonious，SOthattheirrelationcanbeproperlyspokenofasabsurd．Manwouldliveinrealityandbehappy’butexistencebringshimsufferinganddeath．Waitingfo，．Godotisatypicalplaythatfollowsthistrend．Ithasbeencriticizedasaplaydemonstratingdimensionsofexistentialism，aplayresidingwithpurifyingforceofGreektragedy,andaplayconnectingmodernismandanticipatingpostmodernism．Waitingfo，．GodotsucceedsinhisfigureslivingouttheirlivesbeforeUSexistentially．Withtheirrecurrentidentificationofthehistoricalandbiblicalfigures，theybecomearchetypesofallhumanity．ThetaskofthisthesisistouncovertherealitythatBecketthasstretchedtheparadoxesofhumancomprehensibilityandadaptabilityevenfunher'becauseBeckea
MAThesishascomplicatedthemechanicalormathematicaltimeandspacefurtherbytheirpsychologicalexperiences．Thisstudytellsthattheinterweavingofmathematicaltimeandpsychologicaltimeaswellasthemixtureoftherealandsurrealstagehasdemonstrated：BeckeR’Sportrayingofthemultiplelevelsofpsychological，existentialandmechanicaltimeandspaceareintegralpartsofhisartisticworld．Thus，inthetemporal—spatialdimension，Becketthasgonebeyondthemererejectionoftraditionalnarrativedramaturgyandcharacterdevelopmenttomakespace，time，thesenses，andlogictakeonthestagethedimensionsofcharactersonthestage．Interpretingitfromthechronotopefacet，wecandefinethatBeckett’Smanipulationsoftimeandspacerecallalargerangeofart，fromImpressionismtotheAbstractandGeometricalExpressionism，inwhichtheverticalandhorizontaltimeissimulatedinordertoconveythecomplexitiesofperception，logicandfinalhumanincomprehensibility．TheplayWaitingfo，GodotrepresentsBeckett’Sstrongeffortstomovebeyondtraditionalplaywriting．ThestudyofthisplaycanhelpUSachieveabetterunderstandingofthisplayandlaythefoundationforthefurtherstudyofhislaterandmorecomplicatedplays．Thisthesisventurestotakeacloseanalysisonthetime，spaceandchronotopeinWaitingfo，．Godot,andstrivestowork0ntherelationshipbetweentheformandeffectoftheplay,SOastorevealBeckett’sviewsofartisticformandthe
humanconcern．Beckett’severywordinWaitingfo，Godotresoundsinavoidofsilencewhiletheminimalistdesignsofhispuretheaterechoeswitheverythingunsaidandsilenceoftheuniverse．Therefore，inthelong-spanhistoryofliteraturecriticism，WaitingforGodotdeservesmountaintopattention，anditsliteralvalueandsignificancecanneverbewanedasthedaysgoby．
MAThesisl∞
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AcknowledgementsOncompletingthisthesis，1wouldliketoexpressmysinceregratitudetoallthathavehelpedme．Firstandforemost，thisthesisbenefitsprofoundlyfromthedevotedinstructionofmysupervisormDoctorCaoBo．Ireallyappreciatewhathehasofferedforthispaper：hislectureshaveenlightenedmeandbroadenedmyvisiononSamuelBeckett；hissparklingintelligencehasstimulatedmetomoveforwardinthefieldofliterature；hisinsightfulguidancehaspromotedmyeffortstodomuchbetter．Becauseofhishigh．standardrequirement，thisthesiscouldonlygooninaprecisemethodbasedonawell．builtstructure．ThanksSOmuch．MysincerethanksalsogototheotherteachersfromwhomIhavebenefitedconsiderably．IamespeciallygratefultoProfessorsXiaoMinghan，JiangHongxin，DengYingling，YiYanping，aswellasDoctorShimonLevy．Theirheartyhelpandsupportpavethewayformyprogress·Finally,I'dliketodedicatethispapertomyparents，classmatesandfriends，whohaveofferednumbersofsuggestionsandkeptencouragingmeinthisstudy．Withouttheirconstructivesuggestionsandpatientinstruction，thispapercouldnotbeaccomplishedlikethisonenOW．105
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湖南师范大学学位论文原创性声明本人郑重声明：所呈交的学位论文，是本人在导师的指导下，独立进行研究工作所取得的成果。除文中已经注明引用的内容外，本论文不含任何其他个人或集体已经发表或撰写过的作品成果。对本文的研究做出重要贡献的个人和集体，均已在文中以明确方式标明。本人完全意识到本声明的法律结果由本人承担。学位论文作者签名：：刍嘏该7．o／／#6月／日湖南师范大学学位论文版权使用授权书’本学位论文作者完全了解学校有关保留、使用学位论文的规定，同意学校保留并向国家有关部门或机构送交论文的复印件和电子版，允许论文被查阅和借阅。本人授权湖南师范大学可以将本学位论文的全部或部分内容编入有关数据库进行检索，可以采用印影、缩印或扫描等复制手段保存和汇编学位论文。本学位论文属于1、保密口，在年解密后适用本授权书。2、不保密邑．(请在以上相应方框内打“v／")fg者$-g：‘杰AI覆日N：z．o『／年么‘月1日导师签名：焉易≥中犬日期：≯『f年石月J日
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