Waiting for Godot Study Guide

WAITING FOR GODOT

By Samuel Beckett
Directed by Molly Atkinson

GRADE RECOMMENDATION

Grade 10+

CONTENT ADVISORY

Please see the show page for a detailed advisory.

SYNOPSIS

Vladimir and Estragon, two old friends, wait endlessly near a lone tree on a desolate stretch of land, hoping the mysterious Godot will arrive and give their lives some sense of direction. As they pass the time, their conversations drift from the mundane to the philosophical, revealing both the humour and the hardship of their shared vigil. Their waiting is interrupted by two peculiar travellers - Pozzo and Lucky - whose strange dynamic adds to the play's questions about purpose, control and companionship. As day turns to night and certainty slips further away, the two friends continue to wait, unsure of what tomorrow may bring.

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

Global Competencies or Transferable Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving; Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship; Self-Directed Learning; Collaboration; Communication; Global Citizenship and Sustainability; Digital Literacy

Grades 9-12

The Arts
Canadian and World Studies
English
Health and Physical Education
Social Sciences and Humanities
Technological Education

Post-Secondary

Suitable for courses in disciplines such as: Arts, Cultural Studies, Creative Writing, Dramatic Arts and Theatre, English, Fine Arts, History, Human Rights, Literature, Philosophy, Social Development Studies, Teacher Education

THEMES

Belief and Uncertainty
Boredom and Waiting
Clowning and the Seriousness of Comedy
Death and Mortality
Existentialism and the Meaning of Life
Failure and Resilience
Hope and Despair
Memory and Forgetfulness
Postmodernism
Power, Oppression and Dependence
Repetition and Routine
Theatre of the Absurd
Tragicomedy
Transience and Displacement

DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION QUESTIONS

PRE-SHOW QUESTIONS

What does "waiting" feel like to you? Describe what it looks, feels and sounds like.
Do you think waiting with someone is easier or harder than waiting alone? Explain your thinking, considering examples from your life.
Imagine that you have to live the same day over and over again. What about the day would make the most impact on your existence? Imagine what you might begin to notice that you hadn't before.
Why are there so many different views on the meaning of life? How has this shifted over time?
What are some sources of meaning in your life? How do you bring meaning to the lives of others?
What makes someone powerful in a relationship? How does power change between two people?
Waiting for Godot has permeated popular culture, being parodied and referenced in everything from political cartoons to popular TV series. What do you already know about Waiting for Godot even if you haven't read the play or seen a production before?
When asked about this play, playwright Samuel Beckett said, "I produce an object. What people make of it is not my concern." When an artist leaves meaning open to interpretation in this way, how does that impact you as an audience member? How might it change how you watch the play, knowing there isn't one "right" way to understand it?
What do you typically expect from a play in terms of character and action? Why might a playwright ignore or subvert an audience's expectations of what "should" happen in a play?
What do you know about Theatre of the Absurd? What characteristics are common in this genre? What world movements or events influenced this genre? Thinking about the world we are living in today, what genre of theatre do you imagine might come as a result of this time in human history? What might be common characteristics of the next theatre movement? Will they share any with Theatre of the Absurd? Explain your thinking.
Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how." In your own words, what do you think Nietzsche is saying? Do you agree with this idea? Why or why not?

POST-SHOW QUESTIONS

Waiting for Godot is a work that combines tragic and comedic elements. What examples of comedy did you observe in the production? What elements of tragedy? Why do you think Beckett tinges tragic moments with comedy and comedic ones with tragedy? What impact did this have on you as an audience member?
Critic Vivian Mercier famously described Waiting for Godot as "a play in which nothing happens, twice." Do you agree with Mercier's view of the play? Why or why not?
Beckett's stage directions for the set are sparse and ambiguous: "A country road. A tree. Evening." How would you describe the setting of this production? Did it feel like the play was set in a particular place and time or did the setting feel more ambiguous? What details in designer Cory Sincennes' sets and costumes created this impression for you?
Beckett's stage directions specify that only one day passes between Act I and Act II, and yet other elements in the play seem to contradict this. How do time and memory function in the play?
Over time, Waiting for Godot has been staged in unconventional settings including outside in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, in San Quentin State Prison, and on Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic. Why do you think the creators made the choice to stage this particular play in those contexts?
Lucian Msamati, who played Estragon (or Gogo) in a 2024 production of Waiting for Godot, said the play shows the "bare bones relationship of two people who love, loath, need, can't stand, understand, cannot be with, cannot wait to get away from each other." What do you think Beckett is suggesting about human connection in his portrayal of Didi and Gogo, two characters who cannot be with or without each other?
In Waiting for Godot, characters often negate or undercut something they've said immediately after saying it. For example, the play ends with the line, "Yes, let's go." immediately followed by the stage direction, "They do not move." In your view, what was the effect of the characters consistently contradicting themselves in dialogue or through action?
What symbols and actions emphasized the power imbalance between Pozzo and Lucky? How did the changes that occur in these characters from Act I to Act II complicate Beckett's exploration of the master-slave dynamic?
What was your response to Lucky's speech? How did performance choices such as tone, pacing and movement affect your reaction to the speech?
Existentialism asserts life has no inherent meaning and purpose. How do you see this idea explored in Beckett's play? Is there any meaning to be found in the world Estragon and Vladimir inhabit in the play? Explain your thinking.
What is the Boy's role in the play? In Vladimir's exchanges with the Boy, why do you think he is so insistent on ensuring the Boy has seen him?
Are there any unintentional harms that might be caused through the production of this play? If so, what are they and what might be done to take care of the artists and audience members participating in the work?

MINDS ON

Objective: Students will explore key characteristics of the Theatre of the Absurd by identifying examples in Waiting for Godot and then develop their own scene of absurdist drama.

Materials:

A short excerpt of your choosing from Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot
Writing utensils and highlighters
Writing paper
Laptops/tablets
Objects that students can engage with when creating absurdist movements such as a hat, a pair of socks, a ball or a piece of fruit

Directions:

Begin by asking students to define the word “absurd.”
Next, provide them with some background on Theatre of the Absurd and its key characteristics. Suggested resources include:
Share a short excerpt of your choice from Waiting for Godot.
In partners or small groups, invite students to read the excerpt and then identify evidence of absurdism. Encourage them to look for examples in the dialogue, situation, stage directions and actions.
Ask groups to share what examples they found in the text and, if time permits, have a couple of groups perform a section of the text that includes the evidence they identified.
Next, have the students return to their groups and ask them to write their own short scene in the style of Theatre of the Absurd.
They might begin by brainstorming a setting for their scene, and also names for each of their characters.
Next, before developing dialogue, ask them to explore their imagined world by interacting with the other characters only through movement and gesture. Supply a selection of props to help students’ exploration and encourage them to use these in unconventional ways.
Once they’ve developed movement and gesture, ask students to add dialogue, either through improv or by drafting lines and stage directions on paper, and then integrating them with the physical work. Remind students that dialogue in absurdist theatre is often illogical or disjointed, and that plot is often circular and repetitive as a way of encouraging them to embrace these characteristics rather than attempting to add traditional rising action and resolution to their scenes.
Once students have had a chance to rehearse their scenes a few times, have them share with the rest of the class.

DEBRIEFING QUESTIONS:

What did you find fun or enjoyable when creating your scenes?
What was challenging about this creative process?
Why do you think play, experimentation and absurdity are worth exploring?

POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS:

Extend the Play

Invite students to continue developing their short scene into a one-act play.
Suggest students further extend their piece into a two-act play that is reminiscent of the purposeful repetition with variation in Waiting for Godot.
Afterward, ask students to note the commonalities between their piece and Waiting for Godot.

After the Play

Ask students to brainstorm what would happen if there was a third act of Waiting for Godot.
Invite them to consider what would remain the same and what might be different, and then have them draft a short synopsis for the final act.

About the Play

WAITING FOR GODOT

By Samuel Beckett
Directed by Molly Atkinson

Download House Program

GRADE RECOMMENDATION

Grade 10+

CONTENT ADVISORY

Please see the show page for a detailed advisory.

SYNOPSIS

Vladimir and Estragon, two old friends, wait endlessly near a lone tree on a desolate stretch of land, hoping the mysterious Godot will arrive and give their lives some sense of direction. As they pass the time, their conversations drift from the mundane to the philosophical, revealing both the humour and the hardship of their shared vigil. Their waiting is interrupted by two peculiar travellers - Pozzo and Lucky - whose strange dynamic adds to the play's questions about purpose, control and companionship. As day turns to night and certainty slips further away, the two friends continue to wait, unsure of what tomorrow may bring.

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

Global Competencies or Transferable Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving; Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship; Self-Directed Learning; Collaboration; Communication; Global Citizenship and Sustainability; Digital Literacy

Grades 9-12

The Arts
Canadian and World Studies
English
Health and Physical Education
Social Sciences and Humanities
Technological Education

Post-Secondary

Suitable for courses in disciplines such as: Arts, Cultural Studies, Creative Writing, Dramatic Arts and Theatre, English, Fine Arts, History, Human Rights, Literature, Philosophy, Social Development Studies, Teacher Education

THEMES

Belief and Uncertainty
Boredom and Waiting
Clowning and the Seriousness of Comedy
Death and Mortality
Existentialism and the Meaning of Life
Failure and Resilience
Hope and Despair
Memory and Forgetfulness
Postmodernism
Power, Oppression and Dependence
Repetition and Routine
Theatre of the Absurd
Tragicomedy
Transience and Displacement

Discussion Questions

DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION QUESTIONS

PRE-SHOW QUESTIONS

What does "waiting" feel like to you? Describe what it looks, feels and sounds like.
Do you think waiting with someone is easier or harder than waiting alone? Explain your thinking, considering examples from your life.
Imagine that you have to live the same day over and over again. What about the day would make the most impact on your existence? Imagine what you might begin to notice that you hadn't before.
Why are there so many different views on the meaning of life? How has this shifted over time?
What are some sources of meaning in your life? How do you bring meaning to the lives of others?
What makes someone powerful in a relationship? How does power change between two people?
Waiting for Godot has permeated popular culture, being parodied and referenced in everything from political cartoons to popular TV series. What do you already know about Waiting for Godot even if you haven't read the play or seen a production before?
When asked about this play, playwright Samuel Beckett said, "I produce an object. What people make of it is not my concern." When an artist leaves meaning open to interpretation in this way, how does that impact you as an audience member? How might it change how you watch the play, knowing there isn't one "right" way to understand it?
What do you typically expect from a play in terms of character and action? Why might a playwright ignore or subvert an audience's expectations of what "should" happen in a play?
What do you know about Theatre of the Absurd? What characteristics are common in this genre? What world movements or events influenced this genre? Thinking about the world we are living in today, what genre of theatre do you imagine might come as a result of this time in human history? What might be common characteristics of the next theatre movement? Will they share any with Theatre of the Absurd? Explain your thinking.
Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how." In your own words, what do you think Nietzsche is saying? Do you agree with this idea? Why or why not?

POST-SHOW QUESTIONS

Waiting for Godot is a work that combines tragic and comedic elements. What examples of comedy did you observe in the production? What elements of tragedy? Why do you think Beckett tinges tragic moments with comedy and comedic ones with tragedy? What impact did this have on you as an audience member?
Critic Vivian Mercier famously described Waiting for Godot as "a play in which nothing happens, twice." Do you agree with Mercier's view of the play? Why or why not?
Beckett's stage directions for the set are sparse and ambiguous: "A country road. A tree. Evening." How would you describe the setting of this production? Did it feel like the play was set in a particular place and time or did the setting feel more ambiguous? What details in designer Cory Sincennes' sets and costumes created this impression for you?
Beckett's stage directions specify that only one day passes between Act I and Act II, and yet other elements in the play seem to contradict this. How do time and memory function in the play?
Over time, Waiting for Godot has been staged in unconventional settings including outside in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, in San Quentin State Prison, and on Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic. Why do you think the creators made the choice to stage this particular play in those contexts?
Lucian Msamati, who played Estragon (or Gogo) in a 2024 production of Waiting for Godot, said the play shows the "bare bones relationship of two people who love, loath, need, can't stand, understand, cannot be with, cannot wait to get away from each other." What do you think Beckett is suggesting about human connection in his portrayal of Didi and Gogo, two characters who cannot be with or without each other?
In Waiting for Godot, characters often negate or undercut something they've said immediately after saying it. For example, the play ends with the line, "Yes, let's go." immediately followed by the stage direction, "They do not move." In your view, what was the effect of the characters consistently contradicting themselves in dialogue or through action?
What symbols and actions emphasized the power imbalance between Pozzo and Lucky? How did the changes that occur in these characters from Act I to Act II complicate Beckett's exploration of the master-slave dynamic?
What was your response to Lucky's speech? How did performance choices such as tone, pacing and movement affect your reaction to the speech?
Existentialism asserts life has no inherent meaning and purpose. How do you see this idea explored in Beckett's play? Is there any meaning to be found in the world Estragon and Vladimir inhabit in the play? Explain your thinking.
What is the Boy's role in the play? In Vladimir's exchanges with the Boy, why do you think he is so insistent on ensuring the Boy has seen him?
Are there any unintentional harms that might be caused through the production of this play? If so, what are they and what might be done to take care of the artists and audience members participating in the work?

Minds On

MINDS ON

Objective: Students will explore key characteristics of the Theatre of the Absurd by identifying examples in Waiting for Godot and then develop their own scene of absurdist drama.

Materials:

A short excerpt of your choosing from Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot
Writing utensils and highlighters
Writing paper
Laptops/tablets
Objects that students can engage with when creating absurdist movements such as a hat, a pair of socks, a ball or a piece of fruit

Directions:

Begin by asking students to define the word “absurd.”
Next, provide them with some background on Theatre of the Absurd and its key characteristics. Suggested resources include:
Share a short excerpt of your choice from Waiting for Godot.
In partners or small groups, invite students to read the excerpt and then identify evidence of absurdism. Encourage them to look for examples in the dialogue, situation, stage directions and actions.
Ask groups to share what examples they found in the text and, if time permits, have a couple of groups perform a section of the text that includes the evidence they identified.
Next, have the students return to their groups and ask them to write their own short scene in the style of Theatre of the Absurd.
They might begin by brainstorming a setting for their scene, and also names for each of their characters.
Next, before developing dialogue, ask them to explore their imagined world by interacting with the other characters only through movement and gesture. Supply a selection of props to help students’ exploration and encourage them to use these in unconventional ways.
Once they’ve developed movement and gesture, ask students to add dialogue, either through improv or by drafting lines and stage directions on paper, and then integrating them with the physical work. Remind students that dialogue in absurdist theatre is often illogical or disjointed, and that plot is often circular and repetitive as a way of encouraging them to embrace these characteristics rather than attempting to add traditional rising action and resolution to their scenes.
Once students have had a chance to rehearse their scenes a few times, have them share with the rest of the class.

DEBRIEFING QUESTIONS:

What did you find fun or enjoyable when creating your scenes?
What was challenging about this creative process?
Why do you think play, experimentation and absurdity are worth exploring?

POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS:

Extend the Play

Invite students to continue developing their short scene into a one-act play.
Suggest students further extend their piece into a two-act play that is reminiscent of the purposeful repetition with variation in Waiting for Godot.
Afterward, ask students to note the commonalities between their piece and Waiting for Godot.

After the Play

Ask students to brainstorm what would happen if there was a third act of Waiting for Godot.
Invite them to consider what would remain the same and what might be different, and then have them draft a short synopsis for the final act.

CONNECTION TO THE ARCHIVES

This will be Paul Gross's third appearance at the Stratford Festival, after playing the title roles in Hamlet (in 2000, pictured here) and King Lear (2023). In addition to his work on stage, Paul Gross is a well-known screen actor, scriptwriter and director. What skills might help an actor such as Paul Gross to be successful on both stage and screen? What skills might uniquely serve an actor in theatre?

Paul Gross as Hamlet in Hamlet, 2000. Directed by Joseph Ziegler. Designed by Christina Poddubiuk. Lighting design by Louise Guinand. Sound design by Jim Neil. Photography by Cylla von Tiedemann.
Stratford Festival Archives, GPO.2000.006.0002

The Stratford Festival Archives maintains, conserves and protects records about the Festival and makes those materials available to people around the world. Their collection contains material ranging from 1952 right up to the present and includes administrative documents, production records, photographs, design artwork, scores, audio-visual recordings, promotional materials, costumes, props, set decorations and much more. These materials are collected and preserved with the aim of documenting the history of the Festival, preserving the page-to-stage process, and capturing the creative processes involved in numerous other activities that contribute to the Festival each season.

RESOURCES

Study Guide PDF

Stratford Public Library's 2026 Season Reading Lists

STUDY GUIDES

View all 2026 Shorts and Study Guides for selected 2026 plays, along with those from previous seasons, free of charge.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Samuel Beckett and Waiting for Godot

The Meaning of Godot | Dr. David Pattie | University of Birmingham

Samuel Beckett | In Our Time | BBC Radio 4

Samuel Beckett | Poetry Foundation

Samuel Beckett: A Short Biography | Samuel Beckett Society

Theatre and Language: Samuel Beckett, ‘Waiting for Godot’ | Belinda Jack | Gresham College

Waiting for Godot: An Analysis | James Knowlson | Faber Journal

Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett | The Play Podcast

Waiting for Godot in San Quentin | Mediaburn

Why is everyone staging Waiting for Godot right now? | CBC Arts

Why should you read “Waiting for Godot”? | Iseult Gillespie | TED-Ed

Beckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot. 1954.

Theatre of the Absurd and Existentialism

Beckett, Ionesco, and the Theater of the Absurd | Crash Course Theatre

Existentialism | Britannica

Theatre of the Absurd | Britannica

What is Absurdist Theatre? | Sidney Paterra | Broadway World

What is existentialism? | BBC Ideas

Mental Health & Suicide Prevention

9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline | Government of Canada

Canada Suicide Prevention Helpline 1-833-456-4566

Hope for Wellness Helpline 1-855-242-3310 (available 24/7 to Indigenous people across Canada)

Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 I Text 686868

LGBT Youthline

Provincial Mental Health Supports | CMHA

U.S. Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255

BOOKING INFORMATION: TICKETS, WORKSHOPS AND CHATS

STUDENT MATINEES

You may book any available date, but selected student matinee performances for this show are at 2 p.m. on the following dates:

2 p.m.

Thursday, May 14
Monday, May 18
Friday, June 5
Wednesday, June 10
Wednesday, June 17

WORKSHOPS AND CHATS

Visit our website or contact us at educate@stratfordfestival.ca to book:

InterACTive Preshows
Collaborative Learning Workshops
Customized Workshops
Post-Show Chats
Behind-the-Scenes Tours

2026 SEASON SPONSOR

The 2026 Season is generously supported by Ophelia Lazaridis

PROUD SEASON PARTNERS

2019_BMO_White Canada-Life_White(1) RBC_White(1)

2026 Festival Theatre Sponsor: Daniel Bernstein & Claire Foerster

Production Co-Sponsors: M. Fainer, Marilyn Gropp, Doug Kennedy and Dr. Robert & Roberta Sokol

TOOLS FOR TEACHERS

Tools for Teachers includes InterACTive Preshows, Study Guides and Stratford Shorts sponsored by

Canada-Life_White(1)

Connection to the Archives

CONNECTION TO THE ARCHIVES

This will be Paul Gross's third appearance at the Stratford Festival, after playing the title roles in Hamlet (in 2000, pictured here) and King Lear (2023). In addition to his work on stage, Paul Gross is a well-known screen actor, scriptwriter and director. What skills might help an actor such as Paul Gross to be successful on both stage and screen? What skills might uniquely serve an actor in theatre?

Paul Gross as Hamlet in Hamlet, 2000. Directed by Joseph Ziegler. Designed by Christina Poddubiuk. Lighting design by Louise Guinand. Sound design by Jim Neil. Photography by Cylla von Tiedemann.
Stratford Festival Archives, GPO.2000.006.0002

The Stratford Festival Archives maintains, conserves and protects records about the Festival and makes those materials available to people around the world. Their collection contains material ranging from 1952 right up to the present and includes administrative documents, production records, photographs, design artwork, scores, audio-visual recordings, promotional materials, costumes, props, set decorations and much more. These materials are collected and preserved with the aim of documenting the history of the Festival, preserving the page-to-stage process, and capturing the creative processes involved in numerous other activities that contribute to the Festival each season.

Resources