Watt (Masterplots II: British and Commonwealth Fiction Series)
At a glance:
- Author: Samuel Beckett
- First Published: 1953
- Type of Work: Absurdist symbolism
- Time of Work: The unspecified present
- Setting: Ireland’s countryside
- Principal Characters: Watt, Mr. Knott, Sam, Arsene, Erskine, Arthur, The Lynch family, The Galls, Mr. Graves
- Genres: Long fiction, Absurdist literature
- Subjects: Philosophy or philosophers, 1920’s, 1930’s, God, Imagination, Ireland or Irish people, Universe, Rationalism
- Locales: Ireland
The Novel
Watt consists of four long chapters, followed by an appendix of addenda. It is virtually plotless as it traces Watt’s separation from a world of naturalistic reality, his arrival at the surreal world of Mr. Knott, his stay in Mr. Knott’s service for an indefinite period, his departure from Mr. Knott’s domain when his indirect replacement arrives, and his later residence in an insane asylum where he meets Sam, a fellow inmate, who narrates such events as occur in the novel.
This narration opens by introducing three minor characters, Mr. Hackett and...
[The entire page is 1786 words long]
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