Study Questions

1. How does Vladimir sum up Lucky and Pozzo’s visit?

2. Why does Vladimir think he knows the visitors?

3. Why does Estragon “hobble?”

4. Who enters next?

5. What does he want?

6. Why did he hesitate before speaking up?

7. How is Estragon feeling at this point in the play?

8. What does the boy say about himself?

9. What does Estragon do with his boots? Why?

10. Why does Estragon compare himself to Christ?

Answers

1. Vladimir says it helped pass the time.

2. Vladimir thinks that he has seen Pozzo and Lucky before. He thinks they have changed from the last time he saw them.

3. Estragon is having trouble with both of his feet now.

4. A boy enters.

5. The boy wants to give them a message from Godot. Godot will not be there today. He will arrive tomorrow.

6. He hesitated because he was afraid of Lucky and Pozzo. He was afraid of the whip and the roars.

7. Estragon says he is unhappy.

8. The boy says he works for Godot, as a goatherd, and has a brother, who works as a shepherd. His brother gets beaten by Godot, but he doesn’t.

9. Estragon takes off his boots, and leaves them on the ground. He hopes someone with smaller feet will find them and wear them.

10. Estragon thinks he is like Christ because he too walks barefoot. He says he always compares himself to Christ.