Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

Dear Mr. Beckett,

I read your play. Set along a barren countryside, with just a road and a tree, Vladimir and Estragon spend its entirety merely waiting for Godot. That's it. Pozzo and Lucky come along, there's the brief appearance of a boy with news about Godot, they all talk (and talk and talk) without ever going anywhere, but it's really just two people waiting for Godot. As Vladimir notices, they're "in the midst of nothingness." It's like Seinfeld, minus a bunch of humor and, well, pretty much, a story. Not that there's anything wrong with that. However, your play is quite well-known and successful, and it is a pleasure to read. How did you do it?

Honestly, though, I initially couldn't connect with your play. It wasn't always clear what was happening. The dialogue seemed nonsensical. But in Act II, the play started clicking. I caught the humor. I understood the absurdism (I think). And I saw the existentialism. For me, it's about how people are sleeping through life, looking and waiting for something, alone. They don't realize how stagnate and habitual their lives are, as Vladimir and Estragon go back to that tree to wait for Godot day after day. They're just passing time. Nothing really happens. There's a meaninglessness and an insignificance to it all. Maybe there's more, or maybe I'm wrong, but at least I got some sense out of it.

I enjoyed the humor. I like when Vladimir and Estragon have fun by calling each other names, like moron and vermin, and Estragon finally wins when he abuses Vladimir with "critic." Or I like too when Pozzo wants help standing up after falling, but he doesn't answer to his name being called, so Estragon suggests trying other names until he does, figuring they're bound to hit on his real name eventually. He first tries Abel, which rouses Pozzo, and amazes Estragon that he got it on the first try. He then tries Cain too, and Pozzo again stirs, causing Estragon to exclaim, "He's all humanity."

Your play is a pleasure, Mr. Beckett. I don't know how you made it work, but kudos.

Regards,

Mr. Hudson