The review of The Endgame

The Endgame

In the end reviewing part, the woman asked the audience a question, which is that using a word to define this whole play. At that time some people answered a reflection to the society, others said that this is a physical and emotional pain. These answers seem corresponding with the main idea of The Endgame. However, under my mind, when it comes to the question asking me about this whole play’s central idea, I have a topic in my mind, which is the real desperation under this tragedy.

The reason why I describe this whole play as the real desperation because of two main reasons. The first one is the combination of my background information searching and the whole play setting. Because before I went to see the show, I did some background information search on the author, Samuel Becket, he was born in Paris and experienced the World War II, his writing style was influenced by that and thus under his mind, he always liked to make the setting as the characters are waiting for a death in a world without hope. Moreover, from the setting of the characters, Hamm as a man who can not see and stand up. Hamm’s parents, who lived in the weird boxes, both can not see. And Hamm’s servant or son, Clov, who can not sit down. Even though compared each character by other characters, Hamm’s situation is better than his father, which he even can live on a wheel and someone can take care of him. But Clov’s situation is also better than Hamm’s. Clov even can walk and see the outside scene. But from this setting part, I could feel a deep desperation that author passed to us. Try to imagine one situation where you were putted into a place where outside of this place, all the other places are much dangerous and you can not even see a person outside of this safe place. Then you figure out there apart from you there also are three blind people lived with you. Will you feel better because there are three of them can accompany with you when you feel boring. I would not feel that way because when you know you are the only one can see and walk, but you can not go outside of this place. You may feel desperation because your situation is same as those three people, but they are blind, they are familiar with the dark and they are not afraid for staying in darkness. But you will, as Clov, you will feel hope that you are not died but after several days, you will find out that you have nowhere to go, you are waiting for a death in a world without hope. Which in the whole play, this is the real central idea I feel from the author through the characters’ personalities and the background information.

Moreover, there are one scene that impressed me the most, which was the last scene where Clov had already packing up, but he went back to the room where Hamm lived and stay silently, but Hamm did not know that because he was blind. For that part, it really stimulated me because of that situation. Hamm is blind, he can not see where is his servant Clov and before Clov went, he said that he will leave him and never go back. Then after Hamm called his dad, no respond, and he used his whistle to call Clov, no respond, I feel really desperation because of this part, in the before, when Hamm blowing his whistle, Clov will immediately come to the room, in front of Hamm. However, at this time, whatever how many time he blowing the whistle, how loudly the soundness is. Clov will not respond him, even as the audience I know that Clov was standing next to Hamm and always payed his attention on him. At that time someone were laughing but I did not think that part should laugh because two players performed so realistic and truly. I do not know what happened after the Clov gone, but I know one thing is that Hamm was really experiencing the desperation in that small room. As a blind person who can not stand, he can not take care of himself at that situation, so talking becomes the only way to express his feeling to others. Unfortunately, Clov was gone, no one can accompany with him in the future. So he did one action was to throw the dog toy away because he did not need that to support himself, he really gave up, he really find the desperation. So that is why in the end, when he did is monologue, I found out that the light became darker and darker, like his mind toward to the future.