Who is the author of the play Waiting for Godot published in 1952?

The author of Waiting for Godot, published in 1952, is Samuel Beckett, Irish playwright and writer. This work is considered one of the most representative of the theater of the absurd, a literary movement that highlights the absurdity of human existence, often emphasizing the incommunicability and emptiness of human relationships.

Samuel Beckett, born in 1906 and naturalized French in 1961, marked the history of literature and theater with his unique style, oscillating between the tragic and the comic. Waiting for Godot features two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, who are waiting for a certain Godot without knowing who he is or when he will come. The dialogue, repetitive situations and lack of plot progression reflect existential anguish, symbolizing the waiting and meaninglessness of human life.

In the play, Samuel Beckett does not directly explain Godot’s identity or the reasons for this interminable wait. The two characters discuss, argue, make up and pass the time by occupying themselves with gestures and words that reveal their latent despair. This nonsense and repetition creates a sense of unreality and frustration in the spectator, who perceives the deep questioning behind the apparent vacuity of the action.

When the play was first published and staged, reactions were polarized: some were fascinated by Samuel Beckett’s innovative approach, while others were baffled by its minimalist style and lack of a clear conclusion. Nevertheless, Waiting for Godot quickly became a classic, studied and performed all over the world for its philosophical reflection on the meaning of existence, solitude and waiting.

In 1969, Samuel Beckett was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, in recognition of his work, which had a profound influence on twentieth-century dramaturgy. Today, Waiting for Godot is an iconic play, frequently staged and analyzed for its exploration of the absurd, its unique poetry and its timelessness.

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