Alyshia & Brandon
Looking at Endgame alongside the philosophy called Absurdism, portrays an accurate depiction of what is being expressed in this play. Absurdism is a philosophy that states that the efforts of humanity, with purpose of finding meaning in the universe, will most likely fail. Instances of this failure are seen on a smaller, representative scale featured throughout the play. In order to understand Absurdism within the text, it is important to take note of the perspective of the characters in relation to the world. Hamm repeatedly asks Clov to look out onto the sea, and asks him what it is he sees. Hamm says, “Look at the ocean…How are the waves?” Clov answers Hamm and says, “Zero.” This is to mean that there is no life on the Earth, and if there is no life there could never be any development. It is at this point you get a perspective surrounded around the idea that life is meaningless and it holds no purpose. In another example, you also get another perspective of the world. Clov who is the servant to Hamm is able to see and it is he who likes “order.” He says, “I love order. It’s my dream.” Clov sees the world as a world of order, repetitiveness, and full of cycle. Order and repetitiveness are part of his job making it all that he knows, which is why he admires it so much. Though there is an admiration, it is not to go unnoticed that this view of the world is a negative one. The world that is being painted has a negative and purposeless meaning, therefore holding true to the philosophy of Absurdism.
On the other hand, the Endgame can be more understood through the idea of Nihilism. Nihilism is defined as the belief that traditional morals, ideas, beliefs, etc., have no worth or value. This is accurately seen in the Endgame. “Then there’s no reason for change.” “It may end. All life long the same questions, the same answers.” As Hamm and Clov discuss, the overwhelming sense of a routine life is coming across from that particular conversation. Repetitiveness is seemingly making life meaningless and as a reader you can feel boredom for them. The conversation then continues with Hamm saying that he will not give anything more to eat to Clov and Clov responds by saying, “Then we’ll die.” Life is so meaningless and unfulfilling that its not even worth living at this point. It’s like he’s saying if he eats he eats and if he doesn’t he might as well die. It comes across as he’s just going through the motions and dealing with whatever is being thrown at him and going, “ok”. Clearly that is not a way to live a life, but for a Nihilist it is.
1 response so far ↓
JMERLE // Nov 21st 2015 at 11:11 am
These are two nice responses (although it seems as if one person wrote both). You begin to see a clear distinction between the Absurdist and Nihilistic elements in the play, and I like that you see the “order” as an element of hope. This is quite interesting, and you rightly note that this is also bleak at the same time (as order, when it is repetitive, is no longer viable).
Well done!
10/10