— Anonymous
I read the play “Endgame” by Samuel Beckett at home after we moved to remote learning. During our current moment of self-quarantine, we are in a similar situation Hamm and other characters are in. We could not go outside, just like Hamm and Clov. Samuel Beckett is a modernist writer and “Endgame” is a highly experimental and weird play. I did not enjoy the play when I read it for the first time. However, after reading my classmates’ postings and viewing the videos about the play posted by the professor, I finally understand the themes of “Endgame” and what might Nell and Nagg living in rubbish bins communicate about how society treats the elderly.
After reading the play “Endgame” by Samuel Beckett, we could understand what situation the characters are in. The play is set after some sort of apocalyptic disaster. They are in Hamm’s house and Clov is Hamm’s servant. Hamm has his own parents living in rubbish bins shows the relationship between Hamm and his parents. According to the play, Hamm states: “Oh I am willing to believe they suffer as much as such creatures can suffer. But does that mean their sufferings equal mine? No doubt.” On the other hand, it shows the audience Hamm is unregretful towards his parents. In addition, it depicts how society treats the elderly by illustrating Nell and Nagg live in bins. Rubbish bins are containers for things that are no longer useful or wanted. Thus, Nell and Nagg coming out from the rubbish bins and living in bins emphasize the low value of the elderly who are not useful and could not contribute to society. In other words, they have no power and no voice. Beckett’s point in presenting them in this way represents how the society thinks about the elderly. Beckett may want to convey a message to treat the elderly better.
In my opinion, it is clear that Hamm does not show respect with Clov while Clov is amenable despite he has said he wants to leave. Other than Clov has nowhere to go that is preventing he from leaving Hamm, there are several other reasons. We can see Hamm and Clov are stuck together. According to the play, even when Hamm ask Clov why he does not leave, Clov does not answer but turns the question back on Hamm, asking Hamm why he does not let him leave instead. It seems like Clov chooses to stay even though he says he wants to leave. Therefore, I believe neither Clov nor Hamm wants to be alone, and they are the only one each other has. I did not understand this until after writing about it.
Moreover, neither of Hamm nor Clov has anywhere else to go. Complete isolation under the circumstances is a large part of what keeps Hamm clinging to Clov since this is a post-apocalyptic world. None of them knows what the world outside their house is like. Human beings always fear of the unknown. Our lives are like Hamm and Clov’s now during this pandemic.
