Samuel Beckett: Plays Literary Elements

Most of Beckett's plays are black comedies

Some plays are in English and some are in French

The setting depends on the play. For example, Waiting for Godot Takes place on a country road next to a tree.

Each play has a different narrator and/or point of view. Most, however, (including Waiting for Godot), are told from a third person point of view.

Again, each play have different tones and moods. Waiting for Godot, for example, is tense, high-brow, intelligent, and solemn.

Each Beckett play has different protagonists and Antagonists. In Godot, Pozzo is the antagonist and Vladimir and Estragon are the protagonists.

Each Beckett play has different conflicts. In Happy Days, for example, the major conflict of the play involves Winnie's struggle to remain happy.

Each Beckett play has different climaxes. In Happy Days, for example, when Willie tries to crawl up Winnie's mound.

Each Beckett play utilizes foreshadowing in different ways. In Waiting for Godot, for example, it is foreshadowed throughout much of the play that Vladimir and Estragon will be waiting for Godot for quite a long time.

Each Beckett play utilizes understatement in different ways. In Waiting for Godot, for example, the futility of Vladimir and Estragon's endeavor is understated throughout the play.

Although each of Beckett's plays use different allusions, he frequently alludes to mythology, the Bible, religion in general, geography, and popular culture.

Each Beckett play uses imagery in different ways. In Happy Days, Beckett uses strong imagery to describe Winnie's unfortunate situation.

Each Beckett play uses paradox in different ways.

Beckett uses parallelism in different ways in each of plays. In Waiting for Godot, for example, Estragon and Vladimir's story is often paralleled.

Each Beckett play uses personification different ways.

All of Beckett's plays use stage directions to set the scene of the play and the motivations for the characters