In high school I took a class called Myth and Religion, and it was amazing. My favorite English teacher, Mr. Bietz, taught it. I had him for several classes, and I loved him. He was a brilliant old man who really belonged on a college campus. He had a long white beard, glasses, that one weird eye, a sweater vest, and he rode his bike to school every day. You could just imagine him smoking a pipe and reciting poetry.
The problem with Mr. Bietz was that he was boring. He was very soft-spoken, and he had a monotone voice. Everyone (including myself) had trouble staying awake in his class. I did my best out of my total respect for him. I remember one time watching him talk to the class, and he stopped in mid-sentence and just looked around the room. Nobody was paying any attention, and nobody besides myself even realized that he had stopped talking.
Anyway, in the Myth and Religion class, I read the play "Waiting for Godot" by Samuel Beckett. It had a very profound affect on me. On the surface, it was a boring story, confusing and non-sensical. If I had read it outside of a classroom I probably wouldn't have understood it. The play has two acts, and is basically about two men, Estragon and Vladimir, who are forever sitting around waiting for someone named Godot. They don't really know this person and admit they wouldn't recognize him if he were to show up. As they wait we get to understand their relationship. The second act is almost identical to the first, with subtle, important differences. Many people have analyzed the play and come up with religious, philosophical and existential meanings. The characters, objects and words used in the play are all very symbolic. They are forever waiting for someone, and he's never going to show up. I will never forget the feeling that went through me while we had a conversation with Mr. Bietz about it as he sat on the desk.
To me it's about the human condition, always wanting something more, craving something to come save us.
I have been watching a lot of girl bands on youtube (thanks Carissa!) these past few days and I started thinking about other women I have listened to over the years. I remembered k.d. lang, and this video in particular. The song has a similar theme to it, and in the video, the people are watching the play, "Waiting for Godot."
3 comments:
"Waiting for Godot" is something I've been meaning to read for years. That's awesome that you got to read it in high school. I had never even heard of the play until at least two and a half years into college when one of my professors brought it up in class one day.
I have two copies if you want to borrow one!
Cool, maybe next time I'm there, I'll grab a copy from you. Thanks! =)
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