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Abstract: the paper analyzes Hamm’s tragedy in Endgame. It points out that Hamm is a tragic hero like Hamlet. Firstly, the name Hamm is probably a reference to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, meanwhile, Hamm and Hamlet both stage a play. Secondly, Hamm’s words are most similar to Hamlet’s words. Finally, they are both overwhelmed by doubts and hesitations, which prevent them from any action.
Key words: Samuel Beckett; Endgame; Hamm; Hamlet
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish writer, dramatist and poet, writing in English and French. Endgame was Samuel Beckett’s first full-length play after his famous Waiting for Godot. Endgame helped to cement Beckett’s role as one of the (if not the) most important playwrights of the 20th century.
The term “tragedy” is one that elicits presupposition in a modern context. Tragedies such as Hamlet by William Shakespeare (1564-1616) and Endgame by Samuel Beckett (1906-1989), though written in completely different eras hundreds of years apart, both serve as sources of boundless pessimism and situational comedy. Both Hamlet and Endgame have pessimistic themes in common; one of Hamlet’s recurring themes is the inevitability of death and the inescapability of destiny. Endgame’s prevalent themes are the human existential dilemma and the effect of man’s lack of control over everyday life. Moreover, the strongest Shakespearean connection to Endgame can be observed through the comparison of Hamm and Hamlet.
On the one hand, some researchers think that the name Hamm is a reference to Shakespeare’s Hamlet.[2]120, which makes Hamm something of a raving prince who will ultimately bring about his own destruction. Besides, Endgame is a metatheatrical play. Shakespears is perhaps the most consummate representitive of the theater of all time, as a character, an actor, a director, a playwright, and a critic, he could and actually did make use of metadrama intuitively.[3]183 Endgame is a play within a play. Hamm stages his own death, he throws away the gaff, the whistle and the dog. Hamlet also stages a play when he believes that his uncle killed his father for the throne. In addition, Hamlet gives a soliloquy, he somewhat pretends to be mad because he knows he is being watched. Actually, he is being watched by both Polonius and the King during the Soliloquy.
On the other hand, Hamm’s words are much similar to Hamlet’s words. Hamm’s presentation of the question—to end or not to end—mirrors Hamlet’s to be or not to be soliloquy [5]57-91. Shall I continue leading a life devoid of meaning, or do I take action, end the ludicrous game, face what unknown sentence eternity holds as a result [4]—the issue is pondered by both. Additionally, hidden within Hamm’s dialogue are Hamlet’s dying words, “the rest is silence” [5]62. Early in Endgame, Hamm states, “Nothing stirs. All is—” [1]29. Later Clov suggests a dream existence, “A world where all would be silent” [1]57. Then, as Hamm presupposes the final end, he predicts being “alone against the silence” [1]69. The moment of silence arrives at the end of Endgame. Hamm diminishes, “speak no more . . . You . . . remain.” A pause of silence follows. The curtain closes[1]84. The audience is left alone with its silent thoughts. Thoughts formed as the audience leaves the performance result from Samuel Beckett’s intentional use of the Brechtian alienation theory. Beckett uses Shakespearean allusions, theatric references, and formal stage conventions to constantly remind the audience that the play is a fictitious performance within the boundaries of a stage. Like Hamlet, Hamm is overwhelmed by doubts and hesitations. The difference is that he is a totally deromanticized, ironic version of Hamlet, and no prince of no kingdom by any means. His physical disability emphasizes his spiritual invalidity and decay. A remarkable phrase by him is that he feels his heart beating in his head [1]8. Hamm is a egocentric person. He is afraid of being abandoned and suffers from isolation, but, at the same time, he takes a kind of pleasure in his tortures. “Can there be misery— (he yawns) —loftier than mine?” is a standard pattern of his narcissist speculations [1]2. Indeed, he imagines himself almost equal to Hamlet in his suffering because being a tragic hero would give sense to his existence.
It was Shakespeare, who stressed on the theatrical nature of living, which makes people play the game. However, the twentieth century’s interpretation of the concept is far gloomier. Not only do people have to play the game, but the game gets quite boring and even unbearable. That is why the characters of the play think about stopping it, but they lack courage to finish their senseless lives, so they are involved into this cyclic never-ending existence, which tortures them.
Reference:
[1] Beckett, Samuel, Endgame and Act Without Words. [Z]New York: Grove Press, 1958.
[2] Kenner, Hugh. A Reader’s Guide to Samuel Beckett.[J] London: Thames and Hundson, 1996.
[3] LA Borie Bur, Thomas. Foreign Accents: Brazilian Readings of Shakespeare.[J] Delaware: University of Delaware Press, 2002.
[4] Lell, Gordon. “Discussion of Value in Shakespeare’s Hamlet” English 401X Lecture. [D]Concordia College, 1998.
[5] Shakespeare, William. “Hamlet” The Complete Works of Shakespeare.[D] Ed. David Bevington. New York: Longman, 1997.
作者简介：施琪（1987— ），女，四川简阳县人，四川外语学院研究生部2010级英语文学专业硕士研究生，研究方向：英美文学。
Key words: Samuel Beckett; Endgame; Hamm; Hamlet
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish writer, dramatist and poet, writing in English and French. Endgame was Samuel Beckett’s first full-length play after his famous Waiting for Godot. Endgame helped to cement Beckett’s role as one of the (if not the) most important playwrights of the 20th century.
The term “tragedy” is one that elicits presupposition in a modern context. Tragedies such as Hamlet by William Shakespeare (1564-1616) and Endgame by Samuel Beckett (1906-1989), though written in completely different eras hundreds of years apart, both serve as sources of boundless pessimism and situational comedy. Both Hamlet and Endgame have pessimistic themes in common; one of Hamlet’s recurring themes is the inevitability of death and the inescapability of destiny. Endgame’s prevalent themes are the human existential dilemma and the effect of man’s lack of control over everyday life. Moreover, the strongest Shakespearean connection to Endgame can be observed through the comparison of Hamm and Hamlet.
On the one hand, some researchers think that the name Hamm is a reference to Shakespeare’s Hamlet.[2]120, which makes Hamm something of a raving prince who will ultimately bring about his own destruction. Besides, Endgame is a metatheatrical play. Shakespears is perhaps the most consummate representitive of the theater of all time, as a character, an actor, a director, a playwright, and a critic, he could and actually did make use of metadrama intuitively.[3]183 Endgame is a play within a play. Hamm stages his own death, he throws away the gaff, the whistle and the dog. Hamlet also stages a play when he believes that his uncle killed his father for the throne. In addition, Hamlet gives a soliloquy, he somewhat pretends to be mad because he knows he is being watched. Actually, he is being watched by both Polonius and the King during the Soliloquy.
On the other hand, Hamm’s words are much similar to Hamlet’s words. Hamm’s presentation of the question—to end or not to end—mirrors Hamlet’s to be or not to be soliloquy [5]57-91. Shall I continue leading a life devoid of meaning, or do I take action, end the ludicrous game, face what unknown sentence eternity holds as a result [4]—the issue is pondered by both. Additionally, hidden within Hamm’s dialogue are Hamlet’s dying words, “the rest is silence” [5]62. Early in Endgame, Hamm states, “Nothing stirs. All is—” [1]29. Later Clov suggests a dream existence, “A world where all would be silent” [1]57. Then, as Hamm presupposes the final end, he predicts being “alone against the silence” [1]69. The moment of silence arrives at the end of Endgame. Hamm diminishes, “speak no more . . . You . . . remain.” A pause of silence follows. The curtain closes[1]84. The audience is left alone with its silent thoughts. Thoughts formed as the audience leaves the performance result from Samuel Beckett’s intentional use of the Brechtian alienation theory. Beckett uses Shakespearean allusions, theatric references, and formal stage conventions to constantly remind the audience that the play is a fictitious performance within the boundaries of a stage. Like Hamlet, Hamm is overwhelmed by doubts and hesitations. The difference is that he is a totally deromanticized, ironic version of Hamlet, and no prince of no kingdom by any means. His physical disability emphasizes his spiritual invalidity and decay. A remarkable phrase by him is that he feels his heart beating in his head [1]8. Hamm is a egocentric person. He is afraid of being abandoned and suffers from isolation, but, at the same time, he takes a kind of pleasure in his tortures. “Can there be misery— (he yawns) —loftier than mine?” is a standard pattern of his narcissist speculations [1]2. Indeed, he imagines himself almost equal to Hamlet in his suffering because being a tragic hero would give sense to his existence.
It was Shakespeare, who stressed on the theatrical nature of living, which makes people play the game. However, the twentieth century’s interpretation of the concept is far gloomier. Not only do people have to play the game, but the game gets quite boring and even unbearable. That is why the characters of the play think about stopping it, but they lack courage to finish their senseless lives, so they are involved into this cyclic never-ending existence, which tortures them.
Reference:
[1] Beckett, Samuel, Endgame and Act Without Words. [Z]New York: Grove Press, 1958.
[2] Kenner, Hugh. A Reader’s Guide to Samuel Beckett.[J] London: Thames and Hundson, 1996.
[3] LA Borie Bur, Thomas. Foreign Accents: Brazilian Readings of Shakespeare.[J] Delaware: University of Delaware Press, 2002.
[4] Lell, Gordon. “Discussion of Value in Shakespeare’s Hamlet” English 401X Lecture. [D]Concordia College, 1998.
[5] Shakespeare, William. “Hamlet” The Complete Works of Shakespeare.[D] Ed. David Bevington. New York: Longman, 1997.
作者简介：施琪（1987— ），女，四川简阳县人，四川外语学院研究生部2010级英语文学专业硕士研究生，研究方向：英美文学。