Endgame

Book Review

Samuel Beckett's «Endgame» is one of the most significant works of the Theatre of the Absurd, continuing to provoke interest and debate among critics and audiences. Written in 1957, the play explores themes of loneliness, the meaninglessness of existence, and the inevitability of the end. The action takes place in a confined space where the main characters, Hamm and Clov, engage in endless dialogues full of irony and despair. Critics note that Beckett masterfully uses minimalist sets and concise lines to create an atmosphere of hopelessness and emptiness. The play is often interpreted as a metaphor for human life, where the characters symbolize various aspects of human existence. Hamm, confined to a chair, and his servant Clov, unable to leave his master, represent complex images that provoke deep reflections on the nature of freedom and dependency. Critics also emphasize that «Endgame» continues the existentialist traditions established in Beckett's previous works, such as «Waiting for Godot». Despite its apparent simplicity, the play requires active participation and interpretation from the audience, making it relevant even today.