What’s Up With the Title?

Waiting for Godot: A Tragicomedy in Two Acts is just that: a play about waiting. And waiting. And waiting some more. For some dude named (maybe?) Godot.

The title reflects the lack of action—or as one critic says, the less than action—that fills the time normally taken up by plot. "Tragicomedy" is an apt description of the play’s genre, since it combines the absurdly farcical with the tragically poignant melancholy of daily life. That "two acts" part of the title is significant too, since duality is an important theme for the work—take a gander at our "Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory" section for more on this duality business.