LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 12 : 9 September 2012
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Grammatical Deviations in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot

Saira Akhter
Mazhar Hayat

Abstract

This research article deals with the stylistic analysis of Samuel Beckett’s play ‘Waiting for Godot’ on the level of Grammatical Deviation. Samuel Beckett’s play is called as an absurd play which is known for disintegrated language. Beckett breaks the norms of English language to get the reader’s attention, to develop his interest and to create his indulgence in the play. He has touched upon modern man’s misery in existence, religion, cosmos, relationship and problem of time etc., with a long catalogue of other socio-political issues as sub-themes. Hence the language of the play ‘Waiting for Godot’ is ripe with material for stylistic analysis.

Sometimes, prepositions or phrases are used in the place of complete sentences which become grammatical freak for the readers but for the researcher this irregularity creates specificity of artistic meanings. Drama represents action through dialogues. Most often, a character does not understand other character’s talk which causes irrelevance of content in the situation and apparent meaninglessness. The common reader waives its message away with laughter, but it provides a new horizon of multiple meanings for the researcher.

Keeping in view the constraints of space and time, we’ve have selected seven passages from the text. They are selected on the basis of stylistic and thematic significance. Leech’s model of irregularities of language has been applied on Beckett’s ‘Waiting for Godot’. For the analyses and descriptions of the texts, Berry’s systemic model has been applied to tackle with the grammatical deviations.

Waiting for Godot

Samuel Beckett’s drama ‘Waiting for Godot’ is difficult to perceive because of lack of well-knit plot or story-line. The reader cannot locate chivalric or heroic characters in it who can deliver grandiloquent and mesmerizing speeches. On the contrary, “Dialogue seems to have degenerated into meaningless babble” (Esslin, 1982, p. 7) without well-constructed patterns and structures of language. However, these irregular dialogues can appear quite logical and meaningful in stylistic analysis of the play.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Saira Akhter
Lecturer in English
Govt College University
Faisalabad
Pakistan
sairalinks@hotmail.com

Mazhar Hayat
Assistant Professor
Government College University
Faisalabad
Pakistan
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