Endgame Theme of Compassion and Forgiveness

That there is not a whole lot of compassion and forgiveness in Endgame. For the most part, the
characters are extremely cruel to one another. Hamm bosses Clov around constantly and curses his
father for giving birth to him. Clov, when he does not actually leave Hamm, makes up for it by
being insubordinate in all sorts of sly ways. There is one openly compassionate relationship in the
play that of Nagg and Nell. All the cruelty in the play raises the question of where the good has
gone and why the characters are behaving in this way.
Questions About Compassion and Forgiveness
Where are the moments of compassion in the play? Who is the most compassionate figure?
Why might the characters behave so cruelly to each other? What is their cruelty hiding? Are they
unable to be kind to one another or do they choose not to be?
Do Nagg and Nell show compassion toward each other? Why doesn't Nell ever do anything to
help Nagg? In what ways does Nagg shield Nell from the cruelty of the other characters?
Do Clov and Hamm move toward forgiveness in the end of the play? Who should be forgiving
whom and for what? Why doesn't Clov leave Hamm?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devils advocate.
There is no real compassion in Beckett's play. The moments where the characters seem to be acting
kindly toward one another can always be traced back to personal, ulterior motives.
There is a great deal of compassion in Endgame. Though the characters often speak cruelly to one
another, their actions suggest that their cruelty masks their vulnerability and they actually long for
real human relationships.
QUOTES ON THE THEME COMPASSION AND FORGIVENESS
Quote #1
HAMM
What have you done with your bicycle-wheels?
CLOV
I never had a bicycle.
HAMM
The thing is impossible.
CLOV
When there were still bicycles, I wept to have one. I crawled at your feet. You told me to go to hell.
Now there are none. (1.67-71)
Can you detect any bitterness in Clov's tone? Is he so used to Hamm's cruelty to him that he
is simply reporting the facts or is there a sign that he still holds out hope that Hamm can be
sympathetic?
Quote #2
CLOV
There's no more pap.
HAMM (to Nagg)

Do you hear that? There's no more pap. You'll never get any more pap.
NAGG
I want me pap! (1.85)
Why is Hamm treating his father like a child? Why is his father acting like a child? What has
allowed the two to reverse roles, as they do here?
Quote #3
CLOV
You shouldn't speak to me like that.
(Pause.)
HAMM (coldly)
Forgive me.
(Pause. Louder.)
I said, Forgive me.
CLOV
I heard you. (1.124-126)
Hamm reveals that he is demanding forgiveness, not requesting it. If he does not give Clov a
choice, why does he still feel the need to ask for forgiveness?
Quote #4
NAGG
Kiss me.
NELL
We can't.
NAGG
Try.
(Their heads strain towards each other, fail to meet, fall apart again.) (1.145-147)
This scene must have happened countless times before. Why does Nagg still want to try? Is
their failure to kiss still better than not having tried at all? Does it seem demoralizing for
them or heartening?
HW> Find out at least two more quotes on this theme in Endgame, and formulate a
reflection or question for your classmates as in the examples.