Absurdity and Futility: Exploration of Human Existence in Samuel Beckett’s Endgame

Abstract

Samuel Beckett’s Endgame stands as a defining work in the Theatre of the Absurd, dramatizing the bleakness, circularity, and futility inherent in human existence. This paper examines how Beckett foregrounds existential despair and the sense of absurdity through minimal action, cyclical dialogue, and fragmented relationships. The play’s characters inhabit a world stripped of progress, purpose, or escape. Using existentialist thought and absurdist critique, this study highlights Endgame as a profound commentary on the fragility of hope, the inevitability of decay, and the persistent human urge to continue despite recognizing life’s meaninglessness.