Samuel Beckett was an Irish playwright, novelist, and poet. He is celebrated as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century literature and theater. His works, including Endgame, explore existentialism and the absurdity of the human condition.

Samuel Beckett was born on April 13, 1906, in Foxrock, a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, into a middle-class Protestant family. His upbringing was marked by a strong emphasis on education and culture, thanks to his father’s interest in literature and his mother’s passion for music. Beckett was fluent in both English and French. After attending the Portora Royal School, Beckett enrolled at Trinity College Dublin in 1923, where he studied French, Italian, and English literature. During this time, he developed a fascination with the works of James Joyce, an Irish writer who would become a significant influence on Beckett’s literary career.

Beckett’s journey as a writer began with poetry and essays. He published his first poem, Whoroscope, in 1930. He continued to pursue his academic interests by teaching English in Paris while also working on his own writing. The outbreak of World War II disrupted Beckett’s life, leading him to join the French Resistance during the German occupation of France. He worked as a courier and translator and even risked his life in these dangerous activities.