Waiting
for Godot
Samuel Beckett
Introduction:
Samuel Beckett as a modernist writer
wrote this play waiting for Godot which has not specific beginning and ending. Ideally
there is no beginning, no end, something in between. Only the hope. The play
starts at the same place and end at the same place. In a way it has no change
with big change. This play is big satire on human existence.
Character List:
Vladimir
Estragon
Pozzo
Lucky
Boy
Godot
Brief information about Characters:
1. Vladimir:
Remain in the play very important
character. Moreover he seems to be the more responsible and mature character.
2. Estragon:
Estragon remains as a second important
character with short memory. He seems weak and helpless and always wants to
protection by Vladimir.
3. Pozzo:
Pozzo coming to provides a diversion. He
becomes helpful in passing the time of Vladimir and Estragon. In the second act
he is blind and does not remember meeting Vladimir and Estragon the night
before.
4. Lucky:
Lucky is servant of Pozzo. In act 1, he
entertains by dancing and thinking. However, in act 2, he is dumb.
5. Boy:
Represent as a messenger of Godot.
6. Godot:
It is remaining abstract, which is
Vladimir and Estragon wait unendingly.
Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for Godot.
The wait never end perhaps they wait for the end of life. Waiting for death in
between we try to do something for the sake of passing the time. Vladimir and
Estragon doing the same thing. They are trying to pass the time with various
activities like:
A)
Passing
hat to each other
B)
Playing
game of breathing.
Moreover Estragon playing with shoe while
Vladimir playing with hat. It is indicates the habit of characters such as
Estragon with the shoe represent as a hungry beast while Vladimir represent as
a thinker.
The play goes particular to general. The
four characters represent as a particular in the lay but they symbolized as a
whole human beings. However he satirizes on the work that the characters are
doing. Or in a way he satirizes the work doing by the whole human beings. They
are doing the same what Vladimir and Estragon are doing.
It’s not make any difference though
Vladimir thinks a lot or Estragon interested in hunger. The fates of both
characters are similar.
Through
this Beckett satire on philosopher also who thinks a lot. He raised question
like-
What does it matter if we knowing the things?
But the knowledge becomes difficult for
Vladimir. He always in tension because of this he also tries to Estragon must
be in tension. So he frequently remaindered to Estragon that why are they
there. They are waiting for Godot. It is very basic human nature.
This play
remains open for interpretation about anything.
For example-
What is Godot?
Who is Godot?
Is he Godot himself?
Is it an abstract idea only? Or
Is it a symbol of death?
So, everything remains as abstract ideas.
The ambiguity lies in the play “Waiting for Godot”.
Existentialism:
Existentialism crisis are found in the
play. Profound questions of human existence raised by Beckett in the play.
Characters are playing the game BREATHING. Breathing itself is an example of
existentialism. Why are we taking breath? Is it our habit of doing that?
Life
+ Anxiety = Truth
The truth is the ultimate reality of
life-Death. In between the birth and death there is only anxiety. So, Estragon
tries to suicide. Existentialist considered this idea of suicide as a good
idea. But human like to live this pathetic life. They are habituated. They are
happy in doing that, just like Camus-
“Myth of Sisyphus”.
Conclusion:
“Waiting for Godot” is a serio-comic play.
It’s includes so many things surrounded by human beings such as- existential
crisis, Marxist ideology, psychology, Christian idea, socio-political matters,
the effect of world war second and so on. The basic questions like-
Who is Godot? What is Godot? Whether
Godot came or not? What are the questions that writer should ask?
At the end
play end with hope.
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