Waiting for Godot at the Essay

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In a dreamlike state, Estragon dreams about the Holy Land. He says, "The Dead Sea was pale blue. The very look of it made me thirsty. That's where we'll go, I used to say, that's where we'll go for our honeymoon. We'll swim. We'll be happy." Throughout the play, the two men embrace and are obviously intimate. Sometimes the tension between Estragon and Vladimir is similar to the relationship between spouses. For instance, Estragon says, "There are times when I wonder if it wouldn't be better for us to part," (Act I). Estragon repeats this sentiment at several times during the play. Other homoerotic references include when Estragon first suggests that they hang themselves. Vladimir states, "Hmmm. it'd give us an erection." Estragon is "very excited" at the prospect of an erection and "all that follows," (Act I). The two men muse about the life-giving potential of their semen: "where it falls, mandrakes grow. That's why they shriek when you pull them up." Mandrakes are roots that have the appearance of the human body. Later, Pozzo mentions being created in God's image, which is not just a biblical allusion but also refers back to the imagery of semen. The play also ends with Estragon having his pants down. If Estragon and Vladimir had engaged in sexual relations and were made to feel guilty about their relationship, then they may be waiting for Godot for a sense of personal salvation.

Godot represents God in the play also because he has the power to give and take away life. Pozzo angrily states in Act II, "One day we were born, one day we shall die, the same day, the same second, is that not enough for you?...They give birth astride of a grave, the light gleams an instant, then it's night once more." Pozzo observes that life is not only short but is too complex for human beings to understand. His blindness symbolizes this inability of human beings to understand how God or the universe works.

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Vladimir agrees that God is in charge of both birth and death -- and that human beings have little control over their lives. He replies to Pozzo, "Astride of a grave and a difficult birth. Down in the hole, lingeringly, the grave digger puts on the forceps. We have time to grow old. The air is full of our cries...But habit is a great deadener." Ironically, it is habit that keeps Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot. The two men feel that waiting for Godot will give their lives value. Meeting Godot will be like understanding the will of God.

Vladimir and Estragon are portrayed as martyrs waiting for God. They admit they are bored, such as when Pozzo asks "You find it tedious?" (Act I). Estragon replies, "Somewhat," and Vladimir responds, "I've been better entertained," (Act I). They have taken a vow of poverty and live as if in a monastery removed from the temptations and pleasures of everyday life. Neither Vladimir nor Estragon want to leave the tree, because they feel that waiting for Godot has inherent value. They are unhappy and bored, but they also have a sense of righteousness. Both men believe that Godot is "sure to come tomorrow," (Act II) even if they have no concrete proof. Godot might even bring the Apocalype, as in the first Act of the play Vladimir suggests he might arrive on a horse. Their waiting can therefore be interpreted as an act of Christian faith.

In Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, Godot represents the second coming of Christ or at least the manifestation of God on Earth. Using Christian imagery, Beckett shows that waiting for God is an act of faith. Vladimir and Estragon make personal sacrifices in their waiting. Godot is presented as a liberator and the savior of humanity......

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