Waiting for Godot in Samuel Essay

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document

Total Length: 1267 words ( 4 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 0

Page 1 of 4

" Vladimir then retorts, "Christ! What has Christ got to do with it. You're not going to compare yourself to Christ!" Estrogen then says, "All my life I've compared myself to him." When Vladimir states that where Jesus lived it was warm and dry and therefore suitable for barefoot walking, Estragon concurs and says, "Yes, and they crucified quick."

Vladirmir also insinuates that Godot has a Christ-like role in his life. When Estragon asks, "And if he comes?" Vladimir replies, "We'll be saved,' (Act II). Moreover, Pozzo is referred to as both Cain and Abel in Act II. The contraction of embodying both Cain and Abel symbolizes self-annihilation because Cain killed Abel. Further death imagery includes the frequent references to twilight, the setting sun, and the end of the day such as when Vladimir says, "Don't be a fool, it's the west over there...it is not for nothing I have lived through this long day and I can assure you it is very near the end of its repertory," (Act II).

Estragon's attraction towards hanging himself from the tree and his longing for escape signify a death-wish. The two men are biding their time waiting for death to overtake them. Even more so than Vladimir, Estragon does not understand why they are waiting for Godot when they could simply end their lives voluntarily. It is Estragon who continually forgets what they are doing by the tree. He repeatedly asks Vladimir if they can leave. However, Vladimir seems convinced that waiting for Godot will bring them some kind of fulfillment. He finds practical reasons to dissuade Estragon from committing suicide even though the imagined fulfillment of Godot never arrives. Godot is nothing but what Vladimir and Estragon believe him to be. Vladimir and Estragon project their ideas onto Godot, but neither has met him.

The only character in the play who seems to have met Godot is the messenger boy and his brother.

Stuck Writing Your "Waiting for Godot in Samuel" Essay?

View All Our Example Waiting for Godot in Samuel Essay

Have A Custom Example Essay Written

At the end of Act I, the messenger boy admits that Godot can be cruel to his brother. At the end of Act II, the second messenger boy tells Vladimir vaguely what Godot looks like and describes him as a man with a beard. Describing Godot as a man with a beard suggests that Godot is god. If Godot is god and god never arrives on the scene, then logically god does not actually exist. Godot never does make an appearance, but Vladimir and Estragon continue to believe that he will.

The playwright would therefore be suggesting that human beings persist in believing in a deity that does not exist. Christians in particular await the second coming of Christ, which amounts to a meaningless pursuit. Instead of waiting, the two men in the play could seek spiritual fulfillment elsewhere but they have convinced themselves that waiting is the right thing to do. Likewise, waiting for god (or Godot) strips away the ability to be happy and find fulfillment in everyday life. Accepting that god does not exist would liberate Estragon and Vladimir but they cannot bring themselves to take that mental leap.

Godot represents nothingness, allowing Samuel Beckett to suggest that god does not exist. The theme of nothingness is explored throughout the play, especially because Estragon and Vladimir discuss death periodically. Godot's appearance would mean the end -- the end of their waiting and possibly the end of their lives. Moreover, Estragon and Vladimir are portrayed as being slaves of their own making because they are waiting for nothing. They persist in the belief that Godot will show up. Beckett suggests that human beings would be better off living fully in the moment and fulfilling their dreams instead of waiting for some grand universal blueprint to unfold itself......

Show More ⇣

     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Waiting For Godot In Samuel" (2010, May 14) Retrieved May 16, 2025, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/waiting-godot-samuel-12765

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Waiting For Godot In Samuel" 14 May 2010. Web.16 May. 2025. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/waiting-godot-samuel-12765>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Waiting For Godot In Samuel", 14 May 2010, Accessed.16 May. 2025,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/waiting-godot-samuel-12765
   

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document
order custom essay example