Waiting for Godot: Hope for Salvation

HOPE FOR SALVATION, AN EVASION / RELIGIOUS PLAY

 

One of the approaches to "Waiting for Godot" is to regard it as a religious play because there are ample references to God, Christ and hope of salvation. The two tramps are waiting for Godot who is variously interpreted by the critics. Some critics opine that it is a religious drama and the tramps are waiting for salvation. They hope that one day Godot will come and they will be 'saved'. But this period of waiting is full of sufferings and torments. Man wants to escape from these sufferings and the only rescue which he finds in the panorama of this world is the hope of salvation.

 

The play "Waiting for Godot" has a universal appeal. The tramps represent all humanity. Their sufferings are the sufferings of all human being, no matter in which country they live in or what religious beliefs they have. They reflect modern man's loneliness, absurdity, forgetfulness, illusions, deferred hope, meaninglessness, inaction, physical suffering and mental anguish, death-wish and isolation.

 

Estragon and Vladimir are the diseased inhabitants of this new wasteland. They suffer from inward and outward ailments. The only remedy from all these afflictions is in the shape of Godot.

 

But problem is that salvation is also not certain. The uncertainty of the hope of salvation and the chance bestowed of divine grace pervade the whole play. Vladimir states it right in the beginning when he says:

"One of the thieves was saved. It's a remarkable percentage."

He furthers remarks that one of the two thieves is supposed to have been saved and the other damned. But he asks why only one of the four evangelists speaks of a thief being saved. Whereas, other three do not mention any thieve at all, and third one says that both of them abused Christ. In other words, there is fifty-fifty chance of salvation, but as only one out of four witnesses reports it, the chances are considerably reduced. As Vladimir points out the fact that everybody seems to believe that one witness:

"It is the only version they know."

Estragon, whose attitude has been skeptic throughout merely comments:

"People are bloody ignorant apes."

It means that tramps know that salvation is only an illusion to get relief from the sufferings, only an evasion. They know that their waiting for Godot is only a hope against hope. Even through religious point of vies the salvation is not certain. It is a matter of 'may be or may not be'. Beckett himself referred in the writings of St. Augustine:

"Do not despair: one of the thieves was saved. Do not presume: one of the thieves was damned."

Even Godot himself is unpredictable in bestowing kindness and punishment. The boy who is his messenger looks after the goats, is treated well by Godot. But the boy's brother, who looks after the sheep, is beaten by Godot. The parallel to Cain and Abel is evident. If Godot's kindness is bestowed as a matter of chance, his coming is not a source of pure joy. It can also mean damnation.

 

When in act-II Pozzo and Lucky return and two tramps try to identify them, Estragon calls out:

"Abel! Abel!"

Pozzo responds. But when Estragon calls out:

"Cain! Cain!"

Pozzo responds again and Estragon concludes:

"He is all humanity".

But in spite of this pessimism which shows the helplessness of humanity, it might be argued that two tramps who are waiting for Godot, are somewhat superior to Pozzo and Lucky who have no object, no appointment, and are wholly egocentric and wrapped in their sadomasochistic relationship. Estragon and Vladimir are superior to both Pozzo and Lucky – not because naïve. They are aware that all we do in this life is as nothing, when seen against the senseless action of time, which is in itself an illusion. They are aware that suicide would be the best solution to get rid of sufferings. They are less self-centered. For a brief moment, Vladimir is aware of the full horror of the human condition:

"The air is full of our cries … At me too someone is looking …"

But the habit of waiting prevents them from the awareness of the full reality of their existence.

 

To conclude we can say that the hope for salvation may be an evasion of the suffering and anguish that spring from facing the reality of the human condition. But even then this illusion is necessary to keep one on the right path. As Ibsen in this play "The Wild Duck" also says that illusions are necessary for life. When you take away illusions from one you take away his life. Hope for salvation may be an illusion of life but this is necessary when you have no other way because the wretchedness of modern man can only be overcome by re-establishing faith.

"There is shadow under this red rock com in under the shadow of the red rock."

"Waiting For Godot": Existentialism

 

"Waiting for Godot" is an existentialist play because it has clear tints of existentialism in it. If we study the term existentialism we would come to know that it is a philosophical doctrine which lays stress on the existence with his concrete experience and solidities. However, "Waiting for Godot" is an existentialist play for it embodies Christian existentialism. Christian existentialism stress the idea that:

 

"I God only, man may find freedom for tension."

 

For Christian, existentialism religious leads to God, whereas according to the Atheistic Existentialism, it is based on the idea of Jean Paul Sartre and Martin Heidegger who state that:

 

"Man is alone in a godless universe."

The comparative study of both philosophies helps us to prove "Waiting for Godot" as a Christian existentialistic play.

 

 

We know that man is confronting the problem of his existence as a being. He is striving for his survival and to control the bridle of the pacing time. He is struggling to save his "individuality" and this very idea leads to the philosophy of existentialism.

 

 

The word "Existentialism" stands for one's "awareness" of one's "beingness". It stands for a vital principal of life. "Waiting for Godot" resembles the existentialist literature because it deals not only with existence or identity but also with the momentary and the internal time. The time mentioned in "Waiting for Godot" is related to man's mental condition. For instance, the major problem for the tramps is to make time pass in such a way that they are least bothered by it. Vladimir and Estragon constantly complain of the slowness of time passing and do their best to hurry it with their futile diversions. Estragon says:

 

"Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, it's awful."

 

But we know that outside the natural time, its consequences flow on. For example, the tree has grown five or six leaves. Pozzo has grown blind and Lucky dumb. Here Estragon remarks:

 

"They all change, only we not."

It should be noted that waiting the natural course of time, they think they would believe themselves from all of their problems without doing any effort. They might die naturally and save the effort of hanging themselves.

 

 

There is a distinction between the momentary and eternal time for it deals with the question of existence and identity. This difference can also be seen in this play. In "Waiting for Godot" physical time is sometimes taken seriously and sometimes it is ridiculed or condemned. Estragon once succeeds in confusing Vladimir about the passage of time as well as about the day of week. In the same sentence the tramps speak of a million years ago and in the nineties. We have no reason to be certain that the second description is anyone factual than the first.

 

 

Doubts about time make the tramps doubtful about their existence and identity. One tramp claims to be of the part, it is doubted by the other. Their own identity and existence in time is also questionable. One day seems to have elapsed between the first act and the second, yet it becomes extremely difficult to differentiate this day with the previous by any important physical evidence.

 

 

The play "Waiting for Godot" has all the traits of existentialism both Vladimir and Estragon represent the man in general who is facing the problems of his existence in this world. They are interdependent like all other man. Hope for salvation is the subject of play and is the problem faced by the whole human race. Representing the man in general, the two tramps realize the futility of their exercise and we note that they are merely filling up the hours with the pointless activity. Hence their 'waiting' is mechanical and deals with problem of existentialism.

 

 

To conclude we say that the whole picture shows a pretty hopelessness. Neither time nor existence, neither reality nor memory or the past have any meaning or significance. Acts are meaningless, time does not flow consecutively, memory seems deceptive, existence is an impression or perhaps a dream and happiness is extremely and affliction is crystal clear through the situation of two tramps. They are on the point of becoming hollow philosophies of existence but demand no other equipment in an audience than the bond of common perception.

Waiting For Godot – As An Absurd Play

Beckett is considered to be an important figure among the French Absurdists. "Waiting for Godot" is one of the masterpieces of Absurdist literature. Elements of Absurdity for making this play are so engaging and lively. Beckett combats the traditional notions of Time. It attacks the two main ingredients of the traditional views of Time, i.e. Habit and Memory. We find Estragon in the main story and Pozzo in the episode, combating the conventional notions of Time and Memory. For Pozzo, particularly, one day is just like another, the day we are born indistinguishable from the day we shall die. 

 

It is very clear from the very word "Absurd" that it means nonsensical, opposed to reason, something silly, foolish, senseless, ridiculous and topsy-turvy. So, a drama having a cock and bull story would be called an absurd play. Moreover, a play having loosely constructed plot, unrecognizable characters, metaphysical called an absurd play. Actually the 'Absurd Theatre' believes that humanity's plight is purposeless in an existence, which is out of harmony with its surroundings.

 

This thing i.e. the awareness about the lack of purpose produces a state of metaphysical anguish which is the central theme of the Absurd Theatre. On an absurd play logical construction, rational ideas and intellectually viable arguments are abandoned and instead of these the irrationality for experience is acted out on the stage.

 

The above mentioned discussion allows us to call "Waiting for Godot" as an absurd play for not only its plot is loose but its characters are also just mechanical puppets with their incoherent colloquy. And above than all, its theme is unexplained. "Waiting for Godot" is an absurd play for it is devoid of characterization and motivation. Though characters are present but are not recognizable for whatever they do and whatever they present is purposeless. So far as its dialogue technique is concerned, it is purely absurd as there is no witty repartee and pointed dialogue. What a reader or spectator hears is simply the incoherent babbling which does not have any clear and meaningful ideas. So far as the action and theme is concerned, it kisses the level of Absurd Theatre. After the study of this play we come to know that nothing special happens in the play nor we observe any significant change in setting. Though a change occurs but it is only that now the tree has sprouted out four or five leaves.

"Nothing happens, nobody comes … nobody goes, it's awful!"

The beginning, middle and end of the play do not rise up to the level of a good play, so absurd. Though its theme is logical and rational yet it lies in umbrage.

 

Moreover, "Waiting for Godot" can also be regarded as an absurd play because it is different from "poetic theatre". Neither it makes a considerable use of dream and fantasy nor does it employ conscious poetic language. The situation almost remains unchanged and an enigmatic vein runs throughout the play. The mixture of comedy and near tragedy proves baffling. In act-I we are not sure as to what attitude we should adopt towards the different phases of its non-action. The ways, of which the two tramps pass their time, seems as if they were passing their lives in a transparent deception. Godot remains a mystery and curiosity still holds a sway. Here we know that their endless waiting seems to be absurd. Though the fact is that they are conscious of this absurdity, yet is seems to imply that the rest of the world is waiting for the things, which are more absurd and also uncertain.

 

"Waiting for Godot" is an absurd play for there is no female character. Characters are there but they are devoid of identity. These two Estragon and Vladimir are old acquaintances, but they are not sure of their identity. Though they breathe, their life is an endless rain of blows. They wait for the ultimate extinction, but in a frustrated way. This thing produces meaninglessness, thus makes the play absurd.

 

Moreover, what makes the play absurd is its ending. We note that the ending of the play is not a conclusion in the usual sense. The wait continues; the human contacts remain unsolved; the problem of existence remains meaningless, futile and purposeless. The conversation between the two tramps remain a jargon, really a humbug and bunkum speech. So all this makes the play an absurd play.

 

Absurd Theatre is a term applies to a group of dramatist in the 1950's. Martin Esslin was the first to use this term 'Absurd' in his book "The Theatre of the Absurd". Eugene Lonesco, Arthur Admor, Harold Pinter and Jean Garret are the writers who belong to this category.

Structure Of “Waiting For Godot”

 

"Waiting for Godot" is not a play to which traditional ideas of plot, action, structure etc. do apply. To a certain extent, Beckett has deliberately discarded or parodied such conventions. There is double-structure in "Waiting for Godot" linear and cynical. The structural devices can be seen in dialogues, characterization and bringing out of the themes. In cyclical structure, there is no change, no movement, development, nothing happens but linear things have their ways of changing.

 

The major structural devices are parallels. The two acts are bold experiments in use of parallelism, which is saved from the monotony by an admixture of contrast in it. Repetition or paradigm is primarily dominant in the play. In each act Vladimir asks Estragon how he spent the night, in each act Vladimir offers to embrace Estragon and latter does not, at first, kindly take this gesture. Every now and then, Estragon says:

 

"Let's go."

 

 

Vladimir patiently says:

 

"We can't."

 

Estragon wants to know why not, and Vladimir replies that:

 

"We're waiting for Godot."

 

 

This is followed every time by a sigh of Estragon. In each act Estragon wants to be allowed to sleep. In each act when they were at the ends of their wit, they indulge in meaningless trivialities. By the arrival of Lucky and Pozzo, in both the acts the tramps are helped at a particularly tedious moment. When they feel that their situation is absolutely unbearable, they toy with the idea of committing suicide, but in each case there is a major hurdle in their way. Each time they console themselves with a thought that they will bring a piece of rope next day with which they would commit suicide.

 

Recognition and forgetfulness also act as structural principles in both the acts. In both the acts the tramps take the arrival of somebody else to be that of Godot. The wait is terminated in both the acts by the arrival of a messenger. Before going away, they together think of suicide. In each act, they say that they are leaving and do not leave the place.

 

The conversation itself takes a rhythmic course. In Act-I Vladimir asks Estragon about his foot and Estragon in return asks Vladimir about his kidney trouble. Vladimir wants to relate to Estragon an incident in the New Testament and Estragon in return wants to relate an anecdote about an Englishman, but both are not ready to hear each other. Vladimir requests Estragon to take interest in his conversation. Similarly Pozzo asks Vladimir and estragon to give ear to his speech.

 

In both acts Vladimir asks Estragon whether he recognizes the place, each time Estragon's memory fails, similar is the case with Pozzo. In Act II Pozzo is unable to collect that he met Estragon and Vladimir on the previous day. Likewise Estragon and Pozzo also disbelieves the common notion of time and place in both the acts Estragon sleeps soundly and meanwhile Vladimir feels boredom. Estragon is woke up by Vladimir. Estragon has nightmare every time to tell to Vladimir but Vladimir is not interested to hear it.

 

 

Act I:

 

 

Estragon: I had a dream.

Vladimir: Don't tell me.

Estragon: I dreamt that.

Vladimir: Don't tell me.

 

 

Act II.

 

 

Estragon: I was falling …

Vladimir: It's all over, it's all over.

Estragon: I was on the top of a …

Vladimir: Don't tell me.

 

 

Both the acts end with the same pair of dialogues:

 

Estragon: Let's go.

Vladimir: We can't.

Estragon: Why not?

Vladimir: We are waiting for Godot.

 

 

The play gains a structural cohesion because the rhythmic repetition of certain themes, incidents and situations.

 

There is a parallelism and contrast even in characters. Estragon and Vladimir are both tramps who are facing a common situation of bored waiting. But Estragon is weaker and more temperamental whereas Vladimir is strong, protective and clear-headed. At crucial times Estragon goes to sleep. Estragon always blames Vladimir for troubles but Vladimir is much tolerated. Vladimir has greater control on himself than Estragon. There are parallels and contrasts in Lucky and Pozzo also.

 

The structure of "Waiting for Godot" is unique. Nevertheless there are important modifications in Act II which makes us pronounce that the pattern outside Estragon and Vladimir's world is linear. The tree in Act II shows sign of growth as four or five leaves have sprout on the dead branches of it. Lucky and Pozzo do arrive as in act I but now in Act II Pozzo has become blind and Lucky dumb. The messenger boy of Act I look after Godot's goats whereas the messenger boy of Act II looks after his sheep. In Act II Lucky does not deliver a tirade.

 

"Waiting for Godot" on philosophical level maintains a close relationship with the philosophy of Hera-Clatus who is of the view that "change is the crux of life". But Samuel Beckett presents an opposite situation where he depicts "nothing happens twice". There are anecdotes, incidents, agreements, conversations, contradictions, questions and meaningless answers. The play seems like sympathy of 'Mozart'.

Waiting For Godot: A tragi-comedy

Tragic-comedy is a play which claims a plot apt for tragedy but which ends happily like a comedy. The action is serious in theme and subject matter and tone also sometimes but it seems to be a tragic catastrophe until an unexpected turn in events brings out the happy ending. The characters of a tragic-comedy are noble but they are involved in improbabilities. In such a play tragic and comic elements are mixed up together. Fletcher, in his "Preface to the Faithful Shepherdess", defines a tragic-comedy as: 

"A tragic-comedy is not so called in respect to mirth and killing, but in respect it wants death which is enough to make it no tragedy. Shakespeare's 'Cymbeline' and 'The Winter's Tale' may also be categorized as tragic-comedy."

The English edition of "Waiting for Godot", published in 1956 describes the play as a "tragic-comedy" in two acts. There are many dialogues, gestures, situations and actions that are stuff of pure comedy. All musical devices are employed to create laughter in such a tragic situation of waiting. The total atmosphere of the play is very akin to dark-comedy. For example, Vladimir is determined not to hear Estragon's nightmare. The latter pleads with him in vain to hear him, saying that there is nobody else to whom he may communicate his private nightmares.

 

 

The audience burst out in laughter when they see Estragon putting off and on his boots. Vladimir's game with his hat appears as if this is happening in a circus. Vladimir is suffering from prostrate problem. Vladimir's way of walking with stiff and short strides is as funny as Estragon's limping on the stage. Estragon's gestures of encouraging Vladimir to urinate off-stage are farcical. The comedy in this play at certain times gives the impression of Vaudeville. There are many dialogues:

 

Estragon: Let's go.

Vladimir: We can not.

Estragon: Why not?

Vladimir: We are waiting for Godot.

(They do not move.)

These dialogues occur like a comic paradigm in the play.

 

 

Estragon and Vladimir put on and take off each other's hat as well as that of lucky again and again. It shows that in the world of tramps, there is no place of significant actions. The most farcical situation in the play is the one where the tramps are testing the strength of the cord with which they wish to hang themselves. The cord breaks under the strain. One cannot have an uninhabited laugh at the situation for there is also something deeply uncomfortable.

 

 

"Waiting for Godot" has several moments of anguish and despair. Someone beats Estragon daily.

 

 

Estragon: Beat me? Certainly they beat me.

 

Estragon's feet and Vladimir's kidneys are also taken to be granted. The tramps resent that they should be asked whether it still hurts. It goes without saying that it hurts all the time. When Vladimir asks Estragon whether his boots are hurting him, he responds:

 

"Hurts! He wants to know if it hurts!"

A little later Estragon asks Vladimir about his kidney trouble and the latter replies in the same words:

"Hurts! He wants to know if it hurts!"

In fact his trouble is so bad that it does not even permit him to laugh. Life lies all bleak and barren before them and that only valid comment on it is the one with which the play opens, "Nothing to be done". Theirs is a world of negation in which inactivity is the safest course; as Estragon says:

 

"Do not let us do anything, it's safer".

 

The tramps are living at the barest level of existence. Carrot, turnips and radishes are all they have to eat. Estragon's remarks show tragedy and helplessness:

 

"Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, it's awful."

The situation of Lucky is quite pathetic, especially in view of his glorious past, as Pozzo describes it. His speech tells us that in his sonar moments Lucky must have brooded deeply over the anguish of the human situation. The anguish breaks in his incoherent harangue:

"… the flames, the tears the stones so blue so calm alas alas on on the skull the skull the skull the skull in Connemara in spite of the tennis the labours abandoned left unfinished graver still abode of stones in a word I resume alas alas abandoned unfinished the skull the skull in Connemara in spite of the tennis the skull alas the stones Cunard (melee, final vociferations) tennis … the stones … so calm …Cunard … unfinished …"

The comedy in "Waiting for Godot" at once turns into tragedy when the audience thinks about the helplessness of tramps. Estragon and Vladimir are waiting for someone who never comes. In order to pass time they indulge in irrelevant, meaningless activity. The element of force fades away and miserable condition of man looms large in our imagination. Their life can be compared with that of a prisoner for whom there is no escape, even suicide is impossible. Every activity is a mockery of human existence.

 

 

The changing of farce into absurdity brings a lot of tragic sentiment in the play. Estragon's nakedness is a picture of 'man's miserable condition'. The absurd living is a major source of tragedy. The source is the situation of pointless waiting of Estragon and Vladimir. They do not know who Godot is. They are sure neither about the time nor about the place of their appointment. They even do not know what will happen if they stop waiting? Lack of essential knowledge makes them totally impotent and powerless. They are glued to a situation. Nothing is certain all they can say is "Nothing to be done".

 

 

The total effect of this co-mingling of tragic and comic suggests that Samuel Beckett's is a realistic dramatist who looks at life from a position of a pessimist and an optimist. The form of tragic-comedy is highly suitable to this vision of life. The climax of Beckett's tragic-comedy is the role of Lucky. He is wearing servant's vest while holding his master's overcoat, a basket and a stool. His neck is tied with one end of the rope. His appearance is not only fantastic but grotesque also. The moment we realize that he is a half-wit; he becomes an image of man's misery. We are all the more sorry for Lucky when it is revealed that Pozzo has learnt all the beautiful things of life from lucky. But now Pozzo is taking the same person to sell in a fair. The relationship of a ringmaster and his trained animal, changes into a relationship of an owner and a slave. It is an exploitation of a man by a man who stops the audience from bursting out into laughter. Comedy has been checked by tragic element or sentiments, while the effect of tragedy has been mitigated by farce created through characters, dialogues, gestures and actions.

 

 

We can sum up with the remarks of Sean O' Casey,

"Beckett is a clever writer, for within him there is no hazard of hope; no desire for it; nothing in it but a lust for despair and a crying of woe, not in a wilderness, but in a garden."