Themes in ''Waiting for Godot'' .

Waiting for Godot : Themes

‘Waiting for Godot’ falls under the category of ‘Absurd Theatre’. Meaninglessness and nothingness are major characteristics of this play. Two characters though different from each other look same from nature prospective. They are unable to act, occupied with too many thoughts to act, to survive, to find a proper outlet but their actions show that life is nothing and purposeless. Human existence is nothing. They wait for almighty, Godot. But he never arrives. At some extent it gives message of being dutiful in life. It we go on performing, god will be there to help us but instead of performing anything if we want our wish to be fulfilled by god, then it does not make any sense. There are many themes for taking them into considerations which give not absurd, instead lifelike picture of life.

            Waiting for Godot: Them of determination :

The characters Estragon and Vladimir fail to discern that what they have chosen is ‘waiting’ and it is their determination or choice. Instead, they both consider ‘waiting as one of their mandatory part so here perhaps Backett gives moral in form of satire on human beings. The fact is that human beings are ultimately waiting for others to come to fulfill their desires or perfect time to come to bring hope of meaning but here ‘waiting’ become primary activity of both tramps’ lives and it suggests nothing but meaninglessness. When they make aware or their meaningless decision, they can’t follow or translate their mental choice into physical act and they find themselves in cage. It suggests   repetition of endless cycle of life          

       The characters arouse questions why don’t both tramps act when they have already decided to move and what is the barrier between determination?  Is the choice their primary choice or determination to live life? It creates picture of mankind’s futile life. They go on deciding and waiting too for each and every  thing in their lives but what they lack is their self realization, to put the things which have been thought into activity or physical action.

                                                  Absurd :

Waiting for Godot is a classic example of “Theatre of the Absurd. It presents the world where actions are done without meaning. People have lack of communication and they fail to communicate, characters go on forgetting. They do not have purpose of their existences. Even when they realize, they fail to act and they realize, they fail to act and they can’t commit suicide also. It suggests that human beings in life are really meaningless. They are supposed to survive.

With the characters of Estragon and Vladimir, Backett resembles reality with which we are not familiar. He indicates level of absurdity in the real world tramps themselves do not recognize that their actions are absurd so it reflects human condition because somewhere we do not know or we generally are not knowing what we do or why or what is our purpose Is everything normal in the play ?

                           Theme of Truth :

There is a lack of truth in the play. It consists of uncertainty because characters’ activities are not meaningful. When they decide to move, or to wait or to commit suicide, they are uncertain of up-coming circumstances and consequences. Without the presence of truth and purpose, everything will be led to question ‘why’.

Estragon    :        Let’s go.

Vladimir    :        Let’s go.

(both don’t move)

When there is the debate between Estragon and Vladimir whether to commit suicide or not, Estragon seems to be concluding in ACT I.

“Don’t let’s do anything. It’s safer!  So one question arises ‘Is doing nothing is safer? They choose not to choose. But what will be results of not choosing to choose? It shows nothing but absurdity.

    Theme of absurdity in life or reality, Conflict between Reality in absurdity or absurdity in reality. Existence and consciousness.

The life which has been shown in ‘waiting’ for Godot has something to do with reality? Pozzo says that life has no meaning and it is transient. Everything goes on changing, breaking within course of time. We can find that Pozzo is a master and lucky is slave but in another act, Pozzo is blind and is led by lucky. It was the time when lucky used to be insulted, abused and made source of entertainment but now Pozzo scolds tramps for teasing lucky and he understands his value. Pozzo needs lucky in each and every movement. Vladimir tells that life is nothing because we made it occupied with habit and deadened. At the end of the play Vladimir wonders whether he is awake or not. He realizes that there is lack of purpose in their lives. The play not only indicates gloomy, surreal note on desert  street but at the same time it includes life, consciousness of the characters and Existence.

                                     Time :

Time has dominated every individual’s life. It has ability to make people forget everything and lead them to self motivation or to do something else, but it has also ability to destroy everything if time has not been completed within, specific time. Time presents problems in ‘waiting for Godot’. The title of the play reveals its central action, and it is waiting. The two man are trapped into cage of time and they want to decrease their days while anticipating the almighty. But he does not come. They have nothing to do and time is barrier. Time testes their ability to endure. Characters repeat same actions every day and time is cyclical. Estragon ., Throughout the play Estragon  goes on forgetting everything and Vladimir goes on making him remember about his faulty memory. Time loses its meaning and dominance because the character’s actions of one day have no relevance or certainty on the next.

Characters go on forgetting past.

                               Theme of Religion :

‘Religion is incompatible, against reason in waiting for Godot. As characters waiting for Godot. It shows their blind faith in God without performing anything. They understand Region logically also and are left in dark characters absurd banalities as switching bowler hats or taking a boot on and off. There is uncertainty and no way of knowing what is true in the  remain of faith. Many questions arise. Should we consider religion as religion without presence of rationality or we should reject religion if there is no reason. If Godot is representation of Godot, does he appear or why doesn’t he arrive ? If he arrives what good result it will bring to Estragon and Vladimir.

                                  Theme of unity and companionship :

We can’t find friendship or unity as whole instead it seems to be disturbing, creating conflict. Each character is isolated from every other. There is loneliness and inability to connect with one another. The problems that keep characters apart from physical disgust to ego is to fear of loneliness. We can’t get clear cut idea who are estragon and valdimir?  Friends? Companions? Acquaintances?  Whether they can live without each  other ?

          Freedom and restriction / Confinement :

Characters live in prison of their own making. They are passive at some extent and dependent on each other. The characters like estragon who forgets everything and Vladimir has to make him remember everything. Lucky,  who is insulted by Pozzo. They are slave of another. The characters who are the slave are no more restricted than those who are free in fact , who are slaves  are free more because they are aware of his imprisonment. It’s difficult to think who is slave or who has freedom more Vladimir or Estragon.

                            Theme of Suffering :

Suffering is Fundamental part of human existence. Every character goes on suffering. It is not about physical suffering that Estragon has but mental too. It makes others to abuse their comparisons and to self isolation. Watching other people suffer is an  anguish on its own. Estragon and Vladimir have never been happy continuously suffering. Characters don’t seem to learn or to discern anything from learning it.

                                 Mortality :

Death is inevitable characters are aware of it. Death becomes solution for futility of daily life. Character contemplate suicide because for them living a life is like walk on fire and purposeless. When they commit suicide, they claim that they don’t have means but they are uncertain of the result. It will work or not. They can’t sure what their action will bring. They decide on no action at all. Character’s decision to kill themselves shows thane of mortality.

Pozzo points out that life has death and it is inevitable, ever impending then why do we live our lives with sense of purpose ? It shows every thing is mortal transient.

                                         Hope :

Estragon and Vladimir are tramps. The way they put on clothes, possession of waiting and then hoping that he will give them solution. It shows they have hope. They have not given up on life; They do not descend into depression or pessimism. They exchange insults enjoy each other’s company, help each other. They wait also. They wait for Godot but don’t know who he is or from where he will come. They wait just the same. It shows hope.

                      Journey for Meaning :

Vladimir and Estragon are homeless. They attempt to find answer to a question about human race and how they face while living life. Their straggle includes question. What is the meaning of their life or suffering ? Godot may come and will give them answer. They wait. Godot fails to appear on the first day, they return to the tree next day to continue waiting. He does not come. Vladimir and Estragon decide to leave the area. The stage direction at the end of the play says, “they don’t mole”. They continue to search for the meaning.

                               Dependency  :

Vladimir and Estragon depend on each other to survive. They value each other company. In first act Pozzo was master but in the second act. He has  gone blind. He is not able to find anything without the help of lucky. Lucky is tied to Pozzo by hope by fear of being abandoned.

                              Harmony of Life  :

Life is tedious for Vladimir and Estragon. In the first act of the play, they meet at a tree to wait for Godot. In the second act, they meet at the same tree to wait for Godot.

Irish critic Vivian mercer wrote in a review of the play, “Noting happens, twice”.

The play shows human condition and absurdity in “life-like” life. As tramps hope for Godot to come. It means they want outlet and they want their life to be fulfilled with activity so at some extent, it also becomes suggestive of “ life-like”  nature and exploration for meaning about one’s very existence.

“Life is meant to be learnt, not to be taught. It is meant to be explored or discerned”.