Samuel Beckett: Waiting for Godot

Title: Waiting for Godot (1953) - France

Written By Samuel Beckett (1906 – 1989)

This analysis will be broken down into 4 different titles:

1. Spiritual absurdity

2. An Aimless existence

3. Chaotic conviction

4. Confined Condition

Each of these will study  different features from the play in relation to its context and social aspects.

Spiritual Absurdity

Throughout Waiting for Godot the exposure of certain behavioral features shown by the characters as well as the lack of sensation within the ambient shows the audience a reflection of some feelings European society was trying to cope with. In this case, particularly French culture was trying to overcome the brutal suffering that resulted from the World War; this left an atmosphere of depression and emptiness.

With regard to the play, the main parallel that relates directly with the ideas involving the lack of sensibility is reflected through the characters. Estragon and Vladimir are the greatest influences on the audience as they are the main characters, they show strong traits based on the absurd. Both of these characters embody a weak personality, even considering their physical aspects they exhibit a messy figure. The main behavioral features related to the absurd within these characters are mainly delivered as the audience can clearly perceive a lack of rationality. The absence of coherence and reason leaves them in an unstable reality which lacks the values that could lead them to a spiritual balance. There is a strong sense of a lack of sense rationality and logic. By making a contrast with this attitudes and the context of the play we can find a significant resemblance when it comes to the suffering of a spiritual crisis. In context, we take into consideration the post WW France; there was a great deal of suffering involved due to the war, moral depression, discouragement in addition to political and economic problems left a society which seemed  lost and weak. This sense of weakness manifest throughout the play particularly reflected in Lucky’s character, he represents an impersonated dependence to the extent that clearly exposes it as slavery. In general the audience easily sense a personal incapacity interpreted by all the characters but Pozzo , he represents control and empowerment (except for one case in which his role is switched with Lucky’s) in an aggressive and violent way, completely ignoring Lucky’s welfare his constant demands show a reckless abuse.  In my opinion Pozzo represents the absence of affection and compassion and the search for power through violence and abuse, attitudes which are well related to countries throughout war.

Another component which is very important consists of the mood, the overall spaces and prevailing atmosphere within the play. The scenario consists of a deserted place with a tree, apart from the characters this is the only sign of nature and live; in this case the tree is a “naked tree” with no leafs. This suggest an absence of vital essence in the atmosphere with relates directly with the characters but all the same time it can symbolize the loss and destruction of a physical entity considering that previously that tree was covered in leaves.  In general this aspect of emptiness area is closely related to the destruction cause by wars in certain places.

Overall the presence of the absurd in waiting for Godot shows the audience the absence of vital essence as a result of war and destruction, not only in the external physical spaces but as an emotional damage to the population. The incapacities of communicating reflect the lack of freedom and a difficult context. 

An Aimless Existence

In context with regard to the play’s theme, existentialism and the absurd play a great role. This consists of attitudes which cannot explain each other, the attempt made by individuals to show an ethic and rational behavior is only an inquiry without purpose.

In this case we can appreciate the characters adapting this behavior as they don’t seem to have a rational interaction between them and at the same time the lack of purpose in their actions in imminent. During the 1950’s existentialism became a strong ideology in which individuals would question their lives and their ways of thinking. Waiting for Godot offers readers a perspective on a situation which involves a group of people having a senseless existence, this scenario is a completely open as it represents the main aspects of existentialism.

Existentialism and the absurd seem to be originated out of crisis as a way to reflect on the current situation in order to find a solution for the problems suffered by society.  The absurd and human reason have no relation at all, the absurd embraces a lack of rationality with no purpose and meaning. Individuals just live their lives as if they were dragged to their destination, they don’t make any effort to create a character and build and identity, actions rely on impulses which have no purpose of correspondence in their reality. During the play the main charaters don’t seem to have any purpose for their actions let alone their existence, they are completely clueless on what their true living potential might be and they focus their time energy and live on “waiting” doing nothing, letting themselves be dragged by time so they can be taken by a greater power that puts them away from their misery.

Chaotic Conviction

There is a strong sense of vital chaos in the pay, behaviors suggesting distress and fear showing a living agony which consumes the characters. In a society as a whole this problem can cause negative feelings such as discouragement and insecurity due to the feeling of social distress, these attitudes are imminent behind the play.

Some philosophical tendencies state that society has the conviction to suffering without being capable of avoiding it, values are left unattended and an atmosphere of sheer pessimism consumes human condition. In post war Europe there was a crisis which caused pain to individuals as well as worry and idleness regarding their own future. This tense atmosphere could compromise their mental sanity and overall state of well-being. In the play the idea of the characters involved in a feeling of agony and discouragement is very apparent as their lives is based on the possibility that a greater presence could save them, the willingness to give up their lives to this empty faith is unquestionable and as a result they give away the purpose of their existence. Behind this action lies a clear insecurity on how their own being could provide them with the adequate lifestyle and as a result they seek for someone to provide them with total guidance, basically giving their live away, as if they were puppets. With regard to the other characters Pozzo is a another figure which is suggested to represent insecurity as he enjoys practicing slavery and becoming a figure of authority, attitude which is adapted by individuals who think that in order for them to prove themselves to be capable, influential and powerful is by the use of violence and the desire to control and produce misery into others’ lives. At one point these roles are reversed, this shows that an individual’s position when it comes to authority and control over others can never be taken as granted; in relation with the play if we consider social movements the same sense of empowerment and the change of roles can be certain.

Overall in the play we can appreciate how the main characters concede their existence to a belief which seems to have no logical explanation, purely based in faith. This lack of self-sufficiency leads to a  full dependency which leaves them with a self-destructive existence which expires with every instant.

Confined Condition

Existentialism and the absurd represent permanent social distress and confinement. Human tend to question their destiny in a hostile environment, this attitudes pressures the ways of thinking in some cases,  the sense of cultivating a belief and becoming indifferent to reality was a more viable option than acting on what seemed to be (according to their approach) a reality full of suppression. 

In society and under unstable circumstances (such as a post war era) it is hard for people to gain confidence and empowerment to fight back the adversities when they are on crisis. Under this circumstances individuals tend to give in easily to greater adversities without willing to take a major risk. In Europe following the recoil and constrains that resulted after war there was economies left in an unstable condition, political instability and social anxiety. These feelings left the people with an internal sensation of weakness and dependence and confinement as they were under constant pressure and risk.

During the play it’s clear that Vladimir and Estragon have created a lifestyle which revolves around the idea of submission when they find themselves practically lost in the middle of an empty location they assume that their willingness and power to overcome such situation is not sufficient and as a result they choose to rather ignore their possibilities to overcome such constrains and decide to wait for a savior. Another character which clearly shows this condition is Lucky as his lifestyle is fully controlled by Pozzo and there seems to be no way of overcoming such oppression, even physically Lucky struggles to be fully functional.

In general the idea of confinement, which is closely related to existentialism and the absurd, is evident through the play. If we take into account context we can also deduce that this condition is a automatic tendency that takes place when facing a difficult situation.