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Name :- Khamal Krishna R

Roll No:-15

M.A. Semester:-3

Batch Year:-2016/18

Enrolment no:-20170014

Email id:- krishnakhamal01@gmail.com

Course No :- 9 (Modernist Literature)

Assignment Topic:-Waiting for Godot with                               various  Interpretation

Submitted to:-

Prof.Dr.Dilip Barad , Head of the Department, Department of English Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University.

Introduction:-

“Waiting for Godot” is his master piece. The play is one of the classic works of theatre of absurd. It is multilayered drama which has many interpretations. Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot is a play that presents conflict between living by religious and spiritual beliefs, and living by an existential philosophy, which asserts that it is up to the individual to discover the meaning of life through personal experience in the earthly world. Support for this assertion regarding the nature of the play is based on first hand interpretation of the dialogue and action within the play itself as well as interpretation of quotes and ideas.

  [About  Author Samuel Beckett:

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Samuel Beckett is a renowned Irish dramatist and novelist. “Waiting for Godot” is his well known play. The play is one of the classic works of theatre of absurd. Beckett famous works are: “ Murphy”, “Molloy”, “ Endgame”, “The Unnamable” and Waiting for Godot etc. He was awarded the 1969 Nobel Prize in literature. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy .He is one of the most influential writers of the 20^th century.

Though the play commonly interpreted within the context of the theatre of absurd, existentialist literature, it is also Christian allegory and also interpreted with religious interpretations. We can also find other aspects in this paly like Political and Psychoanalytical it provides better understanding.
Here we can discuss that nothingness in Waiting for Godot it shows some deep meaning in life in different way. ‘Waiting for Godot’ gives a message that while doing nothing there is something.

Here we can discuss that nothingness in Waiting for Godot it shows some deep meaning in life in different way. ‘Waiting for Godot’ gives a message that while “ doing nothing there is something”

 

Existentialism  in Waiting for Godot:-

Basically the play “Waiting for Godot” is an absurd play. But from where this absurdity comes? When we think that from where I am belonging, my being and my purpose in this nature. In this play the characters are tramps. First of all  this is a kind of new experiment which Beckett does  with his play. Generally tramps are those people who are out casted from the society. Society never cares for their being. For this tramps the society is insignificant. How from time to time and person to person the point of view changes. And this is known as Existentialism.

So first of all let’s start with the setting of the play .The setting of the play is inspired by the painting “Longing” by Caspar David Friedrich. So if here we focus on the word “Longing” means deep desire of something. This desire is connected with my desire, My come with Existentialism.                                                                           “Waiting for Godot” is an existential 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 existential play for it Christian   existentialism.

“Existentialism” word stands for one’s “awareness” of one’s “beingness”. It stand for a vital principle of life. “Waiting for Godot” resembles the existentialist literature because it deals with not only with existence or identity but also with the momentary 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. Estragon and Vladimir constantly complain of the slowness of time passing and do their best to hurry it with their futile diverions.

Vladimir represents the portion of humanity who trusts in religion and spiritual beliefs to guide them, and that Estragon represents the more ideal existentialist portion of humanity who chooses to stop waiting and construct the meaning of life based on experience in the tangible and physical world around them. The following is an example of dialogue which supports this concept:

Vladimir: Let’s wait and see what he says.

Estragon: Who?

Vladimir: Godot.

Estragon: Good idea.

Vladimir: Let’s wait till we know exactly how we stand.

Estragon: On the other hand it might be better to strike the iron before it freezes.

“Nothing happens, nobody come, nobody goes, it’s awful”

Here we see that Vladimir is depending on Godot to tell him what he needs to know regarding his existence ,while Estragon asserts that they do not have the time to wait and that they should take action on their own before it is too late. The metaphor of the cooling iron suggests that humanity does not have enough time to wait for their spiritual ponderings to offer them enlightenment, that the chance will pass, and their efforts will not take effect once it does. Therefore ,it can be concluded from this that Estragone’s suggestion that he and Vladimir make their own  way now, before it is too late is the more ideal course of action advocated by the play. it is philosophy of existence.

“Estragon: … Let's go.
Vladimir: We can't.
Estragon: Why not?
Vladimir: We're waiting for Godot." (p.14).

              The essence of existentialism concentrates on the concept of the individual's freedom of choice, as opposed to the belief that humans are controlled by a pre-existing omnipotent being, such as God. Estragon and Vladimir have made the choice of waiting, without instruction or guidance, as Vladimir says, "He didn't say for sure he'd come" (p.14), but decides to "wait till we know exactly how we stand" (p.18)

vReligious Interpretation:-

Waiting for Godot is one of the classic works of theater of the absurd. The play seems absurd but with a deep religious meaning. This text tries to explore the theme in four parts of God and man, breaking the agreement, repentance and imprecation and waiting for salvation. Waiting for Godot play in various religious reading are:

1)Christian Mythical interpretation:-

2)Biblical element in “Waiting for Godot”

3) Mr .Godot and Second Coming

4) Hindu philosophy  and idea of  Waiting for Godot

Story of two Thieves is referred by Two Main Characters Vladimir and Estragon:-

The famous myth of two thieves used in the play. Is deconstructed by the writer. when Vladimir says,” One of the thieves was saved. It’s a reasonable percentage. He asks why only one of the thieves is supposed to have been saved and other damned?

“Vladimir: When I think of it… all these years..but for me..where would you be ..(Decisively) you’d be nothing more than a little heap of bones at the present minute ,no doubt about it.”                      

1. God and man

 In Waiting for Godot, both Vladimir and Estragon on stage, and Godot, who is away from the vision of the audience, bear a certain symbolic significance. Relationship between them suggests that of God and man. Needless to say, Godot is similar with God in pronunciation, which is enough to trigger the audience's association with God. Of course, other descriptions of Godot in the play can also make the readers consider him to be God of Christianity. From the description of appearance, Godot has similarities with God. The boy, a messenger, in the play is from Godot’s place and he is the only one who has seen Godot. The two tramps once asked him what color Godot’s beard is. There is a conversation between them. Vladimir: Has he a beard, Mr. Godot? Boy: Yes, sir. Vladimir: Fair or… or black? Boy: I think it’s white, sir. Vladimir: Christ have mercy on us! (Beckett, 2006, P372) It can be concluded that Godot wears a long white beard, which is in line with what God is like in the Holy Bible. John recorded he had seen the revived Savior in Revelation. sHe wrote, “he has golden belt in his waist. His hair is as white as snow like wool. His eyes are shining like fire and his feet are glittering as copper. When he speaks, his voice is like flood roaring.” (Zeng, 1994, p.696). The beard and hair of God is white as snow, and Godot’s beard is exactly the same. This is a description of Godot similar to God in appearance.                                                                                                                                                                      Waiting for salvation

Waiting is the theme throughout the play. Although Godot breaks his promise, the two tramps have shown perseverance. Despite the heavy blow of painfulness, frustration and disappointment, they still keeps on waiting because that is their only hope for they believe only Godot can save them. How to get salvation? Drama that the story of two thieves. Vladimir: Our Savior. Two thieves. One is supposed to have been saved and the other… dammed. Estragon: Saved from what? Vladimir: Hell. (Beckett, 2006, p. 242) It is recorded in the Holy Bible that together with Jesus two prisoners were crucified. One of them said, “You're Christ, aren’t you? You can save us and yourself!” But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Zeng, 1994, P. 646). The thief was saved because of his belief. On the cross, he knew what he had done was wrong and he believed Jesus would come again. So, Jesus told him just in that day he could be with Jesus in paradise. People who believe in God can be saved.

vPsychoanalytical Interpretation of Waiting for Godot:-

To begin with, the play presents the story of two good friends, Vladimir and "Estragon, who, as the title indicates, are waiting for the so called Godot. Vladimir is patient, rational and determined, "Estragon is exactly the very opposite of him, most of the time acting like a child. &ever the less, they both have in common the time invested in this exhausting, but at the sometime rewarding waiting, which manages to help them overcome the uncertainty of the moment ,the inactivity behind their effort. While "Estragon feels eager to leave and 'quit any kind of activity they might be engaged in ,Vladimir is the one that reminds him about Godot, about their obligation to wait for him, no matter the circumstances or the time. This is how the nature of the man is revealed, as two different individualities come to surface throughout the process of waiting. In close connection with this idea, there is also (Freud)s theory about the strata of the human psyche. According to him, the human psyche is divided into three parts the id, the "Ego and the Superego. The Id represents the unconscious and instinctual side of our personality.Life is occupied by waiting. In Waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett presents the suffering of the human condition; the two characters exemplify this condition of suffering through the juxtaposition of inaction and complaining. The term ‘waiting’ definitely well describes the nature of this play, taking part in every component of the play. In the play, the characters work collectively as a mind of their own in proceeding to contradict yet balance out one another’s actions as the course of the play goes on. Waiting for Godot is a mere interpretation of Sigmund Freud’s ideology of the mind.

Here Role of Estragon: Gogo is the ego in the play

Estragon: I may be mistaken. Let’s stop talking for a minute, do you mind?

Vladimir: All right. Gogo! . . . Gogo! . . . GOGO!

Estragon: I was asleep! Why will you never let me sleep?

Vladimir: I felt lonely.

Role of Vladimir: “Di-di (id-id) – who is more instinctual and irrational – is seen as the backward id or subversion of the rational principle.”

One thing in the play is obvious, Godot is the superego. He has the two characters, Estragon and Vladimir, chagrined by the very thought of him. The two return to the same spot multiple days and wait for Godot to come, as they do all the way through the entire play. Godot keeps the characters in check throughout the play.

The Freudian ideology of id, superego and ego all correspond to the functions of the mind; these aspects can all be comparative to the mindset of the characters in Beckett’s novel. Thus bringing the characters in waiting for Godot together, all being part of one psyche.

vPolitical Interpretation of play:

Political reading mainly concern with the French resistance to Germany.  It was an interesting Political movement of Cold war .Here in this Context we may find Autobiographical things in this play. Samuel was the Disciple of James. And James who was don’t like the England. Here in the play relationship of Pozzo and lucky it presents  master slave relationship , Pozzo-Italian name  and Lucky – English name .on the other hand sadistic  relationship of England and Ireland .

vPost Modernist Interpretation of the Play  :-

“Actually postmodernism is a dramatic deviation of man’s thought line; it is a renaissance towards breaking the fossilized shackles of the prescribed norms and notions…”

In postmodernism nothing is based on logical reasoning. Nothing is framed within a presupposed universal truth. In the 21st century everyone has lost faith in a perfectly ordered, rational universe. The world is a place where things happen randomly. You live or you die by chance. The conditions you endure, you endure by chance. There is no well-crafted plan, no scheme of justice in most parts of the world by which the universe operates.

Uncertainty:-

Another symbol of uncertainty is the lightening. The only lightening effect is when days turn rapidly to night and the moon rises. The surrealistic effect of this heightened change from day to night amplifies the theme of uncertainty. It should also be mentioned that, this play was written after the Second World War, when the insecurity about the Soviet Union was the order of the day as the arms race gave rise to the possibility of nuclear war.

Nihilism is a radical philosophy of meaninglessness. The world and the people in it exist without meaning, purpose, truth and value. Any system of belief, or artistic expression, which denies or drains away meaning can be described as “nihilistic” (Noorbakhsh Hooti).

According to Baudrillard,

‘‘today’s nihilism is one of transparency, a nihilism that is a major source of indifference’’ 

Helpless Hope:-

Although it has been asserted in many interpretations of the play that there is not even a shade of hope in it, but in certain parts of the play we can feel that the existence of hope is oscillating in it. As Vladimir puts it “I am glad to see you back. I thought you were gone forever”.

However hope is sometimes felt substantially from the play, but hopelessness or deep gloom can be felt as well. When Pozzo’s autocratic style or behavior toward his submissive slave, Lucky, especially when his arrival is displayed in act 1, indeed causes this sympathetic feeling in the onlooker’s heart when he ties a person to neck and adjures him in the cruelest way. Moreover, this despairing feeling is intensified when Estragon and Vladimir take this tyrannical person for somebody else, as the person who is going to help them or save them, although that savior is called Godot.

Conclusion :-A new day will come with new desire that something fruitful will come for somebody in life. One or two ways it may be God, a fruitful desire will come for somebody who is eagerly waiting that has no any end. A person who always has desire for any achievement till birth to death his list of desire will never come to end. In the same way for Godot there is ‘waiting’

(Becket)

 

 

Works Cited

Becket, Samuel ,Grove Press. "Waiting for Godot" Samuel Beckett. April 06.

Hooti, Noorbakhsh &Azizpour, Farzaneh. Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman: A Postmodernist Study. 2010.

Wang., Jing. "The Religious Meaning in Waiting for Godot" English Language Teaching.