Waiting for Godot :

Hello Readers

Today I'm going to write about the task of "Thinking Activity" given by our professor Heenaba Zala. In this blog I'm going to give answer about some questions of the play 'Waiting for Godot'. So, let's try to know about the play.

Who written the play 'Waiting for Godot':

Samuel Beckett :

Samuel Barclay Beckett (13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989) was an Irish novelist, playwright, short story writer, theatre director, poet, and literary translator. A resident of Paris for most of his adult life, he wrote in both French and English.More Information.

About the play : Waiting for Godot

Waiting for Godot is remaining only two characters Vladimir and Estragon who waits someone named Godot. In this play no female character, Plot less play, no beginning no end. This play also translation of his own original French language play “En attendant Godot”. Its Tragicomic play which divided into two acts.

Characters:

Vladimir (Didi)

Vladimir is most easily distinguished from Estragon by his somewhat more elevated perception and intellect. While Estragon laments his physical limitations, Vladimir can be found musing over the struggle in which he is trapped. He enjoys discourse about mental and emotional dilemmas, occasionally referring to his limited memories of the Bible in an attempt to make sense of his life. He is pragmatic and philosophical in regards to the troubles that plague he and Estragon. He exercises almost absolute control over Estragon and asserts his supremacy very subtly.

When Estragon is beaten for the second time and blames Vladimir for not saving him, Vladimir responds that if Estragon was beaten, it was because he had done something to deserve it. He further admits that if he had been around, he would have kept Estragon from doing that bad thing, and therefore saved him from his beating. In a sense, he takes responsibility for being Estragon's conscience. He is confident that without him, Estragon's existence is incomplete. Even in his position of limited superiority, Vladimir asserts his dependence on Estragon, saying "You're my only hope" and fearing that a suicide attempt would leave one of them alone.

Most of the aphorisms and sagacious sayings emanate from Vladimir. One such question is at the end of Act II, when Pozzo and Lucky are leaving - "Where do you go from here?" He is actually questioning the existence of Pozzo and Lucky and their approach to life, an inquiry at the heart of the play. He has pride, as exhibited when he is ashamed of Estragon for gnawing on Pozzo's discarded bones. He also suffers from guilt. He constantly interrogates and checks himself on his own shortcomings. "Was I sleeping, while the others suffered?" Assuming that he has done little or perhaps nothing to improve the miseries of others, he suffers from the stigma of shame and disgrace that he has turned blind to all the sufferings around him. He regrets that "tomorrow" when he "wakes" he will have nothing good and worthy to recollect from his today.

Apart from a stronger sense of moral judgment than the other characters, Vladimir is still bestowed with a sense of indecisiveness. His constant peering into the hat and his walking back and forth are indications of his restless spirit and a longing for stability. At one point he becomes so frustrated with his lack of action that he nearly despairs.

Vladimir is the most committed, the most constant. He reminds Estragon that they must wait for Godot. Perhaps this is simply because his memory is sharper; he remembers many things that Estragon seems to have forgotten. In a sense, Vladimir becomes the conscience of mankind, where his friend Estragon is the body.

Estragon (Gogo)

Estragon is a portrait of physical pain and need. He is first seen complaining of a sore foot. His hunger and thirst never seem to stop or end. He is physically beaten every night. His corporeal suffering seems unending and he is trapped in the moment, with no memory of yesterday and no hope for tomorrow. He is only kept going by the fact that Vladimir remembers yesterday and hopes for tomorrow.

If it is true that Vladimir represents the soul and Estragon, the body, then it is clear that the two men are truly inseparable. Hence they embrace warmly after their periods of separation. They must be inseparable for existence to be certain. One cannot live without the other in the ever-moving drama of life.

Pozzo

He is introduced in the play as a slave driver. As a rich man he is accustomed to materialistic ways of wealth and opulence. He commands total attention and feels proud to introduce himself - "I present myself: Pozzo." Any mistake regarding his identity is met with ferocious resentment. He prides upon declaring that the rest are humans like him, but considers himself superior to the rest. He asserts that he is forced to be a part of this society, because he has no society of his "likes".

His scorn and contempt for Lucky knows no bounds. The abuses that he hurts and heaps on him and the amount of control he has on him serve as an example of his exploiting nature. Lucky is reduced to an automaton with no voice of his own. In the first act, Pozzo makes himself comfortable at the expense of his slave. Pozzo shows some generosity in allowing Gogo to collect the leftover bones. However, he is particular about Lucky's right - "In theory the bones go to the carrier."

By Act II, the proud and sometimes cruel Pozzo has lost his sight and must necessarily be led around by his slave. His helplessness is seen when he falls down and cries for assistance to get up. From an arrogant and wealthy exploiter he changes to a pathetic helpless man.

It is impossible to consider Pozzo as a character independent of his slave, Lucky. In the first place, they are bound together by a rope. At no point are the two men separated. In the first act, the rope is long; the audience sees Lucky long before they see Pozzo. Pozzo presents himself with God-like pomp, which is probably the reason he is mistaken for Godot. In symbolic terms, the god- like character is bound to his inferior slave, but the distance between them is great. In the second act, however, the rope is shorter. At the same time, the god-like character has fallen into pathetic disarray. He is blind and weak. All the pomp and extravagance which once defined him is gone. In this act, his slave must care for him. His greatness is gone.

Lucky

Lucky is presented more like a clown than a person; he is a dog doing tricks for his master, stripped of dignity and autonomy. He is not only bound by rope to his master, he is put on display to think and dance at Pozzo's will. His very name mocks the misfortune that is his life. His constant carrying of baggage and never putting it down symbolizes the ample burden resting on his soul. He carries it willingly and wholeheartedly. Abuses like "hog", "pig" etc. have little effect on him. Like a dog, he carries the whip to his master, and takes his abuse unquestioningly. All these inhuman treatments meted out to him do not provoke in him any retaliation. Lucky does not like strangers, and is very much averse to their help and compassion. He is a humble slave to Pozzo, in total submission to his master's will and pleasure. The wound on his neck and the mistreatment do nothing to dilute his faithfulness.

Lucky is incomprehensible in Act I, mute in Act II. If Pozzo represents fallen greatness, Lucky must represent weakness and foolishness. He "thinks" but possesses no reason; he dances but possesses no grace. He is an animal, trained to react to his master. When Pozzo is incapacitated, Lucky leads him around, but it seems clear by the way they stumble off that the guidance is awkward and without ease.

1. What do you think about the characters of the play?

Waiting for Godot is a two-act play by Samuel Beckett, translated from Beckett’s own French script. First performed in English in 1953, it has been heralded as one of the most important plays of the 20th Century. It is a central work of absurdism, though it was not originally received with much acclaim. In fact, the play’s frank treatment of the body provoked some horror in its initial audiences.

The play begins with two friends, Vladimir and Estragon, waiting outdoors. Estragon’s feet ache, and he struggles to remove his boot. Vladimir ponders Estragon’s complaints while Estragon tries to remember the previous night. They bicker and argue to no end; when Estragon announces that he is leaving, Vladimir reminds him that they are waiting for a man named Godot. However, they cannot agree on how they are to meet Godot other than to wait beside a tree.

Estragon falls asleep and is woken by Vladimir, who begins to tell a joke but cannot finish without urinating. Whenever he laughs, his kidneys hurt. Growing weary, Estragon asks Vladimir whether suicide should be an option. Estragon satiates his hunger by eating a carrot Vladimir offers him.

Lucky, a silent slave with a rope around his neck, is led onto the stage by Pozzo, his master. Pozzo is pleasant to Vladimir and Estragon, but he treats the obedient Lucky very badly. Pozzo eats an elaborate meal. Vladimir, after a period of silence, admonishes Pozzo for the way he treats Lucky. Pozzo does not care and plans to sell Lucky, who bursts into tears. As Estragon tries to comfort Lucky, the slave kicks him. Pozzo reminisces about the time he has spent with Lucky and offers Vladimir and Estragon compensation. Estragon wants money, but Pozzo instructs Lucky to entertain the men with an unimpressive dance and a dreary monologue. Pozzo and Lucky leave. Alone again, Vladimir and Estragon think about whether they have met Pozzo and Lucky on a previous occasion. A messenger arrives and tells them that Godot will not meet with them this evening but might see them tomorrow. Vladimir interrogates the messenger. Vladimir and Estragon decide to find shelter someplace else and spend the night there.

The next day, Vladimir sings a song about a dying dog but struggles to remember the lyrics. Estragon claims to have been beaten the previous day but has no discernable injury. The tree, previously bare, now has leaves. Both men struggle to remember yesterday. Vladimir points to Estragon’s wound, inflicted by Lucky, and they discover Estragon’s boots. Estragon, however, insists that they are not his, even though they fit him perfectly. Vladimir offers Estragon food, but Estragon declines. Vladimir begins to sing a lullaby before noticing Lucky’s hat. He wakes the sleeping Estragon and the two frantically ponder its meaning. They return to waiting for Godot, imitating Pozzo and Lucky in an attempt to entertain themselves.

Lucky reappears, now leading Pozzo by a short rope. Pozzo trips and both men collapse in a heap. Estragon wants to kick Lucky in revenge for his wound. Before he can, Pozzo reveals that he has lost his sight and that Lucky has lost his voice; both have lost their sense of time. Pozzo cannot remember meeting Vladimir and Estragon; he acknowledges that, by tomorrow, he will likely not remember this meeting. He leaves, ruminating on his despair. Estragon falls back to sleep.

A messenger—perhaps the same boy as from the day before or—appears. Vladimir realizes he is caught in a circular narrative, repeating his experiences. He predicts the boy’s message: Godot will not be arriving today. He chases the messenger away and demands that the boy remember him ahead of their next meeting. Estragon wakes up and removes his boots. Vladimir and Estragon consider killing themselves again and test Estragon’s belt to see whether it will bear their weight if they hang themselves. The belt breaks. Estragon’s trousers fall down. Vladimir and Estragon decide that they will bring a more suitable length of rope with them the next day. If Godot fails to come again, they will kill themselves. They decide to find somewhere to spend the night, but they do not move.

2. What do you say about their activities and its significance?

Vladimir and Estragon also does many things like…

Estragon shoes:

Estragon removes the shoe from his foot. From that it can be said that he wants to remove the burden of life. He wants to show that we are carrying a lot of weight in our lives. We should remove it like this boot and throw it away. Such an event is often seen within this play. Therefore, it can be said that we should follow the ups and downs of life. Such things happen in the lives of many people. At first glance, it seems we are crazy. But when we examine the reality behind them, we realize that such an event has taken place in their lives. Which is why he is behaving like this. Mentally, their condition is not good. Secondly, it can be said that they may be victims of unemployment. So they have nothing to do but just this one thing.

Vladimir in hat

Vladimir takes off his hat. It means he is shirking his responsibility. If we look at the hat as a metaphor here. Responsibility on the head. Here you can see the price he wants to take when he takes off his hat. He is waiting for Godot, which means he seems to be waiting for his owndeath. They are no longer interested in life. And just wanting to sleep in a long nap itself might be it.

Tree Wait :

The play also features a tree. Perhaps this tree is shown because it represents time. As the seasons change, so do the leaves on the tree. Over time, the trees are destroyed. That is how human life is destroyed. This tree also seems to be a godsend. It has been standing still in one place for a long time. As if waiting for someone. He will also be waiting for God with these two persons to deliver me from this life now.

Draw with a rope

Pozzo tries to keep his servant under his control by tying him to a rope. Which makes him do different things. As he dances, he is asked to bring something. Which represents the matter of a servant. How much the servant does for his master. To please his boss, always be ready to help him. In order to please his master, the servant can easily do things that he does not like. Pozzo himself is so ruthless that he gets the fruits of his deeds and finally he becomes blind. But his servant does not forsake him and accompanies him even in his blindness. That leads us to what humanity is still living.

Talking each other:

In this paly we see two characters talking to each other a lot. His words are vain and dull. Yet their words are reasonable to keep each other company. While Vladimir and Estragon both company each other. Then they have a lot of discussions with each other. When Estragon falls asleep Vladimir tells him that please don't sleep. Because I feel lonely. You talk to me So that both of us pass the time. I wouldn't like to be alone if you fell asleep. From this we can say that this story is about supporting each other. The situation in which loneliness is not experienced is placed in it.

3. Is there any similarity between the situations in the play and the lockdown period of 2020?

Yes, I can see lots of similarity between the situation in the play and the lockdown period in this pendamic the Corona virus spread everywhere, and we have facing many trouble in this time.

Many of laboures of factories are go back to their own village and walked many kilometers for rich their home. Many people died for this virus. Lots of families are lose their relatives. In this pendamic humans are be consumed in home like cage. Nobody have work even some of poor people don't have money also don't have things for eating, staying and drinking that they need.

4. Did you feel like existential crisis?

With existential crises, there's usually a turning point and moment of awareness that's often linked with worrying about death. This turning points causes people to think about and question the meaning in their lives. The students studying in the villages had to face many crises to study. Because education was online and the Internet was unlikely to come to the villages. Students living in villages also did not have enough Android mobiles. Which I also had to face.

5. What did you do to pass time?

In this situation in similar way I spent my lockdown time at home with my whole family. We can face many difficulties because we cannot go out but also we enjoy life with family. In lockdown time we keep many activities for spent time.

6. How was your psychological condition?

In this pendamic we really suffered lot both mentally and psychologically. Because of this lockdown many students disturb in study and I also disturb for that because when my B.A. last year exam was began and we waiting and preparing for exam but in that day my exam was postponed for the lockdown and our whole preparation gone useless. We can keep waiting for exam more months with lots of stress.