Existentialism in Waiting for Godot Essay

Existentialism is a philosophy that repudiates the idea of religion or any supreme being bringing meaning to life, and advocates the idea that individuals be instrumental in finding a purpose to life through free will, choice, and personal responsibility. Hence in Samuel Beckets existentialist philosopher play time lag For Godot, he puts forth an idea that all of humanity is wasting their lives in in spellion- waiting for the salvation of a deity, when that divine being whitethorn or may not even exist.As inferred from the phrase human beings precedes essence, there is no pre-existent spirituality or soul no god, Christian or otherwise no cosmic compassion for human life no salvation in heaven and damnation in hell neither preset destiny nor inevitable fate and nor is there the transc devastationence of our worldly creative activity. Everyone must bear the responsibility for their own existence, since it is not predetermined or shaped by any external force a subsequent worry is one of the aspects of human nature.Nevertheless, the burdens of anxiety and responsibility are a lot too heavy to bear, and we often seek to shift them on certain individuals, institutions, religions, or even on a Godot. Existentialism manifests itself in Waiting for Godot through its motifs of despair, absurdity, alienation, and boredom. One of the most overriding themes is that of loneliness as a consequence of godlessness. In a blank futile universe devoid of purpose, design or care represented by the featureless Beckettian landscape, human beings are alone, and condemned to be free.Afraid of this isolation estragon and Vladimir cling together despite their quarrels, and Pozzo and Lucky do not untie themselves. This futility leads to some other characteristic of existentialism despair. Since there is no preset will, Existentialism preaches the individual freedom of choice. tarragon and Vladimir have made the choice of waiting, without any instruction as Vladimir says that G odot didnt say for sure hed come. Yet they wait to know exactly how they stand.The boredom of waiting prompts them to ponder over their identity, as inactivity leads the individual to think. tarragon remarks We always find something, eh Didi, to give us the impression that we exist? It is learnt that man needs a rational basis for existence but fails to find one, making his life no better than a wasted passion. The two tramps, Estragon and Vladimir vainly attempt to put order in their lives by waiting for Godot who never arrives, and reiterate that Nothing is to be done. This inaction further questions their very entities, and Estragon anxiously doubts Where do we come in? Whenever Estragon and Vladimir make a decision, the stage directions dictate that They do not move. and continue to show passivity. Therefore, even their resolution to go is not strong enough to scram action. Many times Estragon says Lets go, but Vladimir always reminds him that they cant as they are waiting f or Godot. This inability to act renders Vladimir and Estragon unable to determine their own fates.Instead of acting, they can only wait for someone or something to act upon them- referring to the existentialist argument of mans desperate need to establish his own purpose and meaning to life. Further much, Vladimir and Estragon ponder suicide by hanging themselves from the tree, but once again their anxiety stops them, as the latter remarks Dont lets do anything. Its safer. Kierkegaards notion of Dread or Angst includes ideas of existentialism which berate about a state in which the individuals freedom of choice places him in a state of anxiety, as he is surrounded by almost infinite possibilities.This could explain the inactivity of both the tramps. They are aware of the different choices they can make but are hesitant, just as they fix to leave at the end of the act but remain motionless. Thus, the end of act 1 firmly asserts the characters hopelessness. Beckett infers that peop le pass time with habits to cope with the existentialist dilemma of the dread or anxiety of their existence. Estragon and Vladimir idly pass their time to escape the pain of waiting and even thinking.Vladimir expresses this idea at the end of the play Habit is a great deadener. All the events narrated through the course of the play the Crucifixion story, the suicide plan, playing talk seem nothing more than silly pastimes. Once during the Pozzo-Lucky encounter, the tramps behave as if they are in a theatre Vladimir even asks Estragon to keep his seat while going by to the urinal at The end of the corridor, on the left. Pozzo and Luckys coming can also well be interpreted as an act to entertain Vladimir and Estragon a way in which Becket questions whether life itself is just a mere source of entertainment to pass the time while waiting for salvation. However, the distractions end past or the other, leaving them again with their futile inaction The essential doesnt change. This once again echoes the existentialist theory that life will end in nothingness as it has begun, reducing all of mans achievements and accomplishments to nothing.Time has little significance in this futile lifecycle. The past often becomes misty to Estragon as he often asks questions like What did we do yesterday? He does not remember Pozzo and Lucky and even the place in Act Two, and shortly, Pozzo fails to acknowledge the tramps (Estragon and Vladimir) too. The mysterious boy returns with the same message Godot never comes and tomorrow never seems to arrive. Vladimir, therefore, is right to say that time has stopped. Estragon conveys the horror of this uneventful repetitive existence in Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, its awful .