This article is also the answer to the question given below:
About what is the play Waiting for Godot by Samuel
Beckett? How does it represent the plight of modern man in this world?
Elucidate with relevant examples from the text.
The play Waiting for Godot is about the idea of the
theatre of the absurd written by Samuel Beckett. It is illogical and
meaningless to have an underline meaning that means a lot. It is a two-act play
with almost six characters though the sixth character Godot does not
appear in it. The central theme is waiting. The two main characters of this
play are Vladimir and Estragon. They meet under the tree while
waiting for Mr. Godot. They do many things to spend their phase that are
useless and meaningless and talk about different topics, which are illogical,
irrational, and meaningless except for some. Two more characters, Pozzo
and Lucky, appear in this play. They are there to entertain Vladimir
and Estragon. They help them in passing their span.
The play Waiting for Godot is an exact representation of
modernism as it highlights the plight of modern man. In this context, we will
talk about some themes that will relate the play to the modern world and a
plight of a modern man in this very play.
Humor and Absurd:
In this play, there are so many lines that are meaningless and
senseless. Beckett is playing with the words in this play. Characters
lose their memory about the things and the people they met yesterday. It is
absurdist humor. Estragon, Pozzo, and Lucky don’t remember
anything which happened to them yesterday. There are so many things in the play
that they do not even know. The words “Billions of others”, that have
beaten Estragon, and the word “They” refer to nothing. They do
not know about themselves. Lucky was maltreated on stage by his master.
The circumstances with modern man are the same. Two people start
talking to each other without any purpose, and their talk is of no use,
meaningless. Mostly, people look humorous and are doing things that are free of
meaning and have no significance, absurd. People are anxious, and hopelessness
prevails as they are in a difficult situation.
Waiting:
Waiting is the central theme of the play. Both characters, Vladimir
and Estragon, spend the whole duration waiting for Mr. Godot. On
the other hand, their waiting goes in vain because Mr. Godot does not
arrive.
Modern man is also dreaming and waiting for something in this
modern world, someone for his success, someone for money, someone for power,
and a lot more. So modern men are full of hope and wait. Some of them get it,
and some do not get it.
Boredom:
The waiting of the characters Vladimir and Estragon
in the play leads them to boredom. This extreme boredom paves the way for them
to think of suicide. They, again and again, think of doing something as if they
have nothing to do and there is nothing to be done.
The same is the case with modern man. A vast percentage is free
and has nothing to do with this contemporary world. Modern men are getting
bored in their lives and spend their precious period on mobile phones. They do
many useless things to pass their leisure time until this boredom leads them to
death.
Time:
Time is uncertain in this play. No one knows the exact phase in
which the scene is going on. In act 2, both characters disagree on the stretch.
One of them refers to the thing that time has stopped. There is an endless
ending to the play that seems to have a continuing nature.
In this world, modern people are uncertain of time and have no
fixed plans. They have an irregular routine. On the other hand, some people are
so busy in their daily routine that they forget about time and do not even know
the date and the time which they are.
Sufferings:
Estragon feels hungry. He was relying on the leftover bones of Pozzo
due to extreme starvation. Lucky suffers a lot as a slave. Pozzo
manipulated and treated Lucky as an object of entertainment.
The poor class faces the same situation, starving and eating the
leftovers from dustbins. No rich man is good enough to feed any poor. Their
circumstances are very much sad and challenging.
Dehumanization/Lack of dignity:
Inadequate treatment of Lucky, calling him a pig, and
asking him for the leftover bones portray the theme of dehumanization.
Modern people, no matter whether they are rich or poor, they
have lost their dignity. No gentleman is remaining inside them.
Isolation:
The theme of isolation is also very much prominent in this play.
All of the characters are living in an isolated state. They do not have any
contact with the social world.
The situation of modern man is the same. They do not even know
about their mates and neighbors.
Power:
The character of Pozzo represents the theme of power. He
is the master of Lucky. He is abusing him and treating him inadequately.
In this world, the situation of modern man is somehow like this.
Those in power are the masters of poor people and behave toward their servants
in a rude and immoral manner.
Conclusion:
This statement is extensively
clear that this play is the exact representation of the plight of the modern
man in this world by discussing some themes of Waiting for Godot and
relating them with the current situation and the condition of modern men.
