Waiting For Godot Response
Reading anything longer than a paragraph gives me a sense of despair. Reading Waiting for Godot increased that sentiment tenfold, and I think that is a good thing. I was sitting there reading the same lines over and over—the “nothing to be done”s and the “we’re waiting for Godot”s—and getting frustrated that the characters weren’t getting anywhere. While Vladimir begins to question his routine of waiting every day to no avail in act two, there is no way of knowing that he has not asked these same questions on any of the days that we have not seen. While I would never encourage committing suicide in real life, I actually really wanted them to go through with it at the end of the play. I just wanted them to do something.
Samuel Beckett’s play was a good read for me because it explored a philosophical idea (existentialism) while also being entertaining and funny. I liked his use of repetition in the text and in the plot to illustrate the monotony of our daily lives, even deeming them quite absurd and without meaning. He really made me think about the importance of purpose and meaning in our lives. Without any direction, our actions essentially mean nothing. We try to stay alive, so we act accordingly—but then what? If our actions don’t mean anything to us, what would they mean to anyone else? The existentialist philosophy is not one that I subscribe to, but I do think that it is a valid point of view.
I liked both main characters but mainly connected with Vladimir because he seemed to be in the same amount of despair as I was reading about him. I also liked that he is a tragic character, almost reaching the point of epiphany or breaking free from monotony, but instead choosing to remain there—still waiting for someone who will never show up. He is also the only character who seems to have a working memory—and the other characters’ lack of memory, such as the character of the boy also gave me a sense of tragedy because there is the possibility that Vladimir can be forgotten at any point.
While some research on the play informed me that many believe the titular character to represent God, I would disagree—at least, I do not think he would represent the God of the Bible, whom Europeans in Samuel Beckett’s time are likely somewhat familiar with. To me, waiting for Godot represents putting one’s faith in something that is unpromising and unknowable. Godot is someone who does not show up, which does not align with the biblical portrayal of God, who very often intervenes and is indeed knowable. I think that this may be an existentialist’s version of God, or a representation of everyday monotony.
Overall, my response is that I am not surprised that it is considered an example of excellent drama. While entertaining you, Beckett makes you rethink your personal philosophies and your daily decisions that will ultimately shape the trajectory of your life.