Waiting For Godot Research Paper

Samuel Beckett was Nobel Prize winning author, a modernist, the last true modernist according to many. Beckett is credited for creating “The Theater of The Absurd”. The Theater of The Absurd is a term coined by Matin Esslin, a term first used in his 1962 book of that same title. The basis for this “absurdness” was to show the idea that mans lifetime was in the strictest sense, meaningless and that our universe and creation was inexplicable and any attempt to find meaning was absurd. In the 20th century this idea was present in the productions of modern artist who looked to distance themselves from conventional theater. Of all however, “Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett, is the most recognized works in the theater of the absurd. Other artist

Godots failure to appear however may be an attempt of Beckett to show that there is either no Christ or that Christ was just a man that and there was no resurrection or hope that came from him. Estragon’s attempt to equate himself to Christ is another attempt of Beckett to use writing to poke fun at religion and those who believe in living a life that is Christ-like because that is one of the messages that Christ

Finally the reader is finds hope when Vladimir’s and Estragon’s decide to leave once again and stop waiting for Godot; however the last word Beckett puts in play direction in Act II is “they do not move”, leaving the reader with a sense of resignation that both characters will never come to terms with the fact that Godot will never come and they will stay there forever (Beckett Act II).

The statement, “Vladimir represents the intellectual and Estragon the body, both of whom cannot exist without the other” is trying to explain the need the mind has to the body and the body to the mind. A body needs a mind to think, to walk, to eat, to survive, and the mind needs the body which energizes the mind, feeds the mind, and keeps it alive. All in all the mind brings life to the body, the body feeds the mind what it needs to bring