Humanism And Existentialism In Samuel Beckett's Waiting For Godot

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Literature is one of the forms of art that has had a major impact on the development of society. It is a direct reflection of our society because it portrays great depth of humanism and existentialism. It shows us something we haven’t experienced before and the lives of other people at different places and times. We discover and gain opportunities to deepen our understanding of individual lives and the human condition as we interpret our own emotions and thoughts into the literature work. One of literature works that deals with the same concerns about human condition is Samuel Beckett’s play, Waiting for Godot. The play was first premiered more than sixty years ago but is still being performed today because it is relevant to our modern society.
As the title indicates, the ultimate subject of the play is ‘waiting’. Throughout the entire play, Vladimir and Estragon endlessly wait for the arrival of Godot. Estragon repeatedly complains that he wants to leave but Vladimir insists that they should wait for Godot to come. As a result, both characters are trapped in the endless cycle of repetition. For instance, Vladimir and Estragon repeatedly say: "there is nothing to be done" throughout the play. This quotation illustrates how they struggle to wait and that there is no end or outcome for them. They are unable to make choices and move on while they wait for Godot. Ultimately, 'Godot ' represents one of the characteristic aspects of the human condition: the uncertainty in our life. Similarly, we always wait for something; a person, a thing, an event, etc. We always have to act and make decisions with uncertain consequences. Without the presence of certainty we remain in the endless cycle, where we have to wait and question about every experience and event that happens in our lives. Therefore, Waiting for Godot is relevant to our society because it deals with same concern that is in our society. Not only does Beckett portray the uncertainty of human life but also he displays a great deal of suffering that is the fundamental part of human

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