The Meaningless of Life Explored in Waiting for Godot

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In Waiting for Godot, Vladimir and Estragon spent the entire play waiting for a man named Godot. Upon hearing that Godot will not come, they agree on going somewhere, yet they simply stay still and do not move. The abrupt ending to the anticipation that is built up in the story of James and Irene justifiably would draw critics to call it a point-less story. Waiting for Godot may also be perceived to be a pointless story with no meaning; however, unlike the story of James and Irene, the ending of Waiting for Godot successfully delivered a message. Samuel Beckett brilliantly crafted the ending of his play to illustrate the human life as being meaningless and absurd.

Vladimir and Estragon spent the entire duration of the play believing that a man named Godot was sure to come meet with them; however, they were only disappointed at the end of the play when the boy brought them the news that Godot would have to post-pone his arrangement.

VLADIMIR: You have a message from Godot

BOY: Yes Sir.

VLADIMIR: He won’t come this evening.

BOY: No Sir.

VLADIMIR: But he’ll come tomorrow.

BOY: Yes Sir. (Beckett 81-82).

The boy’s message to Vladimir may have provided the readers with the conclusion that the entire play was senseless because Vladimir and Estragon never had the opportunity to meet Godot. After all, it only makes sense for a play called Waiting for Godot to end with Vladimir and Estragon ending their long wait for this man named Godot. Moreover, the fact that Vladimir and Estragon must still wait for Godot, puts their lives into question. If Vladimir and Estragon are spending their lives waiting for a man that they do not directly speak to or know if he will truly meet them, is there a...

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...he thoughts of suicide, confirmation of Godot’s canceled meeting, and the seemingly hapless state of Vladimir and Godot in the final line of the play all contribute to deliver a message about human life. As I have shown, Beckett successfully displayed why the human life is a concept that is plagued by a lack of meaning and a state of murkiness. Ultimately, the ending of Waiting for Godot prompts the readers to question the point of the character’s lives in the play. Vladimir and Estragon began doing nothing but waiting for Godot and ended the play doing the same exact thing. To conclude, the ending of the play shall be deemed a success because it addressed the pointlessness of life through a play about two men trapped in a life of waiting, waiting for Godot.

Works Cited

Beckett, Samuel. The Complete Dramatic Works. London: Faber and Faber, 1990. Print.

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