One of the most prominent literary figures, and Pioneer of the theatre of Absurd, Anglo-Irish dramatists Samuel Beckett wrote the play, 'Waiting for Godot.' Iconoclast and innovator of a new kind of plays in the literary circle, Beckett played a big role in the theatre of absurd, but it was not an organized movement. Waiting for Godot is an excellent example of this type of play, where the purpose of life and existence is challenged. This play is regarded as a tragicomedy. Basically, this type of literary genre sees the life of a human as absurd, illogical, and meaningless. Interestingly, plays of absurdists don't follow any strict traditional style, unities, and plot arrangements. Statements repeat again and again and nothing serious and significant happens. Things are not revealed except for minor clues and hints. The above things happen in Waiting for Godot and let's do a closer look to explore further what it is about and the representation of modern man.
The play is basically about the absurd and illogical nature of modern man. It is first performed around 1953 after World War II. People become extremely unconscious about the purpose of life. They become depressed, war-affected them seriously and there were price hiking and unemployment rate high. People confused and opted for the term nothing can be done which is apparent in this play as well.
Is this play represent the plight of modern man? Yes! There are some features associated with the modern man. Let’s relate them to Vladimir, Estragon, Lucky, and Pozzo.
Nihilism
The phrase "Nothing to be done" utters by Gogo describes the central message of this drama as well. There is a lack of actions and no significant things happen till the last except waiting, and the waiting itself baseless and meaningless. Vladimir and Estragon wait for Godot but he never comes. All of this waiting for nothing, talking about nothing and doing nothing contribute to a prevalent environment of nihilism in the drama. Nihilism is a psychological disorder found in modern men as well. People at that time as well as today have nothing significant to do.
Basically, the play represents both modern as well as a little bit of postmodern periods.
Identification Issues
Waiting for Godot agrees to this rule because in this play both Vladimir and Estragon are tramps. They have no clear identity and forget after each second about everything. They even forget about yesterday what they did and whom they met. Same Pozzo and Lucky doing the same, another character having a master and slave relationship. Likewise, in the modern period, people were scattered due to some natural catastrophe and war, we have no specific identity. A bright example can be cited here from the aftermaths of World War II.
Absurdity
As I stated above the central theme of such plays revolves around the existence of human life. They see life as absurd. Both the characters Estragon and Vladimir think that struggle has been of no use and move to suicide or hang from the tree.
Their links are in Expressionism, Dadaism, Surrealism, and the Stream of Consciousness Fiction, which are some movements of modernism. In the word of
Martin Esslin, “that which has no purpose, goal, or objective”. Meaningless conversations, purposelessness, nonsensical statements, heavy repetition, and disjoint actions make the play a piece that represents the plight of modern man in one or another.
Heedlessness of Life
The purposelessness of life which is clear from the beginning of this play is an exact representation of the excruciating condition of modern man. Let’s take a closer look at the play. In the play, the vain waiting of Vladimir and Estragon and the unsuccessful trade of Pozzo add the theme more blatant to readers. Even the message of the boy is also equally vain and purposeless. All the characters have no idea to do something fruitful. It seems that they are just passing their time.
All the above discussion and arguments prove that Waiting for Godot is the exact representation of the excruciating and plight condition of modern men and an excellent example of the theatre of absurd.
(Further explanation is done by Chief Editor, Msm Yaqoob)
