Assignment 9 – Waiting for Godot: Absurdity and Existentialism
Introduction
For
over two centuries, existentialism has been a part of philosophy. It was
believed that Jean Paul Sartre was the first existentialist but the truth is
Soren Kierkegaard from the 18th century is the founding father of
this discourse.
It is not the first time that something has been thought or said earlier and the thought is given a term or a word. When John Donne was writing poetry bringing the far-fetched images he was not knowing that his style of poetry would be coined as “metaphysical poetry” by Samuel Johnson.
Similarly, much later in the 19th century, Jean-Paul Sartre identified the thoughts of Soren Kierkegaard and coined the term “Existentialism”. There are many well-known thinkers who have given their thoughts and arguments on this philosophy. To name a few, Friedrich Nietzsche, Albert Camus, Herman Hesse, Simon De Beauvoir are the key existentialists.
Waiting
for Godot is a remarkable play by Samuel Beckett which can be best fit in
existentialism and absurdity. If the characters are to be seen, only one
character among six is invisible. Which is Godot, a titular character who is
the central part of the play. Godot is awaited throughout the play and the
characters like Vladimir and Estragon are making various ways to meet Godot.
Can it be asserted that, Vladimirs and Estragons are found everywhere? The
statement is agreeable in terms of existentialism. Implications of society,
religion and power are carved in such a way that it becomes utmost difficult
for human beings to be free from those conditionings.
Existentialism, an umbrella of several other terms, is a philosophical movement
which raised three pertinent questions relating to the individual.
Who am I?
Where did I come from?
What is the purpose of my life?
These questions are inevitable and difficult to answer. If one thinks deeper
into the matter, one may get to know that gender, identity, language, birth
place, names, religion all these are given by others. There is no individual
choice given to select any of these.
It is also almost impossible to answer the place from where did we come from.
Besides, epistemological readings say that this question is theological and
philosophical. Several religious discourse are there which try to answer this
question. Karmic philosophy, the idea of mind and body, soul and consciousness
and many more.
The third question is the most important other than the two. It creates the
existential angst and anxiety. This play touches the core part of the purpose
and the worthiness of waiting.
Vladimir and Estragon are two characters who wait for a titular character
Godot. If we think of religions we can consider this character as God. But
theologically it is believed that one can't meet God without leaving the
material world. The dialogue which Estragon speaks at the very beginning of the
play is,
"Estragon: Nothing to be done!"
This nothingness and emptiness is the modern anxiety of the human beings. The
play questions the readers that, can we live alone? How one can find the solace
and salvation from live. The very idea of meeting to 'param tatva', or divine
power is being questioned in the play. If one looks through the lens of
spirituality one can say that divinity and supremacy comes from within.
What do we mean by being spiritual?
Spirituality is not only practicing Yoga and doing mediation. Spirituality can
be practiced though the daily routine. One just has to be skeptical and a good
questioner to the self. Whichever work is being done on hand, it can be
questioned through the lens of integrity and accountability.
How does the play work in our mind?
Indeed this play is a mirror to society. Vladimir and Estragon are the
reflection of human nature. Vladimir is mindful and remembers many things, but
Estragon forgets many things. He hardly remembers things. One is representing
the mind and the other is representing the body. This ongoing conflict between
mind and body is never to be solved through worldly things. One has to go
beyond this material values and greedy mindset and practice spirituality to
look into this matter.
Pozzo and Lucky are also a reflection of different types of social roles people
play in life. Pozzo claims the land ownership and Lucky is the slave of Pozzo.
One enjoys power position and the other is subjugated and subdued in the
hierarchy of power. Even Pozzo tries to free him, Lucky still wants to be the
slave of Pozzo.
For
the sake of meeting Godot, Vladimir and Estragon do almost all the gimmicks
which are done till today. But after a long wait, when a boy enters in the
play, then a ray of hope arises. The boy claims to be the messenger of Godot
and says conveys that Godot will come tomorrow.
This
idea of tomorrow is also interesting to see. Whenever we speak ‘tomorrow’ it
becomes today just the next day. In short, tomorrow never comes, and the wait
prolongs for days to years to decades. The word tomorrow also refers to the set
measures of time like, hours, days, months, years and so on. If one looks at
the dynamics of existentialism with time, then one may question: Are we passing
through time or time is passing from us?
As
a human we are given very short span of time like 80 to 100 years. In such
arena we have to work till death. Without the expectation of any result or
reward one has to work. Godot can be seen as reward also.
