* “WAITING FOR GODOT”

Introduction*Writer: SAMUEL BECKETT

*Written in 1948

*First Produced in Paris (1952).

*Translated into 18 Languages.

*Its Theme is “Nothing to be done”

(Practically nothing happens, not development is to be found, no beginning and no end)

*Two main characters are Vladimir and Estragon (Vladimir and Estragon do not know why they

wait, they do not even remember their initial encounter with Godot, but they know they must wait, or be punished when Godot does arrive)

Compare and Contrast VLADIMIR with ESTRAGON.

COMPARISONS:

*1.STRONG FRIENDSHIP:*(a)They cannot live without one another.

*VLAD:I am glad to see you back .I thought you were gone forever.

*EST: Me too.

*(b)Vladimir represents the soul and Estragon represents the body.

*EST:I am going. It is better to be parted.

*VLAD: You wouldn’t go far.

*2.SICK OF LIFE:*(a)They tries to attempt suicide but they did not want to die.

*EST:What about hanging ourselves.

*VLAD:It would give us erection.

*EST:Gogo light-bough not break-Gogo die.

*Didi heavy-bough break-Didi alone.

3.AFRAID OF GODOT:*(a)When POZZO came, they got frightened because they think that GODOT came.

*EST:(timidly to pozzo)You are not Mr.Godot sir?

*POZZO:I am pozzo.

*4.BOTH WERE SUFFERING:*(a) Physically Estragon and Vladimir were suffering. Estragon

was getting hurt by his fit boots. Estragon need help to takeoff his shoes.

*EST: Help me!

*VLAD: It hurts.

*EST: Hurts! He wants to know if it hurts!

*Vladimir was suffering from kidney problem.

*VLAD:(It’s for the kidneys).

*(b) Because of mental pain Estragon forgets everything. Exchange of hats between Vladimir and Estragon symbolizes their psychological problem.

*VLAD: (He takes of his hat again, peers inside it) funny. (He knocks on the crown as though to dislodge a foreign body, peers into it again, put it on again)

*EST: (Estragon with a supreme effort succeeds in pulling off his boot. He looks inside it, feels about inside it, turn it upside down shakes it, looks on the ground to seen if anything has fallen out, finds nothing, feels inside it again staring sightlessly

before him).

*5.PURPOSELESS LIFE:

*Both have no purpose of life that is why for passing the time they are doing non sense activities. For example;They search for something in their hats ,they are abusing each other and try suicide attempts.VLAD: (He takes of his hat again, peers inside it) funny. (He knocks on the crown as though to dislodge a foreign body, peers into it again, put it on again).EST: (Estragon with a supreme effort succeeds in pulling off his boot. He looks inside it, feels about inside it, turn it upside down shakes it, looks on the ground to seen if anything has fallen out, finds nothing, feels inside it again staring sightlessly before him).

*CONTRASTS:*1.VLADIMIR:CARING PERSONALITY/

* ESTRAGON:IRRESPONSIBLE PERSONALITY.

* Vladimir cares for Estragon like mother and sings a lullaby and when Estragon sleeps Vladimir gets up softly, takes off his coat and lays it across Estragon’s shoulder.

*EST: Taking off my boot .Did that never happen to you.

*VLAD: Boots must be taken off every day, I am tired telling you that why don’t you listen to me.

*2.VLADIMIR:SYMPATHETIC/

*ESTRAGON:UNSYMPATHETIC.

*When the Pozzo and Lucky falls, Vladimir wants to help them but Estragon refuses to help them.

*POZZO: You must hold him. (Pause.) Come on, come on, raise him up!

*EST: To hell with him!

*VLAD: Come on once more.

*EST: What does he take of us.

*It shows kind heartedness of Vladimir and selfishness of Estragon.

*3.VLADIMIR POWER OF TOLERANCE/* ESTRAGON LACK OF TOLERANCE.* Vladimir was more willing to wait for Godot than Estragon who has lack of patience and all the time says * EST: I am going.* VLAD: You can't .* EST: Why not.*VLAD: We are waiting for Godot.Another example for Estragon’s impatience is when Pozzo threw bones and he takes them and start gnawing them. Vladimir got angered and scolds him.

*VLAD: You couldn’t have waited.

*4.VLADIMIR PHILOSOPHICAL AND RELIGIOUS/

* ESTRAGON IRRELIGIOUS.

*Vladimir hope for salvation and he think they also might be saved like that one thief. Vladimir ask Estragon

* VLAD: Did you ever read bible.

* ESTR: The Bible…I must have taken look at it.

*VLAD: Do you ever remember the Gosphels.

* EST: I remember the maps of the Holy Land colored they are and very pretty.

*5.VLADIMIR OPTIMISTIC AND REALISTIC/

* ERTRAGON CONSIDRED HIMSELF A POET.*Vladimir is sagacious and philosophical when Estragon was suffering with his boots he told him

* VLAD: There's a man all over for you, blaming for his boots, the fault of his feet.

* Another philosophical idea given by him is Indication towards tree that the new grown leaves symbolize religion as hope and night as philosophy of death.

*Estragon on the other hand calls himself a poet which shows his despair nature like Shelley who became a Revolutionary poet because of dejection and disappointment in his life.

*CONCLUSION:We came to the conclusion that the personality of Vladimir is more better than Estragon’s because he is more realistic than him and have the power to face the hard realities of life.

Vladimir (Didi) represents mind -- the actions of thinking, consciousness, reason, etc. – while Estragon (Gogo) represents the body’s organic functions and needs – hunger, movement, pain, etc. --  and the actions and dialogue throughout the play conform to this duality.

PREPARED BY SUNDUS AKHTAR

AND RUQQIA KHAN.

*THANK YOU FOR

PAYING ATTENTION.