Author(s): Irem ERDEM*
Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot (1953) is a milestone play that captures the feelings of confusion, isolation, and the search for meaning after World War II. The play carries existential ideas through existential philosophy drawing on the ideas of Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre. Its main characters, Vladimir and Estragon, represent humanity’s struggle to find purpose as they wait endlessly for Godot, a figure who never arrives. This waiting becomes a powerful symbol of the human desire for fulfilment in a world that offers no clear answers but when we examine the identity of the Godot, it can be easily seen as the divided self who has already existed on the stage as Vladimir and Estragon.
The play explores themes of identity and relationships. Vladimir and Estragon rely on each other, showing how our sense of self is shaped by others. However, their repetitive conversations and actions reveal how hard it is to find stability or meaning in life. Beckett contrasts hope and despair, action and inaction, to emphasize the contradictions of human existence.
With its simple setting and dialogue, the play highlights life’s uncertainties and the human tendency to keep searching for purpose. Godot, who acts as if never appears, stands on the stage as Vladimir and Estragon from beginning till the end of the play.
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