Does Godot Represent Jesus Christ’s Arrival Approaching Fast?

By JH Sayyar

“Waiting for Godot,” is one of the best popular complex plays of Samuel Beckett. It is complicated for the readers and critics as well. While reading the play several types of themes appear in the readers and critics’ minds; The Theme of Waiting for Godot, The Theme useless Human Life, The Theme of Sufferings, The Theme of Arrogance, The Theme of Economic and Intellectual exploitation, Theme of Meaninglessness, The Theme of Space of Time but The Theme of Hope and Despair dominates the whole play.

Many critics say that Waiting is itself a theme of the play. Let us see what theme is prevailing in the play. Actually two tramps, Vladimir, and Estrogen want to pass time because there was nothing to do there except a leafless tree on the road and nothing else. As the text shows: Vladimir says to Estrogen,

“ The tree was quite black and bare yesterday: it is

Covered with leaves.”

Further both the tramps discuss different types of anecdotes to kill their time because Godot will not come today till evening and their waiting is useless. Vladimir says to Estrogen:

“ It would help us to pass time.

I am sure that this will keep us busy.”

Now Estrogen says to leave the place. Listening to it Vladimir says that they were waiting for Godot and we must stay here until he comes. At the end we see that none come and none goes but a messenger comes and tells them that Godot will come tomorrow to see to both of them.

According to many critics that Godot was the authority of the writer’s time who promise to help both of the tramps in difficult time and will save them from human suffering. Here Lambert says, “Godot represents Christ in the play who will come to save them from the suffering of life.” This view is supported by both of the tramps words that he will not say then to do something for him. One more Estrogen suggests to leave the place but Vladimir says not to leave the place because they are waiting for Godot. As the text shows:

Estrogen, “What are we to do now?”

Vladimir, “ We must wait for Godot,”

On the other hand the theme of meaninglessness is most important because the tramps consider life a meaningless thing. They relate different types of stories, dreams and sometime the intention of making suicide to kill their extra time in loneliness along the

naked road. Because they have nothing to do in vies. One view is this that both the tramps are killed by human miseries. They wait for Godot to be released from the woes and grief of human life.

One thing is most important that they waste their time in taking off their shoes and hats. It is their physical suffering that become due to the waiting for Godot and he does not some. It is their mental suffering. Therefore, they suffer mentally and physically. On the other hand Estrogen is beaten daily and Lucky and Pozzo are in trouble mentally and physically throughout the play.

Lucky in the first act suffers physically carrying his master Pozzo’s luggage on his back but in the end, Pozzo is blind and Lucky is dumb in the same act. Estrogen and Vladimir represent the main plot and Lucky and Pozzo represent the sub plot of the play. The sum plot seems to be the replica of the main plot like Dr. Faustus. In the main plot Vladimir and Estrogen considers life useless while Lucky and Pozzo also consider life meaningless. Here Jonathan Brook says, “ Both the plot show life meaningless. The upper class and the lower class does not have to do something in their life. They are wasting their lives..”

One of the major themes of the play is forgetfulness. As we see that they forget the same place, the same road and the same tree where they were staying before this time. Estrogen is completely unable to recognize Lucky and Pozzo. Because the blind becomes deaf and the deaf becomes blind. Lucky kicks on Estrogen’s chin. As the text shows:

Estrogen: “ In that case they ought to have recognize us.

Vladimir: “ this does not matter, you see, I also

Pretend to recognize them.”

The theme of exploitation is also prominent in the play, especially in the main story. In the episode of Lucky and Pozzo, Estrogen gets the reward of his sympathy whipping away Lucky’s tears and its kick on his chin is unforgettable.

Pozzo sells Lucky and says that selling better than killing someone. Here Parker Lane says, “ In Pozzo and Lucky episode humanity is being disgraced selling human being than killing. Most horrible views are shown in the play. This episode makes the play unpopular among the people.”

To sum up, Hope and despairs dominates the play. They are in hope of coming Godot but he does not come. In spite of this they do not despair and hope may be he come tomorrow. Just have hope and doing nothing is useless.

Do something in life practically. Estrogen and Vladimir waste their time considering life is nothing. The leafless tree becomes full of leaves but they do not know how much time they have waste of their precious life in doing nothing. With the passage of time

everything changes but they do not change themselves and think of the Second Coming. Actually the writer want to say that every object of Nature changes with the passage of time if those who do not change their microcosm with macrocosm Nature destroys them according to its laws.

It is an allegory of time. Time never waits someone we shall have to wait time to do something: as we wait for sowing wheat, sugarcane…This play is most important for knowing time doing in it for our future,

Here Parson Mohair says, “ Godot represents Christ and estrogen is hopeful that Godot will come. Vladimir represents the group who believes in the Second Coming of Christ. Estrogen is hopeless and he represents the group that does not believe in the Second Coming of Christ. Here the writer rejects both ideas.

Here the messenger represents that tell them that Godot will come tomorrow, The Bible that is already present among us but we ignore it knowingly. The leafless tree converts into the tree is full of leaves represents the changing the Bible with the passage of time. Their forgetting the place represents the knowingly ignore the Biblical Commandments in practical life..”

Estrogen and Vladimir- dialogues reveal that we are wasting our time in ideal pursuits and nothing is doing for the next world. We are wasting time dressing and undressing like they discuss just the boots and their hats. Both represent changing clothes for making sex. Because we take off first shoes than hat and dress and after this kill time. We are going to world of the dead.