Question: Waiting for Godot as an absurd drama. Or, “Waiting for Godot” is a drama of nothingness, discuss.
Introduction
Absurd drama largely focuses on the idea of existentialism. To put it differently, absurd drama means a sense of metaphysical anguish at the absurdity of the human condition. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, absurdity means the quality or state of being ridiculous or wildly unreasonable. “Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) is one of the best paradigms of absurd drama because of its defined features.
Vagrant characters
Vagrant characters are those types of characters who do not have family, shelter, or targets in their life. At the very outset of the drama, “Waiting for Godot”, we notice that Vladimir and Estragon are two male characters who do not have any family and they are spending their time in an uncertain place for uncertain one namely Godot.
Failure of communication
One of the most important features of absurd drama is the failure of communication. In an absurd drama, it is transparently focused that modern human beings fail to communicate with the outside world because of their self-centered nature and egoism. In the play, the central characters Vladimir and Estragon are detached from the outer world. They only talk to each other though there are two characters in the incidents of the drama. So, Beckett has wanted to express that without communication with the outer world, a man becomes absurd.
Nothingness and purposeless
An absurd drama largely focuses on the nothingness and purposeless of human beings. After the second ward war, modern human beings became frustrated and were addicted to thinking. The writers of absurd theater provide the message that a man has to take action without wasting time. What he needs he must search this without any delay. If steps are not taken to achieve the necessary, nothing will happen at all. For instance, in the acclaimed absurd drama “Waiting for Godot”, the audience notices that two tramps are waiting to meet an uncertain figure. The messenger of the uncertain figure comes several times to them to inform them that Godot cannot come today because of his business and he may come the next day. But Vladimir and Estragon never ask the messenger about the address of Godot. If they take the address and go to Godot, they can be benefited but rather they are aimlessly and foolishly waiting. So, morality is that without wasting even a moment, steps must be taken to achieve the goal.
Irrational and illogical speech
An absurd drama abounds in irrational and illogical speeches. From the beginning to the end, this sort of drama produces numberless speech which is irrational. “Waiting for Godot” is no exception. The best paradigm of irrational speech of this drama is that when Vladimir asks Pozzo about his blindness and voiceless condition of Lucky, Pozzo replies in such a way that is quite irrational and illogical:
“One day like other day, one he went dumb, one day I went blind,
one day we were born, one day we shall die”.
Thus, the irrational or illogical speech of absurd drama humorously criticizes the so-called modern civilization that is out and out ostentatious.
Slavery, domination, and capitalism
An absurd tries heart and soul to focus that slavery, domination and capitalism are the permanent issues of this world and they just change their way, not existence. Through sketching Lucky and Pozzo, Samuel Beckett has successfully presented slavery, domination, and capitalism.
Tone and silent conclusion
The tone is a very important factor for a literary work. In absurd theater, a gloomy tone is used to focus on the absurdity of the characters. Vladimir and Estragon are frustrated, and they do not know whether they can meet Godot or not. Their frustration of uncertainty makes the tone of the play gloomy. On the other hand, a silent conclusion is also an inevitable feature of an absurd drama. The play starts with waiting and ends with waiting with silence. The final dialogue of the play can be cited here.
Vladimir: Well? We shall go
Estragon: Let’s go.
This is really energetic dialogue for action, but the two tramps sit silently waiting for Uncertainty.
Conclusion
In fact, the Absurd Theater believes that the plight of humanity is purposeless in existence, which is incompatible with its surroundings. So, “Waiting for Godot” is starkly absurd.
