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” I can’t bear it ? any longer ? the way he goes on ? you’ve no idea ? it’s terrible” (p.34).

Beckett’s devotion to and relationship with Joyce was not quite that of the master’s secretary but Joyce did dictate part of Finnigan’s Wake to the younger Beckett and some said that Beckett was his own model for a Pozzo-Lucky relationship. Beckett himself summed up his own contradictory situation as a writer in a 1949 dialogue with Georges Duthuit:

“The expression that there is nothing to express, no power to express, no desire to express, together with the obligation to express.”

This contradictory statement is very reminiscent of the final lines of the play, which show the contradiction between words and action:

” ‘Well? Shall we go?’ ‘Yes, let’s go.’ They do not move.”

A sense of balance within the universe is illustrated in the play, as the silences counteract the conversation, the actions counteract the inactivity. Balance satisfies the mind which recoils from the random. Estragon represents a man of the body and Vladimir represents a man of the mind. Together they represent the divide of self: the mind and body, in Freudian terms – the id and the ego. Pascal thought it important to recognize that the self consists of the mind and body. Note the physical troubles of Estragon, concerning his boots, and the philosophical problems, such as time and existence, facing Vladimir:

” Vladimir: ( gloomily). It’s too much for one man. ( Pause. Cheerfully.) On the other hand what’s the good of losing heart now, that’s what I say. We should have thought of it a million years ago, in the nineties.” (p.10).

Estragon: Ah stop blathering and help me off with this bloody thing.” (p.10).

To summarize Waiting For Godot as a display of Beckett’s bleak view of life would be a simplistic presumption, as Estragon and Vladimir epitomize all of mankind (as Estragon refers to himself as “Adam” ,p.37), showing the full range of human emotions. Estragon and Vladimir do suffer but equally show glimpses of happiness and excitement. They are excited by Pozzo’s arrival and Estragon is “highly excited” about the prospect of an erection. Equally, as acts of random violence and anger are committed signs of affection are displayed between the characters. Gogo and Didi are the affectionate names Estragon and Vladimir call each other. Didi apologizes for his behaviour and displays affection: “Forgive me ? Come, Didi. ? Give me your hand. ? Embrace me!” (p.17). Even brief signs of happiness are portrayed, as Gogo finds Lucky amusing, “He’s a scream. ? ( Laughs noisily.)” (p.35). Although Gogo and Didi fear being ‘tied’ or dependent on each other. This can be seen as either positive or negative. The pessimistic view is that they cannot escape waiting for Godot, from each other or from their situation in general. The optimistic view of the play shows a range of human emotion and the need to share experiences alongside the suffering of finite existence; governed by the past, acting in the present and uncertain of the future.

Bibliography:

A Readers Guide to Samuel Beckett – Hugh Kenner

Beckett – A. Alvarez

Waiting For Godot – York Notes

Encyclopaedia Brittanica references

Microsoft @ Encarta 96 Encyclopaedia

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