WAITING FOR GODOT:IMPORTANCE OF VLADIMIR AND ESTRAGON IN WAITING FOR GODOT

IMPORTANCE OF VLADIMIR AND ESTRAGON IN WAITING FOR GODOT Waiting for Godot is a tragicomedy written by Samuel Beckett, and the play is a true definition of theatrical success because of the innovat ive drama in the play. The play is represented as a conversation between two characters, Vladimir and Estragon. The two characters are always waiting for Godot, who sends words saying that he will come, but he never shows. They also encounter Lucky and Pozzo, and through their conversations, they talk about the miseries of life that they are encountering. At one point, they consider hanging themselves, but they wait. The characters of Vladimir and Estragon are important in the play as they represent the mysteries of human life and explore the issues of having a purpose of living as a human being. The props used in the play are also important as they create a lot of symbolism. Vladimir is very concerned with hats throughout the entirety of the play. He is concerned with his hat, Lucky’s, and Estragon’s. In act one, he takes his hat, knocks it, turns it upside down, and feels it on the inside. The purpose of this action is to find answers and ideas inside his hat. The hat has been used as a source of intelligence, just like the human brain. The action shows that Vladimir is using his brain to find solutions for his problems. On the other hand, Estragon is focused on his boots rather than his hat. The boots have been used to symbolize the fact that there is nothing the two characters can do to get themselves out of their situation. For example, Estragon is seen to be struggling to take off his boot but fails, and he keeps on trying. The struggle of taking the boots represents the struggle they are going through. In human life, the action shows that human beings continue to exhaust themselves, but they never give up because life has to go on. Vladimir and Estragon are human beings that do not have an idea why they are existing. They create the idea that human beings must have a purpose of existing in the world. The characters feel that their enlightenment can only come from Godot, and that is why they are always sitting down waiting for him. Because of this, they acquire nobility because of the holding hope they have. The characters expose the reality of humanity. Living without a purpose would be detrimental to one’s mental health, which is evident when the characters are bored to death. The author helps to show the audience that life has no satisfaction without a purpose and reason to live. Having a purpose creates a sense of existence and a touch with humanity, and this is why Vladimir insists on confirming his identity with Godot because the other characters have mixed up their identities, and they do not recognize who they are. Show Less