Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot was intended to depict the bleakness and monotony of one’s purposeless existence. Despite its repetitive nature, this play is replete with symbolism and profundity. Even though the two acts appear identical, audiences are captivated by the events (or lack thereof) on stage and remain seated in fascination.
The main reason for this is that there are subtle differences between Act 1 and Act 2 of the play. However, these seemingly insignificant changes in the plot have great and deep meaning, which totally changes the aura of the second act.
To fully appreciate these changes, it is imperative to understand the first act.
The first act sets up the theme of the whole play. It begins with two vagabonds, Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), talking on the street near a dead tree as they wait for a man named Godot. While waiting, Didi and Gogo talk about numerous things, including that the tree by which they are standing is dead and can no longer weep; that there were two thieves who died beside Christ and only one Evangelist out of four said that one of the thieves was saved; that they had better lives before; that they cannot leave the area because they are waiting for Godot, who they don’t even know or cannot recognize; and that they will receive a reward for waiting for him. Yet upon further discussion, this reward is uncertain. Even while waiting for Godot, they are not sure whether or not he will give them any reward. What’s worse is that they do not know what Godot looks like nor are sure if this is the right meeting place.
Their conversation reveals a lot about their convictions and beliefs. They discuss how the thief was saved by Christ, and because of this, they desire to repent, indicating that they are waiting for their own salvation. This can be compared to the two vagabonds as thieves and Godot as Christ. It is clear that the two men believe their salvation depends on Godot’s arrival, which will change their fate. However, the problem is that all they do is wait, and everything else seems insignificant in comparison.
This highlights the importance of the dead tree. It symbolizes their belief that death would be preferable because it would bring an end to their sorrows. However, it also suggests that they are living like zombies, with no real purpose to their existence. They must constantly occupy themselves with meaningless activities while waiting for either death or salvation.
Killing the boredom is Lucky’s arrival, who is tied to a long rope driven by Pozzo. The long rope mirrors how Didi and Gogo are similarly tied to Godot. However, when Pozzo mentions that the two, like him, are made in the image of God, it signifies that Didi and Gogo could lead their lives in the same way that he is leading Lucky to the fair. This sense of leadership fades when we realize that everything Pozzo knows came from Lucky and their relationship deteriorated over time. It brings to mind that eventually Didi and Gogo will end up like Lucky – nothing more than automatons – as they remain tied to Godot for longer periods.
Lucky cannot do anything without Pozzo’s say-so; he dances only when told and thinks only with his hat on. This shows the character’s dependence on something outside of himself to function.
The first act ends with a boy arriving and informing Didi and Gogo that Godot will not come today but will surely come tomorrow. Didi responds by telling the boy to inform Godot that they were there. This demonstrates man’s need for his existence to be acknowledged, as it allows him to become somebody instead of remaining nobody.
It is important to note Gogo’s last words before he leaves. He leaves his boots for someone with smaller feet to use so that the new user of the boots will be happy. For this, he was willing to sacrifice going barefoot. This act of kindness sets the mood for the next act, which, although similar to the first, is very different.
The second act is almost identical to the first. Vladimir constantly reminds Estragon of what happened the previous day, and they engage in senseless banter due to boredom. They try to find something to do, and Pozzo and Lucky arrive once again. However, there were a few small things” that differed from the first act: the tree now has leaves and is no longer dead; someone took Gogo’s boots from the night before and replaced them with another pair; Lucky left his hat behind and got a new one; finally, Pozzo was blind.
The tree filled with leaves shows that there is new life and hope. This was reinforced when Estragon’s boots were changed. Someone else got his boots, and for that person, Gogo served as salvation by giving him new boots that fit and don’t hurt. In return, that person became Gogo’s salvation – at least for his feet – because now the boots fit and his feet no longer hurt. Similarly, now that Didi is wearing Lucky’s hat, a sense of intelligence and insight has seeped through Didi, giving him awareness of his plight. Essentially, Gogo was living in someone else’s boots while Didi was looking at life through someone else’s hat. This is significant because by looking from a different perspective, the two characters are able to elevate themselves from their previously limited existence.
When Pozzo and Lucky arrive, their positions have changed. Pozzo is now blind and Lucky leads him, despite Pozzo still giving orders. This demonstrates how quickly a person’s position in life can change; Pozzo was once the leader but is now dependent on others. In contrast, Lucky’s humanity shines through as he remains faithful and compassionate towards Pozzo, even though he could easily flee. Furthermore, Lucky has become Pozzo’s salvation – without him, Pozzo would be lost. Although the roles between them have shifted, their dependence on each other remains the same. It is this need for others that defines our existence in this world.
Didi recognizes this need when he says: Let us do something while we have the chance! It is not every day that we are needed…To all mankind they were addressed, those cries for help still ringing in our ears! But at this place, at this moment of time, all mankind is us whether we like it or not. Let us make the most of it before it is too late!” (Beckett Act II) With these words, Didi becomes Godot – his existence gains meaning and purpose through helping others like Pozzo.
Didi realized that he could save himself without the help of Godot. However, due to human frailty, both Didi and Gogo returned to their habits because it felt safe. People are afraid of change, even if it’s constant. The air is full of our cries. But habit is a great deadener” (Beckett, Act II). Therefore, most people miss the opportunity to give their lives meaning and choose to wait for Godot instead.
The play ends in exactly the same way as the first act. However, the difference between the first and second acts allowed Samuel Beckett to make a point to his audience. The audience is mostly filled with characters like Vladimirs, Estragons, Pozzos, and Luckys.
References:
Samuel Beckett’s play Waiting for Godot” was first published on August 8, 1953. The play’s run continued until August 12th of the same year. For those interested in reading the play, it can be found at http://samuel-beckett.net/Waiting_for_Godot_Part1.html.
