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1. Topic: Themes and Symbolsin Waiting for Godot
Muhammad Shaim Majeed
RILL, Riphah International University, Lahore
Modern Drama

2. SamuelBeckett
Samuel BarclayBeckett
Dublin, Ireland,moved to Paris, France
Born on 13th,April 1906
Fought inWorld WarII
Croixde Guerre(Award for bravery)
A playwright, novelist, poet and theatre director
Noble prizein 1969
Died 22nd December, 1989
His prominent works
Plays: Waiting for Godot
End Game
Novels: Malloy
Malone Dies

3. Introduction
• First published in French (Enattendant Godot)
• Protagonists
• Part of “Theatre of Absurd”
• Mainideas of the play

4. Characters list
Vladimir (Didi)
Estragon (Gogo)
Pozzo
Lucky (The slave)
Boy (Themessenger)
Godot (neverappeared onthe stage)
Lucky Pozzo Boy Estragon Vladimir

5. Themes
1. Waiting
1. Estragon:Let’s go.Vladimir:Wecan’t. Estragon:Why not? Vladimir:Wearewaiting for Godot” (8).
2. Vladimir:Let’swait and seewhathe says.Estragon:Who? Vladimir:Godot” (13).
3. Estragon:Simply wait.Vladimir:We’reused to it” (39).
4. Estragon:Let’s go.Vladimir:Wecan’t. Estragon:Why not? Vladimir:Wearewaiting for Godot” (76).
5. Estragon:What do wedo now? Vladimir:While waiting. Estragon:While waiting” (86).
6. Estragon:Let’s go.Vladimir:Wecan’t. Estragon:Why not? Vladimir:We’rewaiting for Godot” (88).
7. Vladimir:Yes,in this immenseconfusion one thing alone isclear. Weare waitingfor Godot to come”(91)
8. Estragon:Let’s go.Vladimir:We can’t.Estragon:Why not? Vladimir:We arewaiting for Godot” (96).
9. Pozzo: What ishe waiting for? Vladimir:What areyou waiting for? Estragon:I’ am waiting for Godot” (100).

6. 2. Hopelessness
1.Vladimir:That passed the time.
Estragon:It would havepassed in any case.
And later whenEstragonfinds his boots again:
Vladimir :What about trying them.
Estragon: I have tried everything.
Vladimir :No, I meanthe boots.
Estragon: Would that be a good thing?
Vladimir :It d passthe time.I assureyou, it’d be an occupation (Act I)
2. Estragon is trying totake off his boot. He gives up andtriesagain as before.
Estragon: Nothing tobe done. (Act 1)
3. Estragon: No use ofstruggling.
Vladimir: one is what one is.
Estragon: No use ofwriggling( moving).
Vladimir: The essential doesn’t change. ( Act 1).
4.“Nothing to be done” repeatedseveraltimes in the play

7. 3. Absurdity
1. VLADIMIR: It hurts?
ESTRAGON: (angrily). Hurts! He wants to know if ithurts!
VLADIMIR: (angrily).No one ever suffers but you. I don't count. I'd like to hear what you'd say if you had what I have.
ESTRAGON: It hurts?
VLADIMIR: (angrily).Hurts! He wants to know if it hurts!
(Act 1)
2. Vladimir: (He takes off his hat, peers inside it, feels about inside it, shakes it, puts it on again.)How shall I say?Relieved and at the same time . . . (he searches for the
word) . . . appalled. (With emphasis.) AP-PALLED. (He takes off his hat again,peers inside it.) Funny. (He knocks on the crown as though to dislodge a foreign body,
peers into it again, puts it on again.) Nothing to be done. (Act 1)
3. Vladimir: There's man allover for you, blaming on his boots the faults of his feet. (He takes off his hat again, peers inside it, feels about inside it, knocks on the crown,
blows into it, puts it on again.)(Act 1)
4. ESTRAGON: Looks to me more like a bush.
VLADIMIR: A shrub.
ESTRAGON: A bush. (Act I)
5. On arrival of Pozzo for the first time, they ask Pozzo “Are youGodot?” (They don’t recognize Godot)
6. VLADIMIR: Do you want a carrot?
ESTRAGON:Is that all there is?
VLADIMIR:I might have some turnips.
ESTRAGON: Give me a carrot. (Vladimirrummages in his pockets, takes out a turnip and gives it to Estragon who takes a bite out of it. Angrily.)
It's a turnip
VLADIMIR: Ohpardon! I could have sworn it was a carrot.

8. 4. Existentialism
1. Vladimir: Sothere you areagain.Estragon: AmI? (Act 1)
2. VLADIMIR: Suppose we repented.
ESTRAGON: Repented what?
VLADIMIR: Oh . .. (He reflects.) We wouldn't havetogo into the details.
ESTRAGON: Ourbeing born? Let's go.
VLADIMIR: We can't.
ESTRAGON: Why not?
VLADIMIR: We're waiting for Godot.
ESTRAGON: (despairingly). Ah! (Pause.) You'resure it was here?
VLADIMIR: What?
ESTRAGON: That we were towait.
3. VLADIMIR: He didn't say forsure he'd come.
ESTRAGON: And if hedoesn't come?
VLADIMIR: We'll come back tomorrow.
ESTRAGON: And then the day after tomorrow.
VLADIMIR: Possibly.
ESTRAGON: And soon.
VLADIMIR: The point is—
ESTRAGON: Until he comes.
VLADIMIR: You'remerciless.

9. 5. Suffering
1. VLADIMIR: Andthey didn't beat you?
ESTRAGON: Beat me? Certainlythey beat me.
VLADIMIR: The same lot as usual? (Act 1)
2. ESTRAGON: Where arethe leaves?
VLADIMIR: Itmust be dead.
ESTRAGON: No moreweeping. (Act 1)
3.VLADIMIR: He didn't say for surehe'd come.
ESTRAGON: And if hedoesn't come?
VLADIMIR: We'll come back tomorrow.
ESTRAGON: And then the day after tomorrow.
VLADIMIR: Possibly.
ESTRAGON: And soon.
VLADIMIR: The point is—
ESTRAGON: Until he comes.
VLADIMIR: You'remerciless.

10. 6. Friendship
1. I'm gladto see youback. I thought you were gone forever.
ESTRAGON: Me too.
VLADIMIR:
Together againat last! We'll have to celebrate this. But how?
(He reflects.) Get up till I embrace you.(ACT 1)
2. Estragon’s trust on Vladimirfor the food.
ESTRAGON:(violently). I'm hungry!
VLADIMIR: Do you want a carrot?
ESTRAGON:Is that all there is?
VLADIMIR:I might have some turnips.
ESTRAGON: Give me a carrot. (Vladimirrummages in his pockets, takes out a turnip and gives it to Estragon who takes a bite out of it. Angrily.)
It's a turnip
VLADIMIR: Ohpardon! I could have sworn it was a carrot. (He rummages againin his pockets, finds nothing but turnips.) All that's turnips. (He rummages.)You must
have eaten the last. (He rummages.)
Wait, I have it. (He brings out a carrot and gives it to Estragon.) There, dear fellow.
(Estragon wipes the carrot on his sleeve and begins to eat it.)
Make it last, that's the end of them.
3. Estragon: Wait! (He moves awayfrom Vladimir.)I sometimes wonder if we wouldn't have been better off alone, each one for himself. (He crosses the stage and sits
down on the mound.) We weren't madefor the same road.
VLADIMIR(without anger) It's not certain.
ESTRAGON: No, nothing is certain.
Vladimirslowly crosses the stage and sits down beside Estragon.
VLADIMIR: We can still part, if youthink it would be better.
ESTRAGON: It's not worthwhile now.
Silence.
VLADIMIR: No,it's not worthwhile now

11. Symbols
1. Tree
It does not haveany leaves in Act Iand have4 or fiveleaves inAct II
Act I, Death, Lifelessness, Lackof purpose, Destruction the has made for himself
Act II,it symbolizes a long time has passed
ESTRAGON:Looks to me more likea bush.
VLADIMIR:A shrub.
ESTRAGON:Abush

12. 2. Lucky’s Baggage
Henever puts it down
Neveropened it in Act I
InAct II,there was only sand
HumanTendency
Burden
Enslavement

13. 3. Pozzo’s Rope
Luckyis tied to this rope
Idea of struck ortied
Class difference
Thedistance between the master and slave
Enter Pozzo and Lucky.Pozzo drives Luckyby means of a rope passed roundhis neck,so that Luckyis the
first to enter,followed by theropewhichis long enough to let himreachthe middle of the stage before
Pozzo appears.

14. 4. The Hat
Instability
Absurdity
Vladimir: (Hetakes off his hat, peers inside it, feels about inside it, shakesit, puts it on again.) How shall I say?
Relieved and at the same time. . . (he searchesfor the word) . . . appalled. (With emphasis.) AP-PALLED. (He
takes off his hat again, peers inside it.) Funny.(He knocksonthe crown as though to dislodge a foreign body,
peers into it again, puts it on again.) Nothingto be done

15. 5. Food
Estragon and Vladimir eat vegetables
Pozzo eat chicken
It symbolizes class difference
VLADIMIR:Do you want a carrot?
ESTRAGON:Isthat all thereis?
VLADIMIR:Imighthavesome turnips.
ESTRAGON:Giveme a carrot. (Vladimir rummagesin his pockets, takes out a turnipand gives it to Estragon
who takes a bite out of it. Angrily.)
It's a turnip
VLADIMIR:Oh pardon! I could havesworn it was a carrot.

16. 6. The Names
Godot symbolizes salvation that religion promises but nevercomes true
Estragon means “tarragon” in French,a green, fresh and elegant herb
Lucky,who is always in an unluckyand bad situation

17. Thank you for listening