Essay on Analysis Of Samuel Beckett 's Waiting For Godot

In the Bible, Jesus introduces the Great Commission to his disciples after resurrecting from the dead. Before ascending into heaven, he tasks his followers with spreading the word of God and preaching the salvation that comes with believing in the Messiah. He also says that he will return to Earth in the future, whereupon he will conduct the final judgement and deem those truly worthy of salvation. According to Christian doctrine, Jesus has not returned yet, leaving believers in a perpetual state of awaiting judgement, constantly seeking forgiveness and salvation. In the same way, Vladimir and Estragon in Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett are waiting for the arrival of Godot, but are never sure of when he is going to come. Through a variety of religious references and allusions, Beckett illustrates the existentialist theory that there is no divine authority to teach humans the meaning of life in the predicament of Vladimir and Estragon. At first glance, a reader might see neither patterns nor sense in the roundabout, whimsical nature of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. However, Beckett’s existentialist message is heavily reflected in the text with direct rejections of the idea of God and divinity. Moreover, the nonlinear passage of time and the repetitive nature of the play’s plot indicate that Vladimir and Estragon’s vigil for Godot is fruitless and pointless. Beckett attempts to convey his ultimate message of the futility of waiting through a combination of…