Symbolism In 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 …show more content…
While the description of the setting is sparse and minimalist, it does mention two crucial components: a road and a tree. The road can be interpreted as representing a person’s journey through life, or more specifically, a Christian’s journey towards an unknown end, which is heaven in most cases. The nondescript tree can have many interpretations, but from a religious standpoint, it is most reminiscent of the Messiah’s cross. While crucifixion during those times was considered a desolate and final ending, the Bible turned it into the ultimate symbol of sacrifice and new beginnings. Thus, the use of a tree in the setting indicates that Vladimir and Estragon are in the beginning of their journey towards an unknown end. However, it is later suggested that everything that is occurring has occurred before because Act II was extremely similar to Act I in terms of plot, dialogue, and …show more content…
The author uses setting to make Waiting for Godot a criticism of Christianity, as well as the overall idea of religion. It is clear that Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for Godot without knowing the exact reason why, and look to him for most of their decisions. When the two characters cannot decide whether to commit suicide to pass the time, Vladimir suggests, “Let’s wait and see what he says” (Beckett 10). By showing the dependence of Vladimir and Estragon on someone that they do not know, Beckett is criticizing the tendency of religion to base decisions on the intangible. Instead of doing something out of their own will, Vladimir and Estragon leave every decision to Godot, who seems like a higher power. As a result, the circumstances surrounding the two characters never seem to change, and they always end up in the same place as before. In accordance with existentialist ideas, this serves to suggest that Vladimir and Estragon are ultimately restricted by their unending wait for Godot, and that people are restricted by their constant search for a divine power that will give them a purpose in life, proving the futility of