The Psychological Aspect of Waiting for Godot

Beckett condemns humanity that’s ailing from positive schizophrenic disorder, whereby the symptoms are hallucinations and delusions. The protagonists are in a treacherous illusion that their “personal god” (30) can resolve their existential crisis and indulge in complex metaphysical arguments resorting to the tormenting Wait for “Godot”. Pozzo is entangled in his intricate net of timelessness. On the contrary, Lucky isn’t in an impoverished state of spirituality as he has accepted the absurd revelations of life despite his grotesque living conditions.

The plot circulates in a cyclical time loop whereby time does not flow in a linear fashion but is a reoccurring continuum. There is no closure to this sombre time loop, but with every cycle humans are more degenerated. Another pertinent idea delves into notions of how time has been manipulated throughout the plot from its cyclical structure in the play to its delusional and endless nature. A fascinating idea to consider is, when we ecstatically wait for something; then even few hours seem like days. This can be explicative of the human condition that constantly desires Godot to resolve their existential crisis. Then, he doesn’t show up, but humans continue to wait onwards. Therefore, an abrupt life span feels eternal in our conceptual reality.

Beckett critiques the ludicrous perspectives of protagonists who continually formulate prejudiced notions of an external being to replenish their curiosity for meaning in life. When humanity contemplates their existence through a distorted lens, they are essentially in a deprived condition. This philosophical idea can also be explored in Lucky’s epiphanic monologue when he contemplates God outside an extension of time, that is omnipresent. He ridicules religious perspectives, formatting the “Personal God” and attempts of us “ignorant apes” (10) to create images of gods and manipulate religion to obtain power in societal spaces. A more efficient lens to dissect life is to be a spiritual person who accepts the ludicrous nature of life. So, humans are like spiritual beggars, constantly in search for existential theory and purpose.

Modernity is a grotesque illusion. Ultimately, men have lost their security and are dictated by their personal gods. If, this euphemistic "advancement" continues, the earth will ultimately become an abode of stones and humans, a speck of the void, still dictated by religion. Our physical dimension, continually being degenerated and humans, slaves of their subconscious. Living in ignorance, waiting to die. “Nothing to be done.” (12)

“Waiting for Godot” is an absurdist commentary that delves into dimensions of the psychological mind; specifically pertaining to how it’s employed by humans to formulate prejudiced notions of a personal god that helps resolve the grotesque existential crisis consuming them. The setting is replicative of a null, void and vacuum like structure of our subconscious mind, that engages in ludicrous metaphysical and conjectural discourse to inflict a meaning on life. The play is erected on a cyclical time loop with distinct nonsensical repetition of events creating conceptions of a cerebral prison. Beckett contemplates how we must transcend this prison of our subconscious and truly access the physical dimension of our reality; time by accepting the absurdity of life or decay into nothingness. By procuring our epiphanic reality that we are born astride the grave, it would be vacuous to live under the delusion that time has stopped. Examination of form asserts that repetition is a prominent motif throughout the plot and contributes to the cyclical structure of the play. Stylistic features of metaphors, symbolism and absent voices are employed to expound on the abundant imagery creating dramatic effects contributing to the tragic-comedy genre. The bleak, apocalyptic setting (A country road. A tree. Evening.) enforces the notion of the subconscious mind and the dismal, mundane atmosphere present throughout the play. Beckett employs the persona of Lucky to starkly critique the grotesque notion of humans forming prejudiced religious gods to salvage a nihilistic purpose.

Scrutinizing life by manipulating the subconscious to construct “personal gods” is illustrated when the protagonists have a vague conception of time. Humans create “personal gods” (29) and impart an image onto them giving it a “white beard” (29). Lucky further goes on to criticize religious gods suffering from “divine heights” (29) to resolve our sins. The endless wait for our “personal god” (29) that’s “outside time” (29) has caused humanity to “waste and pine” (30). Repetition plays an instrumental role in the development of the cyclical structure. Ideas of “alimentation and defecation” (29) form a monotonous, recurring continuum, whereby every generation engages in ingestion and excretion, and our “personal gods” (29) dictate us while we live in ignorance. This incessant wasting and pining;” Waiting for Godot” has distorted our conception of time, stretching it and making It feel endless. This is illustrated in Lucky’s prediction of the dystopian future of humanity “in the year 600 something” (30). As, if the play was composed in 1946, how can “600” (29) be the future. The ludicrous, endless wait is making time flow slowly rendering the human life span seem eternal. Beckett establishes that life will ultimately degenerate into nothingness, “earth abode of stones…great cold” (30). This destruction commenced with ‘subjective idealism’ by “Bishop Berkeley” (30), pertaining to physical reality is just a projection of our subconscious causing humans to consciously conjugate themselves with their unconscious mind instead of their reality. The protagonists continually contemplate the arrival of Godot by offering vague alternatives, “…. Saturday? … is it Saturday? Is it not … Sunday? (Pause.) … Monday? (Pause.) Or Friday?” (11) and have “defective” memory. If viewed logically, most religions (Godots) would span millennials. However, as time has virtually stopped in our subconscious, this process is condensed into weeks as our unconscious mind isn’t entrapped by physical dimensions of space and time. Stylistic features of repetition are further emphasized when Vladimir continually repeats, “we are waiting for Godot” (10). This monotonous “Wait” makes time virtually endless and life a tormenting quest for a nihilistic purpose. Humanity has lost all its sense of security and men have become a meaningless “speck of the void” that strive to make life meaningful despite that fact that it does not have any. Beckett formulates a motif of Vladimir and Estragon being “tied to Godot” (15), making life a tormenting, constipated torture. Beckett appeals to the notion that humans are a tragic comedy, essentially “ignorant apes” (10). Ironically, the rope that ties Vladimir and Estragon to Godot is the same rope they possibly used to potentially hang themselves.

Beckett contemplates annihilating the cerebral prison by acknowledging the absurdist notion of life. By foregoing ignorant analytical lenses to dissect life, life wouldn’t be a sombre wait. In modern society, “time has stopped” (25) and become redundant which is a treacherous illusion. By constantly waiting, time has become non-existent for humans that are entrapped in a null and meaningless void. Beckett inputs Pozzo’s speech to explicate the notion of humans constantly living in spaces of self-inflicted torture (subconscious), with “accursed time” (58). He employs punctuation and repetition to create dramatic effects asserting that this is the moment of epiphanic realization. The excessive incorporation of exclamation marks and commas create long pauses causing theatrical effects. The distinct repetition of “When! “(58), “one day” (58), “the same” (58) further enhance this moment of self-introspection that life is minute, and death is abrupt. Pozzo in this distinct, exhilarating moment examines memory. His revelations of time explicate that as time passes instantly and memory is essentially useless. Hence when questioned, Pozzo does not give a factual response, but something more abstract, “One day” (58), “The same second” (58). The abruptness of time is further illustrated when humans are given “…birth astride of a grave” (58) and the “…light gleams an instant” (58). Then, inevitably we will degenerate into nothingness and “it’s night once more” (58). Beckett speculates how we must accept the absurdity of life like the “willow tree” (10) camouflaging in its near vicinity and abandon the tumultuous wait for Godot rendering hope in configuration of tree having “…leaves” (43). Consequently, Beckett fabricates a notion of the stagnating human condition, expounded in the quote, “…. not speak ill of our generation…not any unhappier than its predecessors” (22). Examining this, generation after generation, the same things reoccur. Beckett argues everything in this world is fixed, the “laughter” (22) and “tears” (22) are in constant quantity as time has virtually stopped due to the sombre waiting. Time is the distinct quantity that asserts order and chaos in our lives simultaneously. The protagonists continue to live on due to their wait for Godot but, get tormented by the same wait. Lucky constantly upholds the burden of his bags despite Estragon questioning “...why doesn't he put down his bags” (17). Beckett inputs this motif to showcase one must withhold the burden of life to have conception of time. The sand in Lucky’s bag (57) metaphorically showcases an hourglass. Hence, if Lucky puts the bags down; sand will not flow. But, if Lucky hold the bags and continually moves; he we will be liberated as time will flow and not be distorted in his conceptual reality. This concept is starkly like the myth of Sisyphus; Who accepted the meaningless of his reality rather than experiencing life as grotesque torture.

Beckett appeals to the tragicomedy genre of humans by constructing the play in a cyclical time loop, consciously repeating plot points as the play progresses. Analysing Vladimir’s soliloquy, there is distinct repetition of events. The dog “came running in …. kitchen” (37) and “stole a crust of bread” (37). Despite, this violent act, this action was commenced again instituting that humanity will never abandon the wait for “personal gods” (29). The rhyming of (bread, dead) and (tomb, come) creates an eerily lively tone emphasizing on repetition. The setting is starkly null and void in both scenes, having a desolate country road and a barren tree. The plot circulates with Pozzo and Lucky’s return, but more decayed. Beckett constructs the play on numerous ambiguous notions. He deliberately described the tree as being “covered with leaves” (43), leaving the audience to contemplate how much redemption is present for humanity. Beckett resolves his inner turmoil of finding meaning by resolving his conscience. This is expounded in Vladimir’s epiphanic moment, “was I sleeping while the others suffered, are we sleeping now?” (58). This quote delves into notions of self-introspection, whereby Vladimir understands the abrupt nature of his life. He foregoes his delusion that time is endless and realizes the minuscule time given to ameliorate society. Instead of incessantly “Waiting for Godot” we must respond to the “cries” (58) of help. Vladimir, despite his epiphany, “does not move” (62) and there is no closure to the sombre, tragic time loop. Beckett foresees a dismal, dystopian future in which everything will degenerate into nothingness, and the window for redemption is minute.

“Waiting for Godot” effectively exposes the ludicrous societal perceptions of God and illustrates the concept of mankind being in a state of spiritual poverty and deprivation. All the characters indulge in highly complex metaphysical arguments pertaining to their nihilistic purpose and assert the darkness of human existence. Vladimir and Estragon resolve their anxiety and turmoil by waiting for their personal god. Pozzo is entangled in his intricate net of timelessness. Ironically, it’s who’s Lucky is not in a state of grotesque spiritual poverty because he accepted the absurd revelations of life despite his ailing living conditions.