Religious Interpretations in 'Waiting For Godot'

Name: Hina P.Chauhan
Sem: 3
Roll No. : 10
Batch: 2018-20
Enrollment No. : 2069108420190006
Paper No. :   9, The  Modernist  Literature.
Topic:   Religious Interporetations of ‘Waiting For Godot’s

Email ID: hinachauhan36511@gmail.com
Submitted to: Smt.S.B.Gardi Department Of  English,M.K.Bhavnagar University.

vIntroduction:

Samuel Beckett was well-known Irish Playwright, Poet and Novelist. He was Influenced by his fellow Irish writer James Joyce.

“Waiting For Godot is the Master piece of Samuel Beckett. ‘Waiting For Godot’ is known as the classic work of Absurd theatre. ‘Waiting For Godot’ is multilayered drama and it has its various interpretations. though it seems absurd; A Play has its very deep religious meaning. ‘waiting For Godot’ is mainly interpreted as the play of theatre of absurd and as Existentialist literature also, but it is Christian allegory and it has various religious interpretations.

The theory Existentialism is strongly there but the play also can be related with religious interpretations too. Other important aspects like Poilitical and Psychoanalytical are also there in the Play.

The play ‘Waiting for Godot’ is about the storey of two thieves, waiting for second coming of Jesus Chris,we relate it with Hindu philosophy,Avtara and many other interpretations.

Christian mythical interpretations in ‘Waiting For Godot’

To answer the question about the theme of ‘Waiting For Godot’, Beckett has refered to sentence by St.Augustine that;

“Do not Despair: one of thieves was saved.,

Do not presume: one of thieves was damned.”

The whole play is about the theme of the two thieves on the cross, about uncertainity of life, hope for salvation. The two characters Vladimir and Estragon are as Tramps or thieves in the play. at the starting of the play Vladimir referes that;

“ One of the thieves was saved, its a   reasonable percentage.”

In act-1 also he referes this many times. Vladimir is shown as talking about repentence . He severel times says to Estragon to wait for mR.Godot and he tells reason that if they won’t wait Mr.Godot will otherwise punish them.

 Though Beckett has written these dialogues in light mood and in funny way but it has deep and strong meanings.

“Vladimir: One of the thieves was saved. It’s a reasonable percentage. Estragon: What?

Vladimir: suppose we repented.

Estragon: Repented what? Vladimir: Oh…we swouldn’t have to go into the details. Estragon: Our being born?”

It shows that Vladimir has faith in the myth and he has been craving for salvation. He wants to be one of the thieves, who was saved.

In the second act, while passing the time, they thinks  and talks about dead voices, it also shows that they are thinking about their past acts and evaluating their own deeds. Vladimir and Estragon talk incessantly because they want to hear the ‘dead voices’ which explore the mysteries of being and the self to the limits of anguish and suffering.

There is another Christian myth depicted in the dialogues between Vladimir and the boy. The boy, who looks after the goats is not beaten. But, his brother who looks after Mr. Godot’s ships is beaten. This incident refers to myth of two sons of Adam Cain and Abel. There too the Lord’s grace fell on one rather than other without any rational explanation.

Here Godot acts similarly to Jesus Christ. We can interprete it as God’s punnishment or God’s nature of giving punnishment. And for that Vladimir gives reason to Estragon that if they don’t wait for Mr.Godot,he will punnish them.

The act of waiting and Vladimir’s dialogue to boy that;

“Tell him that you saw me”

-shows that he is waiting for damnation. And the thought of repentence is also present in the play.

So, we can say that the play has very strong effect of Christian Ideas of salvation and repentence and it includes its myths.

Ø      Second Coming and Mr.Godot:

One of the popular interpretations of Waiting For Godot is the second coming aspect. ‘God’ is one of the meanings of Mr.Godot is none other but ‘God’, and many clue4s and evidences in the play symbolically says that Mr.Godot is God.

Religious interpretation posits Vladimir and Estragon as humanity waiting for the elusive return of a saviour. This interpretation makes pozzo into the pope and Lucky into the faithful. Another evidence is the title itself; the name ‘Godot’ also proves it. The name suggests ‘God’-OT it must have some significance. And it must be interpreted religious way. It is also seen in the dialogues between Vladimir and the boy.

Ø “Waiting for Godot” with Hindu philosophy and ideas:

In Hindu religion, there is also an idea of an ‘Avatar’ for whom people are waiting (God).  Though the play has not much connection with Hindu religious ideas, it can be interpreted and connected with some philosophical and spiritual ideas as the play is multi-layered.

The concept of ‘Nothingness’ can be interpreted with Hindu philosophy, According to it, the world and everything, every action is ‘Maya’ has no meaning but only ‘illusion’. Other interpretation of Hindu philosophy says, ‘karma’, the act must be done. The dialogue of Vladimir,

“Let us do something while we have the chance….Let us make the most of it, before it is too late!”

This ‘performative’ potency suggests the finally achieved actions means ‘karma’.

There are several other interpretations of Hindu philosophy and spirituality can be possible. The idea of hope as waiting (without dying) is also a Hindu philosophic idea. Though it has no connection with Hindu ideas, it is worthy to be studied with many interpretations.

vConclusion:

It is strongly believed that the play has ideas of existentialism. But event to support existentialism, writer shows religious ideas. And he also tries to deconstruct it. Consciously or unconsciously, writer presents many Christian myths and Biblical images.

As biography suggests, Beckett knows about all the Christian philosophical, spiritual ideas from childhood. So, the play has many Christian values like repentance, craving for  salvation, faith in God, fear of God and hope for to be saved, and ‘coming of Mr. Godot’. Even Vladimir’s character is full with Christian values like he feeds and helps Estragon as true friend, he wants to help Pozzo and has desire to be saved.

As it is discussed earlier, “Waiting for Godot” has many Biblical, Christian symbols.