TO WHAT EXTANT VLADIMIR AND ESTRAGON ARE METAPHORS OF HUMANITY IN "WAITING FOR GODOT"?

Q:     TO WHAT EXTANT VLADIMIR AND ESTRAGON ARE METAPHORS OF

HUMANITY IN "WAITING FOR GODOT"?

Q:      VLADIMIR    AND     ESTRAGON   ARE REPRESENTATION OF MAN IN

GENERAL. ACCEPT OR REJECT THE STATEMENT.

Q:     MAJOR CHARACTERS IN "WAITING FOR GODOT" ARE HUMAN BEINGS

IN SEARCH FOR MEANINGS IN THE MEANINGLESS, HOSTILE UNIVERSE.

Ans:

Authors bring into play different modus operandi in their writings. Samuel Beckett makes use of allusions and references to characters to help the reader understand what the characters stand for.

In his drama Waiting for Godot, Beckett's two main characters, Estragon and Vladimir, are symbolised as man. Separate they are two different sides of man, but together they represent man as a whole. In Waiting for Godot, Beckett uses Estragon and Vladimir to symbolize man's physical and mental state. Estragon represents the physical side of man, while Vladimir represents the intellectual side of man. In each way these two look for answers shows their side of man. Estragon has his shoes. Vladimir has his hat. When Estragon takes off his shoes "he peers inside it, feels about inside it, turns it upside sown, shakes it..." Through this action it is relevant that Estragon is searching for something from his boot, but unable to recognize it. This symbolizes man's side of using physical ability to answer questions. Vladimir on the other hand continues to look into his hat. Vladimir constantly "Takes off his hat, peers inside it, feels about inside it, shakes it, puts it on again".

Through this action Vladimir is shown to be searching for answers in his hat, which symbolizes his using knowledge and his intellectual capability for solving problems. Both Estragon and Vladimir are searching for what the reader assumes to be the key to life's problems. When they continue to do this throughout the drama, it expresses the fact

that they are searching and will continue to search until they find what they are looking for. Vladimir is more practical, and Estragon is more of a romantic. In the drama, Estragon wants to talk about his dreams. Vladimir doesn't want to. He cannot stand to hear about the dreams that Estragon has. When Estragon wakes up from falling asleep he says, "I had a dream". Vladimir answers with "Don't tell me". Another example is that Estragon often forgets events as soon as they happen or within a day, while Vladimir, on the other hand, remembers past events. This is shown when Pozzo and Lucky enter into the scene in the second act. Estragon and Vladimir see two men coming. Vladimir recognizes it as Pozzo, from the day before, but Estragon does not recognize him. The conversation starts with

"Vladimir: Poor Pozzo I knew it was him who? Godot. But it's not Godot. It's not Godot? It's not Godot. Then who is it? It's Pozzo."

This exchange in dialog shows that Estragon does not recognize Pozzo, and Vladimir has to tell Estragon who it is. The two of them are dependent on each other. Estragon is beaten every night by mysterious men. Vladimir acts as his protector. He sings to him, helps him take off his boots, and covers him with his jacket. Every night they part, yet they find each other every morning and start another day of waiting. In each act, Estragon and Vladimir talk about hanging themselves form the tree. During this exchange of words, Estragon suggest that they hang themselves from a near by tree. Vladimir is the one who is particle and explains why they can't hang themselves. The physical side and the intellectual side is shown through Estragon's and Vladimir's actions, as well as their words. They have a friend ship that is bonded by their differences. Without one another they would be lost, just like without the intellectual side of man, the physical side would be lost, and visa versa.