Futility in Waiting for Godot - Essay Plan

Practice Exam Essay Plan

Explore the ways Beckett creates a sense of futility in Waiting for Godot

Introduction

-          Beckett was linked to a movement known as the ‘Theatre of the Absurd’ that focused on the abandonment of traditional dramatic form to portray the futility of human struggle in a meaningless world.

-          Throughout the play, Beckett establishes the idea that if the world is devoid of logic and reason, then man’s presence in such a world become purposeless.

-          The play presents anxiety, despair and sense of loss at the disappearance of solutions, lack of commitment and death of perseverance on the part of human beings who are in turn left bewildered, troubled and threatened by powerful forces prevalent in the society.

Paragraph 1

-          Point: The keynote of the play is present in the first words of Estragon, “Nothing to be done” which is a refrain that is reiterated throughout the play. à This (alongside the description of the barren landscape) sets the nihilistic tone of the play.

-          This line introduces one of Becketts key themes; the indifferent and arbitrary presence of humanity.

-          In the first Act, after Pozzo and Lucky depart, Estragon says “Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, it’s awful!” à He is repeating the chorus of the play, articulating once more the boredom that cannot be abated by Pozzo and Lucky.

-           As an audience, we know that none of these statements are true. This tension produces one of the great ironies of the work. Lots of things are indeed happening, even if the characters do not see it, their boredom is providing action for the audience.

Paragraph 2

-          Point: The division between language and action pervades the play; exemplifying their inability to have any agency over their lives and how the characters are at the mercy of a nihilistic world.

-          As Act Two begins, with no real pretence, both Vladimir and Estragon claim to be happy,

V: Say I am happy.

E: I am happy.

V: So am I.

E: So am I.

V: We are happy.

E: We are happy [silence] What do we do now, that we are happy?

V: Wait for Godot.

The way in which they profess their happiness is sceptical; instead of offering a rational basis for their apparent feeling, they will themselves into exclaiming it into existence. The stichomythic dialogues give a repetition and sing song rhythm that suggests more of a ritual than a genuine expression. The crux of the futility lies in the conclusion to this dialogue, despite this new found (albeit fake) feeling they are still left…