Waiting For Godot Essay Example

On one hand, human life seems pegged on the hope that tomorrow is going to be better than today, and every bad experience will be erased by good experiences in the near future. On the other hand, life can be complex and without meaning, leading to a sense of hopelessness. As a result, life is a battle between hope and hopelessness. Nothing brings out this reality better than Waiting for Godot. In the play, Waiting for Godot, there is a thin line between hope and hopelessness, and the characters appear diametrically opposed to each other.
At the beginning of the play, scene 1, Act 1, Vladimir seems transfixed, hanging is head low and looking at the ground in deep thought. He tries to remove his shoe, but he cannot. He then remembers his experience of the previous night. It is a painful one. He was in a ditch. At this point, his life seems miserable and without direction. Estragon then offers him a sense of hope, reminding him about the two thieves crucified with the savior and one of the thieves who was saved. The incident shows that Estragon is hopeful; he has pegged his life on chance. While talking to Vladimir, he says, “..it is a reasonable percentage.” The statement reveals that he is hopeful, unlike Vladimir.
On the contrary, Vladimir laments that the narrative about God is the only thing that people know about and foolishly fall for without thinking deeply. This is yet another pointer that Vladimir has lost every glamor of hope. He cannot trust in the things unseen anymore.
The juxtaposition of hope and hopelessness side by side has a lot of significance on the play. One, the author makes uses this juxtaposition to connect emotionally with the viewers. It makes the play authentic because hope and hopelessness are things that people experience daily. Secondly, the juxtaposition of hope and hopelessness creates a conflict that the author pursues throughout the play thus developing his story. The contrast also makes the story appealing.
In conclusion, Waiting for Godot, is a play that juxtaposes hope and hopelessness side by side. Vladimir seems hopeless, while ‘Estragon remains hopeful. However, the juxtaposition of the two themes seems makes the play interesting and makes the story authentic.