Beckett’s play “En attendant Godot” is centred around two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, who are waiting for the arrival of “Godot”, someone they admit they know little about and might not even recognise when he presents himself “Estragon – Pour ma part je ne le reconnaitrais meme pas” ( “En attendant Godot” p.29). I believe that this illustrates that the identity of “Godot” is irrelevant and that what is in fact an important element is the act of waiting for someone that never arrives. The human condition is defined as something which “encompasses all of the experience of being human. As mortal entities, there are a series of biologically determined events that are common to most human lives and some that are inevitable for all.” (Wikipedia) and the act of waiting is certainly one of those experiences. In the play Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for the arrival of someone they call “Godot”, he never arrives and while Estragon and Vladimir wait on stage, the audience wait in their seats. I believe the play would have been equally effective entitled “E n attendant”, this title depicts the true subject of the play as it dramatises the events that unfold during the characters wait for “Godot” but never his actual arrival.
In the play the chief protagonists’ wait for “Godot”; for something to relieve their boredom. “Godot” can be understood as one of the many things in life people wait for. Through the course of the play Vladimir and Estragon keep trying to think of ways to entertain themselves while they wait.
“Vladimir – Qu’est ce qu’on fait maintenant ?
Estragon – on attend....