Introduction:
Postmodernism represents the rejection of the modernist tenets of
rational, historical, and scientific thought in favor of self-conscious,
ironic, and experimental works. Postmodernist authors abandon the concept of an
ordered universe, linear narratives, and traditional forms to suggest the
malleability of truth and question the nature of reality itself, dispensing
with the idea of a universal ordering scheme in favor of artifice, temporality
and a reliance on irony (eNotes.com, 2009).
One of the literary works that utilized postmodern approach is
Samuel Beckett’s drama, “Waiting for Godot”. Alongside, it is also considered
today as the most famous work in the Theatre of the Absurd, which took the
basis of existential philosophy, combined with dramatic elements to create a
style of theatre which presented a world that can not be logically explained.
“This genre of theatre used techniques that seemed to be illogical to the
theatre world. The plots often deviated from the more traditional
episodic structure, and seem to move in a circle, ending the same way it
began. The scenery is often unrecognizable, and to make matters worse,
the dialogue never seemed to make any sense” (Keys, 1999). This proposition
directly links “Waiting for Godot” and generally, the Theatre of the Absurd to
Postmodernists approach in literature, thus, according to eNotes.com (2009)
“…Much work classified as postmodern displays little attention to realism,
characterization, or plot. Time is often conveyed as random and disjointed;
commonplace situations are depicted alongside surreal and fantastic plot
developments, and the act of writing itself becomes a major focus of the
subject matter. Many works feature multiple beginnings and endings.”
According to Keys (1999), Samuel Beckett, born on April 13, 1906 (which
was both Friday the 13th and Good Friday), is the most famous absurdist
playwright. His plays focus on the themes of the “uselessness of human action,
and the failure of the human race to communicate”. He was made
famous by the play “Waiting for
Godot”. The characters of the play: Estragon. Vladimir Vladimir
and Estragon are waiting for Godot while futile conversations; until they meet
Pozzo and Lucky and the boy, creating another futile conversations; and finally
ends where it begins—Vladimir
According to Alain Finkielkraut as cited by Heartfield (2002), “No
transcendent or traditional authority, and not even a plain majoritarian one,
can shape the preferences of your postmodern man or regulate his behaviour…” Postmodernists
resist all authority and deconstruct each
and every scientific and moral certainty. Samuel Beckett, once said, "What
do I know about man's destiny? I could tell you more about
radishes." This paper focuses on the revelations of the futility of god in
man’s life, using postmodernist approach, as presented in Samuel Beckett’s
“waiting for Godot”.
Analysis
The story is a satiric
assault to Christianity. Figuratively, the drama presented Jesus Christ- the Messiah-
the God of Christian faith, in the character of Godot—a name who has been the
center of the story, but was a “no-show” in the progression of the plot. “Waiting
for Godot” figuratively denounced the Christian teaching of salvation through
Jesus Christ; and provides a message, reflective at the end of the story that Christians’
hope for salvation is nonsense, if not a lie; that waiting for the coming of
the Messiah will be forever if believers will never stop waiting or if they
never realize the truth. This idea is noticeable in the following dialogue:
ESTRAGON:
He should be here.
He didn't say for sure he'd come.
ESTRAGON:
And if he doesn't come?
We'll come back tomorrow.
ESTRAGON:
And then the day after tomorrow.
Possibly.
ESTRAGON:
And so on.
The point is—
ESTRAGON:
Until he comes.
You're merciless.
Through its scenes and dialogues, the drama presented several
teachings and practices of Christianity and tries to dismantle them, if one is
to reflect at the meanings insinuated by the totality of the story. The bible
says "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
(John 1:29). Prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah
43:11 said “I, even I, am the LORD, and
apart from me there is no savior.” Godot, being the representation of God
in the drama is realized in the message that is embedded in the following
dialogues:
Let's wait and see what he says.
ESTRAGON:
Who?
Godot.
ESTRAGON:
Good idea.
Let's wait till we know exactly how we stand.
Like Vladimir
I'm curious to hear what he has to offer. Then we'll take it or leave
it.
ESTRAGON:
What exactly did we ask him for?
Oh . . . Nothing very definite.
ESTRAGON:
A kind of prayer.
Precisely.
ESTRAGON:
A vague supplication.
Exactly.
ESTRAGON:
And what did he reply?
That he'd see.
ESTRAGON:
That he couldn't promise anything.
That he'd have to think it over.
ESTRAGON:
In the quiet of his home.
Consult his family.
ESTRAGON:
His friends.
His agents.
ESTRAGON:
His correspondents.
His books.
ESTRAGON:
His bank account.
Before taking a decision
Noticeably, this dialogue assaults several Christian
maxims such as: “In God’s time”, “Nothing is impossible with God”, “God has
better plans”. According to Lyotard as
cited by Heartfield (2002), “postmodernism was defined as a time when we could
do away with the ideologies upon which we had relied, as so many tall tales,
designed to make the listener happy and satisfied, but with no greater
significance.”
According to Fackerell (2007), “Postmodernism denies the existence
of an objective reality.” God is an objective reality. He is true in people’s
lives, true according to the Bible, and true in the consensus of reality of mankind.
But “Waiting for Godot” highlight’s man’s unfamiliarity of God or confusion, if
not a total alienation or a misinterpretation of God, based on what is written
in the Bible. This is also emphasized in the following conversation from Act 1:
ESTRAGON:
(undertone). Is that him?
Who?
ESTRAGON:
(trying to remember the name). Er . . .
Godot?
ESTRAGON:
Yes.
Man’s embezzlement about God was also manifested in another dialogue
from second act:
ESTRAGON:
I knew it was him.
Who?
ESTRAGON:
Godot.
But it's not Godot.
ESTRAGON:
It's not Godot?
It's not Godot.
ESTRAGON:
Then who is it?
It's Pozzo.
In postmodernism, according to Pope John Paul II, “nihilism has been
justified in a sense by the terrible experience of evil which has marked our
age, such a dramatic experience has ensured the collapse of rationalist
optimism, which viewed history as the triumphant progress of reason, the source
of all happiness and freedom…” In the drama, the line: “Nothing can be done.”
has been repeated many times, especially when the characters experience
difficulties; reflecting logically, this implies pessimism—the opposite of
being optimistic. In effect, people tend to lose hope, stop praying or question
the existence of God because of their extreme skepticism of His reality. Thus
according to Fackerell (2007) “Postmodernists believe that we create our own
truth, and that society creates us. They do not believe that there is an
objective truth which is "out there" whether anyone believes in it or
not. ‘bible-studies/truth claims’ are viewed with suspicion - as tools with
which one sub-culture seeks to impose its values and morality on
another.” Just like the character of Pozzo whom we could compare to churches, that
in some way or another treat people like Lucky—a slave. The following excerpt
from the drama shows how the members of churches, just like the character of
Lucky are capriciously manipulated by the church just like Pozzo.
POZZO:
(with magnanimous
gesture). Let's say no more about it. (He jerks the rope.) Up
pig! (Pause.) Every time he drops he falls asleep. (Jerks the rope.)
Up hog! (Noise of Lucky getting up and picking up his baggage. Pozzo jerks
the rope.) Back! (Enter Lucky backwards.) Stop! (Lucky stops.)
Turn! (Lucky turns. To Vladimir
Manipulation is due
to ignorance, Fackerell (2007) explained, “our perceptions do not necessarily
correspond to objective reality. The mind can be fooled.” This is also the
reason why postmodernist thinking requires skepticism because “all truth claims
can be deconstructed.” On the other hand the character of the boy can also be
compared to a church leader. A boy—meek, harmless, humble, innocent, honest,
etc. best fits a church leader—an image of goodness and holiness, just like a
boy. It should be noted that church leaders claim to be servants of God, just
like the boy who claimed to be the servant of Godot. And as a servant of God,
church leaders are also those who tell the people about the second coming of
the Savior, a role which was symbolized by the child who announced the details
about the coming of Godot but only falsity. Like the boy who minds the goats
tells that Godot is good, church leaders are the ones who mind the church and
tell that God is good.
BOY:
(in a rush). Mr. Godot told me to tell you he won't come
this evening but surely tomorrow.
Silence.
Is that all?
BOY:
Yes Sir.
Silence.
You work for Mr. Godot?
BOY:
Yes Sir.
What do you do?
BOY:
I mind the goats, Sir.
Is he good to you?
BOY:
Yes Sir.
He doesn't beat you?
BOY:
No Sir, not me.
The inconsistency
of man’s interpretation of the Bible is also manifested by the boy as he
becomes forgetful when upon seeing Vladimir
BOY:
Mister . . . (Vladimir
Off we go again. (Pause.) Do you not recognize me?
BOY:
No Sir.
It wasn't you came yesterday.
BOY:
No Sir.
This is your first time.
BOY:
Yes Sir.
Silence.
Furthermore, the
non-appearance of Godot throughout the story shows God’s futility over man as
manifested by the events in the life of Vladimir
We'll hang ourselves tomorrow. (Pause.) Unless Godot comes.
ESTRAGON:
And if he comes?
We'll be saved.
ESTRAGON:
Well? Shall we go?
Pull on your trousers.
ESTRAGON:
What?
Pull on your trousers.
ESTRAGON:
You want me to pull off my trousers?
Pull ON your trousers.
ESTRAGON:
(realizing his trousers are down). True.
He pulls up his trousers.
Well? Shall we go?
ESTRAGON:
Yes, let's go.
They do not move.
The fact that no
Godot was found in the story is conclusive with the postmodernists’ perspective
that there is no God. Copan (2007) stated, “…one of many modernist projects
assumed that human dignity, truth, and reason could be preserved without God.” Accordingly,
Fackerell (2007) explained, “Postmodernism says that objective reality does not
exist, that reality is created…we create our own truth, and that society
creates us. We should not impose our viewpoints on others and we should tolerate
everything.” The Bible said in Mark 10:27, “With men it is impossible,
but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” Let this statement be
given due respect, but one has to remain skeptic of its reality. Anyone could
claim that something is truth but is actually a falsity. The maxim, “to see is
to believe” is very applicable in present times because of the many
uncertainties that the world is offering. Skepticism helps as a manner of
self-preservation. Thus, according to Miguel de Unamuno (1864-1936), “The
skeptic does not mean him who doubts, but him who investigates or researches,
as opposed to him who asserts and thinks that he has found.” There is god,
there is no god—skepticism remains.
References
Copan, Paul. (2007) What is
Posrmodernism. Retrived at
http://www.4truth.net/site/c.hiKXLbPNLrF/b.2950205/k.7A9C/What_is_Postmodernism.htm
eNotes.com (2009) Postmodernism Introduction.
Retrieved at
http://www.enotes.com/twentieth-century-criticism/postmodernism/introduction
Heartfield, James. (2002) The ‘Death of
the Subject’ Explained. Sheffield Hallam UP.
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