Existential Absurdities, Ethical Resilience and Modern Nihilism in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot

Author(s)

Dr. Abhilasha Rohilla

Keywords

Absurdity, Existentialism, Modern Nihilism, Ethical Resilience, Philosophical Ambiguity, Existential Crisis, Waiting, Godot, Vladimir, Estragon, Repetition, Circularity, Meaninglessness, Alienation, Human Existence, Time, Uncertainty, Hope and Theatre of the Absurd.

Abstract

“Astride of a grave and a difficult birth. Down in the hole, lingeringly, the gravedigger puts on the forceps.” — Vladimir (Act 2) Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot is one of the most influential dramatic works of the twentieth century and a defining text of the Theatre of the Absurd. First performed in the early 1950s, the play presents two apparently homeless figures, Vladimir and Estragon, who spend an indeterminate period waiting for a mysterious figure named Godot, who never arrives. Through its circular structure, repetitive dialogue, fragmented communication, comic routines, and deliberate absence of conventional dramatic progression, the play challenges traditional assumptions about plot, character, time, purpose, and meaning. This research article offers a general analysis of the enduring absurdity represented in Waiting for Godot, focusing on the existential, philosophical, psychological, and theatrical dimensions of Beckett’s dramatic vision. The paper purposely states that the absurdity of the play does not arise merely from the strange circumstances of waiting but from the fundamental human desire to discover meaning in a world that repeatedly refuses to provide definitive answers. The play’s cyclical movement and repetition undermine the conventional notion of linear time, suggesting that human beings may remain trapped within recurring patterns of expectation and disappointment. Pozzo and Lucky add further dimensions of power, domination, dependency, suffering, and social inequality to the play’s existential landscape. The paper also examines Beckett’s use of silence, pauses, comic elements, minimal setting, and unconventional dialogue as theatrical strategies that transform philosophical uncertainty into a performative experience. Ultimately, Waiting for Godot remains enduring because its absurdity transcends its historical moment: it reflects the continuing human struggle to discover purpose, certainty, connection, and hope amid an uncertain existence.