Often referred to as a play in which nothing happens, it is about two characters who spend their time waiting for a mysterious person called Godot who never appears. Given the play's deep exploration of the absurd humor and feelings of alienation that arise from this nihilistic understanding of the world, one could say that Waiting for Godot is, at its core, about nothing.Waiting for Godot is a play by the Irish writer Samuel Beckett that revolutionised 20th century theatre when it was first performed more than 60 years ago. This seems to describe the world of the play, largely emptied out of meaning, emotion, and substance, leading to characters who blather on endlessly in insignificant conversation. Deriving from the Latin word for 'nothing' ( nihil), it is a worldview centered around negation, claiming that there is no truth, morality, value, or-in an extreme form-even reality. Broadly defined, nihilism is a denial of any significance or meaning in the world. Audience members might at times feel uncomfortable and want, like Estragon, to leave, but are bound to stay, in case Godot should actually arrive later in the play.Īll of this waiting for nothing, talking about nothing, and doing nothing contributes to a pervasive atmosphere of nihilism in the play. Just like Estragon and Vladimir, the audience waits during the play for some major event or climax that never occurs. Beckett has deliberately constructed a play where not only his characters, but also his audience wait for something that never happens. The boredom of the characters on-stage mirrors the boredom of the audience. Both Vladimir and Estragon repeat throughout the play that there is 'nothing to be done' and 'nothing to do.' They struggle to find ways to pass the time, so they end up conversing back and forth about nothing at all-including talking about how they don't know what to talk about-simply to occupy themselves while waiting. As a result of this endless waiting, both Vladimir and Estragon are 'bored to death,' as Vladimir himself puts it. Estragon repeatedly wants to leave, but Vladimir insists that they stay, in case Godot actually shows up. Vladimir and Estragon spend the entire play waiting for Godot, who never comes. As Beckett's title indicates, the central act of the play is waiting, and one of the most salient aspects of the play is that nothing really seems to happen.

Play waiting for godot