Q) Comment on the significance of the title of Waiting for Godot.

(10 marks)
Ans) Waiting for Godot is a modern play written by Samuel Beckett, it was first performed on
5th January, 1953. This play has modern art in it as per critics. It is also known as an absurd play
and it was performed under genera of the absurd theater. The English play Waiting for Godot is a
translation of the play he originally wrote in French, under the title En attendant Godot. The
French phrase has the literal meaning of waiting for Godot, but far more than the English,
conveys the sense "while waiting for Godot," with more emphasis on what happens while waiting
than on Godot's eventual arrival (or failure to arrive).
This play contains five characters and only two of them are visible protagonist, named
Vladimir and Estragon. The other three characters are Pozzo (master), Lucky (servant), a boy (or
two) and last but not the least is Godot, for whom they are waiting in entire play. The
protagonists of this play are waiting for Godot and so it is one of the reasons why the play is
named as Waiting for Godot. It is clear that Godot is someone or something, which is to come
and is really important that two people are constantly talking about and waiting for it. Here we
find Aristotles rule of tragedy that, tragedys title can be based on some important characters
name. This plays title itself indicates waiting for something, quest for something, and wishes for
something. It plays vital role to create a curiosity among the audience about this play from the
beginning. We often hear Estragon and Vladimir converse.
Estragon: What are we doing here?
Vladimir: Waiting for Godot.
In Waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett produces a truly cryptic work. On first analysis the
play, one is not sure of what, if anything, happens or of the title character's significance. In
attempting to unravel the themes of the play, interpreters have extracted a wide variety
symbolism from Godot's name. Though he seems to create greater symbolism and significance in
the name Godot, Beckett actually rejects the notion of truth in language through the
insignificance of the title character's name. This play is merely presenting boredom, waiting,
ignorance, pain, suffering. This play shows the sufferings of humanity. Human life is full of
alienation, loneliness, in quest of something, mainly in quest of identity only. Pozzo, himself,
affirms the lack of meaning in a name as he periodically refers to "Godin . . . Godet . . . Godot . . .
anyhow you see who I mean. By correctly naming Godot, Pozzo would give too much
significance to the name. In refusing to even regard the name as important, Pozzo communicates
the misleading nature of Beckett's language and acts appropriately. Waiting for Godot is so to
speak, a play about the philosophy, which underscores the incomprehensibility and therefore the
meaninglessness of the universe. The anxiety that, man feels upon being confronted with the
fact of existence; thereby confirming the suitability of the title.
The source for the full title of the play creates some kind of vagueness in the mind of the
audience. It is monotonous by nature. Some critics have suggested a connection between Godot
and Godeau, a character who never appears in Honore de Balzac's Mercadet. The frustration of
waiting is a part of Balzecs play and the same frustration we can find in Samuel Becketts play.
Martin Esslin has heartily endorsed another suggestion and so have several commentators.
According to another suggestion, the title of Becketts play comes from Simone Wills play
Waiting for God. It has been pointed out that Beckett and Simone knew each other well and that
Becketts play appeared a year after the publication of Simones. The influence of Will on Beckett
is thus a distinct possibility. If this view be accepted, then Waiting for Godot can be understood
as a religious allegory. While many critics have noted the sonic relationship between "Godot" and
"God" in English, this parallel does not really apply to the original French text, as the French word
for God is "Dieu," which does not bear any obvious relationship to "Godot." According to yet
another view, the source of the title for the play was Odetss Waiting for Lefty. It is believed that
the name Odets might have itself have suggested to Beckett the name Godot. There is still
another possibility Becketts title may have its source in Tom Kromers book called Waiting for
Nothing.
This title, Waiting for Godot simply means that this play is about waiting. It just shows that
story about waiting must be there in play. To wait means to delay movement or action until the
arrival or occurrence. It means this title shows lack of action on the stage. It merely is about
waiting for something named Godot. It is also known as action less plot and as absurd play and

modern play. But the main curious part of this title is the name Godot.It has no meaning at all
from one point of view,but from another it has so many interpretations and meanings. It depends
on the readers thoughts that how they look at Godot and what they are looking for as Godot.
When Samuel Beckett was asked about Godots meaning he replied calmly: If I knew I would say
so in the play. But basically we can say that in French language Godo means Eau (water),
means something which gives life and in English language Godo means God again a powerful
factor, which is deeply rooted in our life. In Irish, Godo is usually uses for God. So these are
some basic and meaningful interpretations of the title.
What makes the title significant is that drama and dramatic criticism before the advent of
modernism emphasized plot and action. We generally think of waiting as a stage prior to action.
In other words, we "wait" for something to happen. In using the word "waiting" in the title of his
play, Beckett is suggesting that the play breaks with the tradition of drama-as-action and instead
offers us something different, a pure view into the characters in a state of inactivity. The
significance of the title rests on the situational irony that the wait for Godot is entirely trifling.
Yet, the collateral dynamics that result from this abortive task are as illogical as the wait itself.
Within an existentialist context, the wait is symbolic of human reality. It is the amalgamation of
our need for hope, purpose and direction versus the reality that there is no absolute law that
explains any hope, purpose, or reason for anything. Realistically, our lives are a product of
perspective and upbringing, not to mention the eternal debate of nature versus nurture. Hence,
we all wait in different ways: praying, hoping, meditating, thinking ahead, or stopping altogether.