Waiting for Godot #3

Vladimir: Christ! What has Christ got to do with it? You're not going to compare yourself to Christ!
Estragon: All my life I've compared myself to him.
Vladimir: To-morrow everything will be better.
Estragon: How do you make that out?
Vladimir: Did you not hear what the child said?
Estragon: No. He said hat Godot was sure to come to-morrow.


The fact that Estragon compares himself to Christ acts to diminish the image of religion as a whole. Also, it shows that he, if not both of them, are not very religious or have poor judgement. Therefore, it shows that their view of Godot may be exaggerated or simply false. If they view Christ as the same as a man, they could view Godot as greater than one.

Vladimir's statement that he pretended not to recognize Pozzo and Lucky prior suggests that he has met them before. This indicates that the actions presented in the first act of the play may have happened before, calling attention to events that occur outside the frame of the play. The same thing occurs when Vladimir asks the boy if he came yesterday, revealing that they were waiting yesterday with the same result. This suggests that the same events have been going on for some time, therefore the two acts of the play are merely two instances in a long pattern of ceaselessly repeating events. This use of syntaxical and event repetition conveys time and how everything is connect and actually all the same. The play is a mircocosm for life and the fight against man and society. The end of Act I establishes Vladimir and Estragon's hopelessness. Even when they both agree to go, and Vladimir says "Yes, let's go," the two men do not move. Even their resolution to go is not strong enough to produce action. This inability to act renders Vladimir and Estragon unable to determine their own fates. Instead of acting, they can only wait for someone or something to act upon them.

Waiting for Godot #2

Estragon: You're not Mr. Godot Sir?
Pozzo: I am Pozzo! Pozzo! Does that name mean nothing to you?
Estragon: Bozzo...Bozzo
Pozzo: PPPOZZZO!
Estragon: Pozzo...no...I don't seem to...
Vladimir: I once knew a family called Gozzo. The mother had the clap.
Estragon: We're not from these parts.
Pozzo: You are human beings none the less. As far as one can see. Of the same species as myself.


The introduction of Pozzo and Lucky act both as parallel to Estragon and Vladimir and drives the plays use of repeatition and confusion. In this passage itself, Vladimir and Estragon view Godot as the important figure, while Pozzo and Lucky view Pozzo as the important figure. However neither opposite group agree with the other views, which convey the confusion in position in the world and knowledge. It seems that Estragon and Vladimir represent humanity as they are two of the few characters in the play. Also, when Pozzo first enters, he notes that Vladimir and Estragon are of the same species as he is, "made in God's image." Later, when Pozzo asks Estragon what his name is, he replies "Adam." This comparison of Estragon to Adam, the first man, suggests that he may represent all of mankind and this link between Estragon and Adam also relates to the idea of Godot as God.
Repetition of events in the play is emphasized even more by textual repetition. When Vladimir and Estragon alternate short lines back and forth, Estragon often repeats himself at the end of a string of lines. This occurs for the first time when they go,
Estragon: The circus.
Vladimir: The music-hall.
Estragon: The circus.