'Godot' is a symbol of hope, search for meaning. "Waiting for Godot" is a wonderful play by Samuel Beckett. This is a tragicomedy two acts play.

2. ‘Godot’ as a Literary
Archetype
Prepared By
Rahul Desai
“Every word is like an unnecessary stain on
silence and nothingness.”
― Samuel Beckett

3. Self Introduction
Presented By :- Rahul Desai
Roll No :- 22
Semester :- 2
Paper No :- 107
Paper Name :- The Twentieth century Literature: From World War 2 to
the end of the century
Presentation Topic :- ‘Godot’ as a Literary Archetype
Submitted To :- Smt. S.B. Gardi, Department of English
(MKBhavnagar University)
Email ID :- rahuldesai477@gmail.com

4. Index
1. About Samuel Beckett
2. Overview of “Waiting for Godot”
3. What is literary Archetype?
4. Godot as the absent savior
5. The symbolism of ‘Godot'
6. ‘Godot' as a catalyst for reflection
7. Psychological interpretations of ‘Godot'
8. Archetypal themes in ‘Godot'
9. Psychological implications of ‘Godot' as an Archetype
10.The influence of ‘Godot’ on existential thought
11.Some examples
12.Conclusion

5. About Samuel Beckett
● Beckett was born on a Friday the 13th, April 1906,
the Good Friday of April and he was died on the
before Christmas, 1989.
● He was an author, critic, and playwright, and
winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969.
● He wrote in both French and English and is
perhaps best known for his plays, especially En
attendant Godot (Waiting for Godot).
● Beckett has worked to develop a metaphorical
language that conforms to this Viconian precept.
● Beckett’s writing often centers on three main
themes: living, thinking, and creating. In his works
of art he uses the lot of art and imaginary in
certain ways. (Rabinovitz)

6. Major works of Beckett
Murphy (1947)
Endgame ( 1958) Watt (1959)
En attendant Godot
(1952)

7. Overview of ‘Waiting for Godot’
● Waiting for Godot was a true innovation in drama and the Theatre of the
Absurd's first theatrical success. The tragicomedy in two acts.
● The play consists of conversations between Vladimir and Estragon, who are
waiting for the arrival of the mysterious Godot, who continually sends word
that he will appear but who never does.
● Absurdist playwrights, therefore, did away with most of the logical
structures of traditional theatre.
● Theatre of the Absurd, dramatic works of certain European and American
dramatists of the 1950s and early ’60s who agreed with the Existentialist
philosopher Albert Camus’s assessment, in his essay “The Myth of
Sisyphus” (1942), that the human situation is essentially absurd, devoid of
purpose. (watson)
● Themes: humour and the absurd, waiting, time, hope, humanity, nihilism
and many more.

8. What is Literary Archetype?
● Samuel Johnson was the first literary critic to use the term “archetype” in
its modern sense. An archetype (ARK-uh-type) is an idea, symbol,
pattern, or character-type, in a story. It’s any story element that
appears again and again in stories from cultures around the world
and symbolizes something universal in the human experience.
Archetypes are always somewhat in question. After all, no one
has studied every culture in the world, that would be impossible,
so we never know for sure whether something is truly universal.
(Lane)
● Some Examples:
● The most famous example of an archetype is the Hero.
● After the Hero, the most common archetype is probably the
Trickster.
● Another archetypal character is the Anti-Hero, who has many of
the attributes of a Hero but is not a traditional “good guy.”
Batman, for example.

9. Godot as the Absent Savior
● The word 'saviour' may refer to a person who helps people achieve
salvation, or saves them from suffering and injustice at some point of
time.
● Since the 'Saviour' is absent, waiting for that Saviour becomes the
unifying factor for all of those 'believers' in the saviour.
● Godot’s savior may connected with the religious perspect.
● The saviour is a general idea found in one way or another in human
communities, though they differ in their belief according to each
community's culture, religion, and nationality.
● Godot is the absent savior of hope, existentialism, beliefs and other many
more motifs. (Hadi)

10. The symbolism of ‘Godot’
● ‘Godot’ can be interpreted as a symbol of the
unattainable and the unreachable, reflecting
the human condition of longing for something
beyond reach.
● The character of ‘Godot’ embodies the idea of
waiting, uncertainty, and the passage of time
without resolution.
● ‘Godot’ serves as a mirror for the characters
and the audience, prompting reflection on the
nature of existence and the quest for
meaning.

11. ‘Godot’ as a catalyst for reflection
● The presence of ‘Godot’ in the play prompts the
protagonists, Vladimir and Estragon, to question
their own identities, beliefs, and purpose.
● The ambiguity surrounding ‘Godot’ encourages
introspection and contemplation about the
nature of human relationships and the search
for meaning.
● Through the character of ‘Godot’, Beckett invites
the audience to ponder the significance of
waiting, hope, and the unknown in the human
experience.
● Beckett portrayal the absurdity in human
condition, the vanish of hope and many more
things.

12. Psychological Interpretations of ‘Godot’
● Psychologically, ‘Godot’ can be seen as a projection of the character’s
inner desires, fears, and uncertainties.
● The concept of ‘Godot’ may represent the human tendency to expectations
onto an external figure or event.
● ‘Godot’ symbolizes the existential angst and longing for fulfillment that
permeates human consciousness and drives the character’s actions in the
play.
● In the play Vladimir and Estragon has keep searching for meaning and
quest for hope and Godot.
● ‘Godot’ play a vital role in the play. Godot represented the hope to happen
something good. It suggested the human condition while waiting is
become a central thing in human life. (Santurri)

13. Archetypal themes in ‘Godot’
● ‘Godot’ embodies the archetype of the enigmatic
figure who holds the promise of salvation or
resolution but remains elusive and undefined.
● The theme of waiting, uncertainty, and existential
questioning in ‘Waiting for Godot’ resonate with
archetypal motifs found in myth, folklore, and
literature.
● Through the character of ‘Godot’, Beckett explores
universal themes of hope, despair, and the search
for meaning that transcend cultural and historical
boundaries.
● Creator of a huge imaginary and art in thoughts,
ideas, and many certain things.

14. Psychological implications of ‘Godot’ as
an Archetype
● The archetype of ‘Godot’ taps into the human psyche’s yearning for
answers, closure, and resolution in the face of uncertainty and
ambiguity.
● ‘Godot’ symbolizes the tension between the conscious desire for
fulfillment and the subconscious fear of disappointment and
disillusionment.
● As an archetype, ‘Godot’ challenges individuals to confront their
own beliefs, expectations, and existential dilemmas in the quest for
meaning and purpose.
● Existentialism of ‘Godot’ is it depend on the choices and matter of
exist.

15. The influence of ‘Godot’ on Existential
Thought
● Existential thought is a philosophy that emphasizes individual existence,
freedom, and choice. It is the view that human define their own meaning in
life, and try to make rational decisions despite existing in an irrational
universe.
● It focuses on the question of human existence, and the feeling that there is
no purpose or explanation at the core of existence.
● ‘Godot’ is a hope in a human life and human’s own existence, and their
own choices.
● ‘Godot’ is a representation of quest for meaning of life, and counter to this
nothingness in life.
● ‘Godot’ is a existential thought to create something new and build a power
to create something meaningful in works of art. (Hadi)

16. Some examples
● "The Stranger" by Albert Camus :-
The protagonist Meursault's existential detachment and search for
meaning can be seen as a form of waiting for an understanding or
revelation about life's purpose.
● "The Trial" by Franz Kafka :-
Josef K.'s ongoing trial and quest for answers in a bureaucratic and
absurd system mirror the theme of waiting for resolution or justice,
akin to waiting for Godot's arrival. (Kavanagh)
● Historical Figures (Real life example) :-
Nelson Mandela's years of imprisonment before becoming South
Africa's president represent a period of waiting for freedom and justice.

17. Conclusion
‘Godot’ as an archetype represents the human quest for meaning,
purpose, and resolution in the face of uncertainty, ambiguity, and
existential angst. Beckett explores the themes of waiting,
existence, hope, absurd and many more. The waiting is for
something to happen good and hope for the unknown person who
can able to remove all the pain and darkness from thoughts.
Godot creates a mysteries around the certain ways and we can
also identify the archetypes of Godot in many ways.

18. Citations
● Hadi, Ameer Abd. “The Image of the ‘saviour’ in Waiting for Godot and Islam: A Thematic Comparative
Study.” Psychology and Education Journal, Feb. 2021,
www.researchgate.net/publication/368062068_The_Image_of_the_’Saviour’_in_Waiting_for_Godot_an
d_Islam_A_Thematic_Comparative_Study. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.
● Kavanagh, Thomas M. “Kafka’s ‘The Trial’: The Semiotics of the Absurd.” NOVEL: A Forum on Fiction,
vol. 5, no. 3, 1972, pp. 242–53. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1345282. Accessed 6 Apr. 2024.
● Lane, Lauriat. “The Literary Archetype: Some Reconsiderations.” The Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism, vol. 13, no. 2, 1954, pp. 226–32. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/425915. Accessed 29 Mar.
2024.
● Massoud, Mary M. F. “Beckett’s Godot: Nietzsche Defied.” Irish University Review, vol. 40, no. 2, 2010,
pp. 42–53. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/29777265. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.
● Rabinovitz, Rubin. “Beckett and Psychology.” Journal of Beckett Studies, no. 11/12, 1989, pp. 65–77.
JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44783061. Accessed 2 Apr. 2024.
● Santurri, Edmund N. “Kierkegaard’s ‘Fear and Trembling’ in Logical Perspective.” The Journal of
Religious Ethics, vol. 5, no. 2, 1977, pp. 225–47. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40017729.
Accessed 2 Apr. 2024.
● Watson, George. “Beckett’s ‘Waiting for Godot’: A Reappraisal.” The Maynooth Review / Revieú Mhá
Nuad, vol. 1, no. 1, 1975, pp. 17–35. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20557940. Accessed 29 Mar.
2024.