Existentialism in Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot Essay...

Existential philosophy became prevalent in the twentieth century as a symbol of the destruction of culture and tradition following World War II, asserting the hopelessness of humanity and focusing on life in a more honest but pessimistic manner than other socialistic philosophies. The philosophy recognizes the fact that humankind is capable of great evil and has limitless possibilities, yet this is a curse rather than a blessing: we are condemned to be free and are thus held accountable for our actions. The ludicrousity, however, is found in the existentialist belief that life has no purpose, and while the choices that we make are irrelevant on grand scale, they ultimately influence our self-definition. Jean-Paul Sartre postulates that†¦show more content†¦Beckett?s characters constantly suffer as a direct result of this inability to understand: they ponder repenting about what Proust calls ?the sin of being born? and make references to Christ?s suffering: ?Vladimir: What?s Christ got to do with it? Estragon: All my life I?ve compared myself to him ?. And they crucified quick!? (Beckett 57) While Estragon?s reference to the crucifixion displays his sympathy towards human deterioration, it also implies that while Christ?s suffering was relatively short, life is a long struggle. In Proust?s understanding, to be born is to be a sinner, and thus man is condemned to suffer despite any choices he makes. Beckett?s pessimism is understandable, as he lived through two World Wars fighting in the second against the Nazis. Inevitably, he would have witnessed the horrors of war and the pointlessness of violence, waiting helplessly during the war for something to happen ? a long suffering compared to Christ?s untimely death. Beckett was clearly synonymous with the belief that death is the only certainty and salvation is never a guarantee. In the same approach, Sartre states that we live in a world of freedom and ontological responsibility where there are no certainties. Realization of uncertainty is impossible without self-awareness, and anxiety results from the recognition due to t he fact that the individual is surroundedShow MoreRelated Sartre’s Existentialism in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot1572 Words   |  7 PagesSartre’s Existentialism in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot Critics often misunderstand the quintessence of Sartre’s philosophy. 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