You will wait forever
我读荒诞派经典《等待戈多》
Waiting for Godot by the Irish writer Samuel Beckett is a play that I read last year, and truly it’s my favorite one. The story is about two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, waiting for the arrival of Mr Godot, whom they have never met. While they wait, Vladimir and Estragon engage in discussion about life. They also encounter (遇见) some minor characters.
My first impression of this work was not so positive as it is basically a story of nothing. Although the two main characters talk and discuss, what they say doesn’t seem to have a point. Many times, they just repeat what they have said a moment before.
And the story does not have an ending. The man whom Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for does not arrive and probably never will.
However, this work actually has a deeper and more profound (深远的) meaning behind its nihilist (虚无主义) words. The author uses nonsensical (荒谬的) lines and wordplay to reflect what he wants to show to viewers. The play is part of the movement called “The Theatre of the Absurd”. This is a philosophical concept (哲学概念) that is concerned with the desire to find the meaning of life and our inability to find one.
In this story, Vladimir and Estragon wait for someone and are quite sure the person will eventually come. This parallels the fact that we human beings spend our lives seeking the true meaning of life and are certain that at some point we will find it. But we will never find any meaning or purpose in life, just as Vladimir and Estragon, no matter how long they wait, will never meet Godot.
Godot, although he never shows up, is like a spiritual leader who gives people like Vladimir and Estragon hope and faith in their lives. The name “Godot” might tell viewers that the character is meant to stand for God.
