Religious Mythology in "Waiting for Godot"
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31185/lark.Vol2.Iss25.1084الملخص
Abstract
"Waiting for Godot" by Samuel Beckett may be considered one of the most famous plays in twentieth century, at the same time it may also be among the most controversial plays. Moreover, being attributed to the absurd theatre, adds ambiguity to its content. In this type of drama, there is not a real plot, so it is very difficult to the viewer to understand what is exactly meant by the writer of the text. The main question that has been discussed by many critics is; who is Godot? "Any interpretation that strives to know who Godot is (or is not), whether he is realistic character, whether he will ever come, whether he has ever come, or even whether he may have come without being recognized (or possibly in disguise) is, if not absolutely wrong, at least not absolutely right" Hutchings(1). Critics are of different views about the character of Godot in this play. Samuel Beckett himself didn’t give answer to this question when he was asked. He said that if he knew he would reveal but he claimed that he himself didn’t know. Classical works always have the possibility for being understood in different way. This might has been a good reason for Beckett not to reveal the real personality of Godot to make readers and critics think seriously about his characters.
This paper is an attempt to give an acceptable interpretation about this character. Depending on religious texts of New Testament, Old Testament and the holy Quran, the researcher is trying to give an approach about the personality of Godot consequently to prove that this character is taken from religious mythologies which are found in Beckett's mind. Revealing that personality of redeemer is referred in all last three religious books will be great evidence that Samuel Beckett was consciously or not, influenced by this idea and tried to criticize it according to his inclination to existential philosophy. So, this paper is divided into two main parts, firstly to prove that there are different hints about waiting for the redeemer in religious books, and second to prove that the author was influenced by these hints. The researcher will prove the first point by citing various texts from holy books that are speaking about the redeemer or related to waiting somebody who will come in certain period of this world, and second point will be proved by observing different items in the play which are related directly to religious characters. The reader will see how Beckett mentions more than three times in his play names of religious characters and this reflect the influence of such things on him.
المراجع
1. Hutching, Samuel Beckett's Waiting For Godot: a reference Guide, London, 2005,
2. .Harold Hoboson, Samuel Beckettt, Dramaist of the year, London:John Calder, 1956, p.57.
3. Samuel Beckett, Murphy(New York: Groe press,1963,p.269
4. Beckett, More Pricks than Kicks, London:Chatto & Windus, 1942, p. 43.
5. Martin Esslin, The theatre of the absurd, London,1968,p.33
6. Oxford dictionary, London, eight edition,2006, p.1287.
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8. Kamal al-haideri, Philosophyof Religion, Qum, first edition, p14.
9. Muhammad al-Shirazi, What is Islam, alnajaf, 2007, p 2.
10. The holy Quran, translated by Hamid Shakri, Qum, suratal Maaia,46, 47.
11.http://www.differencebetween.net/language/words-language/difference-between-myth-and-mythology. Retrieved on 15/11/2016. P.26
12. Chris Baldick, Literary Terms, United states, 2008,p.218.
13.ibid, p.217.
14. Chris Baldick, Oxford dictionary of literary terms,united states, 2008,p1.
15. Eugene Ionesco, Dans les arms de la ville, Paris, no 20, 1957
16. Martin Esslin, The theatre of the absurd, London,1968,p.23.
17.ibid,p.55.
18. New Testament, ISBN, third print, 2002, Acts,1.
19. Jeff Strong , Waiting is not something to be avoided or overcome, but to be embraced. / JUNE 24, 2015, essay on web.
20. Martin Esslin, The theatre of the absurd, London,1968,p.49
21. The Bible, ISBN, third print 2002, great britian, Isaiah 11, p.1053.
22. ibid, Revelation 11, p.1868.
23.ibid, Revelation 12, p.1869.
24. Holy Quran, translated by Hamid Shakiri, Qum ,first edition, b 21 (the prophets),105.
25. ibid, 24 The light (al-Nur), 55.
26.ibid,28 the Narratives (al-Qasas), 5,6.
27. Martin Esslin, The theatre of the absurd, London,1968,p.56.
28.Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot, London,third edition,1974, p.10
29. Martin Esslin, The theatre of the absurd, London,1968,p.53
30. ibid, p54.
31. Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot, Lonon, third edition, 1974, p.12.
32. ibid, p.37
33.ibid, p.47
