Nihilism and Existentialism and Absurdity, oh my!

Waiting for Godot explores, or may just be, the human condition. While looking at the human condition, there are many lens one may use to observe the spectacle of life. Three philosophical views on Godot are Nihilism, Existentialism, and Absurdity. Looking through these lenses changes one's view on the story, but also adds a new dimension, a deeper level on which the mind ponders, "What exactly just happened?"

Nihilism is the philosophical belief that nothing matters. There is no value attached to anything, and nothing on earth even matters. This view seems pessimistic at first; but it is actually quite freeing. To know that nothing matters really breaks the holds that commercialism and consumerism have on our everyday lives. In Waiting for Godot, Vladimir and Estragon act without a care in the world. The treat their lives as meaningless- even going as far as to commit suicide just because they are bored. However, their nihilistic attitudes have procured a childlike innocence, as well as the everlasting hope for a better tomorrow knowing nothing can hurt them today.

Existentialism is the art of thinking. Think about life- why you are alive, what's the purpose of your life, does life even have a purpose? Don't think too hard; you'll hurt yourself. This train of thought allows the mind, particularly the subconscious, to roam free. While you are busy examining life's toughest questions, questions which do not have an easy answer, your mind wanders and small revelations are revealed. It is these small revelations in which we find life. Vladimir and Estragon have nothing but free time to talk to each other and think. They know they are waiting for Godot to come, but why exactly are they waiting? What is Godot going to offer them. Will Godot ever show up? While pondering these questions, Didi and Gogo have "meaningless" conversation, which reveals the truth that humans crave the company of others, as well as the hope that brighter days are coming.

Absurdity, by definition, is the quality or state of being ridiculous or wildly unreasonable. Most, all, of Waiting for Godot is absurdity. The conversations, the setting, the characters and their actions are all absurd. Pozzo has Lucky on a leash. The tree grows leaves overnight. But all these "absurdities" are normal in the world of Godot. Would they look at our world and find things we deem normal as absurd? Such as the rigidness of our everyday schedules, or that people lose faith in their dreams. What one sees as absurd, another sees as normal. In this way, is not everything an absurdity? And living in a world full of absurdities, is normal.