Duality and pairs are a common technique in literature. It is used in various genres and eras. Duality is used by the authors to show differences or, conversely, to emphasize the similarities of certain characters, places, times or actions.
For example, thanks to the pairs in the work, the author can show two extremes, giving the reader the opportunity to compare and draw their own conclusions. This technique allows the reader to draw parallels and build their own opinion. The author, through these techniques, can influence the plot, symbolism, structure of the narrative and raise deep questions. Each manifestation of duality in the work has its own meaning. It happens that the two extremes are brought to the point of absurdity. So we see such an example of duality and pairing in the work “Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett.
Everything that exists in Beckett's work has a pair with the exception of Godot himself and the tree. One of the main couples in the work is the pair of Vladimir and Estragon. They are both sitting by a tree waiting for a certain Godot. They look the same initially, nevertheless some characteristics indicate that they are two different parts of the whole. Vladimir and Estragon seem to make up for each other's shortcomings.Their pair represents the whole of humanity.
Estragon is more focused on his feelings, mainly suffering, than on intelligence and reasonable thoughts. If we imagine that each of their pairs represents a part of a person, then Estragon would be a body. Vladimir is a more logical and intelligent character in the play, he displays a mind. “Vladimir often sees religious or philosophical implications in their discussions of events, and he interprets their actions in religious terms; for example, he is concerned about the religious implications in such stories as the two thieves who were crucified on either side of Jesus.( www.literaturewise )”. Vladimir is also the only character who remembers what happened from one day to another.
One more pair of characters in the work are Pozzo and Lucky. “Beckett uses the character lucky, who is no more than a slave, to demonstrate that he is no more restricted than the others who consider themselves free; in actual fact, Lucky may be less restricted than the others because he is at least conscious of his confinement” (Samuel Beckett’s Use of Pairs, Doubling or Binary Oppositions in Waiting for Godot. (2022, Jun 09). Beckett uses Lucky's character to show that despite his slavery, he is no more imprisoned than others.
He carries Pozzo's suitcase and completely obeys his will. Despite the fact that Lucky is a slave, he is at least aware of his imprisonment and therefore, perhaps, even freer than the rest of the characters. Here we can draw an analogy with the fact that Vladimir and Estragon are in thrall to the idea of waiting for a certain Godot, having no guarantees for his appearance. While Lucky is given orders and told what to do, he is at least not introduced to himself and knows that he is needed.
There is also a character in the work who presumably may have a pair. An unnamed boy who twice comes to Vladimir and Estragon with the message that Godot is not coming. Despite the fact that the boy is represented in the work as a single character “In act two, the boy claims to be different from the boy of act one, but then again Pozzo claims in act two that he did not meet Vladimir and Estragon in act one” (www.litcharts.com). The boy portrays his role under Godot akin to that of a farmhand or overseer, tending to Godot's animals. Inquiring if Vladimir wishes to convey a message to Godot, Vladimir requests the boy to inform Godot that he has been seen by Vladimir.
All the characters with the exception of Godot, who appears in the work indirectly from the words of the main characters, have a pair. Thus, the theory that the boy actually has a brother, one of whom leads sheep and the other goats, seems real and even logical.
As mentioned earlier, the tree and Godot appear in the work without a double. Godot is interpreted as God or happiness and satisfaction, which Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for, but in the end they will never reach it. The play is saturated with questions of nihilism and the meaninglessness of life, which makes it clear that the expectation of the main characters is senseless and unsuccessful. Obviously, the tree also has a biblical connotation. Jesus was crucified on the cross, but the cross is also often called a "tree". In "Waiting for Godot," Samuel Beckett employs the symbolic representation of a tree to delve into the profound themes of existence and the quest for meaning in life.
The play intricately examines these concepts through both religious and absurdist lenses, challenging the very essence of human purpose. Through a hermeneutic exploration with theological undertones, the religious symbolism within the play invites a deeper contemplation of the fundamental questions surrounding human existence and the search for significance. The fact that Vladimir and Estragon decide to hang themselves from a tree may also be a reference to the crucifixion. But while Jesus died for the sins of others, Vladimir and Estragon will die for nothing, which again emphasizes the meaninglessness and absurdity of their existence.
In the end, even Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" itself is divided into 2 acts that mirror each other and show almost the same events. So, for example, in the first act, Estragon arrives at the tree first, while in the second act Vladimir comes first. It is also clear that the 2 days displayed in the play show the cyclicity of events. They are a reflection of many days in the past and days in the future that will continue endlessly.
In conclusion, Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" masterfully uses the theme of duality and pairing. The juxtaposition of the characters to each other, for example Pozzo and Lucky, helps the author to reveal such topics as the dynamics of power, cyclicity and subjection. The pair of Vladimir and Estragon reflects the relationship of opposites in human experience. Moreover, the duality goes beyond the relationship of the characters and examines broader existential themes. Beckett encourages the reader to reflect on hope, despair, purpose and futility through the lens of duality.
Sources:
- https://www.literaturewise.in/mdl/mod/page/view.php?id=234
- https://9lib.net/article/duality-and-dualistic-narrations-in-literature.q2n08r52
- https://youtu.be/jYbxMZTSfu4?si=qdrVsMO7vpjTmdSj
- Samuel Beckett's Use of Pairs, Doubling or Binary Oppositions in Waiting for Godot - Free Essay Example - Edubirdie