Master or Servant, Acquaintance or Stranger: An Interpretation of the Binary Characters in Waiting for Godot

This thesis delves into the intricate dynamics of binary character relationships in Samuel Beckett’s seminal play Waiting for Godot through two central lenses: the master-servant dynamic and the acquaintance-stranger dichotomy. The first lens examines how Pozzo and Lucky’s relationship inverts Plato’s ideal of reason ruling over desire, presenting a world where unbridled desire (Pozzo) dominates and subjugates reason (Lucky). The second lens analyzes the relationship between Vladimir, Estragon, and the unseen Godot as a metaphor for the loss of faith in modern society. This exploration of Beckett’s binary characters offers insights into the broader existential and philosophical questions raised by the play, reflecting on how these dynamics resonate with the challenges of modernity and human experience.