Author: Tawhida Akhter, Suad Abdullaziz Al- Kadery

Abstract: This paper explores Samuel Beckett’s absurdist masterpiece, Waiting for Godot 1953, through an existential lens, focusing on the interplay between Nihilism and the human condition. The play portrays Vladimir and Estragon. Two characters perpetually waiting for the enigmatic Godot whose arrival holds the promise of meaning or salvation. However, Godot’s constant absence and the play’s cyclical structure evoke a sense of futility and the potential meaninglessness of existence. Their wait seems pointless, reflecting a nihilistic view where life has no inherent meaning or grand purpose. By depicting the characters' struggle with nihilism and the absurd, Beckett challenges us to confront the absurdity of life in which modern literature delves. This paper will focus on the modern theories, Existentialism and Nihilism, and how the play embodies core existential themes and the struggle of the main characters to confront with their freedom and responsibility to create their own meaning in a different world. By exploring nihilism and existential themes, the paper sheds light on Waiting for Godot as a profound exploration of human search for meaning in a potentially meaningless universe.

Keywords: Nihilism, existentialism, absurdity, meaninglessness, human condition.

Article Info: Received: 16 Sep 2025; Received in revised form: 14 Oct 2025; Accepted: 18 Oct 2025; Available online: 22 Oct 2025

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.105.71