By Eric Houdek
In Waiting For Godot, the character Estragon casually proposes hanging himself. A dialogue insues, as follows
ESTRAGON:
What about hanging ourselves?
VLADIMIR:
Hmm. It’d give us an erection.
ESTRAGON:
(highly excited). An erection!
VLADIMIR:
With all that follows. Where it falls mandrakes grow. That’s why they shriek when
you pull them up. Did you not know that?
ESTRAGON:
Let’s hang ourselves immediately!
VLADIMIR:
From a bough? (They go towards the tree.) I wouldn’t trust it.
ESTRAGON:
We can always try.
VLADIMIR:
Go ahead.
ESTRAGON:
After you.
VLADIMIR:
No no, you first.
ESTRAGON:
Why me?
VLADIMIR:
You’re lighter than I am.
ESTRAGON:
Just so!
VLADIMIR:
I don’t understand.
ESTRAGON:
Use your intelligence, can’t you?
Vladimir uses his intelligence.
VLADIMIR:
(finally). I remain in the dark.
ESTRAGON:
This is how it is. (He reflects.) The bough . . . the bough . . . (Angrily.) Use your
head, can’t you?
VLADIMIR:
You’re my only hope.
ESTRAGON:
(with effort). Gogo light€”bough not break€”Gogo dead. Didi heavy€”bough
break€”Didi alone. Whereas€”
VLADIMIR:
I hadn’t thought of that.
ESTRAGON:
If it hangs you it’ll hang anything.
VLADIMIR:
But am I heavier than you?
ESTRAGON:
So you tell me. I don’t know. There’s an even chance. Or nearly.
VLADIMIR:
Well? What do we do?
ESTRAGON:
Don’t let’s do anything. It’s safer.
In this dialogue, hanging, which would certainly lead to their death, is viewed as a way to just pass the time. The implications of death, and ending their own lives, are presented in a minimalistic, non-important light. By presenting the end of one’s life as unimportant, life itself is shed in a non-crucial light.