The Conscience of the Modern World: A Study of W. H. Auden’s War and Moral Vision

This blog is written as a task assigned by the head of the Department of English (MKBU), Prof. and Dr. Dilip Barad Sir. Here is the link to the professor's blog for background reading: Click here 

The First Poem by W. H. Auden: September 1, 1939:

Here is Infography of the poem : 

Here is presentation of the poem : 

 

Here is a videographic description In hindi:

Worksheet–1 : Using ChatGPT to Analyze Auden’s Poem “September 1, 1939”:

Introduction

W. H. Auden’s “September 1, 1939” stands as one of the most powerful poetic responses to the outbreak of World War II. Composed on the day Germany invaded Poland, the poem captures a world trembling under the weight of fear, uncertainty, and moral confusion. From a quiet bar in New York City, Auden reflects on the collapse of political ideals and the fragile condition of humanity. Yet the poem does not remain trapped in despair. Beneath its atmosphere of anxiety lies a searching question: can love and ethical responsibility rescue a world darkened by hatred? Through its reflective tone, symbolic imagery, and philosophical insight, the poem transforms a historical moment into a timeless meditation on human conscience.

About the Author

Wystan Hugh Auden (1907–1973) was one of the most influential poets of the twentieth century. Born in England and later becoming an American citizen, Auden’s career evolved from political engagement in the 1930s to spiritual and moral reflection in the 1940s and beyond. His early poetry often addressed social inequality and the rise of fascism. However, by the time he wrote “September 1, 1939,” his thinking had shifted toward deeper ethical concerns.

After moving to the United States in 1939, Auden increasingly emphasized individual responsibility, compassion, and spiritual renewal. This poem captures that transitional phase. It criticizes political failure while also searching for inner moral strength. Thus, it reflects both a historical crisis and a personal transformation.

Stanza 1 

The poem opens with the speaker sitting in a bar on Fifty-second Street in New York. This modern, urban setting reflects both physical crowding and emotional loneliness. Although surrounded by people, the speaker feels “uncertain and afraid.”

This fear is not only personal it represents the collective anxiety of the world as Germany invades Poland, beginning World War II. The bar becomes symbolic of moral confusion. It is a place of distraction and temporary escape, yet outside, history is shifting violently. Auden presents the modern individual as psychologically disturbed and morally unsettled.

Stanza 2

Here, Auden reflects on the 1930s, calling it a “low dishonest decade.” This powerful phrase criticizes the political failures of the time appeasement policies, broken treaties, rising fascism, and moral cowardice among leaders.

The “clever hopes” refer to intellectual ideologies and political optimism that once promised progress but ultimately failed. Democracies failed to stop tyranny. This stanza shows how war does not happen suddenly it is the result of years of deception and moral compromise.

Stanza 3

The perspective widens from personal to global. Auden describes “waves of anger and fear” spreading across the earth. The imagery of waves suggests something uncontrollable and recurring hatred spreads like a natural force.

War is not accidental; it is rooted in human psychology. Fear, resentment, and nationalism create a climate where violence becomes inevitable. The stanza highlights collective emotional instability as the real source of destruction.

Stanza 4 

Auden shifts deeper into psychological analysis. He suggests that political disasters originate from individual flaws pride, selfishness, and the desire for power.

This stanza implies that dictators are not isolated monsters; they reflect common human weaknesses. Totalitarianism grows when people surrender moral responsibility. The tragedy of history begins within the human heart.

Stanza 5

The poet observes people in the bar who “cling to their average day.” This image is powerful. Even as the world enters war, many individuals continue their daily routines, pretending nothing has changed.

This represents social indifference. People prefer comfort over confrontation. Auden criticizes this passive attitude, suggesting that moral blindness among ordinary citizens allows injustice to grow.

Stanza 6 

The “blind skyscrapers” symbolize modern civilization. They are tall and impressive but morally blind. This metaphor criticizes capitalism and industrial progress that focus on material growth while ignoring ethical responsibility.

Economic power has replaced spiritual values. Society worships success and ambition but neglects compassion and humanity. The modern world is technologically advanced yet spiritually empty.

Stanza 7 

In this reflective stanza, Auden admits his limitation: “All I have is a voice.” He cannot stop armies or change political systems. However, he can speak truth.

The “folded lie” represents propaganda, political deception, and nationalist myths. The poet’s role becomes moral rather than political. Through language, he can resist falsehood. Poetry becomes a tool of ethical resistance.

Stanza 8 

The famous line “We must love one another or die” delivers the poem’s central message. Love here does not mean romantic affection it means empathy, mutual understanding, and moral responsibility.

Without love, humanity will destroy itself through hatred and war. Auden suggests that survival depends on compassion. The line transforms the poem from observation to urgent moral appeal.

Stanza 9 

In the final stanza, Auden humbly describes himself as “composed like them / Of Eros and of dust.”

• Eros represents desire, love, and life-force.

• Dust represents mortality and weakness.

Human beings are both passionate and fragile. Yet despite this vulnerability, the poet wants to show an “affirming flame.” This flame symbolizes hope, courage, moral clarity, and faith in humanity’s ability to choose love over hatred.

The poem ends not in despair but in quiet determination.

Major Themes : 

1. Moral and Political Decay

Auden presents the modern world as spiritually exhausted and ethically compromised. His powerful description of the 1930s as “a low dishonest decade” reflects not only political failure but moral collapse. Diplomacy was guided by fear and self-interest rather than justice; truth was sacrificed for temporary peace.

Importantly, Auden does not place blame solely on political leaders. He extends responsibility to the general public who tolerated corruption and allowed deception to flourish. The decay of society, therefore, is collective. The war becomes the inevitable outcome of prolonged ethical weakness.

2. Collective Guilt and Human Responsibility:

One of the poem’s most disturbing insights is that evil is not external it is internal. The lines:

 “Those to whom evil is done 

 Do evil in return” 

express the tragic cycle of resentment and revenge that fuels history. Violence reproduces itself.

Auden challenges the comforting idea that dictators alone are responsible for war. Instead, he suggests that pride, fear, insecurity, and hatred exist within all individuals. Unless people examine themselves, they unconsciously contribute to systems of oppression. The poem thus moves from political commentary to moral introspection. History reflects human psychology.

3. Alienation and Urban Isolation:

The New York bar serves as a symbolic setting for modern alienation. Surrounded by others, the speaker feels isolated and “uncertain and afraid.” The people around him cling to routine, attempting to preserve normalcy while the world shifts into crisis.

The “blind skyscrapers” intensify this theme. They represent impressive material progress but moral blindness. Urban life appears dynamic and powerful, yet spiritually hollow.

Auden captures the paradox of modernity: technological advancement without emotional connection. In such isolation, empathy weakens and indifference grows.

4. Hope, Love, and Redemption:

Despite its somber tone, the poem ultimately offers hope. The declaration:

“We must love one another or die”

is not sentimental but urgent. Love here means ethical responsibility, mutual recognition, and compassion across divisions. It is a survival principle, not merely a virtue.

The concluding image of the “affirming flame” symbolizes resilience the persistence of conscience even in darkness. Auden suggests that while large systems may collapse, individual acts of love and truth can still illuminate the world.

5. The Role of the Poet and the Power of Truth:

When Auden writes, “All I have is a voice,” he acknowledges his political powerlessness. Yet he insists on the importance of speech. The poet’s task is “to undo the folded lie” to resist propaganda, expose hypocrisy, and preserve moral clarity. In times of crisis, truth becomes a radical act.

Auden redefines poetry as ethical engagement. The poet cannot stop war, but he can defend conscience. Language becomes a quiet but powerful form of resistance.

6. History and Human Nature:

The poem reflects on the repetitive patterns of history. Human beings repeatedly succumb to the same weaknesses pride, fear, nationalism, and indifference.

Auden implies that war is not destiny but consequence. Unless individuals cultivate moral awareness, societies will continue repeating past mistakes. This insight makes the poem timeless. Though rooted in 1939, its warning applies to any age marked by division and moral confusion.

Language, Imagery, and Structure:

Auden’s language is deceptively simple yet philosophically rich. The conversational tone creates intimacy, while the reflective passages introduce intellectual depth. This balance makes the poem both accessible and profound.

Imagery

The imagery is structured around powerful contrasts:

• Darkness — “blind skyscrapers,” “darkened lands,” “waves of anger and fear” symbolize ignorance, unrest, and moral confusion.

• Light — “ironic points of light” and “an affirming flame” represent conscience, resistance, and hope.

The tension between darkness and light reinforces the poem’s central struggle between despair and redemption.

Structure

The poem consists of nine eleven-line stanzas, a carefully controlled form that contrasts with the chaos of war. The regular structure reflects the poet’s attempt to impose moral order on historical disorder.

At the same time, enjambment and rhythmic variation convey emotional turbulence. Form and feeling interact, mirroring the instability of the age.

Historical Context

“September 1, 1939” was written on the very day Nazi Germany invaded Poland, marking the official beginning of World War II. Europe was already destabilized by the Great Depression, the economic consequences of the Treaty of Versailles, and the rise of fascist and totalitarian regimes. Political systems had failed to prevent aggression, and faith in progress and rationality had begun to crumble.

Auden had recently moved to the United States, placing him at a physical distance from Europe’s crisis. Yet emotionally and morally, he remained deeply engaged. Writing from New York, he reflects both the anxiety of the moment and the broader disillusionment with modern civilization.

His references to “the enlightenment driven away” and “the clever hopes expire” reveal disappointment in the belief that reason and science alone could guarantee peace. The poem challenges the optimistic assumption that humanity inevitably progresses toward improvement. Instead, Auden suggests that without moral awareness, progress becomes hollow.

Thus, the poem functions both as a historical response to 1939 and as a timeless warning about the recurring weaknesses of human nature.

Personal Insights and Ideas:

Exploring “September 1, 1939” reveals how Auden transforms political catastrophe into a meditation on personal morality. What struck me most was the persistent imagery of light and darkness. It beautifully captures the tension between despair and the possibility of renewal.

The line “We must love one another or die” resonated deeply with me. It does not feel exaggerated or sentimental; rather, it sounds urgent and necessary. In a world still divided by conflict, nationalism, and mistrust, the statement feels profoundly relevant.

Auden’s humility “All I have is a voice” also stood out. It reflects the modern condition of feeling small in the face of global crisis. Yet it also reminds us that truth-telling and empathy remain powerful acts. Even when political influence seems limited, moral courage matters.

For me, the “affirming flame” symbolizes inner resilience the quiet determination to remain compassionate, honest, and humane despite surrounding darkness. It suggests that hope does not require grand gestures; it begins with individual conscience.

Conclusion:

W. H. Auden’s “September 1, 1939” remains one of the most profound poetic reflections on war and moral crisis. Through disciplined structure, vivid symbolic imagery, and philosophical clarity, Auden captures both the fear and fragile hope of a world on the brink of destruction.

The poem’s enduring message that love, truth, and moral awareness are essential for human survival continues to resonate across generations. By ending with the prayer to “show an affirming flame,” Auden leaves readers not in despair but in responsibility.

Even in history’s darkest hours, conscience can still shine and that light, however small, may be enough to guide humanity forward.

The Second poem by In Memory of W. B. Yeats:

Here is Infography of the poem : 

Here is presentation of the poem : 

  

Here is a videographic description In hindi:

Worksheet 2 In Memory & Epitaph on Tyrant:

The Last Poem by W. H. Auden: “Epitaph on a Tyrant”: 

Here is Infography of the poem : 

Here is presentation of the poem :

 

Here is a videographic description In hindi:

Worksheet - 3   "Epitaph on a Tyrant" by W.H. Auden :

Part 1: Understanding Difficult Couplets:

Most Challenging Couplet:

 “When he laughed, respectable senators burst with   laughter, 
 And when he cried the little children died in the   streets.” 

Explanation:

This couplet is the heart of Auden’s moral and political critique. The first line shows the tyrant’s ability to manipulate those in power. “Respectable senators” are meant to represent reason, wisdom, and governance, yet they blindly mirror his emotions out of fear or ambition. Auden’s use of “respectable” is deeply ironic; it mocks the hypocrisy of those who appear dignified but lack moral courage.

The second line intensifies the horror: the tyrant’s private emotion crying translates into public tragedy, where innocent children suffer and die. This stark contrast between laughter and death highlights the imbalance of a world where one man’s whims dictate life and death. The imagery shifts from the palace to the streets, contrasting privilege and power with vulnerability and suffering.

Cultural and Historical Context:

Written in 1939, Auden’s poem reflects the rise of totalitarian regimes in Europe, particularly Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin. These leaders cultivated personality cults, using propaganda to control societies. Senators symbolize politicians or intellectuals who collude with such regimes, while the children symbolize the countless victims of oppression and war. Auden’s couplet, though brief, warns that tyranny flourishes not just because of the ruler’s cruelty but because society’s moral cowardice enables it.

Deeper Insight:

Auden also explores the psychology of power. The tyrant’s emotions ripple outward, shaping the nation’s behavior. Irony dominates: laughter spreads flattery, sorrow spreads destruction. This illustrates that tyranny depends on both the tyrant’s will and societal compliance. The couplet becomes both a political critique and an ethical warning about the cost of moral apathy.

Part 2: Analyzing Themes and Messages:

1. Main Theme of Epitaph on a Tyrant (30 words):

Auden warns against tyranny, showing how absolute power corrupts and how blind obedience and moral cowardice amplify suffering. Society’s flattery and silence enable the destruction caused by a single ruler.

2. Central Theme of September 1, 1939 (30 words):

The poem reflects global anxiety at the outbreak of World War II. It portrays fear, guilt, and societal collapse, urging personal responsibility, compassion, and moral action against fascism and injustice.

3. Message of In Memory of W.B. Yeats (30 words):

Auden celebrates poetry’s enduring power. Though poets die, their work transforms suffering into meaning, giving hope and moral guidance. Art survives politics and mortality, shaping hearts and minds across generations.

Part 3: Writing a Contemporary Poem:

Epitaph for a Modern Ruler

He promised unity, yet spread division wide,

And truth became the weapon of his pride.

He smiled for cameras, yet whispered fear,

And made the distant world draw near.

He built towers high with gilded lies,

While streets below heard children’s cries.

He sold slogans as the gospel truth,

And silenced wisdom, even in youth.

Numbers rose, and reason fell,

While hope struggled in a hollow shell.

He ruled by clicks, by screens, by cheer,

And turned dissent into silent fear.

At last, he fell, as all must fade,

Yet echoes of his influence stayed.

The people moved, unsure whom to trust,

But learned that power corrupts, as power must.

Commentary:

This poem follows Auden’s style: sharp contrasts, irony, and social critique. Like “Epitaph on a Tyrant”, it highlights the manipulation of truth, fear, and public opinion. The imagery juxtaposes wealth and misery, power and innocence, emphasizing the modern impact of authoritarianism in media-saturated societies. The poem warns that even in contemporary contexts, tyranny thrives when society remains passive, showing that the lessons of Auden’s time remain relevant today.

References: 

Barad, Dilip. W.H. Auden Poems, 22 May 2021, blog.dilipbarad.com/2021/05/wh-auden-poems.html. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026. 

Hope or Illusion? Religious and Existential Perspectives on Waiting for Godot

This Blog is written as a task assigned by the head of the Department of English(MKBU), Prof. and Dr. Dilip Barad sir.

Hope or Illusion? Religious and Existential Perspectives on Waiting for Godot

Waiting for Godot and the Bhagavad Gita: A Dialogue of Absurdism and IKS

This blog is written as part of a Thinking Activity Task assigned by Prof. Dr. Dilip Barad sir. In this activity, we carefully studied a worksheet shared in Google Classroom that integrates Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) with Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, particularly through the philosophical lens of the Bhagavad Gita. The task required us to engage in conceptual analysis, comparative thinking, close reading, and creative–critical reflection by applying ideas such as karma, maya, kala, and existential crisis to the play. Here is the link to the professor's Blog for background reading:Click here

Waiting for Godot and the Bhagavad Gita: A Dialogue of Absurdism and IKS

Section A: Conceptual Warm-Up (Short Answers)

Q | 1. In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna experiences vishada (existential crisis).Briefly explain how Vladimir and Estragon experience a similar crisis inWaiting for Godot.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna’s vishada is not mere sadness but a profound existential paralysis he questions duty, identity, and the meaning of action. Similarly, Vladimir and Estragon experience a spiritual confusion in Waiting for Godot. They do not know why they wait, what they expect, or whether Godot will come. Their waiting becomes a state of inner crisis, reflecting purposelessness and metaphysical uncertainty. 


Q | 2. Krishna emphasises karma (action) without attachment to results. How does Beckett portray the absence or failure of karma in the play

Krishna teaches karma yoga to act sincerely without attachment to outcomes. Beckett, however, presents characters trapped in inaction. Vladimir and Estragon constantly defer movement: “Let’s go.” “We can’t.” Their dependence on Godot reveals attachment to external validation. Instead of performing meaningful action, they surrender agency. Thus, Beckett portrays a world where karma collapses into passivity and hope replaces responsibility. 

Q | 3. The Gita presents time (Kala) as cyclical and eternal.Identify two moments in Waiting for Godot that reflect cyclical time

The Gita presents Kala (Time) as eternal and cyclical. Beckett mirrors this vision through structural repetition. Act II begins with “Next day. Same time. Same place,” suggesting circular temporality rather than progress. Additionally, Vladimir’s endlessly repeating dog song reinforces the sense of recurrence. Time does not move toward resolution; it loops endlessly, echoing the metaphysical rhythm of cosmic time. 


Section B: Guided Close Reading (Text + IKS)

Read the following idea carefully:

“Godot is not a character but an expectation.”

Answer the questions below:

Q | 1. How does this idea change your understanding of the title Waiting for Godot?

If we accept the idea that “Godot is not a character but an expectation,” then the title Waiting for Godot shifts from being a simple dramatic situation to a profound philosophical metaphor. At first glance, the play appears to be about two men Vladimir and Estragon waiting for someone named Godot who never arrives. However, when Godot is understood as a symbol rather than a person, the title begins to represent the human condition itself.

Godot becomes a projection of hope, meaning, salvation, or certainty. The play is no longer about waiting for a man; it is about waiting for purpose. Vladimir and Estragon continue to wait even though they do not clearly know who Godot is, what they asked from him, or when he will come. Their lives are structured entirely around expectation. In this sense, “Waiting for Godot” can be understood as “waiting for meaning” in an uncertain and chaotic world.

The act of waiting becomes more significant than the arrival itself. The characters define their existence through postponement, just as human beings often postpone fulfillment to some imagined future moment. Godot’s absence mirrors the existential absence of clear truth, divine assurance, or ultimate purpose. Thus, the title reflects not the failure of a man to appear, but the deeper absurdity of human beings who continue to hope, wait, and believe in something that may never arrive.

Q | 2. Compare Godot with any one concept from the Bhagavad Gita:

o Maya (illusion)

o Phala (fruit of action)

o Asha (hope/desire)

o Ishvara (idea of God)

Comparison between Waiting for Godot and the Concept of Asha (Hope/Desire) from the Bhagavad Gita

In Waiting for Godot, Godot functions less as a person and more as a structure of hope that sustains Vladimir and Estragon. They do not know who Godot is, what he will offer, or even whether he truly exists; yet their entire existence depends upon the expectation of his arrival. This condition closely resembles the concept of Asha (hope or desire) in the Bhagavad Gita. In the Gita, Krishna warns that desire, when accompanied by attachment, binds the individual to anxiety and suffering. Hope becomes dangerous when it shifts from inspiration to dependence.

Vladimir and Estragon embody this bondage. Their hope does not lead to action; instead, it produces paralysis. They repeatedly decide to leave but remain, trapped by the belief that Godot will come tomorrow. Unlike the Gita’s teaching of nishkama karma acting without attachment to outcomes the characters wait for external fulfillment rather than create meaning through action. Their Asha is passive, not transformative.

Thus, Godot represents desire that has lost its spiritual direction. Beckett presents hope stripped of wisdom, showing how blind expectation can imprison human beings in endless postponement. Where the Gita proposes liberation through detachment, Beckett dramatizes the tragic stagnation that results from attachment to uncertain hope.  

Section C: Comparative Thinking (IKS + Absurdism)

Complete the table below: 

Concept in Bhagavad Gita Explanation Parallel in Waiting for Godot 

• Karma (Action) 
• Nishkama 
• Karma 
• Maya
• Kala (Time) 
• Moksha / Liberation

Concept in Bhagavad Gita	Explanation (Gita Context)	Parallel in Waiting for Godot
Karma (Action)	The Gita teaches that action (karma) is essential to life. One must perform one’s duty (dharma), as inaction leads to stagnation and moral decline. Action sustains both individual growth and cosmic order.	Vladimir and Estragon appear active through speech and movement, yet they accomplish nothing meaningful. Their repeated hesitation “Let’s go.” “We can’t.” reveals paralysis rather than purposeful action, reflecting the collapse of true karma.
Nishkama Karma (Selfless Action)	Krishna advises acting without attachment to results (phala). Peace comes when action is performed freely, without expectation of reward.	The tramps are deeply attached to the outcome Godot’s arrival. Their waiting is not detached endurance but anxious dependence. Unlike nishkama karma, their expectation binds them instead of freeing them.
Maya (Illusion)	Maya is the illusion that makes the temporary world seem permanent and meaningful. It hides ultimate truth and creates confusion about reality.	The uncertain memory, repetitive dialogue, and Godot’s perpetual absence create an atmosphere of illusion. Godot himself becomes a symbol of imagined hope an illusion that sustains yet deceives the characters.
Kala (Time)	The Gita presents time as cyclical and eternal, moving in recurring patterns beyond human control.	The two acts mirror each other almost exactly same place, same waiting, same uncertainty. This circular structure reflects cyclical time, where existence repeats without real progress.
Moksha (Liberation)	Moksha is liberation from attachment, illusion, and the cycle of suffering. It comes through self-realization and detachment from desire.	Vladimir and Estragon express a desire to leave but never move. Their attachment to Godot prevents liberation. Instead of achieving moksha, they remain trapped in endless existential waiting.

Section D: Creative–Critical Task  (IKS Integration)

Option A (Dialogue Writing):

Write a short dialogue (300–400 words) where Krishna explains one key aspect of Waiting for Godot (waiting, hope, time, or meaninglessness) to Arjuna as an MA English student

Final Dialogue: Krishna Explains the Meaning of Waiting, Time, and Existence in Waiting for Godot

Arjuna:
Madhava, in my MA class we read Waiting for Godot. My professor said it is a play where nothing happens twice. Two men stand beneath a tree and wait for someone who never comes. Is this not meaningless despair?

Krishna:
Arjuna, what you call “nothing” is often the deepest mirror. Beckett removes war, kingdom, and duty he leaves only waiting. When man is stripped of roles, what remains? Only his consciousness. The emptiness you see is the field of his inner crisis.

Arjuna:
But Lord, they wait with hope. They believe Godot will arrive tomorrow. Is that not faith?

Krishna:
Faith awakens action; dependence breeds paralysis. In the Gita, I taught you to rise and fight not because victory was certain, but because action itself was sacred. Vladimir and Estragon, however, postpone their being. They say, “Let’s go,” yet remain still. Their hope is not dynamic; it is deferred existence.

Arjuna:
Then their waiting is attachment?

Krishna:
Yes. They cling to the fruit without planting the seed. This is the opposite of nishkama karma. They desire meaning without engaging in it. Godot becomes their imagined savior, a name for postponed responsibility. When humans expect the universe to provide purpose, they abandon their own power to create it.

Arjuna:
And time, Lord? Each day repeats. Nothing progresses.

Krishna:
Time becomes stagnant when awareness sleeps. In the Gita, time is a wheel movement toward realization. In Beckett’s world, time circles without awakening because insight never dawns. Repetition is not rebirth; it is habit without growth.

Arjuna:
So what would free them?

Krishna:
Recognition. The moment they understand that meaning does not arrive it arises waiting would dissolve. The barren tree would become their Kurukshetra, the battlefield of decision. Action, however small, would break the cycle.

Arjuna:
Then Beckett is not preaching despair?

Krishna:
No, Partha. He shows the cost of spiritual inertia. When humans wait for meaning instead of embodying it, existence becomes absurd. But when awareness awakens, even an empty road becomes a path. 

Reflective Critical Note

Statement: “Beckett shows what happens when human beings wait for meaning instead of creating it.” 

Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot is not merely a play about waiting; it is a meditation on the human tendency to postpone existence. On a nearly empty stage an endless road, a skeletal tree, and two weary figures Beckett strips life down to its most vulnerable truth: the fear of acting without guarantees. Vladimir and Estragon do not lack intelligence or awareness; they lack decision. They cling to the promise of Godot as if meaning were a parcel to be delivered.

The tragedy is subtle. Nothing catastrophic happens. No dramatic fall, no visible punishment. Instead, there is repetition day dissolving into night, conversations looping back upon themselves, memory fading, hope lingering. The true catastrophe is stagnation. Waiting becomes their identity. The future becomes their refuge. By depending on an unseen figure to justify their existence, they surrender the power to shape it.

Existential philosophy reminds us that meaning is not discovered like treasure it is forged through choice. Yet Beckett shows what occurs when this responsibility is avoided. Time becomes circular. Action becomes deferred. Life becomes habit. The characters speak of leaving, even contemplate suicide, but never truly decide. Their condition reflects modern humanity’s quiet crisis: the comfort of expectation over the risk of creation.

Here, the Bhagavad Gita offers a striking contrast. When Arjuna stands immobilized on the battlefield, Krishna does not promise him external meaning; he commands him toward Karma Yoga action rooted in awareness. “You have the right to action, but not to its fruits.” This teaching dismantles the very illusion that traps Beckett’s characters. Meaning is not granted by arrival; it emerges through participation.

In Waiting for Godot, hope without action becomes paralysis. In the Gita, action without attachment becomes liberation. Beckett’s silence, therefore, is not empty it is diagnostic. He shows the spiritual exhaustion that follows when humans wait for life to define them.

The barren tree stands as witness. The road stretches endlessly. And the audience is left with an unsettling realization: Godot may never come not because he does not exist, but because meaning was never meant to arrive. It was always meant to be created.

Section E : Critical Reflection ( Metacognition )

Answer any One:

Do you think Absurdism becomes more meaningful or more challenging when read through the Gita? Why? 

Reading Absurdism through the lens of the Bhagavad Gita makes it deeper, more unsettling, and ultimately more meaningful. Absurdism, especially in Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, presents human life as suspended in uncertainty. Vladimir and Estragon wait endlessly, trapped in repetition, unsure whether Godot will ever come. The world appears silent; meaning seems absent. The play leaves us in discomfort, forcing us to confront the possibility that life may not offer clear answers.

However, when I read this through the Gita, the silence feels different. The Gita does not deny confusion Arjuna himself stands paralyzed on the battlefield, overwhelmed and uncertain. But Krishna does not offer him escape through waiting. Instead, he teaches Karma Yoga: act without attachment, perform your duty, and surrender the fruits of action. In this light, the tragedy of Beckett’s characters is not simply that the universe is meaningless, but that they choose inaction. They wait for meaning instead of participating in it.

This comparison makes Absurdism more meaningful because it transforms despair into a moment of spiritual crisis. The absurd becomes similar to Maya a condition where reality seems empty because one is disconnected from awareness and purpose. Yet it also makes Absurdism more challenging. If the Gita insists that the universe has order (dharma), then Beckett’s silence forces us to question whether meaning is truly absent or whether we have failed to recognize it.

For me, reading Absurdism through the Gita does not cancel its darkness. Instead, it intensifies it. The waiting in Godot becomes a mirror: it asks whether we are passive spectators of life or conscious participants in it. In that tension between waiting and action, between silence and duty, the dialogue between Beckett and Krishna becomes profoundly powerful. 

References : 

1. In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna experiences vishada (existential crisis).

Briefly explain how Vladimir and Estragon experience a similar crisis in

Waiting for Godot.

1. In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna experiences vishada (existential crisis).

Briefly explain how Vladimir and Estragon experience a similar crisis in

Waiting for Godot.

1. In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna experiences vishada (existential crisis).

Briefly explain how Vladimir and Estragon experience a similar crisis in

Waiting for Godot.1. In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna experiences vishada (existential crisis).

Briefly explain how Vladimir and Estragon experience a similar crisis in

Waiting for Godot.1. In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna experiences vishada (existential crisis).

Briefly explain how Vladimir and Estragon experience a similar crisis in

Waiting for Godot.

1. In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna experiences vishada (existential crisis).

Briefly explain how Vladimir and Estragon experience a similar crisis in

Waiting for Godot.

1. In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna experiences vishada (existential crisis).

Briefly explain how Vladimir and Estragon experience a similar crisis in

Waiting for Godot.