Power and Domination

A Reciprocal Process in Samuel Beckett's 'Waiting for Godot'

Abstract

This article examines the pervasive theme of power and domination in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, with comparative references to Endgame. It argues that power relations form the foundation of every human interaction in these plays, though such relations are often fluid, unstable, and interdependent. The study highlights the shifting dynamics between Vladimir and Estragon, whose companionship oscillates between dependence and subtle domination, and Pozzo and Lucky, whose master-slave relationship reflects both cruelty and mutual necessity. Drawing upon Hegel’s Master-Slave dialectic, the analysis shows how Beckett deconstructs conventional hierarchies by exposing the fragility of authority and the inevitability of dependence. Godot himself, though absent, emerges as a silent figure of ultimate power, shaping the characters’ existence through their endless waiting. By interrogating these layered relations, the paper reveals Beckett’s nuanced portrayal of domination not as absolute control but as a paradoxical bond of interdependence, exposing the existential anxieties underlying human connections.