Sisyphus and the Absurd Hero : Camus' Influence on 'Waiting for Godot '

Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot reflects Albert Camus’ idea of the absurd hero from The Myth of Sisyphus. Like Sisyphus, Vladimir and Estragon continue their repetitive, meaningless wait, symbolizing the human struggle to find meaning in a world that offers none. Their persistence captures the essence of the absurd hero—enduring life’s futility without hope or escape.

1. Sisyphus and the Absurd Hero: Camus'
Influence on
‘Waiting for Godot’

Presented by : Kumkum Hirani

Smt.S.B. Gardi College, Department of English

2. Academic Information

Name : Kumkum Hirani

Roll no : 14

M.A. Sem : 2

Batch : 2024 - 26

Gmail : [email protected]

Paper : 107 The Twentieth Century Literature: From World War II to the End of the Century

3. Table of contents

●Introduction
●Albert Camus and the Absurd
●The Myth of Sisyphus – The Absurd Hero
●Samuel Beckett and the Theatre of the Absurd
●Camus' Influence on Beckett
●The Absurd Hero in Waiting for Godot
●Conclusion
●Reference

4. ●Research Question:

How does Albert Camus’ concept of the absurd hero in The Myth of Sisyphus influence
Samuel Beckett’s portrayal of existential struggle in Waiting for Godot?

●Hypothesis:

Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot reflects Albert Camus’ philosophy of the absurd by
presenting Vladimir and Estragon as modern Sisyphus-like figures who persist in their
meaningless existence. Their endless waiting mirrors Sisyphus’ eternal labor, embodying
the absurd hero’s acceptance of life’s futility without seeking external meaning or
resolution.

5. Introduction

●Albert Camus’ philosophy of the absurd, particularly his concept of the absurd hero,
profoundly influences Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. Camus, in The Myth of
Sisyphus (1942), argues that life is fundamentally meaningless, and human beings must
confront this absurdity. Sisyphus, condemned to endlessly push a boulder up a hill only
for it to roll back down, becomes a symbol of human perseverance in the face of futility.

●Similarly, Beckett’s Waiting for Godot (1953) portrays Vladimir and Estragon in an
endless cycle of waiting for the mysterious Godot, who never arrives. Their repetitive
actions, existential conversations, and uncertain hope mirror Camus’ view of the absurd
condition where humans seek meaning in a meaningless world. Through an exploration
of time, suffering, and the inevitability of repetition, Beckett’s play embodies the
essence of the absurd hero as defined by Camus.

6. Albert Camus and the Absurd

●Albert Camus (1913–1960) developed the philosophy of the absurd, which explores
the conflict between humans' search for meaning and the universe’s indifference.

●In The Myth of Sisyphus (1942), Camus illustrates this struggle using the Greek
myth of Sisyphus, condemned to roll a boulder uphill for eternity.

●Camus argues that rather than falling into despair, one must accept the absurdity of
existence and continue living with defiance and personal freedom.

●His ideas influenced absurdist literature, particularly Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for
Godot.


(Verbin)

7. The Myth of Sisyphus – The Absurd Hero

●Albert Camus explores the idea of the absurd—the conflict
between human desire for meaning and an indifferent
universe.

●Sisyphus, a figure from Greek mythology, is condemned to
roll a boulder up a hill forever.

●Despite the futility of his task, Sisyphus does not seek escape
but accepts his struggle.

●Camus calls him an "absurd hero" because he embraces life
despite its meaninglessness.

●"One must imagine Sisyphus happy" accepting the absurd is
the key to contentment.
(Verbin)

8. Samuel Beckett and the Theatre of the Absurd

Samuel Beckett – Key figure in the Theatre of the Absurd, a
movement analyzing life’s lack of meaning.
Esslin’s Definition – Martin Esslin coined the term in The Theatre of
the Absurd (1961) to describe plays portraying existential uncertainty
and illogicality.

Absurdity in Beckett’s Works –

●Repetitive and meaningless actions.
●Breakdown of communication.
●Lack of traditional plot and resolution.

Example: Waiting for Godot – Two characters, Vladimir and
Estragon, wait endlessly for someone who never arrives, symbolizing
the human struggle for meaning in an indifferent world.
(Hornby)

9. Camus' Influence on Beckett:

Camus’ Absurd Philosophy:

●Albert Camus’ concept of the absurd arises from the
conflict between humans’ desire for meaning and the
universe’s indifference.

●In The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus argues that
recognizing the absurd should not lead to despair but
to defiance and personal meaning.

Sisyphus vs. Beckett’s Characters:

●Sisyphus, though trapped in a futile task, embraces
his fate, embodying Camus’ idea of the “absurd
hero.”

10. ●In Waiting for Godot, Vladimir and Estragon mirror Sisyphus’ endless struggle—trapped
in an unchanging cycle of waiting without resolution.
●
Camus vs. Beckett’s Perspective on the Absurd:

●Camus views absurdity as a challenge to be accepted with personal rebellion.

●Beckett, in contrast, presents characters who are stagnant, emphasizing the futility of
human action rather than the possibility of defiance.

(Verbin)

11. Camus' Influence on Beckett:

Martin Esslin’s Interpretation of the Absurd Hero:

●Esslin describes the absurd hero as someone who
acknowledges the meaningless nature of existence
yet continues to persist without illusion.

●Waiting for Godot reflects this philosophy through
characters trapped in an endless cycle of waiting
and repetitive actions.

12. Vladimir and Estragon as Absurd Heroes:

Their conversations, forgetfulness, and aimless movements highlight the absurd condition.

They wait for Godot, who never arrives, mirroring Sisyphus pushing his rock endlessly.

They contemplate escape (suicide) but never act, reflecting Camus’ rejection of nihilism in The
Myth of Sisyphus.

Endurance Without Meaning:

Despite their suffering, Vladimir and Estragon persist in waiting, accepting their fate without
hope or resolution.

Camus’ idea that “one must imagine Sisyphus happy” applies finding meaning in endurance
rather than in external validation.
(Brater)

13. Conclusion :
●Camus' concept of the absurd, as seen in The Myth of Sisyphus, deeply influenced
Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. Camus argues that humans seek meaning in a
meaningless universe, yet true strength lies in accepting this absurdity and
continuing to struggle. Beckett reflects this idea through Vladimir and Estragon,
who, like Sisyphus, engage in repetitive, purposeless actions while waiting for
Godot, who never arrives. As Esslin explains in The Theatre of the Absurd,
Beckett’s work highlights existential uncertainty and the cyclical nature of human
existence. Ultimately, both Camus and Beckett suggest that embracing the absurd
without escape defines the true absurd hero.

14. Reference :



●Beckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot: A Tragicomedy in Two Acts. Faber & Faber, 2012. Accessed 3 April 2025.
●Brater, Enoch. “The ‘Absurd’ Actor in the Theatre of Samuel Beckett.” Educational Theatre Journal, vol. 27, no. 2, 1975, pp. 197–207. JSTOR,
https://doi.org/10.2307/3206113. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

●Esslin, Martin. The Theatre of the Absurd. Anchor Books, 1961. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

●HORNBY, RICHARD. “Theatre of the Absurd.” The Hudson Review, vol. 67, no. 4, 2015, pp. 640–46. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43489358. Accessed 24
Mar. 2025.

●Olafson, Frederick A. The Philosophical Review, vol. 66, no. 1, 1957, pp. 104–07. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2182859. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

●Verbin, N. “Faith and the Absurd: Kierkegaard, Camus and Job’s Religious Protest.” Harvard Theological Review, vol. 117, no. 2, Feb. 2024, pp. 293–316,
doi:10.1017/s0017816024000051.

15. Thank you