Death in Ways of Dying

1344 Words6 Pages
Death This essay will discuss death as an important theme noted in the plays Doctor Faustus, Waiting for Godot, and in the novel Ways of Dying. It will pay specific attention to the context in which the text was written and the way in which each text is structured (including genre). It will also analyze the way in which the central characters of each text encounter and react to death. According to the Oxford Learners’ Dictionary, death is defined as the end of life/ the termination of life. It is the ending of the dying process. It can also be referred to as a point in the dying process wherein extinction is assured, no matter what is done to stop it. Death can be further explained as a separation which can occur both physically and spiritually. A physical death is the separation between the body and the soul whereas a spiritual death is the separation of the soul from God. In other words, without a soul, a physical body is as good as dead. Waiting for Godot consist of two men unable to act, move, or think in a significant way while they kill time waiting for a mysterious man, Godot. None of the characters in this play shy away from the fact that death is inevitable. In fact, death becomes at times a solution for the inanity of daily life. The main characters, Vladimir and Estragon contemplate suicide as though it were as harmful and simple as sleeping. The characters view death just as an activity to pass time. In failing to repent on their own and knowing that their lives have no existence without the hope of Godot, Vladimir and Estragon have no other option than to wait for him(Godot) to come and save them. As they wait for Godot who never appears, they try to find something to do in order to pass time. They come up with a suggestion of hanging themselves/ committing suicide. The idea they bring up suggests that they only view death as a minor act which could
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