Pessimism In Waiting For Godot

Samuel Beckett’s metaphysical play, Waiting for Godot has many elements that lead a person to pensively think about his or her true reason and purpose on this earth. Is there really any meaning to life? Why are we here? What keeps us going? What is the point of our existence? These are some of the questions that readers ask themselves while reading the play. Even the main characters themselves seem to be wondering about these same questions, and not to have any answers to them.
Vladimir and Estragon, the main characters in Waiting for Godot, seem to be incessantly mumbling meaningless, pointless conversation to pass time as they wait for Godot to meet them. They never get to the point of saying what they are constantly and essentially thinking about, their ultimate purpose and reason. They wait endlessly for their savior, Godot, who never actually shows up. Everyday they promise themselves that they will not wait for him, but eventually the cycle repeats itself and they wait for him the following day. They both somehow end up right back where they began in search for an answer.
In the play, both pessimism and hope appear to possess and take over each of the characters at one point or another. Beckett illustrates a connection between pessimism and hope by showing readers how lost the characters seem to be, but how persistent they are at waiting for an answer. It appears that pessimism makes them want to give up, but the ounce of hope they hold onto until the end is what