Ｃｏｍｍｅｎｔｓ ｏｎ ｔｈｅ ｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓｈｉｐ ｏｆｔｈｅ ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｓ ｉｎ Ｗａｉｔｉｎｇ ｆｏｒ Ｇｏｄｏｔ

［摘 要］The relationship of the characters in the play is complex and confusing to some readers.The four main characters can be divided into two couples.Readers always wonder why both these two couples can't get apart from each other and also wonder their identities.The deeper we analyze their relationship，the more similarities and differences between the two couples we will find.

［關鍵詞］Intellect material identity slave master companionship

［中圖分類號］I106 ［文獻標識碼］A ［文章編號］1009－5489(2008)10－0174－02

The first couple，Vladimir Estragon，is a complimentary combination.One person is a symbol of

mind and soul，while the other is the symbol of body and material.Body and soul can't exist without each other.That may be why all the characters keep together from the beginning to the end，although they try to get rid of each other.All these features are the same to the other couple.The deeper we analyze their relationship，the more similarities and differences between the two couples we will find.In the following we will have a look at their relationship respectively and find the similarities and differences.

Ⅰ.the relationship of Vladimir Estragon

i.their main characteristics：

Vladimir appears in the stage with a hat，which is a symbol of mind and intellect.He keeps talking and thinking.Estragon appears pulling his boot and screaming his pain.He concentrates on physical fellings.He feels hungry and asks for food and money.So he is the symbol of body.

ii.the reason for their keeping together：

(1)they just want to pass the time

V：That passed the time.

E：It would have passed in any case.

This dialogue is uttered after Pozzo and Lucky leave for the first time.They also try to hang themselves to make the waiting less exhausting.So what they do is just like playing a game.

(2)Estragon needs Vladimir to remember the past and gives his the identity

E：Do you remember the day I threw myself into the Rhone？

V：We were grape harvesting.

E：You fished me out.

V：That's all dead and buried.

E：My clothes dried in the sun.

And at the beginning of the Act I：

V：Hand in hand from the top of the Eiffel Tower，among the first we were respectable in those days.Now it's too late.They wouldn't even let us up.

The above dialogues show their past and the changes of their social state.

(3)they have the mutual purpose

E：What do we do now？

V：I don't know.

E：Let's go.

V：Why not？

E：We're waiting for Godot.

From the dialogue we know that they are both waiting for Godot，who can save them from hopeless and exhausting waiting.

(4)during the waiting they consider each other the hope and motivation to go on waiting

E：Why will you never let me sleep？

V：I felt lonely.

From the dialogue we can know that Vladimir needs Estragon to get out of loneliness and hopelessness.

Ⅱ.the relationship of Pozzo Lucky

i.their main characteristics

Pozzo appears after the crack of whip.From the sound of the whip and Pozzo's order，we can imagine Pozzo a cruel exploiter and master even before he appears on the stage.Lucky appears with a lot of things loaded and he is no doubt a slave.

ii.the reason for their being together：

(1)Pozzo needs Lucky to serve him as a slave and to show his authority

P：You're being spoken to，pig! Reply!

From the orders of Pozzo we can see Lucky is like an animal in Pozzo's eyes.

(2)Pozzo needs Lucky to provide the thought and soul，because he feels empty and lonely in his mind

P：Guess who taught me all these beautiful things.My lucky!

P：But for him all my thoughts，all my feelings，would have been of common things.Beauty，grace，truth of the first water，I knew they were all beyond me.So I took a knook.

From the dialogue above we know Pozzo is like an exploiter who sucks all the good out of his slave.Although Pozzo knows he is inferior to Lucky in the field of soul and thought，he want to save his face and preserve his authority in front of others.That's why he said：\"so I took a knook.\"We can see how hypocritical Pozzo is.

(3)Lucky has to live in serving his master as a slave

Pozzo：But in theory the bones go to the carrier.

Pozzo：I've never known him to refuse a bone before.

From the above two sentences we can indicate that Lucky's food is what Pozzo wants to throw away.And this is a routine，so we can see the state of Lucky.

(5)Lucky needs a person who always order him to do something，so that he doesn't bother to think and he won't have time to feel lonely and hopeless.

V(to Pozzo)：Tell him to think.

P：Give him his hat.

V：His hat？

P：He can't think without his hat.

From the above dialogue we can indicate Pozzo knows Lucky and he can decide when to think by controlling Lucky's hat.The word\"calm\"，\"Cunard\"and\"unfinished\"appear repeatedly in Lucky's long speech.We can feel the emptiness and hopelessness in his mind.And after the speech，Lucky can't stand and falls on the ground.We can also feel how miserable and painful he is.

Ⅲ.the similarities and the differences of the relationship between the two couples

i.the similarities

Both Vladimir and Lucky are symbols of soul，and Estragon and Pozzo are symbols of body.Soul and body can't exist without the other.

ii.the differences

(1)equqality

The first couple treat each other equally and they have companionship.Even they care for each other.The second couple concludes a master and his slave.Pozzo doesn't care about Lucky.Pozzo laughs at him，tortures him and even plans to get rid of him.

(2)purpose

the first couple have their mutual purpose--waiting for Godot，while the second couple have their respective purposes.Pozzo's purpose is to enjoy material and physical happiness.And Lucky needs Pozzo to give him identity and a way to live on.

From the analysis and comparison above，we can understand the play and the characters more deeply.I hope these analysis and comparison will help the readers to enjoy the play much better.