A 'circus'. How far is this term applicable to 'Waiting for Godot"?

The circus is a valid comparison to Godot as the entertainer can suspend time in order to create a world focused on nonsensical antics, uncharacteristic of the real world. Although Godot may seem all too real, there are many aspects of Estragon and Vladimir’s experiences that can be compared to the circus. They are the centre of an unmoving world, all eyes are on them, much in the way a clown is often only armed with a few props and an otherwise undecorated stage. Juxtaposition of themes such as Estragon’s trousers falling down as he contemplates suicide, and Vladimir’s input that ‘It’d give us an erection,’ when discussing hanging themselves combines the circus with the absurd.  Additionally, their oversized boots and swapping of bowler hats also links to the circus.

‘We sympathise with the clown, and laugh at him, responding to experiences basic to us all-striving and failing, or having our expectations raised only to be quashed.’ 

Ian Mackean of ‘The Essentials of Literature,’ sums up this application of the clowns in circus to Godot. The comedy is fundamental to human experience, attempting to reach a goal and the subsequent fall is made comic by the absurdity of the ‘clown’ character. Estragon and Vladimir cannot walk tightropes or tame lions, but they can do things the ordinary man can do and therefore fulfil a parallel role of the clown in the ‘real’ world. ‘It’s Godot! At last! Gogo! It’s Godot! We’re saved! Let’s go and meet him!’ Vladimir is delighted when there is a sign someone is coming and immediately assumes Godot has finally come to ‘save’ them. The audience repeatedly witnesses the hopes of their ‘clown’ rise and be crushed with the absence of Godot’s appearance, the audience laughs, and yet they can’t help but feel ‘Ap-palled!’ As felt when Vladimir and Estragon try to conjure up something from their hats and boots and always find nothing.