Although Waiting for Godot and Mother Courage and Her Children are quite different in terms of plot structure and setting, it There are similarities in the use of dark images as symbols of religious, social and political criticism. The symbolism extends beyond the imagery and encompasses the characters themselves. Props, especially in Godot, have an abstract meaning more easily apparent in the way they are used than in their inherent characteristics. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Boots play a symbolic role in both of these pieces, although they serve different purposes. In Godot, the constant struggle to remove and replace boots, as well as the incessant question of which boot belongs to which character, are representative of a deeper, fundamental identity crisis channeled toward the external signifiers of identity. Mother Courage gives the red high-heeled boots to Kattrin to comfort her after receiving her facial scar. Kattrin refuses to accept them - they symbolize, for her, the abuse she suffered at the hands of men. Male attention has stolen her voice and the beauty of her face, and the boots represent the incongruity of love and war. When the drum rolls signify that Swiss Cheese is about to be executed, the scene briefly goes dark. This is a symbol of death very similar to the darkness that occurred before the crucifixion of Christ. Indeed, Mother Courage denies any knowledge of Swiss Cheese's identity, which recalls Peter's denial of knowing Jesus. Interestingly, the chaplain's song after Swiss Cheese's arrest recounts the moments leading up to the crucifixion. Waiting for Godot uses darkness as a similar allegory for death, as night falls and men are released from their "duty", no longer forced to wait for Godot. A striking moment in Waiting for Godot occurs when Pozzo asks Vladimir to set the bowler. on Lucky's head so he can think. This inanimate object, through the status it confers, allows Lucky to think for himself and he begins to monologue. When the hat falls, his monologue ends abruptly. We have the feeling that it is not Lucky who is thinking, but rather the hat and the identity that he embodies. The symbolism of the hats is not limited to Lucky, and Vladimir and Estragon exchange hats on several occasions, emphasizing the fluidity and flow of their identities. The rope around Lucky's neck symbolizes the power dynamic between him and Pozzo, and the abuse makes it clear that Lucky is his subordinate. However, in the second act, the rope is much shorter, and it is Lucky who directs Pozzo, now blind, blurring the lines between servant and master. Kattrin, like Lucky, has no voice, even though hers was stolen from her through rape. rather than slavery. We can say that his drum, another inanimate object, gives him the voice he lacks. Interestingly, the drum is one of the items Kattrin brings back after being attacked while shopping for things for her mother. We see that the drum, for Kattrin, symbolizes defiance against oppression. These inanimate objects, although not endowed with special powers, allow characters to accomplish what they cannot. Kattrin and Lucky surprise us with their importance at the end of the plays. It becomes apparent that Lucky's name, while seemingly ironic, actually suits his position in relation to the other characters. Lucky has two luxuries that others lack.