How we cite our quotes: (Act.Line) Every time a character talks counts as one line, even if what they say turns into a long monologue.
Quote #1
ESTRAGON
What's all this about? Abused who?
VLADIMIR
The Saviour.
ESTRAGON
Why?
VLADIMIR
Because he wouldn't save them.
ESTRAGON
From hell?
VLADIMIR
Imbecile! From death.
ESTRAGON
I thought you said hell.
VLADIMIR
From death, from death. (1.73-80)
For readers of the Bible, there wouldn’t be a difference between saving the thieves from Hell and saving them from death. Vladimir takes a secular approach to universally important matters—in this case, death—and attempts to understand them through religious means.
Quote #2
ESTRAGON
What about hanging ourselves?
VLADIMIR
Hmm. It'd give us an erection.
ESTRAGON
(highly excited) An erection!
[…]
ESTRAGON
Let's hang ourselves immediately! (1.170-4)
The appeal of hanging isn’t that it would bring death, but rather that it’s something to do during the eternal wait. The men are unable to comprehend the consequence of such an action.
Quote #3
POZZO
I do. But instead of driving him away as I might have done, I mean instead of simply kicking him out on his arse, in the goodness of my heart I am bringing him to the fair, where I hope to get a good price for him. The truth is you can't drive such creatures away. The best thing would be to kill them.
Lucky weeps. (1.450)
No characters in Waiting for Godot are able to take death seriously.