The day after the first act, Estragon’s boots remain where he left them yesterday, while the tree in the background has sprouted four or five leaves. Vladimir, alone, paces about the stage in a state of agitation before stopping to sing about a dog that was beaten to death for trying to steal a crust of bread.

Estragon enters the scene, and Vladimir approaches him for an embrace, only to be rebuffed once more. This time Estragon seems repelled by human contact due to having been beaten the night before, and he commands Vladimir to neither touch him nor speak to him. Nevertheless, he also asks Vladimir to remain nearby. Vladimir forcefully commands Estragon to look him in the eye. The two exchange long looks before embracing.

Estragon remarks that he overheard Vladimir singing and seems hurt at the idea that Vladimir could be in a good mood without him. Vladimir affirms that he was in a good mood despite being alone, which shocks Estragon. This causes Estragon to plaintively observe that they might both feel better apart. Annoyed, Vladimir asks Estragon why he bothers to return then. Estragon fails to answer; Vladimir explains that it’s because Estragon counts on him for protection.

Vladimir notes to Estragon that the scenery around them has changed, particularly the tree. The changes and the place, however, don’t register to Estragon, and he asserts that Vladimir must have been dreaming. He is then asked by Vladimir if he remembers Pozzo and Lucky, to which he replies that he only remembers being kicked and eating bones. When Vladimir continues to pursue the line of questioning about the scenery, Estragon explodes, saying that he has always crawled in the mud where there is no scenery to recognize.

Vladimir complains that Estragon is difficult to get along with; Estragon replies cryptically that it would be better to kill him “like billions of others.” After that, they try to fill the silence with various short call-and-response conversations in order to prevent themselves from thinking.

Eventually, they return to the subject of yesterday’s events and the scenery. Vladimir insists on the strangeness of the tree having sprouted leaves overnight, while Estragon continues to deny that they were in the same place as yesterday, repeating the accusation that Vladimir must have dreamt the memory. This leads Vladimir to change his approach and ask Estragon what he remembers doing yesterday. However, Estragon cannot answer the question.

Vladimir brings up Pozzo and Lucky again and rolls up one of Estragon’s pant legs to show the wound Lucky inflicted upon him. Estragon is unmoved by this revelation. The subject then shifts to Estragon’s boots and where he put them. Estragon replies that he must have thrown them away. But Vladimir points to the boots on stage, standing at the same spot where Estragon left his pair yesterday. Estragon denies that the boots are his, since his boots were a different color. They examine the boots, and Vladimir conjectures that someone must have taken the original pair and replaced them with another. He asks Estragon to try them on to pass the time.

Tired from their activities, Estragon lies down on the ground and is sung to sleep by Vladimir. Once Estragon is asleep, Vladimir takes off his coat and blankets Estragon; he then walks around the stage while swinging his arms. After a while, Estragon suddenly wakes with fear and panic as from a nightmare, and Vladimir embraces him to comfort him.

Vladimir notices Lucky’s hat on the floor. He picks it up and hands his own over to Estragon and puts on Lucky’s. He asks Estragon how he looks, to which Estragon says that he looks about the same. Vladimir is content to keep on Lucky’s hat, complaining that his own hat dissatisfied him. He then asks Estragon to play the role of Pozzo while he pretends to be Lucky. Estragon, uninterested in Vladimir’s game, exits the stage.

When Estragon returns, breathless from running, he warns Vladimir that people are headed their way. Fearing that they might be surrounded, Estragon runs to the back but finds no exit. Vladimir then drags him forward and gestures to the auditorium as a possible exit. Estragon winces at the idea. Vladimir then suggests hiding behind the tree, but it turns out to be too small. With no place to hide, they position themselves, one at each end of the stage, to look out for any approaching people. Neither of them see anyone.

After a period of silence, they both try to speak at the same time, inadvertently interrupting each other. Both of them try to induce the other to continue, and their politeness playfully devolves into bickering and verbal abuse before pivoting into tenderness.

Pozzo and Lucky enter the scene. Because Pozzo has become blind, the length of Lucky’s leash is much shorter than before. When Lucky catches sight of Vladimir and Estragon, he stops and Pozzo bumps into him, causing both of them to fall over. On the ground, Pozzo makes appeals for assistance but is ignored by Vladimir and Estragon, who converse and scheme unhurriedly.

Eventually, Vladimir agrees to help Pozzo up but comedically stumbles to the ground. He enlists Estragon’s aid, but the latter also ends up falling. Lying on the ground, the two ignore and mock Pozzo. It is only after they get bored that they get up without any difficulty and finally pull Pozzo up.

Pozzo asks for Lucky, and Vladimir tells him that he is asleep. Pozzo asks Estragon to give Lucky a good beating in order to wake him. Estragon, eager for revenge, acquiesces and brutalizes Lucky but, in turn, ends up hurting his own foot, after which he limps away to the side and goes to sleep on a nearby mound.

Before Pozzo goes to leave, Vladimir asks to hear Lucky sing, but Pozzo says that Lucky is dumb, incapable of speaking; Vladimir asks since when, and an enraged Pozzo criticizes Vladimir’s desire to obtain knowledge of specific moments in time. Then the two finally exit.

While Estragon continues to sleep, Vladimir wonders aloud whether he himself is in some way asleep. He laments the overabundance of time, and the difficulty of dealing with it, though he quickly loses track of his own thoughts. The boy returns, and this time Vladimir seems to anticipate everything the boy has to say. Vladimir asks the boy questions about Godot, including the color of his beard. The boy’s answer sparks a sense of desperation in Vladimir, who lunges at the boy and screams not to forget him. The boy runs away in fear.

Estragon wakes from his slumber and asks the doleful Vladimir what he is upset about. Vladimir says nothing is bothering him. Estragon suggests they go to a faraway place, but Vladimir reminds him that they are bound by their appointment with Godot. Estragon remarks that they can perhaps bring some rope the next day to hang themselves, and Vladimir agrees tersely. Estragon says that he “can’t go on like this”; Vladimir replies, “That’s what you think.” They say that they should go, but neither move. The curtain falls.