Freedom, free will, authenticity, self-realization, self-becoming, and awareness of death are among the main concerns of both writers. Shakespeare depicts authenticity in the character of Hamlet, and it is in contrast to him that the reader finds many instances of inauthenticity.
The Danish prince has no tolerance whatsoever for inauthentic or self-deceiving. The same thing is visible in The Blind Owl in which the narrator-protagonist feels himself above all the low, petty desires of mankind. Keywords: Existential philosophy, authenticity, angst, death, being, existence, self-realization 1. Without Shakespeare, many modern thinkers would have been lost. They have appropriated Shakespeare into their own ideas and philosophies. In recent years, most of Shakespearean criticisms have been concerned either with new historical, cultural materialist readings, or with Lacanian psychoanalytic ones.
However, it is not inappropriate to step out of this hubbub of contemporary theory and open the window of Shakespearean studies to such basic issues as freedom, free will, authenticity and self-becoming—key concepts lying at the heart of existential thought. Usually, most people relate these notions to the philosophy of Kierkegaard or Heidegger or the literary writings and pensees of Sartre and Camus.
However, one can trace these concepts back to the early modern era and in the works of the most celebrated writer of that period, William Shakespeare If Hamlet—mostly regarded as the greatest work in English literature—shows existential concerns, the same concerns are visible in The Blind Owl, the greatest work in modern Persian fiction. And exploring these concerns in these two remarkable literary works defines the purpose of the present research.
Discussion 2. Rather, we are still and will forever be wrestling with its principal ideas. Essence is not destiny. Its basis is the fact that we can stand back from our lives and reflect on what we have been doing.
It is the way human beings come to know themselves. Bad faith is self-deception. Authenticity eigentlich is reflected in the integrity of character—the very thing Hamlet strives to maintain.
For Hedayat, this authenticity is only possible when people constantly remind themselves that they will die someday and there is no escape from it; then, they can be true to themselves. Existential thought emphasizes the value of self-knowing, self-becoming and individualism. Another important point is to distinguish existential philosophy from the absurd movement of the 60s.
In fact, Shakespeare loved dramatizing the self in distress, in moments of crisis. Romeo gives in to fate because—unlike Hamlet—he has lost his self. I am not here. The horror!
This passage or transition, if you prefer is also one from the Hebraic attitude to the Hellenic viewpoint. Rather, the way they respond to the world around them is of their own choosing. In brief, action and responsibility, to existentialists, rest entirely with and upon the individual.
This brings us to the idea of individualism. Individualism The age of Shakespeare was an age of expansion and colossal changes paradigm shift. Feudalism was on the decline and the unprecedented growth of markets was paving the way for the arrival of a semi-capitalist system. Moreover, the Reformation and also Humanism, with their emphasis on the value of individual self, were becoming the dominant discourse. Shakespeare was familiar with these works.
His emphasis on the inward life of his dramatic characters e. Throughout the play, Hamlet is concerned with the question of how to act. He is condemned to choose. Many characters put on appearances to deceive others into believing their lies and hide their true motives. The main characters in the play that hide their true appearance are Hamlet, Claudius and Polonius.
Hamlet hides behind his antic disposition to try and reveal if King Claudius is guilty of murdering the previous king…. Hamlet was the son of a king and prince of Denmark. Earlier in the story of Hamlet, his father suddenly passes away. Initially that is what to believe. He was hurt and felt betrayed by his mom especially because she married Cornelius, the brother of his father.
He was completely enraged and disgusted of the incest that took place between the two. He became even more enraged when he found out some revealing news pertaining the death of his father. The Ghost. Hamlet Study Guide. Lily Rockefeller. Literature Expert. Updated January 10, Cite this Article Format. Rockefeller, Lily. A Scene-by-Scene Breakdown of 'Hamlet'. What Is a Soliloquy? Literary Definition and Examples. Your Privacy Rights.
To change or withdraw your consent choices for ThoughtCo. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification.
I Accept Show Purposes. It starts tragically and ends in the same manner. Hamlet is filled with a series of unfortunate events that leads to class discussions of themes and characters and their evolution towards self destruction.
This too is relatable. The neighbor lets his dog wander in my yard. Should I take action? Hard to say, there are pros and cons. A drug lord has killed my father not everybody knows it but I have it on reliable authority and is dating my mother. What should I do? Even now there are pros and cons.
As a teacher, I find it necessary to separate my own encounter with the play from that of my students. It is important for me to address this play in terms of understanding; that is to say, the level of understanding I know my students will have. And so begins the process of funneling the many to the few. In order for me to relay my ideas in terms of Unit planning, I will limit the themes to the two that I would discuss with my students:.
There are several scenes in which death is not metaphoric, but rather, literal. Soon enough we learn that King Hamlet is dead by way of poisoning from his own brother. In Act 3 scene 4, Polonius is hiding behind a curtain and murdered by Prince Hamlet.
There are also scenes in which death is pondered upon. In that same scene, young Hamlet replies in one line that he will do as told. Just as death is an ever present and ever rampant theme in the text, so equally is the concept of revenge. The action of the play is pointed toward revenge by the ghost of King Hamlet and thus is the impetus for the actions that follow.
Every act of the play brings up the theme of revenge; whether through the action of vengeance, the contemplation of it, or admiration for an avenger. Below is a list of Acts and scenes that deal with this theme and a brief synopsis of the thoughts or actions within. This information was found in varying study guides for students including Sparknotes. There are several important factors to note here. One is that Hamlet is foiled by Laertes and Fortinbras.
Laertes has found out about the murder of his father and the death of his sister and does not hesitate to avenge his father. Hamlet spends the majority of the play contemplating and vacillating between his methods or time of revenge.
Here is a prince with a murdered father and a murderous Uncle, with much less heart than Laertes, the son of Polonius, a councilor to the current king. It is not a question for him or a matter of morals and ethics-or even fear. It is a matter of honor and respect for his family. In the situation involving Fortinbras, Hamlet is in awe of his haste to action. Fortinbras did not have his father murdered, but shows valor and courage in getting what his family wants: land.
As the purpose of my unit is finding inner character, it would behoove me to discuss the various characters found in this play. For the purpose of driving the unit, I will focus on the main character of Hamlet. He will serve as the basis and the impetus of having students dissect, connect, and later, reject the behaviors and characteristics found in him. He displays multiple traits, all familiar to us, but not infinite ones, and thus could be easily accessed by students. He is the son of a King whose name is also Hamlet.
It is in his first Soliloquy found in Act 1 scene 2 that we hear of his desire to die along with his father. O, most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not, nor it cannot come to good. Thus we witness a main character who is disturbed and disgusted with his family. Hamlet is also described by critics as depressed, uncertain, emotionally imbalanced, and -- like his uncle -- a murderer.
Before the day is over, two events will occur that will greatly exacerbate his precarious state. The ghost, King Hamlet, prods Hamlet to avenge his death. The answer to this question is given when we see, in Act 3, Hamlet confronting his mother, Gertrude, about the murder of his father. It would be easy to forgive Hamlet here; after all, he did not mean to kill Polonius. There are many avenues to take in understanding Prince Hamlet that will be seen in the Strategies section of this unit.
Hamlet based on themes in the play or Hamlet in relation to other characters has many traits and characteristics and moods and behaviors that would allow students to get a great sense of the complexity of his character. The purpose of reading Hamlet with my students is two-fold. As a matter of mandated learning, I would want my students to become stronger, more fluent, analytical readers.
Shakespeare, because of his language and complex array of themes, fosters the type of learning I am looking to bring about. For these purposes, I think Hamlet would be the best text to use. Prince Hamlet undergoes such bewildering changes due to the vast number of of events playing on his mood swings--there is just plenty to work with! He is also surrounded by enough characters to provide character study for all.
My desire would be for students to read and interpret the play and identify characteristics found in various characters. Through various activities, students would dissect these characteristics or traits and find ones that relate to them as people. They would then come up with ways to dissolve the negative characteristics in an effort to further their selves as people, professionals, and public figures. My students are so warped by social media and facades, they lose sight as to who they are or who they were before an event or another person changed that.
My school is set on a Block Scheduling System, meaning: I meet with one class every other day for 80 minutes. Unfortunately, this prolongs the time spent on the unit due to inconsistencies, holidays, and any senior related absences ie, college visits, excusable job interviews, community service requirements. This unit is designed for High School Seniors ages As in most inner city schools, my students are as varied in reading levels as they are in age.
Thus, the degree of difficulty and the variation of given tasks will depend on those elements.
0コメント