ipl-logo

Examples Of Nihilism In Hamlet

2474 Words10 Pages

Prince Hamlet's actions and ideas throughout the play demonstrate nihilism. The Skeptics held the earliest philosophical positions connected to what might be called a nihilistic outlook. The author of an article that examines the causes, distinctive characteristics, and lives of those who go through these crises writes: "Because they denied the possibility of certainty, Skeptics could denounce traditional truths as unjustifiable opinions. Demosthenes (c. 371-322 BC), for instance, asserts the relational nature of knowledge by stating, "What he wished to believe, that is what each man believes" (Olynthiac). This quote implies that knowledge is arbitrary and that everyone has the freedom to form their own opinions. He makes the implication …show more content…

In a meaningless and absurd universe, existentialist philosophy emphasizes the isolation and anxiety of the individual. This is demonstrated by the character's struggles with meaninglessness, alienation, and angst in Hamlet. Hamlet constantly wonders where he fits into the world and tries to make sense of what is happening to him. He is left to reflect on the meaning of life and the purpose of his existence because he is unable to find comfort in the traditional religious beliefs of his society. "To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them. To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation”(2.2.268). Existentialism is exemplified by this passage from the book. Thinking about the purpose of life and whether it is worthwhile to live it. Hamlet is debating the value of life and the question of whether it is more honorable to endure the cruel course of existence or to take a stand against it and put an end to it. Since life and death are existential issues, he is having difficulty with them. He is thinking about the suffering, heartache, and pain that come with life, and he is wondering if the end of life puts an end to all the suffering or if it is just a brief solace. Hamlet's internal conflict between his sense of duty, his emotions, and his own mortality is illustrated in this quote. He is having trouble with the concept of life and death and is unsure of what is the right course of action. In order to decide how to live his life and accept his own mortality, he is attempting to do both. This quote serves as an illustration of how existentialism can cause an internal conflict.

Show More
Related

Summary Of The Coming Death Shortage By Charles C. Mann

296 Words | 2 Pages

The essay, The Coming Death Shortage and That Lean and Hungry Look, contrast significantly. This claim is proven when one uses the following standards: the clarity of the standard, fairness in the use of standard, and bias. The article “The Coming Death Shortage” by Charles C. Mann, offers a look at the longevity boom in the United States. Questions various psychological aspects of living longer into old age.

Read More

What Is Life Worth Amanda Ripley Analysis

457 Words | 2 Pages

He has a choice to make, so he has to decide if living is worth living and if it is how he will deal with the situation that he has. Hamlet was conflicted he didn 't understand the value of his life in that exact moment. In Hamlets soliloquy the was thinking about the pro and cons of wether to end his life or deal with the problem that his dead father brought to him. He was starting to come to a decision when he’s thoughts were interrupted. This soliloquy brought to light the peoples that most people go through or think about.

Read More

The Role Of Bargaining In Hamlet

282 Words | 2 Pages

To die- to sleep- No more; and by a sleep to say we end the heartache. ”(ACT III scene i) In this quote we see Hamlet debate his own life and consider whether dying would be better than to

Read More

Ethos Pathos And Logos In Hamlet's First Soliloquy

1766 Words | 8 Pages

The echo of the phrase “to die, to sleep” (line 6 and 10) suggests his inability to properly justify to himself that death and sleep are one and the same, thus alluding to his inner turmoil. Rather than using repetition to bolster Hamlet’s certainty and commitment to this particular interpretation of dying, Shakespeare does quite the opposite by making Hamlet appear over-analytical and unsure of himself. Similarly, Hamlet lists multiple examples of his suffering in sequential order, including “the pangs of dispirz’d love” and “the insolence of office,” which serve to illustrate his additional efforts to justify his desire of death (lines 17-20). Hamlet currently suffers under the corrupt authority of his uncle Claudius’s reign and believes his love interest, Ophelia, does not reciprocate his feelings, because she decided to distance herself from him after being advised to do

Read More

How Does Hamlet's View Of Death

694 Words | 3 Pages

Queen Gertrude teaches Hamlet a valuable lesson about death when she says “Thou know’st ‘tis common; all that lives must die, / Passing through nature to eternity” (1.2.74–75). She tells us that all we know is that we go from earthly existence back into the mysterious pace from whence we came. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet contemplates what happens when we die and what it means to die. Hamlet's point of view on death changes throughout the play. His views range from one side of the spectrum – contemplating the worth of life – to the other, which is death.

Read More

Isolation In Hamlet, Grendel, And Beow

727 Words | 3 Pages

The emptiness and lack of support cause Hamlet to be more cynical about living and not have much closure about

Read More

Ethos Pathos And Logos In Hamlet's Soliloquy

1765 Words | 8 Pages

When applied correctly, soliloquies successfully allow the reader to experience characters in their most vulnerable state: within their own minds. Hamlet is no exception to this principle, as Shakespeare’s mastery of rhetoric in establishing the main character’s inner conflict provides depth and rawness to his complex character. In this well-known soliloquy, Shakespeare employs logos to acknowledge that death can be both a relief and nightmare due to natural human emotions; accordingly, Hamlet personifies a severe case of teenage depression by simultaneously wishing for an end to suffering yet remaining hesitant to act on his own thoughts due to his fear of the unknown.         Throughout this passage, Hamlet attempts to rationalize ending his life over continuing to endure the painful reality of his existence. The parallelism in this particular soliloquy serves several rhetorical purposes, including the development of an implicit contrast between Hamlet’s mental state and the actual organization of his thoughts.

Read More

Hamlet Suicide Dbq

995 Words | 4 Pages

Hamlet sparks an internal philosophical debate on the advantages and disadvantages of existence and whether it is nobler to live miserably or to end one's sorrow with a single stroke. Hamlet is in a state of madness that leads him to question get suicide, comparing it to a peaceful sleep. Through Hamlet's internal struggle with suicide his conscience guides him to live. Hamlet is contemplating suicide because he is going mad over the truth of his father's death, and his mother remarrying so quickly. ” Hamlet is suffering” due to the loss of his dear father “and he wants his anguish and strong passion abundantly evident to the audience”(Source1,Point3).

Read More

The Affects Of Hamlet's Perspective On Life

402 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout the play Hamlet, it is discovered that Hamlet goes through many ordeals in such a short period of time and these ordeals altered his perspective on life. In the play, we learn what Hamlet’s perspective is, how his perspective is formed, and how it affects the meaning of the play. To begin with, through Hamlet soliloquies, we learn what Hamlet’s perspective on life is. At the beginning of the play, it is revealed that Hamlet believes life is worthless. This is evident in his “to be or not to be” soliloquy.

Read More

Hamlet Appearance Vs Reality Analysis

1620 Words | 7 Pages

Hamlet is a complex and nuanced character who struggles with existential questions and grapples with the nature of humanity. This is evident in the famous soliloquy "To be or not to be" (Act 3, Scene 1), in which Hamlet meditates on the pain and suffering of life and the possibility of

Read More

Hamlet Nihilism In Hamlet

829 Words | 4 Pages

The belief in nothing, the rejection of all values, moral principles and religions. The philosophy that all values are baseless and believing that life is meaningless, this is Nihilism. In Hamlet, there are three different kinds of nihilism that are shown; passive, active and ubermensch. Passive nihilism is when there is belief that there is no going further, its the end. Passive nihilism can be distinguished by rejection, death/suicide, and defeat.

Read More

How Is Hamlet Existentialism

1392 Words | 6 Pages

Existentialism in Hamlet In the 1600s, existentialism did not yet exist in name, but the ideas behind the movement were swirling around; many of the conflicts that Sartre and other existentialist philosophers discuss manifest themselves in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. By subtly sprinkling these ideas throughout the play, Shakespeare makes the audience reevaluate some of the customs and supposed truths of the time without making the play controversial in that effect. In Hamlet, some characters fail to adopt existentialist mindsets, and perhaps as a result, they suffer the anguish and despair of which Sartre warns. Other characters embody the values praised by existentialists, and Shakespeare rewards them, if not with a happy outcome, at least with some of the most quotable lines in all of literature.

Read More

Examples Of Indecisiveness In Hamlet

261 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout Hamlet, Prince Hamlet is faced against many situations that question his mental stability and ability to make decisions. His indecisiveness comes from the way he reacts to the situations he is put in and the way his mind presents these situations to him. The most important indecisive moments are Hamlet’s suicidal thoughts, his father’s ghost, and his vengeance to Claudius. When Hamlet is told by a ghost that has a resemblance of his father that Claudius had killed him, he vows to take vengeance and revenge his father’s death.

Read More

Death Theme In Hamlet

847 Words | 4 Pages

In his soliloquy, he is asking himself whether it is better to live or to die, which he is considering to commit suicide. Also, in the soliloquy, Hamlet states that “Who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscovered country from whose bourn No traveler returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of?” (3.1.84-90). He explains that no one would like to live in an exhausting life, unless they don’t know what is going to happen after they die because they are afraid of what their after life is going to be. Both these quotes prove that the death symbol is always surrounded by Hamlet and he has a hard time to choose between life and

Read More

Why Is Hamlet Regarded As A Tragic Hero

962 Words | 4 Pages

In Hamlet’s eyes life is awful as well as being dead because we all die anyways and “[he is] ready; now or whensoever, provided [he] be so able as now”. (Act

Read More

More about Examples Of Nihilism In Hamlet

Related Topics

Open Document