World Literature 2 November 11 & 12 Mr. Thomas

Intro to Existentialism Today’s Agenda Finish Hamlet Notes Begin Reading Hamlet Act I Scene 1 Intro to Existentialism

Essential Questions & Learning Objectives How is Hamlet relevant to a modern audience? What is existentialism and how is it applied to a person’s understanding of life? Students will know the characters, themes, literary devices, and allusions required for Hamlet. Students will understand the basic concepts of existentialism and how they are applied to life and literature.

Finish Hamlet Notes Switch to PPT with Hamlet Notes!

Hamlet Study Guides As we read each act, you will fill out important details about that act on the corresponding study guide. These will be turned in for grades and returned to you as a study guide for the final exam. Pay attention and work on these as we read in class so that you don’t have a bunch of homework later on when they’re due.

Existentialism

Existentialism in a Nutshell Existentialism is a philosophical & literary movement popular in the 1900s emphasizing the absurdity of reality and the human responsibility to make choices and accept consequences.

Existentialism - The Starting Point Existentialism begins when an individual experiences confusion or disorientation in the face of a seemingly meaningless or absurd world. This is often referred to as an existential crisis.

Existentialism - The Absurd Absurdity of life is caused by the amorality or unfairness of the world. Good things happen to bad people. Bad things happen to good people. Anything can happen to anyone without rhyme or reason, and nothing can explain or rationalize the human experience. There is no answer to “Why am I?” Humans exist in a meaningless, irrational universe and any search for order will bring them into direct conflict with this universe.

Existentialism – Free Will Humans have freedom to choose Each individual makes choices that create his or her own nature Because we choose, we must accept risk and complete responsibility for wherever our commitments take us “A human being is absolutely free and absolutely responsible. Anguish is the result.” –Jean-Paul Sartre

Existentialism - Angst Dread, Anxiety, Anguish Negative feelings arise from the experience of human freedom and responsibility. Our actions carry huge weight because if we fail we have only ourselves to blame for what we become and what we must live with. Angst can lead to self-doubt, inaction, and despair, or it can lead to a close examination of one’s values, priorities and identity and creation of meaning. Angst can sink us or become a catalyst for action!

Existentialism – Death & Nothingness Death hangs over all of us. Our awareness of it can bring freedom or anguish. Freedom = I am my own existence. Nothing structures my world. I can become anything. Anguish = It is inevitable that I am going to die and I do not have an inherent purpose. What’s the point? “Nothingness is our inherent lack of self. We are in constant pursuit of a self. Nothingness is the creative well-spring from which all human possibilities can be realized.” – Jean-Paul Sartre

Existentialism - Despair Loss of Hope A reaction to the breakdown of all or part of a person’s identity. Some argue it is inevitable as long as our identity is composed of qualities that can crumble.

Existentialism - Alienation The meaninglessness of life and our sense of angst, dread, or despair can lead to a sense of alienation… From other humans From human institutions From the past From the future We only ever really exist right here, in the present moment

Existentialism - Authenticity Many existentialist philosophers stressed the need to use your freedom to “create oneself” and then live in accordance with that self. This is called living with “authenticity.” Inauthentic living is letting your past or societal norms or expectations shape your present and your future.

Existentialism – Human Subjectivity Because we are all the product of our present choices, we choose to create purpose and make decisions that lead to hope and joy or sink in despair and live an inauthentic life of anxiety and inaction.

Existentialism - Literature Because Existentialism is a difficult concept and it revolves primarily around the absurdity and conflict of subjective human experience, many existentialists wrote fiction to illustrate and illuminate the themes of existential crisis, absurdity, angst, free will, and living the authentic life.

Existentialism – The Big Picture An existentialist believes that a person’s life is nothing but the sum of the life he has shaped for himself. At every moment it is always his own free will choosing how to act. He is responsible for his actions. Thus, he must create a morality in the absence of any known predetermined absolute values. God does not figure into the equation, because even if God does exist, He does not reveal to men the meaning of their lives. Honesty with oneself is the most important value. Every decision must be weighed in light of all the consequences of that action. Life is absurd, but we engage it!

What to Look for in Existential Literature Emphasis on an individual human emotional experience Absurd, unfair, or unexplainable circumstances Focus on dramatic and/or tragic aspects of life Themes of anxiety, guilt, and/or solitude Anguish as a universal element of life Unpredictable and/or self-destructive characters Characters own responsibility for their actions Emphasis on choice/free will and the consequence of choices Lack of religious/ethical standards Characters must decide right from wrong on their own