Reflection Of Hamlet By Socrates

1269 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The meaning of life and death in literature

Socrates, while contemplating the fundamentals of metaphysics, carelessly wandered his way into the Barrett Honors campus on a bright Sunday. He eventually made his way into the Burning Bee café where he saw an interesting collection of characters before him. At one corner of the café, he saw Hamlet, looking depressed, sipping a small glass of wine all by his lonesome. On the other side of the café, he spotted the godlike figure of Gilgamesh working on some sort of project and drinking a Venti pumpkin spice latté. After ordering a medium plain black coffee, Socrates decides to walk over to Hamlet and figure out what exactly he was sulking over.
Socrates: What troubles you, young man? I know that you must think me irrational for intruding on your private affairs when I do not even know you, but never have I seen a man in such a state of sadness as I see you in this very moment.
Hamlet: Good morning old man, there is no intrusion that I suspect from your questioning, for questioning is the only way that man can come to any form of enlightenment. But may I warn you, that the answers you may hear from me may cause you grief as they have caused me. As for …show more content…

Gilgamesh: Old man! Your ideas on death puzzle me. I do not understand how one can be so accepting of death. I believe that my purpose in life is to strive to be the most glorious and well-known person to walk this earth, and death has no part in my plan. Once I witnessed the death of my friend Enkidu I realized how short the lifespans of mortals are. I plan to visit Utanapishtim, the Immortal One, and learn to cheat death!
Socrates: I understand where your fear of death may stem from, but there is no point in trying to live forever. One could spend their entire existence trying to find a way to cheat death, but in the end they will fail and will have wasted what could have been a prosperous

Show More
Related

  • Sympathism In Gilgamesh

    1911 Words  | 4 Pages

    Gilgamesh’s aversion to growing old and eventually dying is the most sympathizing and acknowledged part of Gilgamesh that is a clear echo to the Western

    Read More

  • The Epic of Gilgamesh: The Ignorance of Gilgamesh

    1013 Words  | 3 Pages

    In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh’s pursuit for immortality is marked by ignorance and selfish desire. Desire and ignorance, as The Buddha-karita of Asvaghosha suggests, pollutes man’s judgment resulting in his inability to break the cycle of birth and death. At the core of Gilgamesh’s desire resides his inability to accept the inevitability of death, making his rationality behind the pursuit of immortality ignorant and selfish. Implicitly, Gilgamesh’s corrupt desire for immortality conveys that Gilgamesh does not mature as a character.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Hamlet's Soliloquy

    691 Words  | 2 Pages

    The interpretation of Hamlet’s, To Be or Not to Be soliloquy, from the Shakespearean classic of the same name, is an important part of the way that the audience understands an interpretation of the play. Although the words are the same, the scene is presented by the actors who portray Hamlet can vary between versions of the play. These differences no matter how seemingly miniscule affect the way in which someone watching the play connects with the title character.

    Read More

  • Hamlet

    861 Words  | 2 Pages

    The soliloquies expressed by many characters throughout the play, signify a critical point within the plot or change of tone. For example, Hamlet’s monologue in (II.ii.563-622), he is justifying his actions, reaffirming himself that what he is planning to do to seek revenge for his father’s death, is the best thing to do. In this speech, Hamlet states, “Is it not monstrous that this player here,/ But in a fiction, in a dream of passion,/ Could force his soul so to his own conceit/That, from her working, all his visage wanned.(II.ii.565-568)” These lines can be inferred as Hamlet is questioning his own state of mind and validity of his plan. Hamlet is questioning how can a player, who acts out false emotions, can truly “catch the conscience of the King”(II.ii.622). However, he believes that the creativity exuded from the soul(II.ii,568), can effectively allow a player to perform as if they are real emotions. Hamlet’s only concern is seeking revenge for his father’s death done at the hands of his uncle, Claudius, who now has the throne. The plot of the play to parallel to the real death of King Hamlet, allowing Hamlet to make Claudius feel uncomfortable and guilty(II.ii.578). Also, in this monologue, Hamlet states that the ghost of his father may have actua...

    Read More

  • How Did Gilgamesh Become A Better King

    826 Words  | 2 Pages

    After encountering the death of his friend Enkidu, Gilgamesh realizes that all men will die. Gilgamesh evolves from the beginning of The Epic of Gilgamesh as an unruly king to a realistic king who’s life ends in death. In the end after accepting that he too must die and be subject to fate, Gilgamesh settles back into his city setting, only this time to be a wise king rather than the foolish hero he once was.

    Read More

  • Death and Immortality in The Epic of Gilgamesh

    1379 Words  | 3 Pages

    Death and Immortality in The Epic of Gilgamesh The search for immortality has been a major concern for many men and women all throughout history. True love and immortality in life would be a dream come true to many. To spend time with a special someone, the person one feels closest to, and never have to say good-bye would greatly appeal to most people. But when death steps into the picture, even with all the pain and devastation, one starts to re-evaluate themselves. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh explores the possibility of immortality following the saddening death of his friend and brother, Enkidu.

    Read More

  • Hamlet - A Eulogy

    1044 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hamlet delighted in “flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table in a roar.” His ability to read my mind always astounded me, although I could never see his thoughts.

    Read More

  • How Hamlet's Mental State Changes in the Soliloquies in Hamlet by Shakespeare

    759 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this paper I will be analyzing and discussing how these four soliloquies reflect changes in Hamlet’s mental state; his

    Read More

  • Death And Afterlife In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

    862 Words  | 2 Pages

    This story teaches that death is an unavoidable and inevitable circumstance of mortal life, which is the most significant precept Gilgamesh learns. Gilgamesh is resentful that only the gods can exist eternally. Gilgamesh is frightened by the idea of his own destiny. Mesopotamian divinity proposes a perception of an afterlife; the deceased spend their period being dead in a netherworld. Death is inevitably entwined within the structure of creation. Life is also entwined, although mortals die, humanity maintains to live. The message that Gilgamesh returns with from his adventure is not primarily about death, but about life. Fragment of a tablet of The Epic of Gilgamesh is figure C down

    Read More

  • Hamlet’s Self-Perception

    1556 Words  | 4 Pages

    The way we see ourselves is often reflected in the way we act. Hamlet views himself as different to those young nobles around him such as Fortinbras and Laertes. This reality leads us to believe that over time he has become even more motivated to revenge his father's death, and find out who his true friends are. How can you be honest in a world full of deceit and hate? His seven soliloquies tell us that while the days go by he grows more cunning as he falls deeper into his madness. This fact might have lead Hamlet to believe that suicide is what he really wants for his life's course.

    Read More

  • Fear of Death

    1658 Words  | 4 Pages

    Death it is something we all must face at one point in our lives or another. It is either a death of a loved one, friend or co-worker. Sometimes it’s the devastation from a natural disaster. No matter what makes us face the idea of death it is how we handle this realization that truly matters. When Gilgamesh is faced with the horrendous loss of his dear friend and comrade Enkidu he begins to fear death. In Gilgamesh’s youth he is proud without fear of death, it is not until he watches his friend die that his own mortality becomes a fear.

    Read More

  • Hamlet

    774 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hamlets third soliloquy, which takes place in Act 2 Scene 2, shows a Hamlet who is very self critical and angry at himse...

    Read More

  • Hamlet – Psychological Drama

    1963 Words  | 4 Pages

    The only characters to soliloquize in Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet are King Claudius and Prince Hamlet, the latter delivering seven notable soliloquies with much psychological content. However, the psychological dimension of others is presented.

    Read More

  • The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living

    1037 Words  | 3 Pages

    When Socrates was brought to trial for the corruption of the city’s youth he knew he had done nothing wrong. He had lived his life as it should be lead, and did what he ne...

    Read More

  • Hamlet: Shakespearean Tragedy

    1311 Words  | 3 Pages

    “To be or not to be” (3.1.56) the famous lines known far and wide from William Shakespeare's Hamlet. The play, Hamlet, is about how King Hamlet of Denmark has died and his son Prince Hamlet returns for his funeral only to hear that the guards have seen the ghost of his father. This mysterious appearance intrigues the young Hamlet and so he goes to see the ghost and when he does, the ghost tells him that he is the spirit of his late father and that he did not die naturally. Continuing on the ghost tells Hamlet that he was actually murdered by his brother and Hamlet’s Uncle Claudius. Vowing to avenge his father’s death Hamlet sets out upon elaborate schemes to confirm that Claudius did indeed kill his father. As the play progresses Hamlet slowly seems to become insane, during one of his rampages while he was with his mother, he stabbed Polonius through a curtain killing him. Polonius’ death set Laertes, Polonius’ son, on revenge on the murderer and in doing so Claudius and Laertes joined in arms to make Hamlet disappear from the world. To ensure Hamlet would die Laertes poisoned his fencing sword and Claudius poisoned a chalice. In the end they all died from poisoning from the sword or from the chalice. Shakespeare provided dimension upon dimension for Hamlet, he created a character as real as could be. His character was an educated witty, indecisive, suicidal, and insane gentleman.

    Read More

More about Reflection Of Hamlet By Socrates

Open Document