“This must above all be true of yourself” (1.3.88). As Polonius gives this advice to his son Laertes, he also states one of the defining principles of the branch of philosophy known collectively as existentialism. A paradigm firmly anchored in individual experience, existentialism advocates responsibility and affirms that man is only the sum of his decisions (Sartre, 9-37). Shakespeare's Hamlet fits perfectly into the ideology of Jean-Paul Sartre: a character plagued by existential anxiety after the premature death of his beloved father and the hasty and avuncular marriage of his mother. However, Hamlet - being a God-fearing man of the 16th century - finds himself at odds with Sartre's staunch atheism. A diversion from the zealous Christianity proposed by the father of existentialism, Sren Kierkegaard, reveals Hamlet as a pious man possessing the deeply existentialist characteristics of individuality and personal responsibility. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get the original essay A cardinal principle of Sartre's philosophy is that of anxiety, described thus: Existentialists say straight away that man is anguish. It means this: the man who gets involved and realizes that he is not only the person he chooses to be, but also a lawgiver who, at the same time, chooses all of humanity as well as himself - himself, cannot help but escape the feeling of his total and profound responsibility. (18). This feeling is closely reflected by Hamlet. Laertes describes Hamlet's troublesome situation to his loving sister, Ophelia: “He cannot, as worthless people do, / Carve out for himself; for on his choice depends / The safety and health of this whole state” (1.3.19-21). . As prince of Denmark, his choice is affected by his responsibility for the welfare of his subjects, which depends on his choice. Avenging your father and embarrassing your mother may not be the ideal solution for Denmark as a whole. However, God and his personal conviction drive Hamlet to free his father from the confines of hell and seek revenge on an incestuous royal family. Further complicating this dilemma is Sartre's idea that there is no such thing as a priori ethics (24-27). Hamlet has no books to consult for advice, and no one to show him the “correct” path to follow. He must find the answer within himself and possess the faith to act on that answer. Hamlet expressly mentions this idea in a conversation with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: "for there is nothing good or bad without thought making it so." (2.2.253-254). This clearly demonstrates the axiom that all ethical questions are subjective in nature, immune to a standardized rational approach. The future of a country and the realization that no one can help another individual in their own personal journey is limited to consciousness: Hamlet is a hopeless existentialist. Two other facets of Sartre's philosophy are the absurdity of life and the absence of an a priori meaning to life. No goal can be seen as the obvious end of life's struggle, and no discernible meaning is immediately visible. Instead, each person must individually create inner meaning within this short and brutal existence (49). Hamlet's thoughts on this subject are revealed in his speech about Alexander: Alexander is dead, Alexander has been buried, Alexander returns to dust; dust is earth; of earth We make clay; and why could they not from this slime where he was convertednot stop a barrel of beer? (5.1.211-214).These demoralizing thoughts about Alexander the Great, whose exploits are world famous, indicate the futility of Hamlet's existence: we may end up being nothing more than a stopper blocking the flow of beer. Additionally, the epochal monologue in the first scene of the third act is an examination of the absurdity of life; barbaric events, as well as the role of consciousness in defining our actions. "To be or not to be: that is the question" asks whether life is really worth living, given the "thousand natural shocks /whose flesh is the heir! ”, and the role of man is to “grunt and sweat under a tired weight”. life" (3.1.56-77). These suicidal and punitive tendencies are repelled by Hamlet's Christian conscience and faith; he states: "Thus conscience makes us all cowards,/And thus the native tint of resolution/ Is sick with the pallor of thought” (3.1.83-85 He immediately doubts whether it is profitable to wake up the next day and considers his options for revenge with his anemic resolve. This grim theme of utter despair is prevalent in. much of existential literature, from the detached wanderings of Camus in "Meursault in The Stranger" to the inescapable and insectile existence of Gregor Samsa in Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" Thus, Hamlet is equivalent to Atlas: with. with the weight of the world bearing down on him, he must continually search for meaning and constantly examine his faith and conscience. The only part of Hamlet's character that is not consistent with Sartre's philosophy is his unwavering faith in God; it is here that he strays towards the zealous Christian Kierkegaard. Concerned about the lack of faith in his contemporary religious community, Kierkegaard despised "Sunday Christians", believing that truth was in the minority and that deep faith – not logic – was the basis of salvation (Gaarder, 372-384 ). Hamlet is angry with Claudius and Gertrude, not only because of the harm they have done to him, but also because of the damnation that will follow. To his mother, Gertrude, Hamlet declares: The face of heaven shines on this solidity and this composed mass, with heated face, against fate he reflects on the deed. (3.4.49-52) Ninety-eight lines later, Hamlet commands Gertrude: “Confess to heaven,/Repent of the past, shun that which is to come” (3.4.150-151 ). This furious advice demonstrates Hamlet's concern for the eternal. This also explains his thinking about "what dreams can arise" in his infamous soliloquy, as suicide cannot be an option for a devout Christian (3.1.66). Hamlet is further explained as a Kierkegaardian character in that he is given a murderous task by the ghost of his father – not uncommon in the archetypal Senecan tragedy – but must ultimately trust himself to do what he believes is right. The truth of the situation lies in the minority: Claudius and Hamlet's deceased father. None of these men are completely reliable; therefore, it once again comes down to an individual decision. Faith is necessary for Hamlet to take revenge: both faith in himself and faith that the ghost was not a demonic apparition, but a tortured soul seeking salvation. The appearance of a cadaverous parent is anything but an appeal to logos; subsequently, faith is needed to calm one's conscience. Hamlet's faith and devotion to God explain the play's most ironic scene, in which Hamlet attempts to kill Claudius but is unable to do so because he believes Claudius is praying, when in reality he is not. does not (3.3.73-96). Hamlet can easily be seen as an existentialist concerned only with his eternal salvation and troubled by the apparent absurdity.