Existentialism of Samuel Beckett Essay Example for Free

Existentialism of Samuel Beckett EssaySamuel Beckett was a truly astound existential philosopher. Becketts work was essentially existentialist and consciously or unconsciously, his works were infused with the psyche that things chip in no inherent meaning and that our fallacy is to descry meaning in everything. Existential philosophy became normal in the twentieth century as a symbol of the destruction of culture and tradition by-line World War II, asserting the hopelessness of humanity and focusing on manner in a more h whizst but pessimistic manner than some other socialistic philosophies. The philosophy recognizes the fact that earth is capable of great evil and has limitless possibilities. Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individualistic experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses exemption of choice and responsibility for the consequences of ones acts. It emphasizes the difference between human existence and that of inanimate objects. Existentialism was a edge adopted by Jean-Paul Sartre. Existentialism was identified with a cultural movement that flourished in Europe in the 1940s and 1950s.Heideggers 1927 Being and Time, an inquiry into the being that we ourselves are (which he termed Dasein, a German word for existence), introduced more or less of the motifs that would character referenceize later existentialist thinking(Edward). One existentialist view is absolute individuality and absolute drop by the waysidedom. The existentialist philosopher conceptions of freedom and value come from their view of an individual. Since we are all ultimately alone, isolated islands of subjectivity in an objective world, we bring absolute freedom over our internal nature, and the source of our value can all be internal.I disembodied spirit Beckett expressed this view in the expelled when the main character got thr give come forth of his apartment. He had no one he could turn to for help. He just started wondering the city non caring where he was going. He knew getting thrown out wasnt the end for him because he controlled his own destiny. A nonher existentialist view is the view of human nature. Existentialism is defined by the slogan public precedes Essence. Meaning we have no influence nature or essence that controls what we are, what we do, or what is valuable for us. man beings have no essential self they are no more than what they appear.A person is staple fiberally born with a blank slate humans have no uniform, predetermined principles or ethical motive common to all of mankind. Since there is no preformed essence or definition that exists for what it means to be human, a person must form conception of existence by asserting control of and responsibility for their actions and choices. Consequently, a human being gains essence through individual choices and actions. It is solely through the process of living that one defines ones self(Existence Precedes Essence). I feel Beckett expressed this point heavily in Krapps Last Tape.The character was an older man listening to a tape of when he was younger. He could listen to the way he use to think, act and be as a younger man. He was also able to perk how his past had affected his life in the present but he still had no idea what laid ahead of him. That is way he made this tapes so he could incite in self in the future what he thought lay ahead of him in the past. He knew to always go back and listen to the tapes to ponder on what he had made for himself and no had predetermined it. Existentialist encourage us to consider, in a personal way, the meaning of living authentically and inauthentically(Oaklander). man is the only known being, according to the philosophers, that defines itself merely through the act of living. First you exist, and then the individual emerges as he makes life decisions. Freedom of choice, through which each human being creates their own nature, is one of the basic themes. Because individuals are free to postulate their own way, Existentialist have argued that they must accept the risk they choose to take and responsibility of their actions.Those people that follow this believe they are in a world that does not always make sense, a world that is filled with uncertainty where well-intended actions can become obscure and chaotic. In basic existentialist tactual sensations, man is the only animal defining itself through life. Without life, there is no meaning. Existentialist believe in life and fighting for it.While fighting for life, each person must slip important and difficult decisions with only limited knowledge and duration in which to make these decisions. clement life is seen as a series of decisions that must be made without knowing what the correct choice is. They must decide what standards to except and which ones to reject. Individuals must make their own choices without h elp from external standards.Humans are free and completely responsible for their choices. Their freedom and responsibility is thrust upon them and they are condemned to be free. Existentialist belief people are responsible for their actions, decisions and beliefs which caused them anxiety. They try to escape by ignoring or denying their responsibility. To have a purposeful life one must become fully aware of his true self and his situation and courageously accept it. Yet other existentialist thought dictates every person spends a lifetime ever-changing his or her essence. Without life there can be no meaning, the search for meaning in existentialist philosophy is the search for self.In other words, we define ourselves by living, killing yourself would indicate you have chosen to have no meaning. Existentialist believe in living, in fact fighting for life. In Molloy I feel Beckett expressed this believe many times. First, at the beginning when his mother was dying and dead. He stat ed I have her room. I sleep in her bed. I piss and shit in her pot. this says to me that even though she had died he had to continue living his life. Also in Expelled Becket had traces of this theme. At the end when he left the cabdrivers trailer truck in the morning. I felt he was portraying that he used the cabdriver.He just require a place to stay the night. The next morning he got up and left without saying anything. He got what he needed to survive the night then continued on his life. Samuel Beckett always used the mention a step from the cradle to the grave. I feel this Quote means that you are only a split second away from dying. Even when youre a new born one thing could go wrong and youre died. Beckett used this saying in many of his writings. One time he used this saying was in the Expelled. He said In what had just happened to me there was vigor in the least memorable.It was neither the cradle nor the game of anything whatever. Or rather it resembled so many other c radles, so many other graves, that Im lost. the character could not remember anything in life. He could not till if he was at the cradle of his life or the grave because they are so close together in life. Existentialism was a very big part of way Samuel Beckett was such(prenominal) a great preserver. His works were infused with the idea that things have no inherent meaning and that our fallacy is to perceive meaning in everything which is way his stories where so great.He was also one of the last people to write in that form. After researching this subject I plan on studying Existentialism more in depth. Works cited 1. Barsoum Diane. Existentialism and the Philosophical Tradition 2. Edward N. Zalta, Standford encyclopedia of philosophy 3. Existence Precedes Essence Jean-Paul Sartres Existentialism and Human Emotions Online athttp//www. associatedcontent. com/article/186425/existence_precedes_essence_jeanpaul. html? cat=38 4. Grene, Marjorie. Introduction To Existentialism. 5. Oak lander, L. Nathan, Existentialist Philosophy an Introduction.