Humans may Never Fully Understand the Meaning of Life

Humans may Never Fully Understand the Meaning of Life Shakespeare's Hamlet and Oscar Wilde's "The Canterville Ghost" are narratives that share themes of identity and purpose. Shakespeare depicts that the characters in the narrative face various challenges because that is the only way for them to fulfill their purposes in life. However, in "The Canterville Ghost", Wilde is keen to portray that suffering does not always shape one's identity. The major difference between identity and purpose in the two narrations is that Oscar Wilde seems to be taking a much more nihilistic approach than Shakespeare. A nihilistic approach entails believing that there is no meaning to life and that nothing really has a real existence. Wilde clearly posits that, despite life being meaningless, it still needs to be enjoyed. According to Wilde, nihilism does not always mean that one has to face a lot of tragedy in life despite life being meaningless. However, Shakespeare's approach entails depicting life as purposeful, and whatever disaster humans’ face is designed to help them attain their destiny. The narratives, “The Canterville Ghost" and Hamlet have almost similar views on the themes of identity and purpose in life, but they differ in terms of the various circumstances the characters must face in order to achieve their identity.
The first difference is the belief in the purpose of life and death. To begin with, in Hamlet, Shakespeare shows that an individual's identity is something one is born with. In Acts 1-3, Hamlet is eager to create a new identity for himself. He believes that he can accomplish this, but his friends, Jackson and Dickenson, help Hamlet see that it is not as easy as it seems. Hamlet cannot create a new identity because he is already born with one. As the son of a king, he is obligated to act and live a specific life. Thus, identity in Hamlet is something one is born with. Afterward, Hamlet starts to take solace in believing that there is no self-identity. In Act 4, Hamlet describes humans as atoms and molecules. As a result, whether a beggar or a king, everyone suffered the same fate. They were all destined to be eaten; therefore, there was no self-identity. Through Hamlet's eyes, Shakespeare portrays life as meaningless because, no matter what one does, the beggar and the king both have the same fate.
Additionally, Hamlet then changes his understanding of identity when he believes that his identity was given to him and not something he acquired through sheer luck. He believes that there is divinity, an intelligent God that shapes his end. He believes he was created to play the role of avenging his father. He has to kill Claudius for him to have lived his purpose. Therefore, Shakespeare shows that there is a purpose in life, and that is why, despite waiting for so long and overcoming many hurdles, Hamlet accomplished his goal before dying. Hamlet, in his death throes, ends up killing Claudius and leaves the role of explaining to his friend Horatio. He has ...