Comparative Literature
Although deference, self-righteousness, rashness, and self-delusion do not help the other characters in Hamlet to understand the truth or survive, Hamlet's perpetual reflection prevents him from taking action. Hamlet seems to grasp the failings of the other characters' and the inevitability of death, but cannot blindly accept anything to be the basis of truth. He is not sure whether a ghost's word should be the basis of murder: "Faced with evidence that his uncle murdered his father, evidence that any other character in a play would believe, Hamlet becomes obsessed with proving his uncle's guilt before trying to act," (Phillips). Hamlet even contemplates suicide, but ultimately decides that the terrors of this world are generally willingly preferred to the terrors of a world unknown. Still, his madness spurs him to impulsive action. He kills Polonius without knowing who is behind the tapestry, and he torments Ophelia without any clear intent. This suggests a man who truly believes in nothing, not even rational contemplation as a basis for truth. He tries being erratic and impetuous, but this yields no better results than his brooding melancholy. Centrally, he cannot submit himself to any belief that might indicate to him how to ac
In other words, despite the fact that he takes part in the most significant actions of the play, he remains something of an observer to the sequences of events that ultimately cause him to act. Gilgamesh's battles with Humbaba and his friendship with Enkidu work to bring out the hero within him. The nagging difficulty is that there is very little in a human being's life can be certain; yet, we are still forced to act and make crucial decisions based upon our imperfect knowledge. This is Hamlet's fatal flaw: he is frozen by contemplation. Still, in the end, Gilgamesh follows the traditional pattern of the mythical hero; yet his lasting appeal remain his flaws, and his final resignation to a mortal life. Although he is fundamentally different from many other heroes in that his character actually experiences a transition from despotic ruler into a benevolent one, he eventually comes to symbolize everything ancient Sumerians came to value in a man and king. Perhaps more so than any other modern writer, Joseph Campbell has contributed to the discussion of myth, and its significance in human culture. Hamlet struggles with this problem directly by questioning everything that others may accept on faith or on a whim. This pattern is very closely adhered to in many mythological stories, both modern and ancient. This automatically makes the character of Gilgamesh exceptionally interesting because he must exhibit both the characteristics of a god and those of a man; he must be both transcendent and yet flawed. Ultimately, it is the course of the tale that molds Gilgamesh into an individual who will eventually be revered as a god, even though he is at least partially mortal.
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Acceptance Essays
