Man vs. Himself
Self-fulfillment is what people live for, without it how can a person live? A failed search for self-fulfillment often leads to death. Demonstrated in A Tale of Two Cites, Hamlet, and A Death of a Salesman, each novel includes one character that struggles to fulfill his life, which results in death. Self-fulfillment can include being loved, wealthy, happiness, remembered, respected, or even a being hero. Sadly if none of these objectives is met, the character seems to think death is the only way option. "Nothing great will ever be achieved without great men, and men are great only if they are determined to be so" as said by Charles DeGaulle, relates to each character in the three novels that they were never determined to improve their life. The first example of failed self-fulfillment resulting in death is Willy Loman's from the novel A Death of a Salesman. Loman fails to be "well-liked" and also fails to provide for his family and decides that the only way to provide for them is to commit suicide so they can collect the insurance money. Loman spent most of his life trying to convince his family that he is the best in the business and he wants his sons, Biff and Happy to be the same. Willy tells his sons that with his succes
Sydney Carton with no love and happiness in his life tells Darnay "I care for no man, as n!o man cares for me. "As a general rule, to which there may be exceptions unknown to me, I think the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing - his sense of personal dignity. Loman saw that the only way he could be "large" in life was to lie and put on an act of success where he too was led to death so he could still have some achievement, providing for his family. This level of love makes the sacrifice even more valuable and brings things to closure, which he hopes will fulfill his duty in life. One very distinct opportunity was when Hamlet found Claudius alone in his room praying to be forgiven for his sin of death, Hamlet in confusion could only think "Now might I do it pat, now he is a-praying, And now I'll do't. Willy, who failed to reach self-fulfillment, saw death as a way to provide for his family and prove that he is "well-liked". Later when Loman is fired from his job he starts to think about all the hard work he's contributed to wanting to become successful and then concludes that, "Funny, y'know? After all the highways, and the trains, and the appo!intments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive. To be, or not to be-that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to sufferThe slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troublesAnd, by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep-To sleep, perchance to dream. Carton later with the company of Darnay at a tavern sadly says, "I care for no man on earth, and no man on earth cares for me"(Dickens, pg76). It was achieved, yet at the cost of life. "(Dickens, pg191) Once Carton realized these goals would never be achieved, he told Lucie his one love, he would sacrifice his life in order to save that of another that she loved dearly. Ay, there's the rub,For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,Must give us pause. Hamlet was given many opportunities to kill King Claudius, yet always hesitated to do so.
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