How Hamlet Reaches Authenticity

Running Head: HOW HAMLET REACHES AUTHENTICITY 1

Name

Institutional Affiliation

HOW HAMLET REACHES AUTHENTICITY 2

How Hamlet Reaches Authenticity

Philosophically, authenticity defines the quality of being genuine. Accordingly,

claiming authenticity of an occurrence, individual or an act would entail proving that it is

genuinely what you claim it is, or what it appears to be. Historically, authenticity derives its

origins in periods during the 18th century. As defined by early philosophers at the time,

authenticity is a manifestation of individuality among beings. Consequently, the notion that

the society is viewed as an entity is replaced by the idea that each individual making up a

society possess their own uniqueness or individuality (Liwinski, 2011).

The Concept of Authenticity from Heidegger’s Perspective

According to Heidegger’s a German philosopher and a pioneer in the idea of

authenticity is described as owning or standing by ones actions. The concept and well as the

defining principles was directly translated from the German dialect. Notably, the words

directly mean to own and refers to beings ones owner. In addition, it refers to being directly

responsible or owning oneself and ones actions. The concept that Heidegger provides about

“Ownedness” gives human life a more realized from using an idea of the meaning of being a

human being.

According to Heidegger, human being does not refer to some sort of object among

many objects based completely on whatever is present in the universe (Liwinski, 2011).

Rather human being refers to a ‘relation of being’. One that has the present state of one at any

time as well as what one has capability and is likely to be while life unfolds into an open

world of possibilities. Thereby stating that human being is a relation means that in the process

of living out life, humans pay attention to what or who they are. This claim is addressed by

the statement that for every individual, there is always an issue with every persons being. In

sum, what it means to be authentic according to Heidegger is to be oneself, to act freely. An

HOW HAMLET REACHES AUTHENTICITY 3

authentic being possesses such virtues as determination, truthfulness, clear-sightedness,

flexibility, sincerity (Schmid & Thonhauser, 2017).

Adapting Authenticity to the Hamlet

The play “Hamlet” by renowned playwright William Shakespeare is set in a Danish

Kingdom and the principle character Prince Hamlet sets out to seek revenge for his father’s

death. Prince Hamlet’s father appears to him inform of a ghost and prevails upon him to take

revenge on his behalf. Claudius, the ghost claims was responsible for his murder and even

went ahead to marry his widow (Shakespeare & Hibbard, 2008). This piece aims to discuss

various aspects within the play including scenes, events and passages to establish if Hamlet

reaches authenticity. In Act I scene II, Hamlet is seen to lament that he does not believe what

the situation has come to. This is in relation to the fact that his uncle Claudius was just about

to marry his mother. This scene exemplifies Hamlet meeting the criteria for authenticity

because in disputing his mother’s planned marriage, he becomes true to oneself. Similarly, in

scene II as Hamlet describes the frailty of a woman, it becomes increasingly clear that he has

a clear stand on the issue of his mother moving on so quick(Shakespeare & Hibbard, 2008).

Hamlet argues that even a woman or beast would not have moved on that quick. This is

evidence of authenticity as described by Heidegger’s because Hamlet is establishing belief is

his ideas. Finally, in Act III, Scene I Hamlet examines the worthiness of his motives. In this

instance, Hamlet is under a lot of anxiety Heidegger argues that anxiety is an important

component is determining authenticity.

Act I scene II - “That things should come to this!”

This is the first of about five soliloquies. This scene follows after Hamlet has had a

word with Gertrude (his mother) and King Claudius (uncle). Here, Hamlet observes, “that it

supposedly should come to this (Shakespeare & Hibbard, 2008).” This exclamation is the end

of a description where he had come from describing the way that the world had moved to

HOW HAMLET REACHES AUTHENTICITY 4

fodder. Hamlet proceeds to cry out how he finds it unbelievable that his father’s brother (his

uncle) was going to marry his mother.

This scene achieves Heidegger’s conditions of authenticity. A soliloquy refers to the

act of exclaiming thoughts aloud just by oneself or regardless of any hearers, mostly other

characters in the play. This soliloquy allows the audience to listen to the inner thoughts of the

character. The scene meets Heidegger’s condition for authenticity because the character,

Hamlet demonstrates oneself. Hamlet demonstrates that he is acting according to his desires

and ideals. The scene describes Hamlet’s disbelief regarding the remarriage of his mother.

This is Hamlet’s expression of disapproval of his mother’s remarriage because of his own

beliefs. Hamlet seems to think that the world is in a chaotic state and the marriage represents

the climax of everything just getting out of control (Schmid & Thonhauser, 2017).

Scene II – “that Frailty, woman is thy name”

In this scene, Hamlet is still speaking by himself. The woman that he is supposedly

speaking about is his mother. Hamlet has this feeling that his mother has moved on quickly

after his father’s death or she has not mourned him completely. Hamlet further exclaims that

an animal or beast with sound reasoning ability in such situation would not end mourning that

prematurely. In sum, Hamlet describes the confusion that his mother’s quick remarriage has

brought to him (Shakespeare & Hibbard, 2008).

The scene can also meet the requirements of authenticity based on Heidegger’s

perspective. The expressions are truly Hamlet’s own idea. Here, Hamlet is making remarks

that reflect what he is really. The remarks stands the test of ‘ownedness,’ which according to

Heidegger, is the conception of owning up to one’s own ideas. As such, the remarks

expressed by Hamlet are his very own, reflecting how he really perceives himself, that in his

own view, his mother abandoned mourning his father prematurely.

Act III, Scene I “To be, or not is the issue”

HOW HAMLET REACHES AUTHENTICITY 5

In this scene, Hamlet questions which among his motives may be worthy

(Shakespeare & Hibbard, 2008). In this instance in the play, Hamlet is undecided regarding

his intentions to do revenge, which seems to annoy him. Therefore, he queries the better

choice that is between continuing to suffer the way he has and putting things to an end.

Here still, Hamlet meets authenticity because he makes this statement from an

ownedness standpoint. Hamlet achieves this capacity because of anxiety. According to

Heidegger, anxiety is one of the factors for achieving “ownedness.’ From this remark, one

can realize that Hamlet is experiencing worry. During such experiences, the society around a

person collapses; hence, that sense of security disappears. At this point, the being finds

oneself as individual and alone in due course. In this regard, the anxiety is a factor in the

formation of the ideal of authenticity, therefore Hamlet reaches authenticity because he

individualizes due to anxiety thus demonstrating that he is alone (Schmid & Thonhauser,

2017).

Conclusion

In summary, the idea of authenticity is described as being genuine. Therefore, when

one claims authenticity, there has to be sufficient evidence to support the claims. In addition,

authenticity derives its origin from philosophers in the 18th century. In particular, Heidegger

describes authenticity as owning and standing by ones actions. In this analysis, we are able to

establish that Hamlet reaches authenticity as evidenced by the various instances throughout

the play. In Act I scene II, Hamlet is not pleased with the situation whereby his mother is

about to get married to his uncle who has just inherited the throne from his dead father. In

this scene, Hamlet meets the criteria for authenticity because in disputing his mother’s

planned marriage, he becomes true to oneself. Similarly, in scene II as Hamlet describes the

frailty of a woman, it becomes increasingly clear that he has a clear stand on the issue of his

mother moving on so quickly. Hamlet argues that even a woman or beast would not have

HOW HAMLET REACHES AUTHENTICITY 6

moved on that quick. This is evidence of authenticity as described by Heidegger’s because

Hamlet is establishing belief is his ideas. Finally, in Act III, Scene I Hamlet examines the

worthiness of his motives. In this instance, Hamlet is under a lot of anxiety and Heidegger

considers anxiety as primary consideration for authenticity (Schmid & Thonhauser, 2017).

HOW HAMLET REACHES AUTHENTICITY 7

References

Liwinski, T. (2011). Questioning the meaning of authenticity in Martin Heidegger's Being

and Time. College Station, Tex.: Texas A & M University.

Schmid, H. B., & Thonhauser, G. (2017). From conventionalism to social authenticity:

Heideggers anyone and contemporary social theory. Cham: Springer.

Shakespeare, W., & Hibbard, G. R. (2008). Hamlet. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Place new order. It's free, fast and safe

Paper type

Deadline

Page count

550 words

Total price: $ 15.00

Our customers say

Jeff Curtis

USA, Student

"I'm fully satisfied with the essay I've just received. When I read it, I felt like it was exactly what I wanted to say, but couldn’t find the necessary words. Thank you!"

Ian McGregor

UK, Student

"I don’t know what I would do without your assistance! With your help, I met my deadline just in time and the work was very professional. I will be back in several days with another assignment!"

Shannon Williams

Canada, Student

"It was the perfect experience! I enjoyed working with my writer, he delivered my work on time and followed all the guidelines about the referencing and contents."