Man vs. Himself

A detailed Summary of 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

Another character, Hamlet, whose father is killed and comes back as a ghost hoping that his son Hamlet will avenge his death, is killed. Hamlets whole purpose in life was to seek revenge for his beloved fathers murder. In order to avenge his father's death he had to kill his Uncle, King Claudius. Hamlet was given many opportunities to kill King Claudius, yet always hesitated to do so. 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

s he'll be "Bigger than Uncle Charley! Because Charley is not -- liked. He's liked, but he's not -- well liked."(Miller, I.iii) Little do Biff and Happy know, that their father isn't liked at all, he's just trying to fulfill one of his goals in life, being "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!

"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. From Orestes to Hamlet, Medea to Macbeth, the underlying struggle is that of the individual attempting to gain his "rightful" position in his society."(Deathofasalesman.com)

I, his sole son, do this same villain send

And so am I revenged. That would be scanned:

Willy, a moment later gets in his car, only to commit suicide, because he's unable to reach self-fulfillment.

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,

No more-and by a sleep to say we end

In conclusion, Willy Loman, Hamlet, and Sydney Carton, never reached self-fulfillment, leading them to their deaths. With their pity speeches from each character starting with Hamlet's "to be or not to be" and starts to ponder that death may be a solution to his unhappiness and his ability to fulfill his goals. Hamlet given the opportunity, especially when Claudius was praying Hamlet could of easily killed him, however Hamlet believed if he killed Claudius in the act of praying, Claudius would go to heaven. So hamlet found only excuses for his failure to reach self-fulfillment, which only led him to death. Willy Loman tells his boys to be "well-liked and wealthy", when he in fact is the opposite. 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. Sydney Carton with no love and happiness in his life tells Darnay "I care for no man, as n!

Hamlet being confused, could not decide what to do, fulfill his duties as a son and murder Claudius, or ignore the ghost and go on living as if nothing happened. Hamlet being a weak-minded character cannot deal wi

Some common words found in the essay are:
Charles Darnay, Sydney Carton, IIIiii77-83 Hamlet, Hamlet IIIi, Stryver Carton, IIvii Willy, King Claudius, Biff Happy, Manette Carton, Death Salesman, sydney carton, reach self-fulfillment, liked he's, death salesman, provide family, hamlet death, reach self-fulfillment death, die sleep-, killed hamlet, cost life, fulfillment life, death provide family, hamlet death salesman,

Approximate Word count = 1988
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English