Introduction
Death is one of the inevitable aspects of life, and all human beings will go through the process at some point in their life. Although death physically separates individuals from their family and friends for good, it can be motivational. It can be the reason to live well with others, do good to anyone, a reason to correct yourself, and stay healthy always. Human beings do not like death, but it gives a sense of awareness that the end is the same; what matters is how one spends their life Death is a powerful force, and it may be the only thing on the earth that can change the world (Vajta 24). Devastating as it may seem, death has a surprising amount of power. It is the only thing over which human beings have no control. If it is the time for a person to die, they will die; nothing can change it.
Main body
Death is the most agonizing experience when it involves the people you cherish. When a loved one passes away, people are left wondering why it happened and trying to ignore the same. It is normal to be filled with resentment, wondering why you were not able to be there with them. Instead of dwelling on the fact that they are no longer alive, a mature person accepts the conclusion and considers what they would want you to do in their honor if a loved one passes away. You will be able to utilize death as a motivator if you approach it with an open mind. When one is about to give up, they will hear the voice of their departed loved one telling them not to worry. Typically, no human is ready to die, and most people wish to live forever, and that is why it is essential to cherish all moments. This essay will explore the significance of death in the human experience of Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, the poem I heard a Fly Buzz – When I died, and A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery. These works give a more understanding of the theme of death from different perspectives.
The story of Hamlet is centered on an important topic that depicts a never-ending emotional conflict. In the story, death permeates every scene, from the opening scene’s confrontation with the Ghost of a dead man to the final scene’s carnage, which claims the lives of nearly every significant character (Shakespeare 1-206). There are many deaths in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, but his fascination with death and the Ghost of King Hamlet is visible in his depiction of the issue.
Hamlet is perpetually preoccupied with death and contemplates it from a variety of angles. While the idea of self-harm fascinates and repulses him, he is equally entranced by death’s physical reality, as evidenced by the famous gravedigger scene (Shakespeare 20). The play Hamlet can be viewed as a long conversation between Hamlet and death. The more Hamlet grows as a character throughout the play, the more he comes into contact with various viewpoints on mortality and death and how they relate to Hamlet and others.
The character initially regards life as a torturous prelude to death and the afterlife, but as he grows and learns more about himself, the considerable toll death takes on humankind dawns on him. Through these characters, the playwright reveals his ambivalent take on the central issue. Hamlet idolizes death as a teenager from the beginning of the play, and he lives his life as if it were a journey to the grave (Shakespeare 1-205). Despite his apprehensions, he makes an effort to get in touch with the Ghost. Hamlet is terrified of dying since he doesn’t know what will happen once he passes away. In a well-known soliloquy, Hamlet expresses his concern about death and engages in a conversation about it. While confronted with murder, injustice, and the end of his life, Hamlet appears callous toward death. Hamlet contemplates death and the afterlife as part of his desire for vengeance in Shakespeare’s play. However, Hamlet’s plans to exact revenge on his father are merely a prelude to his eventual consideration of suicide. As William Shakespeare portrays with veiled mockery, his obsession with death slowly drives him insane.
For example, when Hamlet murders Ophelia’s father, he loses sight of where he buried his body, leading him to rage about the horrible things that happen to dead bodies after they are eaten. Because Hamlet was obsessed with death and his black clothing, Shakespeare had him appear depressed. With Shakespeare’s graveyard scene, we get a better sense of Hamlet’s concern with death. The picture of a graveyard appears several times in the play, revealing the character’s attitude toward dying. Only Hamlet is unnerved and saddened by seeing the grave because death is seen as a threat to him. Because he is preoccupied with death, Hamlet has little regard for life, including his own.
God’s ways are inscrutable, in reference to O’Connor’s story A Good Man Is Hard to Find. According to the author, the most important ideas are about living a meaningless life, dying without any achievement, and the possibility of revelation. As she tells a basic, and at times hilarious, story about everyday people and prejudices and narrow-mindedness, she reveals how modern life is devoid of spirituality. To raise awareness about this issue, the author wrote the book. On the subject of location and genre, it’s important to remember that this is a “road story,” which implies a journey from one place to another on an individual level.
However, the narrative’s symbolic level is formed by a concealed meaning that is always there behind the scenes. For the most part, it is clear that the roads represent life’s journey and that everyone who takes them experiences some mental and spiritual metamorphosis. Flannery O’Connor’s writings are similar in this regard. It’s a scenic drive from Georgia to Florida with views like this: “Stone Mountain and the blue granite. “There was Stone Mountain, which had blue granite outcroppings on both sides of the road, as well as vivid red clay banks with purple striations, as well as diverse crops that formed rows of green lacework on the mountain’s sides. Even the ugliest of the trees glistened in the silver-white sunlight that drenched them.” family grandmother, including her son Bailey and his family, are in the backseat of the car as they drive through picturesque countryside, not paying any attention to it (O’Connor 13). Nobody else seems interested, except for the elderly lady who has a nostalgic attachment to “things as they used to be” and believes that travel can be educational for young people
Death comes unexpectedly most times, and no one knows the day. During their vacation, the family stumbles into a car accident in a remote location and is then murdered by a gang known as the Misfit. A transition from life to death occurs externally as a result of this. The internal movement, on the other hand, is from end to life. This implication is most prominently emphasized by the novel’s Grandmother figure, who is unnamed. Her inability to give herself a name shows that she is a typical contemporary product lacking originality. As soon as we meet her, we notice that she’s intelligent, cunning, and self-centered. In her mind, “people are not as good as they used to be,” a phrase that is both her life motto and a reflection of how she views herself; she clings to the past with bitterness. As a result, she has a false sense of self-worth and values. An incredible metamorphosis takes place after meeting the Misfit and feeling like her life is on the edge of ending.
Interestingly, her epiphany arrives via a religious dialogue with a serial killer rather than the typical route (O’Connor 20). As a side effect, this implies that the author has more wisdom than the average person. The Misfit is a strange character, and his name stands for the universal feelings of isolation, loss, and emptiness. They do not belong in the world that was created for them by God. And, contrary to what Grandmother assumed, the problem is not that individuals have aged and become less attractive. Humans see themselves reflected in the environment around them and the people they interact with. There is not much distance between the assassin and the well-dressed elderly woman who does it to look the part in case she is killed in an accident. They grew up in nonspiritual households; therefore, they didn’t have a personal relationship with God. The Misfit is aware of this, while the grandmother is unaware of it. To avoid being discovered, she hides behind Christian stereotypes such as regular church attendance, prayer, and not robbing law-abiding citizens, among others.
Conversely, Emily Dickson brings the theme of death in her works by showing how the fear of death follows from the fear of life. Her poem “I heard a Fly buzz – when I died” presented death as quick and painless. The poem then alludes to death’s most terrible aspect as a result of this seemingly simple explanation. Initially, she gives the fly as innocuous and little more than a slight annoyance to the narrator, but in the last verse, she shows off the fly’s truly nasty side. There is a funeral in the poem, and the setting’s symbolic nature is used to depict the narrator’s mental separation in a figurative way (Dickson 4-7). They are used as a metaphor for the poet’s agony, which is expressed through the mourners. As they go, they are putting literal pressure on her, and it would not let up until she falls unconscious.
Conclusion
To conclude, death should serve as an additional motivation to live a better life in every moment. After all, humans should be aware that whatever occurs after they die will be very different from what they are accustomed to in their lifetime. Though dwelling on mortality all of the time is fruitless, reflecting on the finite nature of our time may be beneficial. From this perspective, the only goal that should be pursued is avoiding feeling bad about their acts. The three works present death in a special manner. Normally, human beings do not like talking about death rather than about life. Death is like a mirror in which the true meaning of life is reflected.
Works Cited
Dickinson, Emily, and Petra Press. I heard a fly buzz when I died. Petra Press, 2006.
O’Connor, Flannery. A Good Man is Hard to Find: And Other Stories. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1955.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ainsworth, 1902.
Vajta, Katharina. “Identity beyond death: messages and meanings in Alsatian cemeteries.” Mortality 26.1 (2021): 17-35.