Question 2
Life is a voyage of experiences over which some are good and some are bad. All these bring out the nature of being human and what it means to be human. In publications such as Beowulf, Hamlet, Apology of Socrates and The prince, there are diverse views on what it means to be human. Through these publications, the idea is to find out how the authors perceived the nature of humans in relation to those days that they wrote in. It is therefore important to note that each of the writers wrote in different instances though in the same period and thus some of their views might be different depending on the times they wrote in.
Being human is clouded by a lot of dynamic entities as revealed by the authors. Human beings are likely to make decisions based on where they are and the prevailing circumstances (Hume, David, Selby-Bigge, and Nidditch, 4). People have a diverse ways of dealing and reacting to issues and whichever way the decisions always have consequences. What happens in the society also makes human beings be who they are as the environment influences their perceptions and how they do things. In the days when the authors published the texts, there were a lot of issues happening from how one could access power and how the society was structured in terms of rules and norms. It is therefore imperative to look at the issues in these contexts and evaluate them based on environment, circumstances and prevailing issues. The text therefore seeks to find out how people saw the human state from the authors' perspectives.
The human condition is one that is full of conflicts and issues of life. This is illustrated in the story of Hamlet. The dynamics that surround the life of Hamlet are very unique and only show how conflicting human conditions are. The Iliad brings about people who are totally different with diverse conflicting characteristics. Agamemnon a personality that is very harsh and cruel though Hector and Homer are totally different as they are very human in nature through their actions. Beowulf has to choose whether to serve his own interest or that of the people thus through his experiences in life, he has to think about what is right for him to do (Heaney, Seamus, and Sue, 20). Hamlet is particularly conflicted by the issue of life and death and therefore does not know what to do and contemplates even suicide. The most intriguing part is that Hamlet does not really know what it would mean commit suicide and if people would find it honorable for someone to die through suicide. The issues around Hamlet reveal a troubled individual who does not know what to do with the prevailing circumstances that arises from the issues of life.
The conflicting human condition is furthered in the society Socrates lives in. Socrates is taken to court because of a conflict that arises accusing him of negatively influencing the youth with ideas that would bring disharmony in the society (Plato, and Michael, 30). Meletus is of the opinion that it is only the law that is best placed to influence the minds of the young people so that there are no conflicts in the society. Socrates is not supported by a majority of the people who appear to hear the case and does not know why the accusations are labeled against him. In the book the prince, there is a conflict on how the King should be treating the subjects over which he has authority (Machiavelli, 45). The personality of the king is presented as one that is being good though that is just on the outward but on the inside the story is different as the prince is very harsh and does very questionable things while justifying them.
Moral decadence is one that is portrayed in the publications by the authors in the past decades. A society that is moral is one that is guided by morals and the right standards of life. For instance, Machiavelli shows the very nature of the king as being very dictatorial and one who would use whatever means to get into power including killing (Machiavelli, 56). This is immoral of an individual. Destroying people then justifying the very acts as in the book the prince was rather very immoral of the king or the leader for that matter. The story Hamlet is another that just shows how moral decay is entrenched in the society. A classic case is when Hamlet contemplates suicide.
This is very immoral of someone who has no serious considerations for life. Contemplating suicide at the expense of life is very serious. The response of Socrates says that he can not in is right mind bring evil to the society as that would also harm him as an individual. This statement by Socrates shows that Socrates is to some extent considerate about the moral value in the society. Agamemnon shows a leader who has serious moral issues portrayed by how cruel he is and his harshness since this reveals an individual who is not humane. Beowulf nature brings out a moral individual keen to do the right things for the good of the people without being driven by selfish interests.
Kenneth waltz in his publication noted that when a man is driven by passion then reason disappears (Waltz, 23). The human condition in this context is one driven by passion and not reason. Hamlet does not have a reason why he should commit suicide. He is driven by passion to think that life is just but full of painful experiences and therefore only sees death as a way out of the painful experiences of life (Shakespeare, William, and Jenkins, 16). The issue surrounding this individual does not show him as one who thinks beyond his actions. He is more worried about what people would say about death through suicide, but does not think about the consequences of his actions. The king in Machiavelli’s the price, shows that the king is only driven by passion and not reason as he thinks of very grave actions as a means of maintaining power and consolidating support. Instilling fear on the people while making them fearful of the regime is one that is far much careless. There are no considerations for what the law says, but rather what the filing reveals. Socrates on the other hand is just but driven by passion as he sees himself as a way towards which the youth can be liberated from the regime that is just but oppressive and does not consider the well being of the people (Plato, and Michael, 15).
The story changes when he gets a job with the government. After getting the job, his actions do not reveal what he previously believed in human rights violations. The people are hence fearful through the actions taken by the prince. Hector shows some love for the troops and through the motivation it is clear that he is more passionate and more emotional. Beowulf is driven by a passion to save his people; hence, is very keen to deliver his people from the atrocities of the monster. Agamemnon flatters the troops and full of self-gratification shows how much passion is employed in dealing with the soldiers. Passion overrides reason in these instances (Heaney, Seamus, and Sue, 80).
The human condition is a state of the mind. The authors paint a picture of people who were defined by how they perceived some issues in relation to their situations. Hamlet keeps thinking about life and death and through these he begins to think about suicide as an alternative. The suicide matter is in the mind through thinking about life and death (Shakespeare, William, and Jenkins, 26). In the Apology of Socrates, there idea is brought about influencing the youths. It is in the opinion of the prosecutor that Socrates influences the minds of the youth in a manner that would bring about agitation. This is a clear revelation that the human condition is a state of the mind as what is instilled in the mind of someone goes ahead in determining his or her actions. In the mind of the king, he thinks that he can only keep power or get into power through actions that to him appears to be legitimate when in the real sense are gross. While Agamemnon thinks of himself as being the important one, Hector shows that he thinks right about realities of life in relation to the soldiers (Heaney, Seamus, and Sue, 86). Beowulf has the right state of mind to do whatever he wills because he knows what he is and because of the right state of mind, he is seen as being modeled by his state of mind.
Works Cited:
Heaney, Seamus, and Sue Roberts. Beowulf. St. Paul, Minn: HighBridge Co, 2000. Sound
recording.
Hume, David, L A. Selby-Bigge, and P H. Nidditch. A Treatise of Human Nature. Oxford:
Clarendon Press, 1978. Print.
Machiavelli, Niccolò. The Prince. S.l.: Sovereign, 2012. Internet resource.
Plato, and Michael C. Stokes. Apology of Socrates. Warminster: Aris & Phillips, 1997. Print.
Shakespeare, William, and Harold Jenkins. Hamlet. London: Methuen, 1982. Print.
Waltz, Kenneth N. Man, the State, and War: A Theoretical Analysis. New York: Columbia
