Philosophical elements in William Shakespeare’s works (Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, king lear, and macbeth)

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research looks at William Shakespeare’s works (Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth) from a philosophical point of view, in order to find new interpretations of the characters of his works, and, thus, to get to know man by means of an interdisciplinary approach. To carry out these aims, I developed six main chapters, which are subdivided into twenty- four parts. The first chapter covers Shakespeare’s life, background, works, and the speculation about the authorship of his works. In the second chapter, the passionate love between Romeo and Juliet is interpreted from the point of view of philosophical voluntarism. The next chapter analyzes Hamlet’s indecision from that of existentialism. The fourth chapter examines Othello’s personality from that of psychoanalysis. The following chapter treats King Lear’s tragedy from that of vitalism. Finally, the last chapter explores Macbeth’s ambition, which is stained with nihilism. The interdisciplinary cooperation between Literature and Philosophy displays the rational and irrational elements of human life in a dialectical relationship. Tragedy convulses human life, and at the same time, it calls for man to realize his emptiness. However, this same emptiness motivates man towards building his own being by using reason as a vital tool.

Reason gives order to chaos. This dialectical clash of the rational and irrational elements is a process that never ends, but it is always producing new problems that expand our knowledge about reality. These elements are performed in Shakespeare’s theater.