Shakespeare on the human condition

Through his work, Shakespeare conveys humanistic attitudes towards the condition of humanity and the nature of his emotion.

1. Nobility and supremacy of humanity, optimism about the human race
1. Hamlet – lauds humanity’s ability to reason, his boundless ambition, and his capacity to accomplish great things – “what a piece of work is man!”
2. Secular, worldly, fleeting, and materialistic view of life
1. Henry the Eighth – the best thing humans have is their greatness in life, because it will fade when one dies
2. Macbeth – life is brief and fleeting, with seemingly no purpose – “life’s but a walking shadow…signifying nothing”
3. Measure for Measure – life is better than the dark, dreary afterlife (rejecting Christian view of heaven/hell)
4. As You Like It – goal in life is to make an imprint on the world, not get to heaven, materialistic and worldly
3. Love is irrational and controlling – worldly focus on man’s emotion as opposed to God, love changes from a divine bond to a worldly adventure
1. A Midsummer Night’s Dream – love is deceiving and causes one to act irrationally – “The lunatic, the lover, and the poet are of imagination all compact”
2. Troilus and Cressida – It is impossible to reason with love and emotion – “to be wise and love exceeds man’s might”
3. As You Like It – love is madness – “love is merely a madness”