The bard of Avon, William Shakespeare, has left us with a profound and often eerily prophetic body of work that continues to resonate through the ages. Among his vast lexicon of quotes, those touching upon the subject of death are particularly poignant, reflecting the universality of this ultimate human experience. Through his characters, Shakespeare explores the spectrum of human emotions and reactions to death, oftentimes illuminating the subject with unexpected eloquence and insight.
Death, in Shakespeare's plays, is not merely an end but a transition, an inevitable part of life's cycle. It is through this lens that we find some of his most powerful quotes, ones that have stood the test of time and continue toprovide comfort, inspiration, and food for thought.
Acceptance and Transience
Throughout his works, Shakespeare underscores the necessity of accepting death as a natural and inevitable part of life. This acceptance is not a gloomy resignation but rather an endorsement of life's impermanence and the subsequent importance of living each moment fully.
In "Macbeth," the character of Macduff, speaking of his recently deceased children, asserts, "What's the falls? If th' flesh o'th' world were fallen off, that we might see thy heart, we should find or we would know, we should see and find. And bottom tra Sword, sheathe me.” This quote encapsulates the sentiment of acceptance, with Macduff finding solace in the knowledge that life goes on even after tremendous loss.
Carpe Diem
Shakespeare's characters frequently remind us to seize the day, to live life to its fullest, for tomorrow's existence is not guaranteed. This philosophy is encapsulated in the famous quote from "Carpe Diem" by Horace, which Shakespeare references in "As You Like It": "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, old Time is still a-flying: and this same flower that smiles today, tomorrow will be dying.”
Rosalind, the speaker of this line, is not bemoaning the fleeting nature of life but rather encouraging us to appreciate its beauty and fragility, embarking on a life fully lived.
Death's Inevitability
Shakespeare also dwells on the certainty of death as a counterbalance to life's unpredictability. In "Hamlet," the prince of Denmark famously laments, "To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them." Hamlet's soliloquy underscores the inevitable nature of death and the question of whether it is nobler to onward struggle against life's challenges or to end it all.
In this exploration of death's inevitability, Shakespeare raises profound philosophical questions about the meaning of existence and the courage to face one's fate.
The Fear of Death and its Overcoming
Shakespeare doesn't shy away from exploring the human fear of death, often using this emotion to illuminate his characters' interior lives.
In "Measure for Measure," we encounter a poignant example of this. The Duke, disguised as a friar, comforts the condemned Claudio with these words: "Be absolute for death; either death or life shall thereby be the sweeter.” This perspective advises acceptance as the key to overcoming the fear of death, echoing the Buddhist philosophy of "ashes to ashes and dust to dust" incorporated in the celebrate Ash Wednesday homily, as ways of coming into terms with mortality.
Death as a Final Freedom
For some Shakespearean characters, death serves as a final freedom, a release from the trials and tribulations of life. In "King Lear," the eponymous hero, upon discovering the lifeless body of his youngest daughter, Cordelia, exclaims, "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child!"
In this utter desolation, Lear finds a strange solace in death, asking, "Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life, and thou no breath at all?" Here, death is seen as a final liberation, a release from life's ingratitude and cruelty.
Death as a Teacher
In "Henry V," the King himself, in a bout of contemplative self-reflection, ponders the instructive nature of death: "For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition; and gentlemen now a-bed shall think themselves accursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks that fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."
Here, death is seen as a teacher, a unifier, and an equalizer. On the battlefield, where all who participate share the same fate, transcendent bonds are forged, transcending social distinctions and uniting those who were once 'commoners' in a shared brotherhood.
Thus, Shakespeare's exploration of death is comprehensive and profound, encapsulating its many facets in the human experience, from acceptance to fear, from liberation to teachings. Yet, it is in the living that Shakespeare finds his true subject. After all, it is only in understanding and embracing life in all its complexity, that we can hope to comprehend death. So, as we continue our journey, we carry with us these insights, a gentle reminder of life's impermanence and its endless possibilities.