Jacques the Existentialist

The other day, I realized the parallels between existentialism and the famous monologue of Jacques, the very melancholy character from one Shakespeare's greatest comedies, As You Like It. 

Jacques states that men are "merely players." This is similar to the existentialist view that "the human being is all and only what that being does....existence consists of forever bringing [one]self into being..." (www.imp.utm.edu/existent, web). Our stage is given to us, but we must act, in some way or another. It is what we do that makes the play, not what we think or say. Also, the "stages of life" aspect of the speech reflect the idea that one must go through all these stages, just to get to the inevitable "sans (translates to without) everything." This parallels with the existentialist view on the absurdity of life; you live your life, assign meaning to it, but for what in the end? Death; sans everything.



Let's see what Nerissa has to say...hey Nerissa, what do you think?

Nerissa: I wish I had a monologue...