Author

Mohga Hassib

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a new approach to the existential dilemma of the self in crisis as it emerges in three modern plays. While scrutinizing how a person can remain human in a universe filled with obstacles, I show that the idea of the life crisis provides the most suitable approach to that predicament. The idea of the life crisis allows for a comprehensive approach when applied to the various quandaries that situate the shifting idea of freedom. In this thesis, the philosophical ideas of Soren Kierkegaard, John-Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus will be taken up to demonstrate the role of the life crisis in Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull, Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, and Tawfiq al-Hakim’s The Tree Climber. In focusing on the life crisis as it emerges in modern drama, I demonstrate how human identity can be better understood--and how it either becomes coherent or dissolves.

Department

English & Comparative Literature Department

Degree Name

MA in English & Comparative Literature

Graduation Date

6-1-2014

Submission Date

May 2014

First Advisor

Melaney, William

Committee Member 1

Ghazoul, Ferial

Committee Member 2

Abdel sser, Tahia

Extent

67 p.

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Library of Congress Subject Heading 1

Midlife crisis.

Library of Congress Subject Heading 2

Existentialism.

Rights

The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval

Not necessary for this item

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