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
Recommended Citation
APA Citation
Hassib, M.
(2014).Life crisis and existentialism in three dramatic works [Master's Thesis, the American University in Cairo]. AUC Knowledge Fountain.
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/913
MLA Citation
Hassib, Mohga. Life crisis and existentialism in three dramatic works. 2014. American University in Cairo, Master's Thesis. AUC Knowledge Fountain.
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/913