Coming to Grips
How does one overcome human weakness?
The Struggle is Real
Numerous literary marvels contain the same focal point: man's struggle between pure character and selfish desire. The long and diverse list of these works includes the likes of Hamlet, Job, and the Epic of Gilgamesh. Each one may appear quite different on the surface, but once dissected, common themes become seemingly evident.
Shakespearean Schizophrenia
The historic poet and playwright William Shakespeare fabricated a rather complex tragedy around one man's fight to come to grips with reality. Hamlet's internal war may appear to be simply searching for a way to cope with the death of his father, however, upon further review it is a much deeper fought battle. The troubled prince must weigh the worth of life, which leads audiences to the age-old and infamous question, "To be, or not to be?"
"Though He Slay Me,"
"Though He Slay Me..."
The case of Job needs to be appropriately set apart from other literary and historical figure. His most formidable struggle in life was sparked by the bitterness of Satan himself, therefore unlike the others, Job had to bear the weight of both human disappointment and divine warfare. In spite of these severe circumstances, Job persevered. His preferred and proven method of survival was to seek hope in God. He even dared to state that "though He slay me, I will hope in Him" (Job 13:15 ESV Holy Bible).
No Power Over Death
Regardless of how advanced modern medicine may be, the death rate is still 100%. Throughout the Epic of Gilgamesh, the poem's mighty name sake searched for earthly eternal life, only to find disappointment. Gilgamesh was born divine, and contained no weakness in his own eyes, but this notion became undermined rapidly after the death of his friend. It's odd how the death of others awakens the living, opening their eyes to realize that they are not untouchable.
Face the Facts
Literary figures are extremely diverse individuals, this allows us to relate to their human qualities. It also allows us to learn from their mistakes and victories. After accessing the results of each one's struggle with human weakness, it is safe to assume that difficulty is unavoidable. However, in order to be successful, one must come to grips with reality by realizing that he or she is not invincible by any measure. Then and only then can we overcome human weakness.