Existentialism: idea that emphasises free will, responsibility and personal choice. It pretty much says that life is merely a bunch of choices, and that each individual can make their own choices, which will determine how their lives go. Not everything has a logical explanation.
Parts of existentialism:
Responsibility: Some necessary choices will cause suffering, but this is part of being responsible.
Scope: The larger the scope, or audience, the bigger effect every choice made will have. Often choices will have a negative effect on somebody, even if they help somebody else.
Restrictions: Ideally, a society should have as few restrictions as possible.
Free will: the ultimate free will means that one has the choice to sacrifice their life in order to protect others.
The freedom in existentialism often causes stress, because one has the ability to make so many choices that can affect their lives in so many ways.
Look for this idea in Death of a Salesman - do characters use free will to benefit themselves or the rest of society? Are they responsible with their freedom? How many restrictions are in their lives? Does their freedom cause stress?
People Important to Existentialism:
Kierkegaard: Founded the modern idea of existentialism, Christian, believed that human life is absurd and, to a degree, pointless. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kierkegaard
Nietzsche: He questioned religion and the idea of truth. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Nietzsche
Heidegger: Although people can have goals and desires for their lives, they need to understand that the end is always death, and there is no escape from that. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidegger
Sartre: Humans are constantly chasing purpose and reason, but there is none to find. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sartre
More info on existentialism: http://people.bu.edu/wwildman/WeirdWildWeb/courses/wphil/lectures/wphil_theme20.htm
Final class discussions over Hamlet.
