Existential Quandary of a Young Man in Patrick White’s The Ham Funeral

Abstract

The play addresses some fundamental existential questions faced by the protagonist such as the meaning of existence and the life as a human being, its authenticity, true identity, passion for living, its function and development, and optimism in an oppressive or hostile environment. It also deals with the meaning of suffering, pain and death, the meaning of life in the light of these negative points such as anxiety, despair, alienation, loneliness, guilt, doubt and meaninglessness. The protagonist feels aimless, alone and uncertain. His alienation is as an essential aspect of his artistic identity. As a poet, he increasingly trusts subjective interpretations of life and seeks a self-construction of identity. He finds it difficult to balance his inner thoughts with his external experiences. At the end, he realises his responsibility and matures as an artist.