Existentialism In A Country Doctor English Literature Essay

In “A Country Doctor”, several principles of existentialism are demonstrated via changes that takes place in doctor, the main character. Being an anti-existential character, the doctor has no control upon the situations that he is in. Even when he is given the opportunity to choose, he selects to fulfill the expectation his community has upon him then doing what he truly feels needs to be accomplished. However, a gradual transition takes place as he is faced with a number of absurd situations. Anxiety dominates him as things become unmanageable. Subsequently, notion of selfish human nature disgusts him which causes him to feel alienated from the entire community that he belongs to. Thus, plot and character development plays a major role in illustrating the existentialist point of view upon life as revealed in the story.

Absurdity of events that occur to the main character causes him to feel helpless and insignificant. As mentioned previously, the doctor is an anti-existential character in the beginning of the story. Even when in position where he can decide upon what to do, he habitually does what the society expects of him. For instance, he abandons Rose in the hands of the groom whose sexual intent for her is obvious in order to save a patient. This demonstrates his tendency to primarily accomplish his responsibilities as a doctor no matter in what horrid problems he may find himself at the time. However, he grows tired of adhering to such obligation as series of strange events occur. A groom who is found in supposedly empty sty provides him with two horses in extremely good condition. And because the groom enables him to accomplish his duty as a doctor, the doctor loses his ability to prevent the groom from approaching Rose by making him accompany him on his journey. Despite his concern for Rose, the doctor has no choice but to leave her with the groom. This frustrates the main character to the extent where he cannot properly examine the patient. Further absurdities ensue as choir sings a song of his insignificance as a human being and people lay him in bed with the patient whose illness he cannot cure. And how is it that he happens to have a patient in such horrid weather right after his horse died? Endless continuation of the absurd events over which he has no control causes him to be upset. In the end, he finally makes a choice by running away- a shift toward existentialism. As shown, strange events that consist the plot reveals absurdity and the importance of having control of one’s life.

One of the characteristics of the main character that hints of existentialism is anxiety. The first indications of such disposition are the short sentences that consist the beginning of the story. This denotes his frustration at the difficult situation that he is in. Also, he feels powerless and dejected as revealed in the sentence “but it was hopeless, I knew it, and stood there forlornly. Of course, who would lend a horse to such a journey?” Even when he arrives at the patient’s house, his negative feelings do not disappear. He behaves passively as if he does not want to be there. For example, he permits the patient “to take my fur coat from me,” and he “yields and drinks from the rum he has been given.” Furthermore, he constantly worries about Rose and notices little details such as horses putting their heads in and out through the window. Due to such distractions clouding his mind, he is unable to check his patient properly. He first decides that the patient is fine as shown in the statement “what I already knew, the boy was quite sound.” As a matter of fact, the invalid is well beyond aids. And this is when he commences to question himself. Why is he doing this? What is the point of him trying so hard to have control over matters that keep on slipping through his fingers? Who is he doing this for? He realizes that he does not want to dwell in such situation and ends up running away. As indicated, the uncertainty, helplessness, and anxiety that is brought upon the main character by the absurd situation he faces illustrate existentialism.

Development of sense of alienation in the main character further reveals existentialism. When the main character is in desperate need for the horses, no one helps him but the groom. However, this assistance is not offered to the doctor out of goodness of the groom’s heart; the groom’s true purpose lies in sexual approach to Rose. The main character is disgusted by the selfishness of human nature. Unfortunately, matters do not improve when he faces the patient and the community. The doctor thinks that despite the sacrifice he makes by choosing between Rose and the patient, people are feeling no gratitude for him. Due to such reason he comments that “the whole district made my life a torment.” He feels even more isolated when his thought reaches to the notion that he means nothing to the people but tools for saving their lives. This is when the doctor realizes that he does not have to be what other people expect him to be. As a result, he ceases adhering to his responsibilities and escapes. In this way, alienation manifests existentialism by assisting the main character in discovering perverse human nature and meaninglessness of life.

In conclusion, absurdity, anxiety, and alienation accentuate upon the existentialist view of meaningless, desolate life in “A Country Doctor.” This is well demonstrated through the process of transformation of the main character from an anti-existential character to an existential character. Series of strange uncontrollable events that constitute the plot of the story triggers the main character to feel insignificant. Subsequently, two emotions that are strongly developed in the main character throughout the story denote the pointlessness of life. Anxiety caused by the continued absurd events induce the main character to pose questions upon whether it is worthwhile living as a being that other people desire him to be. Moreover, alienation that he feels from people who do not value him as a human being acts as a key factor that changes him into an existential character. Thus, “A Country Doctor” has a plot and development of the main character that emphasizes upon existentialism.