Crossing the Beach: Death Stranding’s Existential Journeys
Hideo Kojima's 'Death Stranding' has captivated players with its profound exploration of existential themes, isolation, and connection within a beautifully desolate landscape. The game's underlying narrative—built around the cataclysmic 'Death Stranding' event, which blurs the lines between life and death—evokes a powerful resonance with ancient Greek and Roman religious thought. At its core, 'Death Stranding' mirrors classical philosophies that grappled deeply with humanity's search for meaning, destiny, and the afterlife.
Central to 'Death Stranding' is the notion of the Beach—a liminal space between life and death, reflecting ancient Greek conceptions of the Underworld. Much like the River Styx, which separated the world of the living from the realm of Hades, Kojima's Beach symbolizes the boundary and the inevitable crossing into death. The protagonist, Sam Porter Bridges, embodies characteristics reminiscent of Charon, the ferryman of Greek myth. Tasked with delivering packages and reconnecting isolated communities across America, Sam operates as a modern psychopomp, guiding souls (or their symbolic equivalents) through a fragmented and perilous landscape.
In Greek and Roman religious thought, the concept of fate or destiny ('Moira' in Greek, 'Fatum' in Latin) profoundly influenced human experience. Similarly, 'Death Stranding' presents players with a deterministic worldview, symbolized by the game's recurring motifs of strands and connections—visible manifestations of fate's invisible web. Just as the Greek gods wove the destinies of mortals, Kojima's invisible strands weave together characters' fates, reinforcing the inevitability of their connections.
The existential themes in 'Death Stranding' echo those found in Stoicism, a prominent philosophical movement in ancient Rome. Stoicism emphasizes acceptance of one's role within the universe's rational structure, encouraging virtue, duty, and perseverance despite adversity. Sam Porter Bridges exemplifies Stoic virtues through his unwavering commitment to his responsibilities, despite the emotional toll and profound isolation he experiences. His calm persistence, echoing Stoic ideals, provides a powerful commentary on the importance of duty and connection amidst existential despair.
Further parallels can be drawn with the Eleusinian Mysteries, ancient Greek initiation rites that sought to reveal profound truths about life, death, and rebirth. These mysteries, deeply connected to the worship of Demeter and Persephone, centered around a cycle of death and renewal. In 'Death Stranding,' the phenomenon of repatriation, where Sam repeatedly returns from the dead, mirrors the cyclical rebirth central to Eleusinian rituals. The repeated journey between life and death emphasizes the game's exploration of rebirth, renewal, and the potential for humanity's collective resurrection through unity and connection.
The character of Clifford Unger, another central figure in the narrative, evokes parallels with classical tragic heroes like Achilles or Hector. Driven by loss and grief, Clifford embodies the tragic flaws seen in Greek tragedies—pride, wrath, and relentless pursuit of what is irretrievably lost. His torment and struggle align with the classical theme of hubris, highlighting humanity's fragility in confronting the inexorable force of fate.
Moreover, the portrayal of the BTs (Beached Things), spectral entities caught between worlds, draws inspiration from Roman beliefs in shades—restless spirits of the dead unable to find peace. Like these ancient spirits, BTs symbolize unresolved emotional bonds and attachments, manifesting humanity's collective fear of death and oblivion. Their presence underscores existential anxieties pervasive in both ancient cultures and contemporary storytelling.
Additionally, 'Death Stranding' reflects Roman philosophical concerns about isolation and community, extensively explored by figures such as Cicero and Seneca. Seneca's writings often address the importance of societal bonds and warn of the dangers inherent in isolation. The fragmented America of Kojima's creation vividly dramatizes these concerns, illustrating the profound emotional and societal consequences of disconnection. Sam’s quest to reconnect communities through physical and symbolic strands offers an eloquent metaphor for human interdependence and unity, themes that echo strongly through Roman ethical discourse.
Furthermore, Kojima incorporates mythological symbolism through characters like Amelie, who functions similarly to Persephone, embodying duality—both life-giving and potentially destructive. Like Persephone, who bridges the worlds of the living and the dead, Amelie exists in both realms, personifying humanity's potential salvation and destruction simultaneously. Her complex role underscores existential questions about choice, responsibility, and the ambiguity inherent in human connections.
Ultimately, 'Death Stranding' serves as a modern meditation on timeless existential questions deeply rooted in ancient Greek and Roman religious and philosophical thought. Through its evocative portrayal of life, death, fate, and human connection, Kojima’s masterpiece resonates profoundly with classical traditions, reminding us of humanity's enduring quest for meaning amid uncertainty and isolation. The game's haunting beauty lies in its ability to bridge ancient philosophical truths with contemporary existential anxieties, reaffirming the timeless power of storytelling as humanity's most profound strand.
