Why did Dijkstra disobey King Vizimir?
In the epic finale of the third season of "The Witcher," we witness a captivating display of power dynamics, manipulation, and ultimately, sacrifice, in the life of Sigismund Dijkstra, the cunning spymaster of Redania. The moment where Dijkstra decides to protect Phillipa, by willingly putting his own life on the line, presents an intricate exploration of human nature, loyalty, and the very nature of sacrifice. In this blog, we’ll dive deeper into this remarkable event through the lens of Existentialism, a school of thought famously espoused by philosophers such as Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus.
Existentialism asserts that existence precedes essence. In other words, individuals are free and responsible for determining their own development through acts of the will. So, how does this connect to Dijkstra, a master strategist with his life hanging in the balance?
Dijkstra's existential dilemma unfolds in an environment marked by constant treachery, backstabbing, and shifting allegiances, conditions that echo Sartre's assertion that "life is nothing until it is lived." Dijkstra, like all characters in the political chessboard of "The Witcher," has had to define his identity through his decisions and actions, not through predetermined essence or destiny.
Facing his monarch Vizimir, Dijkstra is confronted with the possibility of punishment due to the Aretuza purge’s failure. However, Vizimir chooses to use Phillipa as an example instead, placing Dijkstra in a profound existential crisis. Should he let Phillipa, someone he has had complicated relations with, suffer the consequences, or should he intervene, even at the risk of his own life?
In choosing to protect Phillipa, Dijkstra embodies Nietzsche's concept of the "Ubermensch" or "Overman" - an individual who can rise above the societal and moral structures that bind ordinary humans, choosing instead to define his own values. Dijkstra's choice to protect Phillipa is not driven by morality or societal norms; rather, it is a self-determined, willful act embodying his own principles. His decision, stark and individualistic, underlines an Übermensch's existential authenticity.
Albert Camus, another luminary of Existentialism, proposed the philosophy of the Absurd - life is inherently meaningless, but we must carry on and make our own meaning. By putting his life on the line for Phillipa, Dijkstra may seem to be making an absurd choice. However, in the face of a universe that may be indifferent, his choice carries his personal stamp of meaning and significance. It's an existential rebellion, if you will, against a world that expects self-preservation as the prime instinct.
By intertwining his fate with Phillipa's, Dijkstra reiterates Sartre's famous quote, "In life, a man commits himself and draws his own portrait, outside of which there is nothing." In this act of commitment, Dijkstra sketches his own portrait, a bold testament of personal will and defiance.
So, what do we take away from this deep dive into Dijkstra’s decision, powered by the philosophy of Existentialism? Perhaps, it’s the realization that even within a world as fantastical as "The Witcher," characters like Dijkstra can confront us with deeply human questions of freedom, choice, and the creation of personal meaning. And perhaps, more playfully, it proves that a spymaster in a mythical world might just have a lot in common with 19th-century philosophers, engaging us in their timeless dialogues about what it means to be human.
