Dead Poets Society: What Does Carpe Diem Truly Mean?

Carpe diem - seize the day. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.

As Knox took the call to Chris, moving against his fear; as Neil stood upon the stage, disobeying his father’s wishes; as Neil held the gun to his head, looking out the barred windows… this was the phrase at the forefront of their minds.

Carpe diem is a message that resonates throughout the entirety of the Dead Poets Society and one that inevitably resonates within those who watch the movie. 

To some, the tragedy of the story could be blamed on the phrase itself. If it weren’t for the impulsive decisions made by the boys inspired by the phrase, would there have been Neil’s death? But I believe it is much much more than that. The movie speaks of a greater tragedy than what appears on screen— the death of life Neil would experience no matter what he chose to do.

The movie begins with current pupils looking at the painting of former pupils long gone. Death hangs over the entire movie. It is death that propels the character towards courage, towards a conviction to live a life of passion. Carpe diem simply warns of this inevitable ending.

Seize the day. 1 day. 24 hours. 1440 minutes. 86400 seconds. Carpe diem does not mean to make use of every one of those seconds productively, in fact, almost the opposite. It urges us to choose our happiness over societal expectations; we should not wait for tomorrow’s opportunity when we have today.

“Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are all noble pursuits, and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.” 

Amid societal pressures and parental expectations, time seems to weigh us down. But sometimes we must break free from those constraints and choose joy.

Take the risk. Make that leap of faith. Seize the day.