Human Nature In Literature
Nature is something that encompasses a wide range of human behaviors, for it is thought that is ruled by nature. Tendency for action is also said live under the dominion of human nature. Whether the action is positive or negative depends on the state of mind of the being, as well as the inner nature of the heart. Monstrosity lives within each person, morals however, create an internal struggle between two opposing forces. One hand is the behavior that is known to be wrong, and is looked upon as monstrous, and on the other there is what is known (based on personal belief system) to be wrong.
The results of this conflict is dependent upon the rounding world. Specifically relating to the ideas presented by the playwright and philosopher Aristotle, in his work titled The Poetics, as well as the world illustrated in one essay of a collection titled The Anatomy Of Criticism by Northrop Frye. Clinical a major character in Shakespearean play The Tempest represents the internal struggle humans confront daily, as well as the way basic nature and environment shape behavior and thought patterns.
Tragic are the lives of humans, struggling to get by. Lives our finite, making each second of every life valuable to the nth degree. Minimization of life and happiness is achieved by accomplishing self set goals, studying the beauty of the substantial world, as well as the beauty created by humans. Art is the exact expression of human beauty, starting as raw creativity, then expressed into some tangible form. Whether it be song or portrait, for many rotators exist. According to Aristotle, art is the ultimate imitation of the world.
Essentially each art form is the same, the only varying factors are the modes of 2 imitation, as in what is to be imitated, and the instrument used to animate the art. (Aristotle 627) Specifically speaking on the point of an art born in the days of Aristotle myself, Tragedy. Tragedy is the imitation of serious thoughts and emotions, in order to create this “tragic world” upon a stage, only one component of tragedy is needed. Plot, the series of events that unfold upon the stage, creating the tragic world.
The sequencing of these events must be in a logical order, meaning the beginning does not have to follow any action, but all consequential unveiling of the plot should evoke some thought like “Ah that makes sense. ” This does not mean the plot must be predictable, Just sensible when viewed macroscopically. (Aristotle 632) Imitation of action, as well as the consequences of said action, is the ultimate goal of tragedy. For in the action lies the essential beauty that the artist is trying to capture, human emotion. “Tragedy is essentially an imitation not of persons but of action and life, of happiness and misery.
All human happiness or misery takes the form of action. ” (Aristotle 632) Day to day it is the “action” of our lives that produces sadness or happiness, getting a promotion produces feelings of Joy in a human of any nature, the underlying term being success, to imitate success should produce Joy in the spectators. Vice versa for the imitation of actions regarded with negative emotion. Slavery, an extinct practice, is not a situation easily comprehended by the modern person. What is relatable however, is the emotion propagated under the oppressive The Tempest By mammary atmosphere to a servant to master relationship.
Slavery is wrong, therefore pitied should be the one called slave. With the introduction of Clinical Shakespeare intends for his state to be regarded with such feelings exactly, his 3 life is dominated by the seemingly evil mage Prosper. “This island’s mine by Accords, my mother, Which thou tasks from me. When thou cam’s first Thou stroke me and made much of me, wouldst give me Water with berries in t, and teach me how To name the bigger light and how less, That burn by day and night. And then I loved thee… In this hard rock, whiles you do keep from me The rest o the island. ” (1. 2. 96-411) Clinical Oh Clinical the life of a slave does not suit the gentle heart which gives, all the bounty of the island, rendering unto Prosper the wealth with which was held by the current slave. According to Aristotle however, it is impossible to evoke the true emotion in the audience, Clinical is presented in a state of slavery, the process from inning to slave occurred outside of the happenings on stage. “it does not appeal either to the human feelings in us, or to our pity, or to our fears. ” Shakespeare creates action outside of the play, with which is unrepeatable to the audience.
Upon learning that Clinical was enslaved because of the attempted rape upon Prospered daughter Miranda, however this discoveries holds no sway to the audience, rather it is a seasonal progression to the understanding of the current situation. While Shakespearean approach does not follow Aristotle convent, the development is still seasonal. (1. 2. 12-418) The crossroads 4 presented here is whether to feel for Scallion’s state, or to applaud Prosper as the savior, for it was he alone who entrapped this beast. Shakespeare meant for this to be a difficult decision, he evinces to us in the offstage action the theme of restoration.
Never permitted to forget the bestial potential of Clinical and his ambiguous nature, however, it is forcefully shown his ability to act with kindness, to act in a human manner. Parallel to the way Prospered humanity is forced into the scene, before Prosper was a master to Clinical, he was a mentor to the beast. (Manner) The alright is contrasting between a beast who can act humane and a human driven to impose the degradation of slavery upon another. Without argument Clinical has been the root of his own succession on the island, with the attempted rape it was ceded that his movements must not be of his own will.
The action rooted from a want, or better put, urge. Humans control their urges by weighing the consequence of enacting said urge, Clinical has lived on the island for an undetermined number of years with only the company of Accords. Clinical is the incarnate of human desire, without the deep rooted sense of morality, more inclined to act on his urges. The attempted rape was not malicious in nature, (through the eyes of Clinical at least) but it served to satiate his lust. The punishment imposed by Prosper is undeniably outrageous from Scallion’s viewpoint.
Speaking only on Scallion’s look on the situation it can be parallel to being enslaved and tortured for taking an apple from a tree in order to satiate hunger. Robert West firmly believes in the symbolism of each character, he states “The Tempest is the poignancy of man’s insubstantial pageant of 5 human happiness… Against the shadow of mortality. (Shakespeare For Students 14) Nothing truer could be stated, Clinical is imprisoned due to a lack of moral understanding, there is however an aspect of goodness, Clinical is Just as a child learning from his environment.
Under the dominion of Prosper he is treated as beast, therefore assumes to be nothing but a monster. “His spirits hear me… Sometimes am I all wound with adders, who with cloven tongues do hiss me into madness. Lo, now, 10! Here comes a spirit of his to torment me. ” (2. 2. 3-16) Clinical lives under a constant dominion of fear, the prospect of torture is right around the ornery, this is where the audience begins to feel true pity for Clinical and his existential situation. Consider this, a child always adopts the accent of it’s peers, not from the parents.
This holds true for all children, Clinical could be regarded as a “wild baby’ that is trying to learn about the world and fit into society in some way. In order to fit in and understand society it is necessary to socialize, to define socializing it is the ability to uphold similar or the same morals as the specified society. (Harris 9) Clinical was in mid process of this process, even coming far as learning Prospered poke language, his affinity for beauty is existent without doubt. As humans parade about with different accepted attitudes in different environments Clinical does the same.
When confronted with the a human far from the likes of his odious master a different side of Clinical emerges, one which appreciates beauty in a profound and meaningful way. ” I private, let me bring thee where crabs grow, 6 And I with my long nails will dig thee pigpens, Show thee a Jays nest, and instruct thee how To snare the nimblest marmoset. I’ll bring thee to clustering filberts, and sometimes I’ll get thee Young camels from the rock. Wilt thou go with me? ” (2. 2. 173-178) Clinical wants to live free, he wants share the beauty of this island, wicked by nature no he is not.
However unwished he is the existence of his lust for desire is strong, his mind is one unable to combat the moral struggle of desire and moral. Introduced into a positive society however has produced within Clinical a temperament of benevolence. In a tragic world the hero is undermined by his one great flaw, however much Shakespearean play adheres to the rules of a tragic world it is of another nature. Comedy is very similar to tragedy, the key differences are as follows. In a comedy there is absurdity, the world starts off by introducing this absurd figure, or law which opposes our the main characters want or need.
This old world must fall, in order for a new one to hold. This is called the crystallization moment. Once the new society is crystallized a theme of inclusion is at hand. (Frye) As everyone goes their separate ways in Joy the story of The Tempest is concluded with all members of the old world at peace. Should this have been a tragedy, Scallion’s role would have Shiites to something alien trot what was seen in the comic world . Due to the tact hat his monstrous action led to the crystallizing point, in a tragic world Clinical would have been the center of all pity, perhaps even the tragic hero.
Works Cited Aristotle. De Poetic. Trans. Ingram Batter Frye, Northrop. “Northrop Frye On Comedy (from the anatomy of criticism). ” Faculty. Headrace. Org. N. P.. Web. 20 Jan 2014. Harris, Judith. The Nature Assumption: Why Children Turn Out The Way They Do. Simon and Schuster, 2011. EBook. . Mbabane, John S. “Magic as Love and Faith: Shakespearean The Tempest. ” Renaissance Magic and the Return of the Golden Age: The Occult Tradition and Marlowe, Johnson, and Shakespeare.
Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1989. 174-199. Rapt. In Shakespearean Criticism. Deed. Michelle Lee. Volvo. 84. Detroit: Gale, 2004. Literature Resource Center. Web. 17 Jan. 2014. Document URL http://go. Colleague. Com/as/I. Do? Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. New York: Simon ; Schuster Paperbacks, 1994. Print. “The Tempest. ” Shakespeare for Students: Critical Interpretations of Shakespearean Plays and Poetry. Deed. Anne Marie. 2nd deed. Volvo. 3. Detroit: Gale, 2007. 863-890. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 2. 2013.
