Hedonism and the Hobbesian: the dichotomy of the creator in a European literary State of Nature

This essay aims to address the dichotomy faced by the ‘creator’ in the European novel – a collision between the fundamental desire to strive for immortality by projecting a shadow of oneself through time, or to adopt a hedonistic disregard for convention born from a failure (or unwillingness) to achieve the aforementioned compulsion.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Hedonism and the Hobbesian: The Dichotomy of the Creator in a European Literary State of Nature
• Introduction
• The 'Great Elemental Point' and the 'Common Power'
• The State of Nature: A Solipsistic Struggle for Self-Actualization
• Hedonism as an Escape from the State of Nature
• Shelley's Frankenstein: A Case Study in the Dichotomy of Creation
• Victor Frankenstein: The Urge to Create and the Failure to Self-Actualize
• The Creature: A Sentient Being Born into a State of Nature
• The Creature's Education and the Influence of Milton's Paradise Lost
• The Creature's Yearning for Redemption and the Potential for Creation
• Kosztolányi's Skylark: Another Perspective on the Dichotomy of Creation
• The Skylark's Creative Drive and the Consequences of Success
• The Skylark's Journey of Self-Discovery and the Pursuit of Meaning
• The Skylark's Ultimate Fate: A Commentary on the Nature of Creation
• Conclusion: The Dichotomy of Creation in European Literature

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This essay investigates the dichotomy faced by the 'creator' in European novels. It explores the tension between the desire to achieve immortality through creative expression and the choice to embrace hedonistic indulgence in the face of creative failure. The essay uses Shelley's Frankenstein and Kosztolányi's Skylark as case studies to illustrate this dichotomy. Key themes explored in the text include:

• The significance of creative expression in defining human existence
• The consequences of failing to fulfill one's creative potential
• The concept of a "state of nature" as a realm of solipsism and existential conflict
• The role of hedonism as an escape from the anxieties of existence
• The relationship between creation and identity formation

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

This essay starts by introducing the idea of the 'great elemental point' - the inherent human desire to create and extend one's existence into the future. It then discusses how a failure to fulfill this desire can lead to a descent into a state of nature, characterized by solipsism and hedonistic pursuits. The essay analyzes Shelley's Frankenstein as a case study of this dichotomy. It explores Victor Frankenstein's ambition to create a new species and the consequences of his failure. The chapter also examines the creature's perspective, his struggle to find meaning in a world that rejects him, and his yearning for redemption through creative expression. The essay concludes by examining Kosztolányi's Skylark, highlighting the complexities of the creative process and the potential for both success and failure.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The main keywords and focus topics of this text include creation, hedonism, state of nature, self-actualization, existentialism, immortality, European literature, Frankenstein, Skylark, Shelley, Kosztolányi, and the 'great elemental point'. This essay explores the philosophical and literary implications of these themes, providing a deeper understanding of the creative process and its impact on human existence.

Details

• Hochschule: University of Warwick
• Note: 74
• Autor: Harry Taylor (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2011
• Seiten: 13
• Katalognummer: V207920
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656352235
• ISBN (Buch): 9783656352983
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: hedonism hobbesian european state nature