#3

    In Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, Wilde makes light of marriage during the Victorian era. Upon realizing that her daughter has run away, Lady Bracknell travels to the Worthing country estate where she finds not only her daughter Gwendolen engaged, but also her nephew Algernon to Mr Worthing's ward, Cecily Cardew.   Lady Bracknell approves of her nephew's union and responds to it saying, "The marriage, I think had better take place quite soon... To speak frankly, I am not in favour of long engagements.  They give people the opportunity to get to know each other, which I think is never advisable" (Wilde 48).  Lady Bracknell speaks of a Victorian ideal of marriage.  She sees matrimony not as a union in which the couple knows each other well and has grown to love each other.  To her marriage is a pragmatic arrangement to create connections between families.  To her, it is best if the couple does not know each other too well, otherwise they may find that they do not like one another and the possibility of a connection would be ruined.  In essence, Lady Bracknell views marriage as a business deal which may come to a close if not finalized quickly.  Wilde essentially laughs at Lady Bracknell's view of marriage which reflects the upper class's view of marriage during the Victorian era.  This business that is marriage may start passionate, however as the couple come to know one another their passion dies.  This was especially true for the Victorian era when men and women of the upper class often underwent arranged marriages where the couple may or may not know each other well.  Had many known one another better they may have seen Wilde's view of marriage, a mere business.

#2

  Wilde's interpretation of marriage and the journey leading up to it is very humorous.  In Act II, Cecily cardew, the ward of Mr. Jack Worthing, finally meets Mr. Worthing's imbecile of a brother, Ernest (Algernon in disguise).  Upon meeting Cecily, Algernon is caught up in a web of attraction and immediately falls in love with her.  Cecily, however has already fallen in love with the man before even meeting him; "ever since dear Uncle Jack first confessed to us that he had a younger brother who was wicked and bad, you of course have formed the chief topic of conversation... And of course a man who is much talked about is always very attractive...I daresay it was foolish of me, but I fell in love with you, Ernest" (Wilde 32).  Here Miss Cardew falls for a man she has never met.  In addition Cecily falls in love because he is much talked about and therefore must be attractive.  Here Wilde mocks the foolishness of people getting married.  He believes they marry only out of infatuation with the appearance.  ?They run into passion to kill their passion for the attractiveness of each person.  In the end as they get to know one another they will be awakened to the bad qualities each has just as Cecily would eventually recognize the wickedness of Ernest.  Thus marriage is a laughable institution.

#1

"To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.  Who was your father?  He was a evidently a man of some wealth.  Was he born in what the Radical papers call the purple of commerce, or did he rise from the ranks of the aristocracy" (Wilde 14).
        In Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, Wilde pokes fun at the folly of the rigid class structure in Victorian England.  The character Lady Bracknell is a model for the upper class.  During the Victorian era the wealthy were concerened with keeping their class exclusive.  They looked down upon others who would try to join.  Much attention was paid to what class one was from and whether or not he could truly be counted as one of the upper class.  Lady Bracknell takes this same approach when Jack (Ernest Worthing) proposes to her daughter.  Lady Bracknell puts Jack through the inquisition, inquiring as to his family background and whther or not he is a man of the upper class. This folly is seen time and time agin throughout Lady Bracknell's interview with Jack.  She even acts rudely about Jack's parents not feeling sympathy that he was abandoned but rather annoyed that such a man would try to marry her daughter. This society which focuses mainly on class is protrayed as ridiculous by Wilde.  The upper class with its concern with social status is made light of by Wilde.

#13

  "The fact is that you were sick of civility, of deference,of officious attention.  You were disgusted with the women who were always speaking and looking and thinking for your approbation alone.  I aroused and interested you, because I was so unlike them.  Had you not been really amiable you would have hated me for it; but in spite of the pains you took to disguise yourself, your feelings were always noble and just; and in your heart, you thoroughly despised the persons who so assiduously courted you" (Austen 319)
        Elizabeth and Darcy's courtship is an unconventional, there love and engagement are unconventional.  Unlike other relationships in the novel their relationship subsists against the gender roles of the day.  During their courtship it was Darcy who worked for the attentions and approbation of Elizabeth.  Elizabeth did the exact opposite of what women of her day usually did, she acted impertinently towards her potential suitor.  Their love did not come with celerity.  Rather it was a gradual process.  But this impertinence and hard work was good.  It was Elizabeth's lack of regard for Darcy and her true intellectualism that attracted Darcy in the first place.  Her failure to fawn over Darcy and chase him, as other women did, resulted in equality between the two.  This egalitarian match looks to be the best and begets the most felicity of all the other marriages in the novel.  Austen chooses a modern view in her characterization of Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship.  Through the character of Darcy and Elizabeth's marriage, Austen argues for a marriage to truly create happiness there must be both love and equality between partners.  Both parties must overcome obstacles and come together on an equal plain, in the end love and happiness are the only consequence.

#12

     "It ought to be so; it must be so, while he retains the use of his reason.  But your arts and allurements may, in a moment of infatuation have made him forget what he owes to himself and to all his family.  You may have drawn him in" (Austen 297)
      Alas, it would seem that just when Elizabeth and Darcy may be able to come together in love, one more obstacle stands in their way, familial obligation.  Lady Catherine de Bourgh's arrival comes under no pretense.  She means business, and her business is to demolish any hope Elizabeth may have of marrying Darcy.  With asperity, Lady Catherine launches into the purpose of her visit to Longbourne.  Based on Lady Catherine's visit it can be assumed that Elizabeth and Darcy's love has become obvious.  So obvious, in fact, that rumors of marriage between the two are circulating.  Even though Darcy and Elizabeth have overcome prejudice and pride in order to come to this place of felicity, problems still remain.  As stated before there is the problem of familial obligation.  Darcy has the duty of keeping the family name clean and without reproach.  Elizabeth's family is of ill-repute due to Lydia's latest folly.  Marrying Elizabeth would bring the Darcy clan into connection with people of minimal appeal.  In addition Darcy and Elizabeth must overcome the opinions of others.  Lady Catherine in the least cordial way possible lays out what others may think of Elizabeth and Darcy's romance.  She calls it "a moment of infatuation" on Darcy's part.  Thus she says that their love is not true and is not to be taken seriously within the aristocratic circles.  She also says that Elizabeth only manages to procure Darcy's affection through "arts and allurements".  In saying this, Lady Catherine makes known the belief that Elizabeth gained Darcy's love for the sake of marrying her way into aristocracy and connection. All of these opinions can either be cast aside by Elizabeth and Darcy, or taken into consideration and used as reasons for them not to come together.  What they do with knowledge of these opinions will determine their fate in love and happiness, or loneliness and misery for the rest of their days.

#11

     Lydia's marriage to Mr. Whickham is obviously capricious and ill thought out.  When Lydia comes home on her wedding day it is seen that she is still a very immature girl when she says, "Good gracious! when I went away, I am sure I had no more idea of being married till I came back again!  I thought it would be very good fun and it was!" (Austen 264).  Lydia only sees marriage as a game.  It is sad to see that she may only end up in this marriage due to poor thought.  She frivolously remarks that she ran off without the intention of marriage and capriciously came to the decision afterward.  Lydia's immaturity in such a serious matter leaves no room for veneration or approbation.  Rather one can only be vexed at the fact that Lydia does not see marriage as a serious issue.  She does not have the foresight to see that Wickham is only using her.  She does not realize that marrying Wickham is one of the biggest mistakes a female can make.  She is obviously too immature to be involved in a responsibility like marriage.  Unlike other marriages of the Victorian era Lydia's was not well thought out.  It was not an elopement born out of love, rather it was born out of a lust for adventure.  In Lydia's marriage to Wickham, her youthful immaturity is on full display. This immaturity is foolishness, and may lead to sadness in the end.

#10

       Elizabeth Bennet is known as a prejudiced protagonist.  Her tendency to venerate others or find them odious due to first impressions has lead to many mistakes in love and relationships.  However, when crisis strikes Elizabeth's prejudices are proven to be completely false and bring her to the realization that her flaw of prejudging others brings no good.  Of late, Elizabeth finds that her younger sister Lydia Bennet has commited the impropriety of eloping with the horrible Wickham.  Elizabeth is greatly vexed at this news and realizes that "had his [Wickham's] character been known, this could not have happened" (Austen 231).  This is the complete destruction of Elizabeth's positive prjudice towards Wickham.  She realizes without any posssible doubt that Wickham is a man arousing repugnance.  She realizes that first impressions do not allow a person to know someone's character.  She realizes that quick judgements can lead to tragedies, like the one of Lydia eloping with Wickham.
        In light of the demolition of Elizabeth's prejudice towards Wickham, Elizabeth is exposed to the truth. Elizabeth realizes, in relation to herself and Darcy, that "never had she so honestly felt that she could have loved him as now, when all love must be in vain" (Austen 232).  This epiphany comes at a time when Mr. Darcy tries to aid Elizabeth in the time of her family's crisis.   Finally Elizabeth's eyes are open.  She is in love.  She has come past the prejudice that made her insolent and hateful towards Darcy.  Yet, due to current circumstances and the lowering of her family's status due to her sister's folly, all hope of a relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy seems lost.  This is the price Elizabeth pays for holding stauchly to false prejudgements. 

#9

     Pride and Prejudice is a novel that speaks of first impressions and the folly that can be found in using them to measure a person.  This theme is emphasized in the relationship between the protagonist, Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy.  Elizabeth is a very prejudiced character.  Upon her first encounter with Mr. Darcy, with celerity she came to the conclusion that Darcy is a proud man and one not to be associated with.  Her prejudgement of Darcy seems implacable, however after reading a letter from Darcy, Elizabeth realizes that he is not all she thought him to be.  This precipitates her visit to the Pemberly Estate.  Elizabeth's prejudices are slowly demolished.  While visiting the estate she hears many exultations of Darcy.  As she hears appobation of Darcy,  she realizes, " This was praise of all others most extraordinary, most opposite to her ideas.  That he was not a good-tempered man had been her firmest opinion.  Her keenest attention was awakened; she longed to hear more" (Austen 207).  Elizabeth acknowledges that she is a prejudiced and that she has judged Darcy wrongly.  She begins destroying her prejudices and she opens herself to becoming an admirer of Darcy's.  It is this new attitude that could remedy the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth and lead to matrimony. 

#8

     Jane Bennet, of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, is an optimist in the truest sense.  In finding out that Mr.Wickham  is not who he seems, Austen describes Jane's reaction:  "What a stroke was this for poor Jane! who would willingly have gone through the world without believing that much wickedness existed in the whole race of mankind as was here collected in one individual" (Austen 189).  In these words Austen fully describes Jane's character.  She is innocent, willing to believe everyone good no matter what.  She is also naive because of her willingness to believe that all of mankind is good.   Jane is the perfect foil to her sister Elizabeth.  Whereas Elizabeth is easily able to see the worst in people, Jane always chooses to see the best.  Elizabeth's perception of the world is marred by prejudice, Jane's is merely marred by a want to see good in all people.  It is this want to see good in all people that at first will not allow her to dislike Darcy or Bingely in light of how they treated her.  Jane's personality makes her a more approachable character whereas Elizabeth is unapproachable to men like Darcy due to her deep prejudices.  In the race to find love and build a marriage, Jane's optimism and innocence will most likely benefit her in the long run.

#7

    In Jane Austen's, Pride and Prejudice , the protagonist Elizabeth Bennet is seemingly the very definition of Prejudice.  Elizabeth does not allow any margin for veneration.  Instead Elizabeth treats all of his entrieaties of friendship with asperity due to prejudice.  After reading Mr. Darcy's explanation for his actions and the truth about Mr. Wickham in Mr. Darcy's  letter, Elizabeth still refuses to believe Mr. Darcy a good person.  Instead she views hims as "not penitent, but haughty" and "of all pride and insolence" (Austen 173).  Yet in the midst of all of Elizabeth's disapprobation and constrain in her prejudice toward Darcy truth still comes to light.  As she reads Darcy's account of Wickham she begins to see that she errs in her positive prejudgment of the affable man.  Later on when her prejudices are confirmed to be completely false Elizabeth laments, "How despicably have I acted!...But vanity not love has been my folly. Pleased with the preference of one and offended by the neglect of the other" (Austen 177).  This is the beginning of change within Elizabeth Bennet.  The prejudice that hindered her praise of others is now demolished.  Elizabeth is free to judge based on actual character and not just first glances.

Status Updates for

November 10: LMS for a ill wrought character to description: I promise to willfully misunderstand you!
November 18: Mothers these days, you honestly cannot force a girl into a marriage not of her choosing no matter how much it is going to benefit you.
 November 20: I truly believe that a girl who marries out of convenience instead of love is a foolish indeed, #loveisworthwaitingfor.
November 25: If a man makes his decisions based upon the opinions of his friends and family, he is not a real man.
November 27: Ladies always remember when a man walks out the door snub him for leaving no matter how much you fell for him.
November 29: Amiable and handsome is what a man should be.
December 26: Lovers whether they be mercenary or true can still be loved.
March 20: With practice you develop a skill, if you do not practice how can you ever become good at a skill.
March 23: It is said that blood is thicker than water, it is true, interfere with the lives of the ones I call dear and expect my everlasting disdain.
March 24: Wrongdoings cannot be just be excused through use of the written word.  Once you have done the wrong your words cannot just undo it.

#6

             Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice takes place during a time where women were completely oppressed.  Females were constrained both socially and economically during the Victorian era.  Incumbent laws and regulations such as the law of entailment often induced women to destitution and helplessness.  During this time women often accepted such treatment no matter the asperity that might be seen in it.  Women were expected to be accepting of such fates because they were of a lower class on the social pyramid of Victorian society.  Though many women chose this attitude Austen portrays the attitude of another more subtly independent woman.  She displays this attitude through the character Lady Catherine de Bourgh.  In the midst of asking Elizabeth impertinent questions, Lady Catherine remarks on the law of entailment saying, " Your father's estate is entailed on Mr. Collins, I think...but otherwise I see no occasion for entailing estates from the female line" (Austen 140).  Lady Catherine essentially states that she believes that an estate should not only be given to the closest male relative, rather women should have rights in inheriting an estate if they are closest in line for it.  lady Catherine herself experienced this as she holds the entire de Bourgh estate.  She is a rare woman for Victorian times.  Although impertinent she is modern.  She sees the injustice in disallowing a female to inherit an estate as its true and rightful heir.  This insight is rare seems rare in a Victorian woman.  It shows that females of the time were beginning to perceive injustice and awakening to what was rightfully theirs.

#5

           Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice showcases the Victorian females true opinion of marriage.  Of late it is found that Elizabeth Bennet's dearest friend, Charlotte Lucas, is engaged to the overly fawning, Mr. Collins.  Elizabeth is incredulous at the news and cannot see how her friend could have been induced to marry a man like Collins.  In truth Charlotte's marriage to Collins is not because she venerates him, Charlotte, "Without thinking highly of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable provision for well-educated women of small fortune" (Austen 107).  Charlotte assents to marrying Mr. Collins purely out of  pragmatism.  She knows that a female of her lower status does not have the best lot in life single.  She considers her plain looks and Mr. Collins fortunes and thinks of his offer as the very best she can get.  This logicality in marriage is a reflection of a Victorian female's opinion of matrimony.  During this time period women had few options and women of the middle class even fewer.  Their best bet was to marry, in this way they would have financial stability and security.  Love was not put into the equation, it was not seen as necessary.  In contrast to the Victorian view, Elizabeth Bennet, who is disappointed in her friend's willingness to marry a man like Collins, takes a more modern view sees mutual like and possible love between a couple as being very important.  The Victorian view does not find long term happiness to be of the utmost importance.  It is very possible that a Victorian couple can have great felicity such as that of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.  However, when one only thinks of marriage in a logical sense, the main facet of happiness is marriage's security.

#4

      Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice speaks of the dangers of prejudice.  The propensity for prejudice among the upper class is displayed in Elizabeth’s character.  Elizabeth, after hearing the affable Mr. Wickham’s account of grievances with Mr. Darcy surmises Darcy to be the most disagreeable of men, and arousing repugnance.  At the ball Elizabeth declares, that in regard to Darcy, that it “would be the greatest misfortune of all! –To find a man agreeable whom one is determined to hate” (Austen 79).  Elizabeth has not listened to Darcy’s side of the story.  She does not know whether the grievances are precipitated by both parties.  She does not give Darcy a chance, rather she presumes him despicable in character.  This pre-judgment is folly.  To hear one person, who is clearly biased against the party in question, and wholly believe his account creates an unnecessary bias within the neutral party.  Austen argues, that among the upper classes of Victorian England, the tendency to judge before fully knowing others is absurd.  Pre-judgment hinders a person from truly getting to know others.  In Elizabeth’s case she has decided who Darcy is based on tales from his enemy instead of interactions with Darcy himself. 

#3

           Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice speaks of a time in which males ruled and dominated the world.  Females were an oppressed gender.  In the story the character Mr. Collins, cousin, to Mr. Bennet, appears.  He has rights to the Bennet property under the law of entailment.  Mrs. Bennet is highly vexed by the idea that the “estate should be entailed away from your own [Mr. Bennet’s] children” (Austen 54).  It is a shame to see that during the Victorian times females did not merit the right to the inheritance of land from their fathers.  Instead at the capricious whim of a male relative could precipitate the turning out of the female side of a family.  Later on, Mr. Collins displays his intention of marrying one of the Bennet daughters in order to right the breach between himself and the family over entailment.  This thought process displays the Victorian belief that women only subsist for domestic life: marriage and the hearth.  This is a serious contrast to modern society, in which females are given more freedom and choice in their future.  Women of the Victorian era had no future but the one found within the household.  This female suppression is seen in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

     The world of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice speaks of Victorian women with a serious obsession with marriage and the status of those they marry.  One of the major criteria for Mrs. Bennet in marrying of her daughters is the amount of wealth acrued by a potential suitor.  Wealth is a consistent concern for all Victorian women of the time period.  In describing the Bennet family's wealth it is found that 'mr. Bennet;s property consisted almost entirely in an estate of two thousand a year, which unfortunately for his daughters, was entailed in default of heirs male...and their mother's fortune, though ample for her situation in life, could but ill supply the deficiency of his" (Austen 25).  Here it is seen that Mr. Bennet has a large fortune, however it is impossible for the girls to inherit it by law, and their mother's fortune is simply not large enough.  It is for this reason that the women find only rich men propitious for marriage.  Males with great wealth are looked at by the females with great approbation.   One cannot say that the girls are completely superficial, for they are not indifferent to the ill qualities found in some men like mr. darcy.  However, the fact that status is of the utmost importance to the girls cannot be overlooked.  It speaks of a deeper meaning, a time in which women can only find status in the males that they marry.  Thus the Bennet girls cannot be blamed for their obsession with the wealth of the men they see as potential suitors.  This is the Victorian world of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

#1

  Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice makes light of the Victorian female's obsession and swift conclusions about love and matrimony.  From the very beginning of Austen's novel it seems that the concern of every female character is marriage.  Mrs. Bennet, her daughters, and all of their female friends are eager for the single Mr. Bingley to move into Netherfield.    Their eagerness stems from the desire for the Mr. Bingley to marry one of their available female daughters and friends. Not only is Mr. Bingley himself single, but he also brings his single friend Mr. Darcy into the company of these marriage eager ladies.  The arrival of these men puts the Victorian woman's making of suppositions about marriage on full display.  This Victorian characteristic is epitomized in Mr Darcy's statement about  Mr. Bingley's own sister, Miss Bingley's,  supposition about his attraction to Elizabeth Bennet, "A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment" (Austen 25).  Darcy essentially says that it is the woman's disposition to immediately draw the conclusion of marriage from the slightest attraction or show of interest between a man and woman. They do not wait for man and woman to become fully acquainted with one another. This conclusiveness may be folly.  It would seem that this celerity in jumping to the conclusion of marriage could lead to the downfall of the women in Pride and Prejudice.   Their serious want for marriage and love seems foolish in that they see a single  rich man,  who is seemingly amiable and assume him  the perfect suitor.  Such is the character of the Victorian woman portrayed by Jane Austen.

#6

 Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness speaks of the moral terror and evil that besets the emissary of imperialism as he sets deeper into the Congo.  Marlow the protagonist finally finds Mr. Kurtz.  While on his steam ship bringing Kurtz out of the jungle Marlow describes an overpowering emotion that comes upon him, what makes the emotion so overpowering is “the moral shock I received, as if something altogether monstrous, intolerable to thought, and odious to the soul had been thrust upon me” (Conrad 146-147).  Here Marlow inadvertently states that Kurtz’s evil can tangibly be felt.  This model imperialist agent has a cloud of evil that surrounds him and all those around him feel it.  This evil is the heart of darkness. 

#5

    Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness portrays the inherent and erroneous belief that the white man has of the black man, specifically the belief in the African's inferiority to the white European.  The European imperialist, represented by Marlow, views the African as a backward and barbaric savage.  The savage is not seen as a human and therefore has no value to Marlow.  This attitude toward the African is seen when Marlow's African helmsman dies from a mortal wound: 'The man ad rolled on his back and stared straight up at me; both his hands clutched that cane..my shoes were full; a pool of blood lay very still, gleaming dark under the wheel; his eyes shone with an amazing lustre...I had to make an effort to free my eyes from his gaze and attend to the steering" (Conrad 122).  Clearly Conrad sees the likeness between the black man and the white man.  Both bleed the same color blood, both die eventually.  It is clear that the African is not a mere savage but also human.  However, even after seeing that both races share humanity, Marlow reverts back to his devaluing of the black race when he expresses that in truth he is "morbidly anxious to change [his] shoes and socks" (Conrad 122).  After a death people are usually sober and want to attend to the mourning and sadness that comes with the passing of a human life from the world.  Marlow does not view the African as a human therefore his death is so insignificant that instead of wanting to care for the dead body, he turns to his shoes and focuses on how soiled they are from being bloodied by the helmsman's blood.  Still Marlow returns to the expected reaction toward death when he "misse[s] his late helmsman awfully" (Conrad 128).  Marlow humanizes the African here by having a longing for him.  He shows that there is an empty space without the African being there, this a human to human reaction toward death.  Yet even after expressing this longing for his old helper Marlow further dehumanizes the helmsman calling him a "savage" and saying that he "was no more account than a grain of sand in a black Sahara" (Conrad 128).  A grain of sand is worth nothing, in comparing the African to a grain of sand Marlow says the helmsman is worth nothing.  Although the European emissaries of imperialism tend to recognize an common ancestry between themselves and the African people, Conrad articulates through Marlow's thoughts that they will always dehumanize the black man and believe him to be inferior.

#4

   In  Joseph Conrad's short novel Heart of Darkness displays the European view of the inhumanity found within the natives of Africa.  However, as the story progresses Conrad begins to show the relation between the seemingly primitive peoples of the African Congo and the civilized Europeans.  Conrad's protagonist Marlow recognizes the relation as he journeys further into the Congo.  He sees how the African natives, "howled and leaped, and spun, and made horrid faces; but what thrilled you was just the thought of their humanity-- like yours-- the thought of your remote kinship with this wild and passionate uproar. Ugly" (Conrad 108-109).  Marlow begins describing the actions of the natives as something barbaric with "horrid faces" and savage movements such as "leaping" and "howling".  These are actions that would never be done within the civilized domain of the white man. Yet, even as Marlow recognizes these actions as animalistic, and thus makes the African people non-human, Marlow is cognisant of the fact that there is a "kinship with this wild and passionate uproar".  Here Conrad demonstrates that although uncivilized there is some similarity between the savage and the civilized.  At the same time Conrad is saying that there is still a major difference: the primitive African remains backward while the European has left the primeval state and become a beautiful creature.  The beauty that the European evolved into makes him superior to his ancestrally related African counterpart.  Conrad describes the 'kinship" as ugly.  For the civilized Westener it is disgusting to think that at one time people of his culture were in the same backward state as the African, yet that is the ugly truth.  Through Marlow's realization of these facts Conrad shows that although there is a relation between the imperialist culture and the primeval culture, the imperialist still has reason to look down upon the culture that is still within the primitive state.  This patronizing done by the imperialist power gives reason for the dehumanization suffered by the less modern culture.

#2

   The world found in Heart of Darkness is one of pure greed in which the end justifies the means in the goal of rising to the top.  The station is a model for the way that imperialism is done in Africa by the European nations.  Upon reaching the wait station Marlow sees that the men are "all waiting...for something...They beguiled their time by back-biting and intriguing against each other. There was an air of plotting about that station, but nothing became of it...The only real feeling was a desire to get appointed to a trading-post where ivory was to be had so that they could earn percentages.  They intrigued and slandered and hated each other only on that account" (Conrad 93).  There seems to be only one thing on the minds of the imperialist agents on the content: to rise in power and gain more money.  To do this they put down anyone in their path through slander and intrigue.  This is part of the backbone of imperialism.   Those who are in it are in it for the monetary gain and the power and prestige that comes with ruling over others.  These men have a machiavellian way of getting what they want.  So also do the imperialist powers.  At the expense of others the men work to get themselves in a position where they will gain more for themselves.  So also do the imperialist governments gain at the expense of others.  They work the natives to death, rape and exploit the land, only to get themselves a profit and empower their own nations.  All of this comes from a heart of darkness.

#1

  In Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Conrad demonstrates the brutal nature of European imperialism.  Marlow the story's protagonist tells his story of traveling on an imperialist venture as a seaman.  Imperialism is a system of defeat and conquer.  One nation believing itself to be superior overwhelms and influences another nation in order to exploit and utilize the so called inferior assets for its own good.  Marlow defines imperialists as being "no colonists" but rather "conquerors".  The difference is that the colonist remains to settle the other nation whereas the conqueror comes only to take advantage of and overcome the nation.  For this an imperialist needs "only brute force".  This thoroughly describes the mechanism of imperialism by the European continent over all the other continents of the world.  Imperialism comes from one country being stronger than another and being able to force its power onto the other nation.  The strength of this nation is "just an accident arising from the weakness of others" (Conrad 69).   Europe's strength over the rest of the world was a mere accident.  Had not Africa or Australia been stronger it would be these nations that would be recorded in the history books as imperialist powers.  The sadness of imperialism is that there is no chance for the weaker nation.  No amount of fighting back in the beginning will weaken the grip of the imperialist power.  The accidental strength is too much to take on.  It violates the weaker country.  The imperialist is only the imperialist by chance.  It is an unfair system that takes advantage of the weak and strengthens the strong.  

#13

  Real power is found in exerting strength over others.  Often exertion of power means making others suffer.  This is exactly what the Party does to Winston in George Orwell's 1984.  Power often shows man's cruelty toward man.  What the Party really wants is to have complete power over Winston.  The metaphorical boot has not completely crushed Winston's face, Winston has not yet suffered to the point of full and complete submission to the Party's power.  The Party's exertion of strength is found in making others suffer.  This comes through the elimination of humanity, emotion, and all things that give people joy.  The power that the Party finds in causing the suffering of others is clearly demonstrated in the torture Winston undergoes in Room 101: "By itself," he said, "pain is not always enough.  There are occasions when a human being will stand out against pain even to the point of death.  But for everyone there is something unendurable-something that cannot be contemplated...For you, they are unendurable.  They are a form of pressure that you cannot withstand, even if you wish to.  You will do what is required" (Orwell 284).   Taking Winston's biggest fear and placing it in front of him in order to induce obedience is a cruel thing to do, it is a power hungry thing to do.   Causing another person serious suffering in order to obtain his obedience is something the Party specializes in.  Room 101 is the major device with which the Party goes about this.  When people are suffering they will do almost anything to end the suffering.  In the end suffering brings about obedience.  Obedience acknowledges the power that one has over another.  For the Party suffering and obedience go hand in hand.  As the citizens of Oceania suffer and obey, the Party holds complete power.  As Winston suffers and then betrays Julia the power wields power again, power over emotions.  Absolute power is what the Party wants, and absolute power can only come with the suffering of the masses.

#12

         Power is a drug.  It brings the truest euphoria.  Once it is obtained it is hard to give away.  It becomes a strong addiction.  Lethal as it may be it is harbored and imbibed recklessly without stop.  George Orwell's 1984 portrays this aspect of power very clearly.  Winston Smith, the protagonist, continues to be re-indoctrinated under the care of O'Brien.  He is now in the second phase, the phase in which he learns why the party does what it does.  The answer to his question of why the party continues to do what it does is simple yet chilling, O'Brien explains the party's motives saying, " The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake.  We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power.  Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness; only power, pure power...We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it.  Power is not a means it is an end" (Orwell 263).  Here O'Brien puts it simply: dictators never take power for the good of others, rather they do it only to wield power, to control others.  This explanation is very blunt and astonishing.  Human nature tends to believe the best in others.  Yet in O'Brien's explanation it is very apparent that human nature is not inherently good.  Humans like power, people want power.  The Party is honest about this addiction that humans have to power.  They know that it exists yet, instead of hiding behind the age old explanation of usurping power for the good of others, they blatantly state that they have such a selfish and greedy motive.  Based on this illustration it is safe to say that Orwell argues that those who take power do not take power for any reason other than to have power itself.  Power is the envy of those who do not have it and the  potent stimulant of those who hold it.

#11

      Orwell's 1984 tells the story of how a totalitarian regime systematically destroys the individual and the individual's free thought.  After being arrested Winston has suffered unspeakable horrors.  He has been beaten tortured, questioned, and with no relief.  He has confessed to every crime under the sun but it is still not enough for the Party.  Now he has begun the Party's process of cleansing his thought.  This process brings Winston face to face with O'Brien, a man Winston once thought he could trust, but who turned out to be instead an agent of the Party out to destroy Winston.   Ever since Winston's enlightenment he has held onto truth.  He realized that although the Party could take away everything else the truth would still exist and if Winston still knew the truth he would still be in the right.  The truth Winston felt, was unchangeable.  As Winston goes through cleansing with O'Brien he realizes that in fact the party can change the truth.  This realization comes as O'Brien tests Winston on the truth of what his eyes can see: " How many fingers am I holding up Winston?  Four.  And if the Party says that it is not four but five- then how many?  Four.  The word ended in a gasp of pain." (Orwell 249).  O'Bren continues to torture Winston until finally Winston truly sees five fingers for a brief instant.  He succeeds in doublethink for an instant.  The Party has the power to change lie to truth.  Their power is concentrated in the human mind.  When people like Winston feel that they have finally found the truth they find themselves lost because the Party has instilled fear, awe, and a system in which they can change the truth the doublethink.  The Party has the power if a human gives them the power.  Winston has finally relinquished the power he had within his mind.  He has given it to the Party to alter facts, create their own truths and rectify the past.  It was inevitable because in the world of 1984 all power belongs to the government: the Party.

#8

   Throughout Orwell's novel, 1984, protagonist Winston Smith has develops and changes drastically in character.  A major area of development for Winston is in his relationship with Julia.  In the beginning Winston and Julia's relationship is seemingly one of pure lust and rebellion, however, as time goes on the relationship grows to one of affection signaled by Winston's sadness at not being able to see Julia on certain occasions.  Rebellion further changes Winston's relationship with Julia.  Winston who seems irrevocably bound to Julia, so much so that he promises never to betray her if caught, is hesitant when posed with the option of being separated from Julia.  This  change is seen during Winston's conversation with O'Brien and Julia, " You are prepared, the two of you, to separate and never see one another again?  "No!" broke in Julia.  It appeared to Winston that a long time passed before he answered.  For a moment he seemed even to have been deprived of the power of speech.  His tongue worked soundlessly, forming the opening syllables first of one word then of the other, over and over again.  Until he said it, he did not know which word he was going to say.  "No" he said finally" (Orwell 173).  Here it is seen that Winston has regressed to back to a mindset of pure rebellion.  This rebellious mindset is reflected in his hesitation to say no to the possibility of not being with Julia.  Unlike Julia, Winston's answer is not immediate and resolute.  Winston's hesitation signifies doubt, he doubts that his relationship with Julia is more valuable than taking down the Party.  This doubt reflects Winston's regression back to a want for pure rebellion.  Had he real value for love over all other things he would not hesitate to give up rebellion in order to remain with his paramour.  Winston has gone back to holding rebellion against the party in higher regard than love.  This is a regression for Winston because at one time it seemed he was returning to the basis of humanity: human connection made through love.  With rebellious fervor on his mind and rebellion being  a higher priority than love, Winston loses his progress in becoming more human, and instead reverts back to the rebellious passion comparable to the Party's subjects passion for hate.  In the end this hesitancy and regression could cost him.

#7

      In today's society impulses and emotions have a considerable impact on humans and the way that they interact.  George Orwell characterizes the importance of human impulses and emotions through Winston's reflections on memories of his mother from childhood.  Winston's reflection comes from a place of serious regret.  In a dream Winston remembers how his selfishness aided the demise of his mother and sister.  Although Winston's selfishness hurts his mother and sister, his mother still chooses to love him and embrace her other starving child in love though it will not undo the damage of Winston's unkind deed.  Upon reflection Winston realizes, "The terrible thing that the Party had done was to persuade you that mere impulses, mere feelings, were of no account, while at the same time robbing you of all power over the material world...once you were in the grip of the Party, what you felt or did not feel , what you did or refrained from doing, made literally no difference" (Orwell 165).  Here Orwells depicts the major difference between  a world filled with humanity and the world of 1984.  The Party has taken emotions and actions and seemingly made them null and void.  Whereas in the world past where Winston's mother still existed her love and embraces showed strong feeling and had meaning, under the the regime of the Party such feelings and actions account for nothing.  The Party successfully eliminates these strong and influential human impulses by persuading its subjects that such enterprises have no real meaning.  There is a direct causation between feeling and action, feeling motivates people to act based upon a given emotion.  Destruction of emotion destroys action.  These pieces of human nature destroyed leave a powerless man with no way to touch the world.  In reality feelings and the actions for which they are responsible have the greatest impact upon humanity.  It is feeling and action that are the very essence of humanity.  These things create connections between people.  The impotence of connection is that it anchors one person to another and helps to give a reason for living and thus gives people power over the world.  With connections people realize that their action or inaction impacts the life of another person.  When sentiment and its resulting actions are eliminated humanity is eliminated, connection is eliminated.  People lack emotion and thus have no emotional impulses to translate into action.  In the end the Party's annihilation of humanity  creates a world in which human connection no longer exists and a generation of forlorn powerless people.

#6

            George Orwell's 1984 gives a new meaning to the idea of living and dying.  As Orwell develops Julia and Winston's relationship he creates the concept that both Julia and Winston are dead already: it is inevitable that they will be caught in their iniquitous thoughts and actions against the party.  This is seen clearly during one of Julia and Winston's intimate meetings: "We are dead," he said.  We're not dead yet", said Julia prosaically.  "Not physically.  Six months, a year-five years, conceivably.  I am afraid of death.  You are young, so presumably you're more afraid of death than I am.  Obviously we shall put it off as long as we can.  But it makes a very little difference.  So long as human beings stay human, death and life are the same thing" (Orwell 136). In Oceania to live means to die, eventually the party will kill a person. Winston's statement begs the question: if human beings are as good as dead from the start why go on living?  Why invest in survival when in the end it will make no difference?  The answer is simple, within human beings in Oceania there is an inherent drive to survive.  There is a want for life and to live even though logically it seems that in the end life does not matter.  They are dead before they even begin.  It is this same reason that allows Winston and Julia to continue to meet and disobey Party rules.  They proceed with caution in order to put off death for as long as possible.  Winston and Julia want to live.  Yet there is an inherent knowledge that  already they are dead, they are caught, eventually their lives will have meant nothing because they will have been erased from existence.   In the end Winston and Julia's want for life will destroy them because as said by Winston, "death and life are the same thing".

#4

     George Orwell's 1984 tells of a society where everyone is seemingly asleep.  Those found in the Outer Party are asleep in that they go through the daily motions of being loyal party members while watching as the Party deals corruptly.  They accept everything the Party says even when they know for a fact that the Party is wrong.  Then there are the Proles, the Proles are the lowest class in Big Brother's society.  Though they are the lowest in all of Oceania their population is the largest with 85% of Oceania being Prole.  Such a large group would logically have the most power, yet due to their low position in society and the oppression of Big Brother this group has no voice in any matters of political and social importance.  The Proles have something that the other social groups lack: potential.  This potential is kept down because they do not realize it.  Winston writes that "Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious" (Orwell 70).  The Proles are completely ignorant of their potential to completely shake up the Party's regime in Oceania, this is due to them being treated as mere animals by the government.  If only the Proles would wake up and find some way to be educated.  If they would look around them and realize that the lowly position they have been pressed into as beasts of burden for the government is a pure injustice.  Then and only then can the Proles rise up and take a stand.  However in the second part of Winston's statement he mentions that after the Proles have rebelled they cannot become conscious.  Here Winston says that even though the Proles have the potential to revolutionize Oceania after becoming conscious of the fact  that the way they have been treated is wrong they cannot keep the country in a stable state.  Like other peasant revolutions due to lack of education the Proles would falter and lack the consciousness and knowledge to know how Oceania should be run.  Thus there be hope in the number of Proles their ignorance limits their potential for bringing the change Oceania needs under Big Brother's totalitarian regime.

1984 #3

         George Orwell's 1984 brings a whole new meaning to the word orthodox.  In chapter five Orwell explains what it means to be orthodox under the regime of Big Brother.  The definition of orthodoxy is brought to light by Winston's fellow comrade and closest thing to a friend: Syme.  Syme works for the Party as a philologist helping to destroy Oldspeak and creating Newspeak, a language that anihalates language itself.  In Syme's explanation of the destruction of language for the amelioration of the party he articulates that as words are destroyed the way people think will change.  In turn there will be drastic results; "The whole climate of thought will be different.  In fact there will be no thought, as we understand it now.  Orthodoxy means not thinking--not needing to think.  Orthodoxy is unconsciousness" (Orwell 53).  Syme's words are a clear revelation of what Big Brother and the Party intend to do.  This strange definition of orthodoxy is not so abstract, rather it is the perfect model for a totalitarian society.  The Party requires that all citizens adhere to strict orthodoxy.  This orthodoxy calls for thoughts that do not dissent against Big Brother.  In the eradication of words the Party acts brilliantly.  Words are very important, they allow people to transfer thoughts and ideas to one another.  As words are destroyed people's vocabulary is limited.  With a limited vocabulary people are incapable of communicating. Lack of communication leads to the impediment of ideas.  With no new ideas being brought to light people will have nothing to think on.  Should the Party succeed in giving people nothing to think on save blind obedience to the Party itself, Big Brother would have the perfect group of subjects.  Dissonance would never be found within Oceania because not one dissenting idea would exist.  "Unconsciousness" would be the norm.   In Big Brother's totalitarian regime the government thinks for the people, this works best with an unconscious people.  The minute that the people stop thinking for themselves and follow this orthodoxy is the moment that Big Brother and the Party gain total control.

1984 #2

         Life under Big Brother is a continual process of writing, rewriting, and effacing history.  This includes personal history, political history, and social history.  Winston Smith participates in the "rectifying" of the official history of Oceania.  His job in the Ministry of Truth entails altering articles and pieces of media that Big Brother feels necessary to correct, or as Big Brother's government calls it rectifying.  History is something that never changes, the past can never be adjusted.  Under Big Brother's regime; "Day by day and almost minute by minute the past was brought up to date.   In this way every prediction made by the Party could be shown by documentary evidence to have been correct; nor was any item of news, or any expression of opinion, which conflicted with the needs of the moment, ever allowed to remain on record.   All history was palimpsest, scraped clean and reinscribed exactly as often as was necessary.  In no case would it have been possible, once the deed was done, to prove that any falsification had taken place" (Orwell 40).   This eerie description of how history can be micro-managed and controlled is very disturbing.  At any point in time the national history of a nation is "reinscribed exactly as [is] necessary".  History is supposed to be truth.  History is immutable fact.  Yet in this totalitarian regime history is recreated to fit the needs of the government.  The official history can never be verified as the truth  due to the destruction of all other records created before.  The constant bringing of history to date serves the government well.  With official documentation of history the way Big Brother wants it to be, citizens are kept subservient.  The Party systematically creates an uninformed society.  Citizens are essentially vulnerable to the government and the government's written word.  Truth is relative to what the regime wants the truth to be at the given time.  In general people look to the written word in order to find out the truth. Written word is assumed infallible.  Facts are supposed to be indisputable. The facts that the Ministry of Truth puts out are assumed indisputable because it is documented history.  When people constantly hear one an official history from a source of authority the truth is easily forgotten, and lies believed.   This also brings to mind the question of whether or not official histories are actually truth.  If the Party is able to rewrite history continuously and publish it in text while keeping those who may have known the truth silent, is it so far fetched to believe that today's governments could not also do the same?  In this passage Orwell inadvertently states that it is necessary for humans to keep record of history themselves.  Otherwise humankind might find immutable facts found within textbooks to be the fabrications of a government working to keep its citizens submissive.

Inside the World of Big Brother

    George Orwell's 1984 depicts a dystopia unlike anything ever seen by mankind up to date.  The protagonist Winston Smith lives in a world where Big Brother perpetually watches the actions of the citizens of Oceania.  The essence of Winston's world is Big Brother.  As Winston looks out from his watched abode Orwell describes the world he lives in: "Outside even through the shut window pane, the world looked cold.  Down in the street little eddies of wind were whirling dust and torn paper into spirals, and though the sun was shining and the sky a harsh blue, there seemed to be no color in anything except the posters that were plastered everywhere.  The black-mustachio'd face gazed down from every commanding corner" (Orwell 2).  In the world of Big Brother life is completely bleak.  Orwell describes it as having "no color in anything" and the sky as being "harsh blue", and the world as looking "cold" despite the shining sun.  Color is usually a symbol of life, the fact that in a place where there are residents still there is no color implies that the world is barren.  The piece of color found within the sky is described as "harsh" further demonstrating the austerity of Winston's world.  Though color is not clearly evident it is not absent.  It is seen in this very same passage that the posters plastered everywhere are the only color found outside.  This splash of color produced only by Big Brother demonstrates the fact that life in this dystopia is only found in Big Brother and his government.  Orwell also says that "The black mustachio'd face gazed down from every commanding corner" (Orwell 2).  Here Orwell's severe diction in describing the places that carry posters of Big Brother as "commanding" is very important.  In describing the corners as "commanding" Orwell creates the image of  Big Brother commanding all that is in Winston's world.  His poster commands each area reminding everyone of his reign and power.  In essence the world commanded by Big Brother contains no life outside of Big Brother himself.  Life in Oceania is Big Brother.

Tempestuous Justice

     Justice according to the Free Dictionary by Farlex is fair treatment and due reward with honor.  The concept of justice is rooted very deeply within Shakespeare's play The Tempest.  Prospero the sorcerer protagonist within the play seeks justice for himself at the expense of his brother Antonio: an ambitious traitor.  Prospero seeks the restoration of his honor as Duke of Milan ( due reward with honor) and the downfall of his brother for what was done by him against Prospero (fair treatment).   Prospero's want for justice takes the form of revenge, which begs the question: are revenge and justice one in the same?  Within this story the two are seemingly intertwined.  Through  the majority of the plot Prospero seeks to avenge himself for the dukedom that was taken from him by his brother and the King Alonso through betrayal.  This is a seemingly just cause for revenge, Prospero has suffered a wrong and therefore deserves to met out judgement to those who have wronged him.  As Prospero seeks justice for the wrongs committed against him another concept comes in: forgiveness over-riding justice.  This is seen in Act 5 Scene 1 when Prospero says to his arch enemy and brother Antonio; " For you, most wicked sir, whom to/ call brother/ Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive/ Thy rankest fault, all of them" (149-152, 5.1, Shakespeare).  Here it is seen that just when Prospero has the chance to get the justice he deserves he chooses forgiveness.  Although he still sees the wrong doings of Antonio as "rank" he is still willing to let forgiveness and mercy over ride these wrongs.  It is very clear that forgiveness covers over a multitude of wrongs such as the ones committed by Antonio.  Justice says that "tit for tat" when one person commits an offense toward another the other person deserves to hurt the other person.  However when forgiveness is brought into the situation, the "tit for tat" scenario is effaced.  When forgiveness is brought in wrongs are erased thus erasing the need for justice.