11/30/2019 0 Comments Speculative Blog PostWhile reading the course selections, I was continually struck by their depictions of the dichotomy between good and evil. In Metamorphoses, Ovid highlights the gradual corruption of humanity by describing the four eras that governed the creation of earth: the age of gold, a time of trust and moral goodness, the age of silver, where people first had to work for a living, the age of bronze, where the first wars occurred, and the age of iron, in which nothing was sacred. Through depicting the corruption of mankind, Ovid reveals that as humans gained more power, they demanded more power in return. This relates to the reading we have done thus far because it showcases how our identities and actions are shaped by the overarching structures and authorities that govern them, and how changes in our culture, such as an increased reliance on wealth and social class, dialectically influence identity.
Similarly, in Genesis and Paradise Lost, the dichotomy between good and evil is portrayed through the story of Adam and Eve. Although Adam and Eve are originally innocent, when the serpent (Satan) offers them an apple from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they are ousted by God as evil and sinful. The story of Adam and Eve relates to Scott and Greenblatt because it not only portrays the dichotomy between good and evil, but also between the authority (God), which we ought to emulate, and the alien (the serpent), which we ought not to emulate. In Lucretius, the theme of good and evil is explored through the story’s depiction of chaos being organized into society. Throughout the story, Lucretius talks about how bodies of the earth “came together and adhered,” suggesting that although the earth was originally chaotic, it eventually became organized and harmonious (Lucretius). This relates to Scott and Greenblatt because it defines harmony as a necessary component of beauty, which we explored in detail when analyzing “Better Living Through Criticism.” In each of the selections we read, there were overarching themes of creation, power, and dialectics. Each piece explored how an abundance of power can lead to chaos and corruption, and how good and evil work dialectically to govern society. I suspect that going forward, we will explore how dialectics were essential to the creation of Earth and society.
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