“How important has the theme of optimism been in the development of Western literature since 1493?”
Length: 2,500 words (10 double-spaced pages).
Greetings to all it may concern, welcome to my term paper for the Ron Paul Curriculum’s Western Literature II course. Taught by my intense yet masterful teacher Gary North (rest in peace). I have read a good collection of works from throughout the entire history of Western Civilization’s greatest minds and thinkers.
During this term, I have done much with my learning of the Literature of Western Culture, I have studied a large list of books, and without any further ado, (I hope that this doesn’t feel that much like bragging) on the topic of this TERM’s. essay!
But first, let’s go to the beginning of the list (in terms of time), and take a gander at the works of Bocaccio and Chaucer: *Decameron* + *Canterbury Tales*. (I know these works were published before 1490, but I still think we should go back to the start) These are considered the first true great works of literature in Western Civilization, but it is debatable whether they can be considered secular works, Christian works or something more pagan, due to the amounts of myth and folklore present in them.
(even if they absolutely do nothing for the plot besides just being there)
Now, quick question, is this important? Well, I argue it is!
Looking at Christianity’s core beliefs, the theme of optimism is very important, specifically because of the sanctions God promises his loving people. (For instance, “the meek shall inherit the Earth”) I bring this up because, these books written in the 1400’s (and others on the list I placed up above) that came before 1493 really did not adopt any sort of true Christian optimism that is remembered of Western Civilization’s age of discovery (which, coincidentally started in the 1490’s).
Here. truly, begins my term paper on the importance of Optimism in Western Literature, and how I believe it has been linked with Christian beliefs.
Going into a bit of a(n important) tangent, in 1493, what could be argued as the single most important voyage of mankind, the sea voyage of The Pinta, Nina & Santa Maria. It may not have been the *first* expedition to reach the American continents, but it was the most influential. In my 20th essay for Western Civ II, I mentioned how the discovery of the Americas (and its people) shook the outlook of many concepts (like Human Rights) for Western Civilization.
Continuing through to the 16th century, this is where we see Eternal Succession (as is part of Christian eschatology) used to its fullest. The use of trials in stories where characters suffer through challenges to gain the status of martyrdom can be considered an optimistic response to the crises both personal and social of the times, all beginning with Martin Luther’s *95 Theses*. Taking a look at *95 Theses* by Martin Luther, optimism is very evident in his works.
He had no idea his works would have drastically changed the West as much as it has, with the creation of the Protestant church. Luther believed that with the refined and legitimate forms of law and work, “man becomes better” in the future, which is the text-book definition (in Christianity) for long-term optimism. AS A WHOLE, the Protestant Reformation was a movement fueled by optimistic beliefs. In his works, the *95 thesis* Luther quotes “For repentance corrects the will; and if ye will not repent through fear of evil, at least ye may for the pleasure of good things; hence He says, the kingdom of heaven is at hand; that is, the blessings of the heavenly kingdom.” (Matthew 4:17), calling others to repent from their views see his side of things, as a promise of the future.
According to Luther’s words: “love grows by works of love”. If this isn’t seen as a form of optimism, I do not know quite what is.
Back to the books in William Shakespeare’s *Romeo and Juliet* (we all know the story by now, so there’s no explaining needed), there is some optimism displayed in his famous tragedy (mainly from the two titular characters and the people who help them achieve their, ultimately doomed, romance), but because the fiction ends with everyone, from both parties, suffering grief, I feel William showed off that he was more of a pragmatic man. He wrote tragedies to reflect the times.
The importance of optimism is also reflected through the 16th (and 17th) century’s increased traction towards writing stories based around the concept of Utopia.
The word Utopia itself originates from Sir Thomas More’s novel aptly named *Utopia*, published in 1516, describes an idealized “island society”. (The concept of Dystopia would arise later, as the idea of a failed utopia. Obviously, it is not optimistic)
Fellow philosopher Michel De Montaigne (famous for his famous quotes and idioms, as well as popularizing the essay writing style) Within his exercised essays, he wrote avidly about the quest of self-discovery and reflection. He wrote essays about cannibal islanders’ treatment of the dead being perhaps superior to the west’s as well, bringing about a further similarity with his essays and Sir Thomas More’s *Utopia*.
One of my best representatives for the 16th century’s love of magic and the occult, *Doctor Faustus* (written by Christopher Marlowe in 1592~3), was about the titular character Dr Faust. Highly successful yet dissatisfied, if not bored, of his life, he calls upon a demon to give him special powers, riches and friends (as well as some tours of heaven & hell). This does not last of course, and when he meets his fateful end (groveling and pleading the long way down).
Besides the prevalence of the theme of magic, also present in this book is the theme of contempt, and (somewhat innocent) corruption. Faust was perfectly happy in life (just like how many other characters in all of these Western novels to come, might I add), but chose to throw their easy, boring lives away for a little adventure and scandalous pleasures (only to get absolutely rocked in the end, and either repent or burn). Some traces of optimism can be scavenged in here, either through how Faust was so optimistic that he could *be different* than all those who dealt with the Devil before him, or through how he convinced his apprentices, in his last few legs of life, to not pursue the “powers of darkness”, because he would not live long enough to see what their choices would end up being, he could only hope.
To summarize the 16th century, Western Civilization was undergoing the beginnings of the Enlightenment, and begging many questions about human rights, values and conditions, with the Protestant Church first opening its doors, and of course, gaining some writers.
Now we are in the 17th century, and the state of Western Civilization, and Literature is booming with the further spreading of the printing press. The old “magical” outlook of life, with its fairytales, folklore and pagan deities being involved, but secular literature and plays *were* being aimed at entertaining the masses. With the printing press expanding the reach of all literary works, groups began gaining rivalries, and after the 1660’s, Great Britain’s (and onwards) high society elite began to take a hold of a reformed Rationalism.
The 1640’s are rife with what could be considered akin to a civil war of pamphlets, after the freeing of the news. The Glorious Revolution of 1688 was a (bloodless) uprising by parliament and the Protestants of England against the (Catholic) King James the 2nd. This century was when the “witch craze” began, where the “magic” of superstition, occultism and Grimm fairy tales mixed with the fearful religious groups of the times, making a social war between (mainly Protestant) Christianity and “magic”.
Right around this time, Early American literature began arising from the Colonial (and Early National Period which ended around the 19th century) of the continent, and it was much like the settlers themselves: straight forward, simple and concerned of the future.
Some literature was based directly on their own experiences out on the borders, other works inspired by the other creations of great writers from the British Isles. Christianity was divided, and with mass printing came a new battleground of rival philosophies and literary civil war. The old outlook on magic remained.
It is worth displaying the 17th century’s truly great Christian literary works by looking to Miguel de Cervantes, who displayed in his novella turned great work *Don Quixote* (about the titular noble who, turned “mad” thought himself a legendary chivalrous crusader, going on quests throughout Spain) we see a great deal of Christian optimism: “Trust time; it usually provides a sweet way out of many bitter challenges.” Don Quixote says as he is doing his “Christian duty” as knight-errant.
The Enlightenment severely influenced Western Literary works in the seventeenth century. British History David Bebbington said that “The Evangelical version of Protestantism was created by the Enlightenment”. Characterized as Enlightenment traits were empiricism, optimism, pragmatic and tolerant outlooks. Evangelism was “a new movement and not merely a variation of themes heard in The Reformations”. ‘The Evangelical Revival’, he concludes, ‘represents a sharp discontinuity in the Protestant tradition’.
Back to the books! Written in 1667, the last official “Epic Poem” *Paradise Lost* (written by John Milton), has been described as a creative fictional rewriting of the Bible’s book of Genesis (of Satan’s fall from heaven and temptation of Adam & Eve). He opposed religious institutions, like Calvinism, and as a Puritan man, Milton chose to highlight the good that comes after the fall of man, and the optimism that comes from true humanity and lost innocence. His book’s ending was hopeful, even if it was not victorious.
Summarizing the 17th century, magic is still very alive to the public, established Church organizations (that are not a part of the Papacy) are becoming voices of authority and literature is just over all gaining more public views and opinions. On top of this, the Enlightenment was noticeably at its height.
Now, here in the 18th century, Christianity was beginning to be considered “irrelevant” by much of the population. Most prevalent, is this statement, when we look to *The Grumbling Hive* by Bernard Mandeville.
In The Grumbling Hive, Mandeville describes a community of bees that thrive based on their greed, but when they abandon their desire for personal gain, their economy collapses, leaving them to live simple lives in a hollow tree. If you cannot tell, Bernard Mandeville thought that Christian (and non-Christian) optimism and virtue was pointless, and if we want a “rich” society, the only way to attain such is if everyone is only looking out for themselves. And, if you couldn’t tell, nearly everyone else who read his book who knew a lick of sense, argued against his viewpoints.
Optimism was still important to Western society in the 18th century, and this is reflected through how controversial Mandeville’s *Grumbling Hive* was! It was unique in how it portrayed the argument for what is effectively civil injustice. Truthfulness, justice and freedom aren’t necessary to these bees or the functioning of their hive! But, if anything, Mandeville’s selective poetry showed a different kind of optimism, one that views an imperfect economic society.
Now, although *Pilgrim’s Progress* is held up to the same veins as *Paradise Lost* a century before it, the 1678 novel by Puritan Writer and Preacher John Bunyan is more idealistic and influential.
Bunyan calls upon the readers through his religious allegory of a pilgrimage with the protagonist, a young man (literally named “Christian”). Christian has himself a little crisis of the heart and spirit and grows his desire to truly become a Christian. Leaving his home and loved ones, he goes optimistically off on his own, meeting symbolic creatures and characters on his lonely road to eternal succession. It is classically optimistic and chock-full of Christian hope, about the delivery of humanity from eternal damnation to eternal life.
One of the novels I really did quite enjoy this year was Robinson Crusoe, written by Daniel Dafoe (in 1719). Witten from an explicitly Puritan Christian author, Dafoe (who was experienced, had written around 200 other books and pamphlets), and it is the 2nd most popular English novel in the world (behind Pilgrim’s Progress).
Its theme is mainly of personal redemption. Born into the middle class of disease, Robinsone Crusoe found his father’s (reasonable) advice to settle down, find a career and start his own family awful, and pursuing a life of riches, he took to the seas. On his voyage, Robinson’s quest went awry repeatedly and to keep his optimism, Crusoe desperately made numerous vows to God, but still broke them each time things began to go his way (this a theme many Christian people, myself included experience in life). Negative consequences plagued his life throughout the novel, leading to his creation of a list of revolutions, which he continued to rebel from. Initially ignoring the Bible, he brought with him off ship, he eventually read it and slowly changed his moral outlook on life. He gained the optimistic view of the future Western Society is known for and began improving himself. Readers responded well to this heroic retelling of “the Prodigal son”, as it was the popular story of the time, thus this book retains popularity through the ages.
Now a similar adventure novel published in the 18th century was *Gulliver’s Travels*. (By Jonathan Swift, who also wrote *A Modest Proposal*, a satirical philosophical essay, on how the people of Ireland could’ve survived famines easier if they simply ate their children!)
As seen through *Gulliver’s Travels* (and *Modest Proposal*), through the eyes of our average human protagonist Lemuel Gulliver, satire of Western and non-Western society was very alive in the 1700’s. On his adventures through Lilliput Swift comments on how the government conveys that the state cannot be trusted to act morally. It is noteworthy to mention that in *Gulliver’s Travels*, the only deliverance from the clutches of politicians are the representations of hope and optimism.
The (French) Enlightenment (and its pessimism) was still going strong into the 1700’s, as *Candide, ou l’Optimisme* (written by French author Voltaire in 1759) can show us. He was skeptical of the religious nature of everyone’s optimistic future. In *Candide*, a merchant/rich man in the city of Venice is unsatisfied or disappointed with his life, despite his vast wealth. Through the book’s less-than realistic events, he finds himself in the country of Turkey, yet no closer to finding his meaning in life. *Candide* decides, through our protagonist, that the one (1) thing worth doing in life is cultivating your own personal garden. As you could see, the French Enlightenment’s outlook of the 18th century was full of contradictory, hedonistic and pessimistic opinions, but despite that, also showed off how simple life can, and should, be.
Reviewing the 18th century of Western Civilization, magic was fairly dead in most literary works, but Christian themes were also losing popularity due to the secular movements of the Enlightenment. Optimism was obviously quite important, as many a writer was concerned with how it (optimism, or the *representation* of it) was seemingly the one way out of tyranny’s grasp. Satire was also very much alive! Jonathan Swift was a prominent warrior of the writing style, but this blend of comedy and (il)logic was, while not entirely new, a fresh way for authors to take stabs at the problems of their times.
Onwards to the 19th century, I felt a fair impact from the Samuel Butler novel *Erewhon*, written in 1872. Butler writes about religion and the evolution of utopia by exploring questions of society being determined by its past, or how philosophy legitimately develops a people. He gives a wary and vague view of the future, where free will may perhaps be an illusion, an influx of unpredictability and lack of historic evidence. He was certain of England’s fate being that of dystopia during the 1800s, a true example of Social Darwinism that was so popular in the 19th century.
So, in conclusion (a bit of a TL; DR if anything), Optimism *was* integral to the survival of Western Literature!
Optimism was prevalent in discovering the Americas (that there would be new opportunities for the masses).
Optimism prevalent in the Protestant Reformation (that the ways of the Catholic worshippers might change to a better way).
Optimism prevalent in the Enlightenment (that humanity as a whole might change to a status than mere, cruel humanity).
Or even optimism that there might really (but really?) be a little magic in the world.
That is all.