Spirits

Asher B. Durand's "Spirits"

In John Ruskin’s text Modern Painters he discusses the ideas of beauty. He says that “Any material object which can give us pleasure in the simple contemplation of its outward qualities…I call in some way…beautiful” (22). In Asher B. Durand’s painting “Spirits” one can definitely see the beauty in it. There are many things happening in this picture, at first glance it’s impossible to take in everything that the painting has to offer. Taking a closer look, one can see all of the detail and precision that was put into the artwork.

Ruskin also says that “Why we receive pleasure from some forms and colors, and not from others, is no more to be asked or answered than why we like sugar and dislike wormwood” (22). Ruskin is right. We can only wonder why we like sugar more than wormwood and we can only wonder why we like certain colors and firms more than others. For example, even though this painting is colored solely in natural colors like brown and green, one can still see the beauty in it because of the forms and what the picture is portraying.

Another idea that Ruskin discusses is the idea of God and nature, he writes, “We may, indeed, perceive, as far as we are acquainted with His nature that we have been so constructed as, when in a healthy and cultivated state of mind, to derive pleasure from whatever things are illustrative of that nature” (22). This painting is a perfect example of what he is talking about in this text because the painting clearly shows many aspects of nature. It shows the stream with rocks placed in it, it shows the sky, the hillside, and many other pieces of natures. Similarly to what Ruskin is saying in his text, it is only natural to see beauty in nature and in this piece of artwork.

Dark Romanticism and Hawthorne

In Hawthorne’s short story “The Minister’s Black Veil: A parable”, there are several instances in the text were we can see “Dark Romanticism”. One instance in particular is on page 879, Hawthorne writes, “there rolled a cloud into the sunshine”. The context of which this is written is to emphasize what the veil is doing. It is causing sorrow for the minister and it provokes fear and curiosity in everyone who looks at it. Hawthorne uses Dark Romanticism in his text to emphasize the horror he tries to cause for the reader. He uses to dark and dreary aspects of nature in order to help him do this.

Another instance where Hawthorne uses Dark Romanticism in his text is a few lines down. He writes, “Even the lawless wind, it was believed, respected his dreadful secret, and never blew aside the veil” (879). Saying that the wind is lawless provides the reader with an image of something wild. We can picture leaves blowing around and trees swaying under the invisible power of the wind. He uses this line to describe just how consistent the minister is in never betraying his secret of why he can never unveil his face. Hawthorne uses Dark Romanticism again in order to emphasize the point he is trying to make. Even the power of nature, the lawless wind, cannot break the minister and reveal his secret.

Another instance that can be found in the text is when he writes, “As years wore on, shedding their snows above his sable veil…” (880). Hawthorne is using Dark Romanticism and the use of nature and the dark aspects of it to enhance his parable. All through the story the author causes the reader to be anxious. The reader expects something drastic to happen and by speaking of the negative aspects of nature it enhances the anticipation for the reader.

NATURE, CIRCLES, & THINKERS

Nature centres into balls,
And her proud ephemerals,
Fast to surface and outside,
Scan the profile of the sphere;
Knew they what that signified,
A new genesis were here.

I think that epigraphs are interesting just because I always thought that the title kind of explained itself once you read the rest of the text. But, I guess not. Next time I write a poem, I’m going to write an epigraph to elucidate or justify the title of my poem. :-) Just kidding, or am I.

Anyhow, Emerson’s epigraph is especially interesting because I think that it basically sums up what is meant by the title of his work and pretty much the main point of his text. Emerson’s epigraph elucidates and justifies the title of the text for many reasons.

Take the first line for example. Emerson writes that “nature centres into balls” in his epigraph which parallels nature to circles. He’s saying that nature will always circle itself back around. It takes care of itself, and does not need man to help it.

I didn’t know what “ephemerals” meant, so I looked it up and it means either: “Lasting for a markedly brief time” OR “Living or lasting only for a day, as certain plants or insects do”

If this is the meaning that Emerson was going for then I think that he meant that nature can replenish herself daily through these “circles”. He’s saying that certain plants and other things in nature and otherwise can live or last for only a day, but through these “proud ephemerals” nature has its own way of surviving and replenishing itself.

Emerson talks about the profile of the sphere and that “they” knew what that signified and that the new genesis were here. He again elucidates the title of his work “Circles” because of what is implied. He says that there is a new genesis which means a new beginning. There is a start of everything and after something dies something begins again which essentially is a CIRCLE! :-)

As a side note, the quote I liked the best from this work is “The key to every man is his thought”. It’s interesting to note that through this time frame of literature and I’m sure in other places as well some of these authors are huge on influencing others to be “thinkers”. They think that being a “thinker” is going to make a person more successful. Being a liberal arts student I would have to agree! :-)