Humanities & Classics 1002
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Renaissance Forum
Humanities & Classics 1002 |
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In Reply to: PLEASE POST YOU FIRST REQUIRED POSTING AS A REPLY TO THIS posted by TOM BACIG on December 13, 1998 at 19:30:06:
The contrasting nature of these two pieces (and their authors, I would assume) is surprising considering they are only forty years apart in creation. First, a brief rehash of each author's main points and how they contrast, then some relation to the movie " The Name of the Rose".
If we are to label one author the pessimist and on author the optimist, a Kempis would be the pessimist. He believes the purpose of human life is to serve God and to strive to be spotless in God's eyes. He says "Learn to despise outward things and to turn the to inward things and thou shalt see the kingdom come into thee; for the kingdom of God is peace and joy in the Holy
Ghost that which is not given to wicked men." His attitude towards life reminds me of a scene in the film "Babette's Feast" that I happened to catch. Babette was a new gal in town with whom the old guard was not impressed. She invites them all over for a feast. This feast is completely unbelievable, soooo delicious looking I am getting hungry right now. These people were Quakers and felt that it was a sin to take any pleasure in the act of eating food. That is was punishable by God to enjoy the tastes of food. I believe a Kempis must have been the same way. Pico della Mirandola, on the other hand, paints a very different picture of what humans should do. He is the glaring optimist. He believed that the main purpose in life was to please God also, but in a very different way. Pico wants us to have FUN! He says that we humans are just "little lower than the angels" and "the intimates of the gods, king of the lower beings". He tells us to explore and see everything we want to because we are "neither mortal nor immortal" so we can ultimately "fashion thyself in whatever shape thou shalt prefer". What a breath of fresh air Pico is! A bright shining ray of hope glowing for our benefit.
Now on to the movie. In the movie a Kempis' view of life is most similar to the Benedictine monks. They abhor the luxurious and embrace the drab. All of the scenery at the monastary was grey and cold-no softness anywhere. The food looked equally unappealing as the monks sat down to their solemn meal. Laughter is another thing these monks cannot stand for laughter is of this earth and is foolish. These guys really knew how to not have fun. Edgel and Baskerville, on the other hand, leaned more towards Pico in thought and action. Baskerville's quest for the truth in the case of the book licking death rash is an example of his desire to observe all that is in the world and call upon the sciences of the natural world. And who can forget Edgel's leap into manhood? If that wasn't Pico condoned act, I don't know what is! Long Live PICO!