The World as Will and Idea, Vol. I — Arthur Schopenhauer, trans. Haldane & Kemp

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THE WORLD AS IDEA.

BK. III.

exhibiting all its qualities. This is wliy we find it beautiful when it tumbles, rushes, and foams, or leaps into the air, or falls in a cataract of spray ; or, lastly, if artificially confined it springs up in a fountain. Thus showing itself different under different circumstances, it yet always faithfully asserts its character ; it is just as natural to it to spout up as to lie in glassy stillness ; it is as ready for the one as for the other as soon as the circumstances appear. Now, what the engineer achieves with the fluid matter of water, the architect achieves with the" stone, a,nd_ just. tlli§„the epi^ or dramatic poet achieves with the Idea of man. Unfolding and rendering distinct the Idea expressing itself in the object of every art, the Idea of the will which objectifies itself at each grade, is the common end of all the arts. The life of man, as it shows itself for the most part in the real world, is like the water, as it is generally seen in the pond and the river ; but in the epic, the romance, the tragedy, selected characters are placed in those circumstances in which all their special qualities unfold themselves, the depths of the human heart are revealed, and become visible in extraordinary and very significant actions. Thus poetry objectifies the Idea of man, an Idea which has the peculiarity of expressing itself in highly individual characters.

Tragedy is to be regarded, and is recognised as the summit of poetical art, both on account of tHe greatness of its effect and the difficulty of its achievement. It is very significant for our whole system, and ' 'welT'worlhy of observation, that the end of this highest poetical achievement is the_ representation of the terrible side of life. The unspeakable pain, the wail of humanity, the triumph of evil, the scornfurniastery of chance, and the irretrievable fall of the just and innocent, is here presented to us ; and in this lies a significant hint of the nature of the "world and of existence^ It is the strife of will with itself, which’ here, completely ttufplded^at the

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highest grade of its objectivity, comes into fearful prominence.

Tt becomes visible in the suBerihg of meif, is now introduced, partly through chance and error, which appear as the rulers of the world, personiffecT as fate, on account of their insidiousness, which even reaches the appearance of design j partly it proceeds from man himself, through the self-mortifjiing efforts of a few, through the wickedness and perversity of most, tt is one and the same will that lives and appears in them all, but whose phenomena fight against each other and destroy each other.

In one individual it appears powerfully, in another more weakly ; in one more subject to reason, and softened by the light of knowledge, in another less so, till at last, in some single case, this knowledge, purified and heightened by suffering itself, readies the point at which the phenomenon, the veil of Maya, no longer deceives it. It sees through the form of tiie phenomenon, the "^incipum hidividuatimis.

The ^oism which rests on this perishes with it, so that now the motives that were so powerful before have lost their might, and instead of them the complete knowledge of the nature of the world, which has _a_ quieting effect on the will, produces resignation, the surrender not merely of life, but of the yery will to live.

Thus \ve see in tragedies the noblest men, after long .conflict and suffer^ ing, at last renounce the ends they have so keenly followed, and all the pleasures of life for ever, or else freely and joyfully surrender life itself. . ,Sp is it^ with the _stead fast prince __of Calderon j with Gretchen,. in ‘T^ust ; ” with Hamlet, whom his friend Horatio would willingly follow, but is bade remain a while, and in CTils harsh world draw his breath in pain, to tell the story of Hamlet, and clear his memory ; so also is it wth the Maid of Orleans, Jhe„lBride of Messmaj the^ all die purified by suffering, i.e., after the will to live which was formerly in them is dead. In the “ li^hammed oT Voltaire this is actually expressed in the con328 THE WORLD .45 IDEA. BK. III.