Wyl.P1.T4 Edward Tyler, Claire West, Danny Shapiro, Ivy
Arbolado
Edwardian Era Synthesis (1901-1939)
The Edwardian Era dawned with “peacemaker” Edward VII’s brief reign of Victoria’s Empire, still bristling with inhumane industrialism and unbridled in egotistical imperialism. 20th Century Modernists rallied for shifts in perspective. A Bolshevik revolution in Russia, presaging the Communist Revolution of 1917, heightened intolerance for disparity between rich and poor and immorality of Britain’s class system, thus catalyzing changes to benefit the working class in England. George Bernard Shaw centered plays
on moral issues, aiding Women’s Suffrage and contesting morality of war. Art bisected war under the lens of Cubism in Picasso’s “Guernica” depicting moral innocents as they are killed in the Spanish Civil War. Einstein’s Theory of Relativity over-turned the forces of time and matter, paving Bertrand Russell and HG Wells discourses aligning science with metaphysics for reassessment of philosophy, religion,
and morality. Then, World War I began with Wells as the prophet coining this as “the War to End War.”
But Russell called it: if Germany militarism was brutally defeated it threatened a far worse war, deeply endangering humanity.
Immorality of violence is doctrine in most religion, but society twists justification for retribution or war.
Amoral force, based on natural forces, need, and desire is the constant in the world. Man’s higher self evolves a morality, but, outrageously differently even in the modern world. Edwardian novels confront the conundrum of morality as did Conrad’s Arsat in his bid to escape with his beloved in “The Lagoon.” The victorious Arsat is haunted by conscience, guilty for not saving his brother during the rescue, rendering his love-nest bereft, incurable by rationalization that he his love justified the means. In a less complex Romantic Era, Dumas penned the never out of print, The Count of Monte Christo, immortalizing “heroic revenge,” surviving in satires like Tarantino’s Kill Bill and straight on
in Charles Bronson films. The “Count” commits amoral vengeance, above morality, feeling justified
in retribution wreaked upon his once jealous compatriots for their entrapment of him in a 10 year imprisonment in order to steal his wealth and his betrothed.
Our Greek forbearers planted righteous retribution at our first judicial seat, the "rock of Ares," near the Acropolis where the gods’ council met. They attributed the amoral universe (reflecting our animal emotions) to raging gods who took as they wished and dealt punishments per their whims. The measure for justice was established by the God of War, Ares: Ares found his daughter Alcippe ravaged by the son of Poseidon, Halirrothius; to avenge his daughter’s deflowering, Ares killed him. Poseidon, appealed to the gods for justice. But the gods condoned Ares’s murderous retribution, pardoning him to penance as a slave for a year. Forgiveness and glorification of acts of retribution continues.
Edwardian Era Synthesis (1901-1939)
The Edwardian Era dawned with “peacemaker” Edward VII’s brief reign of Victoria’s Empire, still bristling with inhumane industrialism and unbridled in egotistical imperialism. 20th Century Modernists rallied for shifts in perspective. A Bolshevik revolution in Russia, presaging the Communist Revolution of 1917, heightened intolerance for disparity between rich and poor and immorality of Britain’s class system, thus catalyzing changes to benefit the working class in England. George Bernard Shaw centered plays
on moral issues, aiding Women’s Suffrage and contesting morality of war. Art bisected war under the lens of Cubism in Picasso’s “Guernica” depicting moral innocents as they are killed in the Spanish Civil War. Einstein’s Theory of Relativity over-turned the forces of time and matter, paving Bertrand Russell and HG Wells discourses aligning science with metaphysics for reassessment of philosophy, religion,
and morality. Then, World War I began with Wells as the prophet coining this as “the War to End War.”
But Russell called it: if Germany militarism was brutally defeated it threatened a far worse war, deeply endangering humanity.
Immorality of violence is doctrine in most religion, but society twists justification for retribution or war.
Amoral force, based on natural forces, need, and desire is the constant in the world. Man’s higher self evolves a morality, but, outrageously differently even in the modern world. Edwardian novels confront the conundrum of morality as did Conrad’s Arsat in his bid to escape with his beloved in “The Lagoon.” The victorious Arsat is haunted by conscience, guilty for not saving his brother during the rescue, rendering his love-nest bereft, incurable by rationalization that he his love justified the means. In a less complex Romantic Era, Dumas penned the never out of print, The Count of Monte Christo, immortalizing “heroic revenge,” surviving in satires like Tarantino’s Kill Bill and straight on
in Charles Bronson films. The “Count” commits amoral vengeance, above morality, feeling justified
in retribution wreaked upon his once jealous compatriots for their entrapment of him in a 10 year imprisonment in order to steal his wealth and his betrothed.
Our Greek forbearers planted righteous retribution at our first judicial seat, the "rock of Ares," near the Acropolis where the gods’ council met. They attributed the amoral universe (reflecting our animal emotions) to raging gods who took as they wished and dealt punishments per their whims. The measure for justice was established by the God of War, Ares: Ares found his daughter Alcippe ravaged by the son of Poseidon, Halirrothius; to avenge his daughter’s deflowering, Ares killed him. Poseidon, appealed to the gods for justice. But the gods condoned Ares’s murderous retribution, pardoning him to penance as a slave for a year. Forgiveness and glorification of acts of retribution continues.
The description of the era in the beginning is very accurate. You go on to spit out the major players in the Edwardian Era, which makes indulges me further into the time period. I love the how many different branches of art were also brought into play during the Edwardian Era by various figures. And not only art, but also ideas and ideals. This is all described well with a person for each and every change during the Edwardian Era.
ReplyDeleteNext are the ideas of the period. You even go so far as to mention a work we have already read, showing memory and interest. I applaud the citation of almost perfectness throughout the synthesis.
In the conclusion, we go back to the past, and cite the roots for all the ideas throughout the Edwardian Era.
I like the highly sophisticated language of the entire paper. But what hit the home-run was the exemplary use of diction and syntax throughout.
-Wyl, T4, p5