Edwardian Synthesis Asher P4 T3

Different cultures and time periods deal with violence in their own ways. Sometimes, the line between what is moral and what is completely amoral can be blurred. The Edwardian era was one that was defined by bloodshed and war. War became a concept that citizens in the Edwardian era grew to become proud of. During this era, the destruction of the enemy was viewed as patriotic in a sense. This, however, would lead to more mindless bloodshed from the opposing side in order to protect the interests of the opposing party. Thus, the cycle would continue. Even in modern times, wars are commonly accepted as “retributions to violence.” Two examples include the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. American tensions were high after the 9/11 attacks and in order to gain some compensation, our country attacked the enemy countries. In war, the concept of morality becomes blurred when the notions of patriotism and nationalism come into play. One piece of literature that represents how we have justified violence as righteous retribution would be “The Lagoon” by Joseph Conrad. The Lagoon demonstrates the ideas of nationalism and patriotism from the Edwardian Era and the concept of self-interest from our modern society. Arsat, the main character can be construed as a symbol for the overall views of his society. The Lagoon shows us examples of how using violence as retribution is immoral.