Continually present in Gotthold Lessing’s play, Nathan the Wise, is the pursuit for truth. In particular, a truth that goes beyond religion, one that reaches to the depths of humanity: human nature’s freedom. In his play, Lessing reveals the freedom of human nature among mankind through the bonds of friendship. Furthermore, Lessing conveys an optimistic view of human nature in such a way that left to its own devices, human nature will seek the goodness of mankind and fraternity. Friendship in its purest form is not bound to the confines of religious differences, social status, or selfishness. Without religion or society imposing its ideals, human nature is free to pursue truth and seek the goodness in mankind while bonding in friendship.
A selfless act is good but good is not an act done for recognition. To Nathan, part of friendship is giving of oneself without receiving. The Templar shows his selflessness when Nathan offers the Templar riches for rescuing his daughter from a fire, but the Templar declines any praise with anti-Semitic insults, “Permit what, Jew?” (211). The Templar’s refusal, although harsh, seemed to affirm the goodness Nathan saw in the young man, “A modest greatness would hide behind the monstrous, merely to escape admiration” (212). The lengths the Templar went to in order to save a life is a testament in itself of his goodness, far more powerful than his insults, "I find it strange that such an ugly spot [on Templar’s robe], soiled by the fire, bears better witness than a man’s own lips” (212).
For Nathan, friends do not concern themselves with social status, religious beliefs, or titles; but rather, they can distinguish between the man and the facade. In Nathan’s words, "are Jew and Christian, Jew and Christian first and human beings second?" (214). In Act II, Scene IV, Nathan makes an attempt to thank the Templar for fleeing Temptation on behalf of his daughter. In which the Templar replies, “You know how the Templars ought to think.” Seemingly shocked, Nathan says, “Templars alone? and merely ought?. . .I know how good men think; I know as well that all lands bear good men” (213). Nathan is not concerned with the Templar’s position which is a mere robe but with the man behind the guise. A Templar is one of many, but a man is one alone both individual and unique.
Human nature is not bound by the mind but is shown through the heart in friendship.
...traight from the tavern world – survival is more important to him, unlike those of the court world who live by honour, and care not if it leads to their death, but only that they one day may come to be ‘honourable’, whether dead or alive. He closes with the comment that what he has told us is his ‘catechism’. This suggests an idea that his religion is to avoid honour, and ever to question its value.
When viewing the atrocities of today's world on television, the starving children, the wars, the injustices, one cannot help but think that evil is rampant in this day and age. However, people in society must be aware that evil is not an external force embodied in a society but resides within each person. Man has both good qualities and faults. He must come to control these faults in order to be a good person. In the novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding deals with this same evil which exists in all of his characters. With his mastery of such literary tools as structure, syntax, diction and imagery, The author creates a cheerless, sardonic tone to convey his own views of the nature of man and man’s role within society.
For example, a protestant minister who was angry with the character Candide’s religious indifference refused to give him food after preaching charity right before. The protestant minister is hypocritical because he tells Candide everyone is welcome to his food, but when Candide does not reject the pope and confirm the protestant teachings he is no longer offered bread. “‘My friend,’ said the orator to him, ‘do you believe the Pope to be Anti-Christ?’ ‘I have not heard it,’ responded Candide; ‘but whether he be, or whether he be not, I want bread.’ ‘Thou dost not deserve to eat,’ said the other.” Candide repeatedly highlights the hypocrisy of the church in this manner. The way the protestant minister would refuse charity to someone who disagrees with him flies in the face of the Church's supposedly charitable mission. The book claims churches that preach love and charity, instead kill over slight differences in
friendship that it is so valuable? And, more specifically, how does this truth fit with
true friendship. The go out of their way at many times for the welfare of
confession without implicating himself. We get a glimpse into the true character of the Friar,
The burden of guilt is something that everyone must overcome, but this is a burden that sometimes seems impossible to deal with. (Johnson, Kristina) As the story begins to unfold, the reader learns that Nathan is the only survivor of an expedition in war-torn Vietnam, and is attempting to “assuage his survivor’s guilt” by saving as many souls as he can. (Ergeton, Robin) He feels as though he is responsible for the death of his fallen comrades and should be punished for his life being spared due to an injury keeping him from losing his life. The only way for him to redeem himself for not dying like the rest of the soldiers is to save the souls of others...
Hopkins, Marilyn. The enigma of the Knights Templar: Their history and mystical connections. New York: Disinformation Co., 2007.
In Les Miserables, Victor Hugo portrays human nature in a neutral state. Humans are born with neither good nor bad instincts, but rather society affects our actions and thoughts. Hugo portrays the neutral state of mind through Jean Valjean and Cosette. The two extremes of good and evil are represented through Thénardier and the bishop. Good and evil coexists in the society and affects Valjean and Cosette. It is the two extremes of good and evil that dictate the lives of Valjean and Cosette. The bishop represents charity and love. Everything he's ever had, he gave to charity. When the bishop first met Valjean, he said, "You need not tell me who you are. This is not my house; it is the house of Christ. It does not ask any comer whether he has a name, but whether he has an affliction. You are suffering; you are hungry and thirsty; be welcome. And do not thank me; do not tell me that I take you into my house..... whatever is here is yours." (pg. 15-16) The bishop didn't look at him as a convict; he looked at him as a fellow brother. Later, when the bishop found out that Valjean stole his silver, he wasn't mad, but offered all of his silver to Valjean saying, "Don't forget that you promised me to use this silver to become an honest man." Thénardier, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of the bishop. He represents the corruptive nature of society. He's the one that changes people for the bad. An example of how Thénardier represents greed and evil is how he...
Places him in the position to know the inner working of the royal household and with revelation from God. Nathan is skilled, faithful and willing to serve a powerful Prophetic message from God.
The character of Everyman, is the personification of the human race. The play relies heavily on that literary technique. Human traits and ideals are personified to more effectively convey the stern message of the play. Fellowship, knowledge, discretion, and other human concepts appear not as the intangibles we know them to be, but as actual characters conversing and i...
According to Aristotle there are three different types of friendships that exist. Friendship that is based on utility, ones that are based on pleasure, and friendship based on goodness of character. The first two kinds are superficial, so they don’t usually last long. Friendship based on goodness of character is the best kind of friendship, because these friends love one another for who they are and not for what they stand to gain from one another. Friendship exists best between
Hume states that “We are naturally constituted to share the emotions of our fellow human beings. The closer our relationship, and the more we resemble each other, the stronger the communication of emotion will...
... have seen human nature grow and change. Because human nature is dynamic, we must observe it throughout history. Human nature grows through factions, it is protected through just popular government and its future is ensured through the ultimate good. We are living in human nature, we are human nature, and because of this we are also changing. We change as the ideas and opinions of the world change. Through death, we may come to fully understand human nature but only through living will we use the power of our human nature to create the just world of tomorrow.
Nathan the Wise appears as a praising of humanity. Lessing insists on the grandeur of man and the scope of his actions. He critics men who associate heroic actions with divine miracles. Nathan is outraged by Recha’s perception of the Templar. Indeed, she compares the Templar to an angel and is thankful to God for saving her. Unlike Recha, Nathan insists on thanking the Templar only. According to him, there is no need to «call the angels into play» for it only results from human pride. Thus, Nathan is paralleling Nietzsche’s stance on genius. According to Nietzsche, attributing genius to others confirms our own vanity and pride. Indeed, it masks our incapacity to express such a talent by characterising it as abnormal. Likewise, to associate the Templar’s action to miracle disguises our own cowardice by connecting courage with divinity. Consequently, Lessing, through the character of Nathan, reaffirms human strength and ...