For me, Charles Darwin is a central and important figure in the Machine Age, even though he was a naturalist whose focus was on biology. But when you think about it- organisms are very much "living machines"- (a heart is a pump, lungs are bellows, joints are hinges, etc). And evolution as a concept can be applied to more that just living things; as our readings show, there was an "evolution" in mechanical inventions, in scientific inquiry, philosophy, and in the arts. Darwin can be seen as a symbol lurking in the background of all history since his time, as the many facets of society and the natural world continue to adapt to changes- the explosion in computer technologies and climate change being two recent examples. I liked the way that Darwin ended his "Recapitulation and Conclusion" from The Origin of Species: "from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful have been, and are being evolved" (204).
So interesting how the arts go through their own "survival of the fittest" and make the adjustments needed to represent the societies they spring from. Echoing the new focus on science and technology, literature became more like journalism in this era; more factual accounts of people and events- less fantasy and allegory. With travel becoming easier, and photography emerging as a new medium, the peoples of Europe became more interested in realistic accounts in their readings. Per our text: "It was both entertaining and educational. It taught readers of all backgrounds and social strata what happened beyond their own horizons" (30-online text).
I enjoyed all of the "rural and small town" readings in this unit. Sergei Aksakov's Years of Childhood, in first-person, reads sort of like a precocious child's diary. Thomas Hardy's two selections likewise give many descriptive passages designed to put the reader inside the scenery. I did admire the hint of romanticism in Tess of the D'Urbevilles, from the passage following the young brother's dance. "They seemed to have quite forgotten him already. All of them, except, perhaps, one.... He wished that he had asked her... wished that he had inquired her name" (121).
It's nice to see that the historical eras are not so clearly defined- that "vestigial" remnants (thanks Darwin) from former movements still hang around, and sometimes even resurge. It makes for a much richer narrative across the ages.
@Beth Hall:
Beth- I remember reading Neitzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra when I was too young to even understand the philosophical points of it (probably around seventh grade). I simply thought it was a cool title, and I found a lot of it very poetic (and skipped the rest).
Now, having revisited the work recently, I still admire it very much. When he proclaims that "God is dead", it's important to realize that he means the concept of a god. I have to agree with him, that there is no evidence of an afterlife, and it is therefore better to make the most of this one life we can be certain of. (I mean no offense- this is simply my personal view and I respect religion. And by "making the most" of this life my intent is being as good as possible, for its own sake).
It reminds me in sections of The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, taking on that same oratorical style. I like the quote you offered, "Man is the cruelest animal". We can't argue with that.
@Candace Chilcoat:
Candace, I think you've picked up on something telling about the time period- Darwin's own misgivings in submitting his theories. I'm sure he could foresee some of the controversy that was going to result. He even references a higher power near the end of his "conclusion"- "There is grandeur in this view of life (evolution), with its several powers, having originally been breathed by the Creator into a few forms..." (204). To me, that reads like a pre-meditated concession to those he feared would be offended.
@Amber Meadows:
Amber- I admire the candor in revealing your earlier stance on evolution, and even more so your open-minded reevaluation of it. I was raised in a Southern Baptist home and church and can relate to the fundamentalist mindset. I'm in no position to judge such conservatism, but I will offer this- too often people label something as heretical before they understand it (or because they don't want to and/or cannot understand it). People like you and I are lucky enough to have been exposed to other ways of thinking. Sadly, many are not.
Surprisingly, Creationism still holds a lot of sway. I read this in a National Geographic article a month or so ago, and went on-line today to confirm: according to a 2014 Gallup poll, 42% of Americans still believe the idea of humans being created some 10,000 years ago by a God. I find that an incredibly high number!
http://www.gallup.com/poll/170822/believe-creationist-view-human-origins.aspx (Links to an external site.)
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