This paper will describe and analyse the difficult situation of John the Savage not only in the World State of Aldous Huxley’s "Brave New World" but also in the Savage Reservation. I will argue how John is brought to his limits in three main scenes throughout the novel and want to show the Indian and Shakespearean influences that determine his actions and later on lead to John the Savage’s suicide.
First, I want to give an overview how promiscuity is realized in the World State and in the Savage Reservation. Later, I want to show the two main reasons for John’s behaviour – on the one hand his Indian and on the other hand his Shakespearean influence. Finally, I will analyse three main scenes in which one can clearly see how John the Savage is solving problems and how his actions are determined by him growing up in the Savage Reservation and by reading Shakespeare.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 The principle of promiscuity in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World
2.1 The principle of promiscuity in the World State
2.2 The principle of promiscuity in the Savage Reservation
3 Influences on John the Savage
3.1 Indian influence by growing up in the monogamous-oriented Savage Reservation
3.2 Shakespearean influence on John the Savage
4 Examples for John the Save at his limits
4.1 John the Savage’s attempt to kill his mother’s lover Popé
4.1.1 Scene overview
4.1.2 Analysis: Shakespearean and Indian influence on John the Savage
4.2 Lenina’s desire for sex vs. John’s desire for love
4.2.1 Scene overview
4.2.2 Analysis: Indian influence
4.2.3 Analysis: Shakespearean influence
4.3 John the Savage’s suicide
4.3.1 Scene overview
4.3.2 Analysis: Indian and Shakespearean influence
5 Conclusion
Objectives & Core Themes
This paper examines the psychological and behavioral limits of the character John the Savage, exploring how his upbringing in the Savage Reservation and his intensive engagement with Shakespearean literature conflict with the promiscuous society of the World State, ultimately leading to his tragic end.
- The duality of the World State versus the Savage Reservation
- The impact of Indian social and religious conventions on John
- The influence of Shakespearean tragic concepts on John's world view
- The failure of John's attempt to reconcile his moral values with his environment
- The analysis of three key scenes illustrating John's internal conflict and ultimate collapse
Excerpt from the Book
4.1.2 Analysis: Shakespearean and Indian influence on John the Savage
The described scene is highly dominated by the Shakespearean impact on John the Savage. His anger for Popé increases as he first starts to read The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. When reading the first random page of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, John the Savage quotes Act III, Scene 4:
“Nay, but to live
In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed,
Stew’d in corruption, honeying and making love
Over the nasty sty … “
In the original play, Hamlet is speaking in revulsion when finding out that his mother, the queen Gertrude, has had sex with her new husband – Hamlet’s uncle Claudius, the king of Denmark.
Reading this quotation, John’s hate for Popé increases as the words “talked to him […] about Linda and Popé”. His disgust for his mother’s sexual partners, which was initiated by his Indian surrounding, increased when reading Shakespeare. Even if he does not fully understand the meaning of the words, Hamlet tantalizes John. While reading Hamlet’s disgust for his mother’s having sex, John the Savage transfers Hamlet’s feelings to his own situation. His revulsion for the father-like figure of Popé becomes more real through the words of Shakespeare and so does his wish to kill him. Still, he does not kill Popé right away but waits – as Hamlet did. Few days after, John catches his mother sleeping naked next to Popé and quotes Hamlet in Act III, scene 3 before trying to stab Linda’s lover oedipally:
“When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage
Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed …”
Hamlet uses this quote when explaining how he would kill his uncle: using his sword when Claudius is sinning. John, however, uses the quote as a doctrine when trying to stab Popé.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter defines the research scope, outlining the analysis of John the Savage’s struggle between his Indian upbringing, Shakespearean influence, and the promiscuous nature of the World State.
2 The principle of promiscuity in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World: The chapter contrasts the institutionalized promiscuity of the World State with the monogamous social norms found in the Savage Reservation.
3 Influences on John the Savage: This section investigates the dual foundational influences on John: the religious and social conventions of the Indian Reservation and the romantic, tragic worldview derived from Shakespeare.
4 Examples for John the Save at his limits: This core analytical chapter deconstructs three critical scenes, demonstrating how John’s background and reading choices influence his failed attempts to resolve conflicts with his environment.
5 Conclusion: The summary synthesizes how the conflict between John’s internalized moral values and the harsh reality of the World State inevitably pushes him toward his final act of despair.
Keywords
John the Savage, Brave New World, Aldous Huxley, Promiscuity, Savage Reservation, Shakespeare, Hamlet, Indian Influence, Monogamy, Dystopia, Self-destruction, Social Conditioning, Literary Influence, Moral Limits, Cultural History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this academic paper?
The paper explores the character of John the Savage in Aldous Huxley’s novel and analyzes his inability to cope with the promiscuous societal standards of the World State due to his unique upbringing.
What are the central thematic fields addressed?
The main themes include the conflict between individual moral values and societal norms, the impact of literature on shaping personal reality, and the dichotomy between the "civilized" World State and the primitive Savage Reservation.
What is the core research question of the study?
The work examines how Indian cultural influences and Shakespearean literature define John the Savage’s behavioral patterns and ultimately dictate his descent into despair and suicide.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author uses a literary analysis approach, specifically comparing key scenes from the novel against Shakespearean dramatic concepts and observed Indian societal norms to interpret character motivation.
What content is covered in the main section of the paper?
The main section analyzes three specific scenarios: John’s attempt to kill Popé, his failed romantic interaction with Lenina, and his final isolation and suicide in a lighthouse.
Which keywords best characterize the research?
Relevant keywords include John the Savage, Brave New World, promiscuity, Shakespearean influence, Indian Reservation, and social conditioning.
How does the Shakespearean influence specifically affect John's perception of Lenina?
John attempts to force a romantic, monogamous ideal onto Lenina by quoting Shakespeare, which leads to fundamental misunderstandings because Lenina views their relationship purely through the lens of the World State's casual sexual conditioning.
What role does the Indian background play in John's act of suicide?
John views the act of self-purification through the lens of Indian traditions, and when he feels he has failed this standard after a moment of weakness, he perceives suicide as the only remaining path to restore his dignity.
- Citation du texte
- Anonym (Auteur), 2014, Promiscuity in Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World". John the Savage at his Limits, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/282744
