Human species has come into being through nature. Its existence and emergence through evolutionary processes is glorified as the miracle of nature, for its most crucial characteristic and distinctiveness compared to other species on planet earth consists in its intelligence and its creativity. However, these characteristics of human beings have led to an ongoing process of rebellion by humans against nature. The driving forces for this development can amongst others be found in the industrial, agricultural, scientific and technological revolution taken place as of 19th century (Emmott 2013). These events have resulted in the dominance of human over other species and in the rapid reproduction of the human species all over the world. Around 1800 there were roughly one billion human beings existing, whereas today the numbers have increased to over seven billion and are still increasing per hour (Emmott 2013). Scientists have even predicted that the amount of inhabitants on earth will increase to nine billion in 2050 (Emmott 2013). This depicts a severe strain on earth and nature since the more human beings there are the more resources in form of energy and food are needed to keep them alive and the more energy is used the higher is the amount of by-products like plastic, radioactive waste, vehicle emissions and toxic gases the earth cannot be disposed of. Furthermore, resources like drinkable water will run short. In this sense, human being - as a product of nature- has begun a combat against his own designer, enslaved it and has shaped it according to his own imagination in a very short period of time.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The notion of Nature and Human in the OED
3. Human absurdity in French existentialism
3.1 The existentialist doctrine
3.2 Camus’s philosophy of the absurd
4. Nature versus human in Ted Hughes’ poem Lumb Chimneys
5. Conclusions
6. Works cited
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the human dilemma within an existentialist framework by comparing the philosophical concepts of French existentialism with the representation of nature and human existence in Ted Hughes's poem "Lumb Chimneys."
- The definition and etymological evolution of "Nature" and "Human"
- Core tenets of French existentialism, particularly Sartre and Camus
- The concept of the "absurd" and human mortality
- Analysis of time and nature in Ted Hughes's poetry
- The intersection of human civilization and the natural world
Excerpt from the Book
Nature versus human in Ted Hughes’s Lumb Chimneys
Lumb Chimneys belongs to Hughes’s collection of poems called Remains of Elmet published in 1979, which was dedicated to the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire, Hughes’ first childhood home (Bently 2014:85). Remains of Elmet depicts a synthesis between all elements that constitute Hughes’s universe, namely between human, animals, plants and landscapes that are in constant interaction with each other (Strotmann 1995: 174). The landscapes described in this collection of poems are manifested in the ambivalence of an industrial landscape of mankind and a natural landscape, which merge together (Strotmann 1995: 176).
If we carry out an analysis of the concept of nature and human in Lumb Chimneys, a clear parallel can be drawn from Albert Camus’ s notion of human dilemma discussed in 3.2 and Hughes’s notion of human - and in a wider sense- of mankind in the face of an everlasting and dominant nature. In the first stanza of Lumb Chimneys the poet juxtaposes isotopies of hard work (‘huge labour’ (l. 2)) and isotopies of time (‘slogging world’ (l. 4) and ‘great yesterdays are left lying’ (l. 3)). The use of verbs like ‘are left lying’ (l. 3), ‘simply thrown away’ (l. 2) in relation to work, emphasizes some sort of carelessness of time towards the heavy work done by human and, thus, implicates that time is only relevant to itself. Camus as well refers to human work and considers it to be a sign of ‘inconsistency’ in the face of an indifferent world and nature.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter provides the philosophical context of human existence in relation to nature, introducing the core tension between human progress and natural limitations.
2. The notion of Nature and Human in the OED: This section investigates the etymological shift in the definitions of "nature" and "human," highlighting the modern exclusion of humans from the natural sphere.
3. Human absurdity in French existentialism: This chapter outlines the foundational doctrines of existentialism, specifically focusing on the philosophical perspectives of Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus regarding the absurd.
4. Nature versus human in Ted Hughes’ poem Lumb Chimneys: This analytical chapter applies the discussed existentialist theories to Ted Hughes's poetry to explore the conflict between human endeavor and the indifference of time and nature.
5. Conclusions: The final chapter synthesizes the comparison between Camus's philosophy and Hughes's poetry, reinforcing the idea that nature represents the ultimate, inevitable future for mankind.
6. Works cited: This section lists the academic resources, literary works, and dictionaries consulted for the research.
Keywords
Existentialism, Albert Camus, Ted Hughes, Lumb Chimneys, Nature, Human Dilemma, Absurdity, Time, Mortality, Human Essence, Industrial Landscape, Philosophy, Poetry, Civilization, Remains of Elmet
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this paper?
The paper explores the human dilemma, characterized by the conflict between human aspiration for meaning and the indifferent, timeless nature of the world.
Which philosophical movements are central to this work?
The work primarily focuses on French existentialism, particularly the doctrines established by Jean-Paul Sartre and the philosophy of the absurd developed by Albert Camus.
What is the core research question?
The paper aims to compare the main ideas of French existentialism with Ted Hughes's portrayal of the relationship between humans, nature, and the constraints of time.
What research methodology is employed?
The author uses a qualitative, comparative analysis method, integrating etymological definitions from the Oxford English Dictionary with literary criticism and philosophical discourse.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the etymology of "human" and "nature," the existentialist doctrine of existence preceding essence, Camus’s "philosophy of the absurd," and a detailed literary analysis of Ted Hughes's "Lumb Chimneys."
Which keywords define this study?
Key terms include existentialism, the absurd, human dilemma, nature, time, mortality, and the literary works of Ted Hughes.
How does the author define the "absurd" in relation to humans?
The author describes the absurd as the discrepancy between human efforts to create meaning or harmony and the indifferent, hostile, or alien reality of the world and nature.
What role does the poem "Lumb Chimneys" play in the argument?
The poem serves as a case study to demonstrate how Hughes mirrors the existentialist dilemma, illustrating the subordination of human work to the passing of time and the eventual return to nature.
- Citar trabajo
- Anonym (Autor), 2014, An existentialist reading of the human dilemma in Ted Hughes’s "Lumb Chimneys", Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/511920
