Friday, June 18, 2021

Critically Appreciate Addison's Essay 'Choice of Hercules'

Critically Appreciate Addison's Essay 'Choice of Hercules'

Joseph Addison (1 May 1672 – 17 June 1719) was an English essayist, poet, playwright, and politician. He was the eldest son of The Reverend Lancelot Addison. His name is usually remembered alongside that of his long-standing friend Richard Steele, with whom he founded The Spectator magazine.

Joseph Addison translates Prodicus’s Choice of Hercules- perhaps the most widely imitated allegory in eighteenth century poetry. In addition to straightforward translation, the contrasting appeals to Pleasure and Virtue.

The Choice of Hercules was written originally by Prodicus in verse, and was made use of by Socrates, as a lesson to his disciples, in plain honest prose. It has been turned into English by Mr. Addision in prose. He has beautified in some places and shortened it in others and perhaps restored it pretty near to its original form as it came out of Prodicus’s hands, for there is nothing of his works that remains to us.

Based on Addison's character that is described as "by nature reserved, calculating and prudent," it is no surprise that within his work The Choice of Hercules, he is devoted to improving the attitude and manners of his readers which is evident in following excerpt, “I have translated this allegory for the benefit of the youth of Great Britain; and particularly of those who are still in the deplorable state of non-existence, and whom I most earnestly entreat to come into the world. Let my embryos show the least inclination to any single virtue, and I shall allow it to be a struggling towards birth. I do not expect of them, that, like the hero in the foregoing story, they should go about as soon as they are born, with a club in their hands, and a lion's skin on their shoulders, to root out monsters, and destroy tyrants; but, as the finest author of all antiquity has said upon this very occasion. Though a man has not the abilities to distinguish himself in the most shining parts of a great character, he has certainly the capacity of being just, faithful, modest, and temperate.

The most striking feature of the style of Addison is its clarity. Addison was writing for a popular audience which, he wanted, should understand his works for he aimed at their moral improvement. Thus we find that he never spared any pains to make his writing easily understood. But at the same time he wanted no slip-shod writing for the sake of informality. He was always clear, fluent and chose his words carefully and used them well. Even his long sentences present little difficulty to the reader's understanding. Such an example of a long sentence which is fluently put across occurs at the beginning of “The Choice of Hercules”,

Having swept away prodigious multitudes in one of my late papers, and brought a great destruction upon my own species, I must endeavour in this to raise fresh recruits, and, if possible, to supply the places of the unborn and the deceased.”

It is not only in the long sentences that Addison shows his mastery. There are a number of short sentences in his essays which show his capacity for expressing his thought in neat and compact sentences which are also brief. In the essay The Choice of Hercules”, we have the following two sentences which serve as examples of the short and lucid sentences:

“You see, (said she,) Hercules, by her own confession, the way to her pleasure is long and difficult, whereas that which I propose is short and easy.'

A sentence which exemplifies his ability to write in a short and compact style occurs in the essay, The Scope of Satire :

"That vice and folly ought to be attacked wherever they could be met with, and especially when they were placed in high and conspicuous stations of life."

“The Choice of Hercules” by Joseph Addison is thematically complex, with much material to argue about. The most disputable theme or concept may be the implication of inevitability disclosed at the end of the essay.  It, however, is a delightful essay which has neatness, lucidity and precision of expression. Its style is highly polished and cultivated. There is spontaneity and ease in it. It is written in a familiar and elegant manner. Here we observe delightful plasticity of language too. Its prose is smooth and elegant in manner and obviously highly refined. True to Joseph Addison’s style, “The Choice of Hercules” is very delightful and pleasant. The sentences are embellished and polished. Their movement is smooth and brisk. Less ornamental and ornate, the ideas are expressed clearly and vividly. The essay reveals clarity of ideas. It has compact and dignified expression. The forceful, fluent and impressive essay has charm and freshness of its own.

“The Choice of Hercules” is a concept essay in which the handling and development of a central idea is its principal laziness, “For my part, when I take a survey of this populous city, I can scarce forbear weeping, to see how few of its inhabitants are now living. It was with this thought that I drew up my last bill of mortality, and endeavoured to set out in it the great number of persons who have perished by a distemper (commonly known by the name of idleness) which has long raged in the world, and destroys more in every great town than the plague has done at Dantzic. To repair the mischief it has done, and stock the world with a better race of mortals, I have more hopes of bringing to life those that are young than of reviving those that are old.” Addison deserves credit for being among the first few neo-classical writers to publish work that speculates about the mental dilemma of young generations.

Clarity of thought is accompanied by a seemingly effortless of expression. Addison is a master in the art of careful choice of words and in the careful arrangement of these words to produce the correct effect. His careful choice of words seems spontaneous because of his control over the language. His sentence shows a flowing grace and rhythm which must have come with considerable revision and effort but the credit goes to him that this style is not laboured. He does not use slang or coarse expressions, colloquial words or words of common domestic association. This led to the elegance which one has come to associate with the name of Addison.He is selective in his use of words which are dignified and refined which is evident in the following words, “"By this time the other lady was come up, who addressed herself to the young hero in a very different manner.”

Humour and irony are basic to the essays in the Spectator. Addison aimed at reforming the public out of its vices and follies and he intended to do this through satirising these vices and follies. But his satire is humorous, never bitter. Like all satirists he uses irony but in his hands it becomes 'gentle' because it is urban and general. He says, “Our modern authors have represented Pleasure or Vice with an alluring face, but ending in snakes and monsters: here she appears in all the charms of beauty, though they are all false and borrowed: and by that means, composes a vision entirely natural and pleasing.”  The irony is closely connected with humour; it is, in fact, the very essence of that humour. His laughter was intended to correct, not merely to amuse. The humour tones down the deadly effect of irony, makes it smooth even while it is pointed.

Now coming to the literary merits Joseph Addison’s “The Choice of Hercules” aims at a conversational style with simplicity of manner. It has ease of expression. Joseph reveals propriety in the choice of words. Its prose is precise and elegant. It has richness and delicacy of fancy. The language is beautiful and rhythmical. It is according to the interesting theme of the essay. Its style is familiar but not coarse, elegant but not ostentations. It reveals how Addison was excessively fastidious in his choice of words. It shows how he kept on laboriously polishing and balancing his phrases until they presented the finest literary art at his disposal, until the rhythm was perfect, the sentence height and bright as possible.

There are some critics who charge that Addison's 'middle style' is a style of mediocrity. It is the external manifestation of a mediocre mind which had not the fierce and powerful intellectual and moral strength to produce the fiery and powerful style. This, to some extent, is true. Addison's style is always sedate, refined and careful. It never "blazes in unexpected splendour;" there are no "glowing words or pointed sentences." But then Addison never wanted to be "energetic." Although the charge of mediocrity cannot be fully denied, there is no suppressing the importance of Addison's service to the development of an easy and modern English prose style. One has to admire the "free unaffected movement, graceful transitions, delicate harmonies, and appropriateness of tone" in his style. He brought clarity and fluency of expression to English prose style. 

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

MY MATTATHIPARA

Fr. Jins Varacheril CMI, during his Holy Ordination and First Holy Mass in the Holy Cross Church, Mattathipara


I belong to the Varacheril Family from Mattathipara, a small, serene, unruffled village under the main village Kadanad in Lalam Taluk under the Pala Constituency in Kottayam district in Kerala State in 9.73 Latitude and 76.373634 Longitude. It consists of beautiful hilly areas and a toddle to any of the hills will take you to an extremely beautiful view point where you can see Manathoor, Pizhaku, Pala, Aruvithura and many other places. Panoramic view of these areas will be interminable and everlasting.


The Holy Cross Church, Gagultha (Mattathipara)
The name Mattathipara derives its name from its geographical features. It was Mattathipara which gave me the strong foundation. there is a small beautiful Church named "Holy Cross Church, Gagultha" where I used to go for prayers along with all other simple and hardworking people. For the Hindu population there is Sri Krishna Temple to adore and worship. All live in unison and harmony.
HOLY CROSS U.P. SCHOOL, MATTATHIPARA
Holy Cross U.P. School, Mattathipara, is the only school for the children of Mattathipara which has given the knowledge foundation for most of the people over there including me. The days I spent there are still lingering through my mind.

When it comes to bus and transportation, Mattathipara could never get a permanent solution from any government until the people joined hands under the guidance of Rev. Fr. Sebastian Padickakuzhiyil to buy a bus "of the people, by the people and for the people" and it was named "JANAKEEYAN" means "OF THE PEOPLE".

The nearest towns are Pala and Thodupuzha and Mattathipara is almost at the middle of these two towns. Any bus from Pala to Thodupuzha or vice versa  can reach one to places Karimkunnam or Neeloor, the adjacent small towns from where one can get conveyance to Mattathipara. People can also reach Mattathipara via Ettumanoor Railway Station, Kuruppanthara Railway Station or Kaduthuruthy Railway Station.

There are many shops for the people to get the things and people go to towns like Thodupuzha, Pala, Kottayam, Ernakulam etc for major shopping. Mattathipara has a Post Office (PIN 686651) and a branch of The Kadanadu Co-operative Bank. Most of the people are farmers and hence rely on agriculture for their livelihood.


Footing within my limitations I wish to contribute my best to my Matttathipara. I wish to delve into its depth to explore the hidden gems and bring them to the coming generations.

From,

Prince Mattathipara

ദി പ്രിന്‍സ് 





Saturday, August 18, 2012

THE PRINCE: TRUE FRIENDSHIP: A MIRAGE?

THE PRINCE: TRUE FRIENDSHIP: A MIRAGE?:                              The most famous quote about friendship says “a friend in need is a friend indeed”. Here, the doing word i...

TRUE FRIENDSHIP: A MIRAGE?



                             The most famous quote about friendship says “a friend in need is a friend indeed”. Here, the doing word is ‘need’, the word that defines a true friendship. Therefore, my question is, is there anything called a real friendship? Are all friendships in relation to the “need” that if anyone is totally useless, at present or in the future, will she/he be considered a friend? If yes, then why are there no rich as friends for the poor? If no, then is the term FRIENDSHIP a mirage, an ideal which exists only in imagination or metaphysical?
                           The rich join hands with only the rich and influential, the middle class with the middle class and the like. A close gaze at all the friendships one can find a give and take policy that binds it. The more the satisfaction of mutual “need”, the stronger the friendship is. It simply means that any relation is valuable; any friendship is valuable, only when there is any USE. The rich never join their poor relatives or neighbors because they are of no USE.
                        There are people who claim to be interested in making friends and claim it to be their weakness in life. They do all thousands of things to get the trust of others and make maximum number of friendships and relations within a short span of time wherever they go. A deep introspection is asked from you to check how many of them have been sincere?
                           Are all friendships curse in disguise? Is it just an adjustment done in a society or community for a smooth living? Is it just a search for people who are of one’s USE for one’s NEEDS?

  Everyone has an ideal friendship in mind and searches for a true friend. Is it just a mirage?

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

THE PRINCE: Give Your-own Title

THE PRINCE: Give Your-own Title: He Makes It Again! A Fabulous Piece Of Work! "Moorchayeriya aksharangal kondenne vettiya kolapaathaki aarennu ariyanda... ...

Give Your-own Title

He Makes It Again! A Fabulous Piece Of Work!




"Moorchayeriya aksharangal kondenne vettiya
kolapaathaki aarennu ariyanda...
ninte ee kalivaakkukal kondu nammal
ethra kalichu..
ennaal ippol enthe ethinithra 
moorcha?
ente mukhathu ampathonnu akshrangal
kondu aaro murivelpichu,
lokam ninte peru vilichuparayunnu..
ennaal enikkathariyanda..
ninte vettukal enne aksharamaakki
maattunnu..anaswaranaakkunnu..."

                                                                               By Sarath Divakar


Monday, February 20, 2012

"Pranayathinte Aksharakkoottukal"


              Here comes another feat!   A War With Words!



"Pranayathinte Aksharakkoottukal"


Ninte pranayam vaayichedukkuvaan
enikku kannada vendivannu..
chila akshrangalil kannudakki,
chilathil manassum..
ninte aksharangalil pazhaya
pranayakaalam nirayunnu..
aksharangale enikkano,
atho avaykkenneyaano,
thirichariyaan kazhiyaathathu..
vellezhuthu badhicha ente kannukale
ninte pranayaakshrangal kaliyaakkunnu..
enikku pranayathinte aksharakkoottukal
veendum paranjutharumo..."


By Sarath Divakar