Burke_on_Sublime

Edmund Burke’s Concept of the Sublime The concept of the sublime was introduced into the criticism of literature and art by a Greek treatise Peri hupsous ("On the sublime"), attributed in the manuscript to Longinus and probably written in the first century A.D. THAT SELF PRESERVATION DEFINITION Burke describes the sublime as being the cause of the strongest emotions which the individual is capable of feeling. The sublime may therefore produce pain, fear, or terror. The sublime in its lesser degree may cause admiration, reverence, or respect. The sublime in its highest degree may cause total astonishment. If the sublime is regarded as an obscure source of danger, it may cause a greater degree of fear than if it is regarded as a clear source of danger. This is because a source of danger may seem to be more fearful if it is obscure. Fear and terror can also be caused by a sense of sublime power, or by a dread of something indefinite or unknown which threatens the individual with pain, injury, or annihilation. M.H. Abrams says, Edmund Burke's highly influential Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful, published 1757, attributes the source of the sublime to whatever things are "in any sort terrible"—that is, to whatever is "fitted in any sort to excite the ideas of pain, and danger"—provided that the observer is in a situation of safety from danger, and so is able to experience what would otherwise be a painful terror as a "delightful horror." Sources of Sublime Terror Edmund Burke says terror is the ruling principle of sublime. Thus whatever is terrible induces in us a sense of sublime. Obscurity To make anything very terrible, obscurity seems in general to be necessary. When we know the full extent of any danger, when we can accustom our eyes to it, a great deal of the apprehension vanishes. Giving an example of the night Burke says how greatly night adds to our dread and increases our sense of danger. The night because of it obscurity has made man create notions of ghosts and goblins elevating our sense of terror. Power Besides the things which directly suggest of danger there are other things which can produce a similar effect from a mechanical cause. Burke here gives us the example of Power as a source of Sublime. Disproportion According to Burke, beauty is not caused by symmetry, or by balanced proportion. Objects which differ in their degree of symmetry may be perceived as being equally beautiful. Objects which differ in their proportions may be perceived as being equally beautiful. Disproportion is not the opposite of beauty. Ugliness is the opposite of beauty (Part III, Section V). Other sources of Sublime Burke argues that the sublime may be caused by deprivation, darkness, solitude, silence, or vacuity. The sublime may also be caused by immensity or infinity. The sublime may also be caused by magnitude, grandeur, or elegance. According to Burke, clarity is not the most important quality for great works of art. Obscurity may have a more powerful effect on the imagination than clarity. The sublime may be expressed by this obscurity. Pain and Pleasure Burke says that, in order to understand the origin of our ideas of the sublime and beautiful, we must examine the experience of pain and pleasure. Pain is not simply the removal of pleasure, and pleasure is not simply the removal of pain. Pain may be caused by the removal of pleasure, but pain may also arise in and of itself. Similarly, pleasure may be caused by the removal of pain, but pleasure may arise in and of itself. Pain or pleasure may be preceded by, or followed by, indifference. Indifference is a state of neither pain nor pleasure (Part I, Section II). Indifference may remove pain or pleasure. Pain or pleasure may remove indifference. The cessation of pleasure may result in a state of indifference, disappointment, or grief. On the other hand, the cessation of pain may result in a state of indifference, happiness, or delight. Burke uses the term "delight" to refer to a pleasure which is caused by the removal of pain, while he uses the term "joy" to refer to a pleasure which arises in and of itself. According to Burke, pain may be a more powerful emotion than pleasure, and may have a much stronger influence on the imagination. However, the idea of pain, or of danger, when the individual is not actually in pain or in danger, may yield a pleasurable form of fear, which is described as delight. This delight is caused by the sublime. Differences between Beauty and the Sublime According to Burke, qualities which reveal beauty include lightness, mildness, clearness, smoothness, gracefulness, and gradual variation. Sublime objects may be vast and overwhelming, beautiful objects may be delicate and small. The beautiful is that which inspires in us, sentiments of tenderness and affection. Whereas the sublime is more masculine and closely allied to pain, the beautiful is more feminine and is linked to pleasure and love. The way that Burke describes it, the beautiful is domestic, rather than marshal, having to do with war, like the sublime. According to Burke, small, smooth, bright things, cause a relaxing effect on the body. However when we're in the presence of the sublime, we tense up. Although the sublime may be strong and powerful, the beautiful may be gentle and calm. Although the sublime may be tragic and gloomy, the beautiful may be joyful and bright. Thus, the sublime and the beautiful may be combined in varying ways in works of art. A conclusion to be drawn from this theory is that the reason why a great work of art is so inspiring is because it is not merely beautiful, but sublime. While the beauty of a work of art may inspire love or admiration, the sublimity of a work of art may inspire awe or astonishment at its mystery and power.