The_Human_Condition

The Human Condition is a complex state Discuss how this is reflected in TWO prescribed texts and two texts of your own choosing. Our lives can be represented by a huge block of clay ready to be sculpted. The Human condition is symbolic of a carving knife that chips into our lives and denotes our unique experiences. What is left is a sculpture encompassing a boundless spectrum of ideas and conventions that characterizes our human existence. We see this complex state of the Human condition illustrated in various texts. Les Murray employs an aspect of grief and isolation in his poem ' The Widower in the Country , ' to allow his readers to witness the Human condition in an unsettling way. Similarly ' Boulevard of Broken Dreams ' composed by Green Day further underscores an aspect of solitude and hopelessness. T.S.Eliot demonstrates a ' drama of literary anguish ' via a stream of consciousness in his poem ' The love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock '. Andrew Marvell however presents a contrasting scenario in his poem ' To His Coy Mistress ' where fear is no factor . In "The Widower in the Country" , change is conveyed through the simplistic but empty life of the Widower who has apparently lost something dear to him and subsequently has to endure a life of intense loneliness. This notion of change depicts how it is not always embraced and is reinforced by Murray outlining the daily round of chores the Widower has to do in detail. Moreover , Murray has given the Widower a stoic , empathetic persona so that readers are moved to sympathise with him as he struggles to move on . The use of first person narration underscores the fact that he has been deprived of his companionship and is left in a state of solitude. The poet harnesses an Asyndeton technique throughout the poem to remind the audience of the mundane nature of the Widower's life. For example the Widower says , " i'll get up soon , i'll go outside , I'll drive my axe , i'll stand out on the hill , i'll go to bed " .The effect of personifying " paddocks aching in the heat " is to suggest that the Widower carries a burden of profound anguish further amplifying how change is not embraced . " The Widower in the Country " altogether encompasses an aspect of the Human Condition associated with grief and loss , and in doing so allows readers to experience the persona's unsettling withdrawal. In correspondence with Les Murray's poem , a band called Green Day composed a song, " Boulevard of Broken Dreams " which similarly focuses on an individual's state of solitude. The " lonely road " is metaphoric of the individual's companionless life. Green day places emphasis on the hopelessness of his life by stating that he does not know where his ' road ' leads to , effectively saying that he has no purpose and is lost in life. Boulevard's are broad open streets hence why in the lyrics , we can infer that it is representative of the world and this man is lost within it. Like the Widower , this individual lacks companionship and is conveyed through ' My shadow's the only thing that walks beside me ' . This is further reinforced through the repetition of the phrase ' i walk alone ' . Both texts contain a sense for longing of love and companionship in relation to the Human Condition. Even if all our living necessities were fulfilled , all humans share an innate desire for more. Humans have a longing for love , for a purpose in life. This is made evident in T.S Eliot's modernistic poem , " The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock ". Eliot explores the themes of inadequacy , indecision and pessimism through a narrative voice in Prufrock's consciousness as he contemplates about approaching a women. Prufrock's consciousness is constantly reminding him of his distasteful physique thus steering his confidence and esteem in a pessimistic direction. This is depicted as Prufrock descends the stairs and thinks to himself " With a bald spot in the middle of my hair.... they will say how his hair is growing thin! " , " My necktie rich and modest , but asserted by a simple pin - they will say : ' but his arms and legs are thin ! " As the readers eavesdrop on Prufrock's stream of consciousness , numerous allusions can be noted to other works ; " To have squeezed the universe into a ball " echoes the closing lines of Marvell's ' To his Coy Mistress' . Phrases such as " there will be time " and " there is time " are also reminiscent of the opening line if Marvell's poem , " Had we but world enough and time " . These allusions highlight the sexual frustration and the longing for love that Prufrock is experiencing. However , due to his fear of rejection and his bleak outlook on life , these longings won't be fulfilled any time soon. " To His Coy Mistress " by Andrew Marvell depicts quite a contrasting scene. The poem reflects upon its time frame when morals were not all they should be and is portrayed by the man's inflated flattery to the woman. It is evident that the purpose of his flattery is to seduce the woman in an attempt to bed with her. In contrast to Prufrock's fear to approach the woman , the man in ' To His Coy Mistress ' bears no fear nor pessimism and is shown through his constant flattery ; " A hundred years should go to praise thine eyes , and on thy forehead gaze " . Moreover , the concept of Carpe Diem lingers within the references to time ; " Time's winged chariot hurrying near .... And yonder all before us lie deserts of vast eternity" . This emphasizes the longing for love that the man holds strong similar to Prufrock's. Various aspects of the Human condition lie within countless literatures produced over the centuries. Revolutions and movements have altered the style of many texts constantly however , the human condition is still breathing within the grandeur of these works. Hence why we can conclude the Human condition is an evolving yet adapting complex state. Prescribed Texts - The Widower in the Country , The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock . Related Texts - Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day , To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell. Question to Miss Murphy - How can i speed up my train of thought so i can write faster ' What's the appropriate way to use ; " and ' Thanks!!