Schiller on the Sublime on the Pathetic

8/13/2019 Schiller on the Sublime on the Pathetic

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Schiller, The Aesthetical Essays

http://www.gutenberg.net/browse/BIBREC/BR6!".#T$

The %ro&ect 'utenberg EBoo( The Aesthetical Essays o) *re+erich Schiller

Title: The Aesthetical Essays

Author: *re+erich Schiller

Schiller, n the Subli-e

$an is neer oblige+ to say, I -ust00-ust, says the 1ew 2athan

34essing5s play, 2athan the ise, act i. scene 7.8 to the +erish9 an+this epression is true in a wi+er sense than -an -ight be te-pte+ to

suppose. The will is the speci)ic character o) -an, an+ reason itsel) is

only the eternal rule o) his will. All nature acts reasonably9 all ourprerogatie is to act reasonably, with consciousness an+ with will. All

other ob&ects obey necessity9 -an is the being who wills.

It is eactly )or this reason that there is nothing -ore inconsistent

with the +ignity o) -an than to su))er iolence, )or iolence e))aces

hi-. #e who +oes iolence to us +isputes nothing less than our hu-anity9he who sub-its in a cowar+ly spirit to the iolence ab+icates his ;uality

o) -an. But this pretension to re-ain absolutely )ree )ro- all that is

iolence see-s to i-ply a being in possession o) a )orce su))iciently

great to (eep o)) all other )orces. But i) this pretension is )oun+ in abeing who, in the or+er o) )orces, cannot clai- the )irst ran(, the

result is an un)ortunate contra+iction between his instinct an+ his

power.

$an is precisely in this case. Surroun+e+ by nu-berless )orces, which

are all superior to hi- an+ hol+ sway oer hi-, he aspires by his naturenot to hae to su))er any in&ury at their han+s. It is true that by his

intelligence he a++s arti)icially to his natural )orces, an+ that up to a

certain point he actually succee+s in reigning physically oer eerything

that is physical. The proerb says, there is a re-e+y )or eerythingecept +eath9 but this eception, i) it is one in the strictest

acceptation o) the ter-, woul+ su))ice to entirely ruin the ery i+ea o)

our nature. 2eer will -an be the cause that wills, i) there is a case,a single case, in which, with or without his consent, he is )orce+ to

what he +oes not wish. This single terrible eception, to be or to +o

what is necessary an+ not what he wishes, this i+ea will pursue hi- as aphanto-9 an+ as we see in )act a-ong the greater part o) -en, it will

gie hi- up a prey to the blin+ terrors o) i-agination. #is boaste+


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liberty is nothing, i) there is a single point where he is un+er

constraint an+ boun+. It is e+ucation that -ust gie bac( liberty to-an, an+ help hi- to co-plete the whole i+ea o) his nature. It ought,

there)ore, to -a(e hi- capable o) -a(ing his will preail, )or, I repeat

it, -an is the being who wills.

It is possible to reach this en+ in two ways: either really, by opposing

)orce to )orce, by co--an+ing nature, as nature yoursel)9 or by the i+ea,

issuing )ro- nature, an+ by thus +estroying in relation to sel) the eryi+ea o) iolence. All that helps -an really to hol+ sway oer nature is

what is style+ physical e+ucation. $an cultiates his un+erstan+ing an+

+eelops his physical )orce, either to conert the )orces o) nature,accor+ing to their proper laws, into the instru-ents o) his will, or to

secure hi-sel) against their e))ects when he cannot +irect the-. But the

)orces o) nature can only be +irecte+ or turne+ asi+e up to a certain

point9 beyon+ that point they with+raw )ro- the in)luence o) -an an+place hi- un+er theirs.

Thus beyon+ the point in ;uestion his )ree+o- woul+ be lost, were he onlysusceptible o) physical e+ucation. But he -ust be -an in the )ull sense

o) the ter-, an+ conse;uently he -ust hae nothing to en+ure, in any

case, contrary to his will. Accor+ingly, when he can no longer oppose tothe physical )orces any proportional physical )orce, only one resource

re-ains to hi- to aoi+ su))ering any iolence: that is, to cause to

cease entirely that relation which is so )atal to hi-. It is, in short,to annihilate as an i+ea the iolence he is oblige+ to su))er in )act.

The e+ucation that )its -an )or this is calle+ -oral e+ucation.

The -an )ashione+ by -oral e+ucation, an+ he only, is entirely )ree. #eis either superior to nature as a power, or he is in har-ony with her.

2one o) the actions that she brings to bear upon hi- is iolence, )or

be)ore reaching hi- it has beco-e an act o) his own will, an+ +yna-icnature coul+ neer touch hi-, because he spontaneously (eeps away )ro-

all to which she can reach. But to attain to this state o) -in+, which

-orality +esignates as resignation to necessary things, an+ religionstyles absolute sub-ission to the counsels o) %roi+ence, to reach this

by an e))ort o) his )ree will an+ with re)lection, a certain clearness is

re;uire+ in thought, an+ a certain energy in the will, superior to what

-an co--only possesses in actie li)e. #appily )or hi-, -an )in+s herenot only in his rational nature a -oral aptitu+e that can be +eelope+ by

the un+erstan+ing, but also in his reasonable an+ sensible nature00that

is, in his hu-an nature00an aesthetic ten+ency which see-s to hae beenplace+ there epressly: a )aculty awa(ens o) itsel) in the presence o)

certain sensuous ob&ects, an+ which, a)ter our )eelings are puri)ie+, can

be cultiate+ to such a point as to beco-e a power)ul i+eal +eelop-ent.This aptitu+e, I grant, is i+ealistic in its principle an+ in its

essence, but one which een the realist allows to be seen clearly enough


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in his con+uct, though he +oes not ac(nowle+ge this in theory. I a- now

about to +iscuss this )aculty.

I a+-it that the sense o) the beauti)ul, when it is +eelope+ by culture,

su))ices o) itsel) een to -a(e us, in a certain sense, in+epen+ent o)

nature as )ar as it is a )orce. A -in+ that has ennoble+ itsel)su))iciently to be -ore sensible o) the )or- than o) the -atter o)

things, contains in itsel) a plenitu+e o) eistence that nothing coul+

-a(e it lose, especially as it +oes not trouble itsel) about thepossession o) the things in ;uestion, an+ )in+s a ery liberal pleasure

in the -ere conte-plation o) the pheno-enon. As this -in+ has no want to

appropriate the ob&ects in the -i+st o) which it lies, it has no )ear o)being +eprie+ o) the-. But it is neertheless necessary that these

pheno-ena shoul+ hae a bo+y, through which they -ani)est the-seles9

an+, conse;uently, as long as we )eel the want een only o) )in+ing a

beauti)ul appearance or a beauti)ul pheno-enon, this want i-plies that o)the eistence o) certain ob&ects9 an+ it )ollows that our satis)action

still +epen+s on nature, consi+ere+ as a )orce, because it is nature who

+isposes o) all eistence in a soereign -anner. It is a +i))erentthing, in )act, to )eel in yoursel) the want o) ob&ects en+owe+ with

beauty an+ goo+ness, or si-ply to re;uire that the ob&ects which surroun+

us are goo+ an+ beauti)ul. This last +esire is co-patible with the -ostper)ect )ree+o- o) the soul9 but it is not so with the other. e are

entitle+ to re;uire that the ob&ect be)ore us shoul+ be beauti)ul an+

goo+, but we can only wish that the beauti)ul an+ the goo+ shoul+ bereali


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worl+. The one, a-iable an+ o) goo+ co-panionship, shortens the troubles

o) the &ourney by the gayety o) its plays. It -a(es the chains o)necessity light to us, an+ lea+s us a-i+st &oy an+ laughter, to the -ost

perilous spots, where we -ust act as pure spirits an+ strip ourseles o)

all that is bo+y, on the (nowle+ge o) the true an+ the practice o) +uty.

nce when we are there, it aban+ons us, )or its real- is li-ite+ to theworl+ o) sense9 its earthly wings coul+ not carry it beyon+. But at this

-o-ent the other co-panion steps upon the stage, silent an+ grae, an+

with his power)ul ar- carries us beyon+ the precipice that -a+e us gi++y.

In the )or-er o) these genii we recogni


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o) nature i) we ha+ not in us so-ething that cannot be a prey o) these

)orces. e are please+ with the spectacle o) the sensuous in)inite,because we are able to attain by thought what the senses can no longer

e-brace an+ what the un+erstan+ing cannot grasp. The sight o) a terrible

ob&ect transports us with enthusias-, because we are capable o) willing

what the instincts re&ect with horror, an+ o) re&ecting what they +esire.e willingly allow our i-agination to )in+ so-ething in the worl+ o)

pheno-ena that passes beyon+ it9 because, a)ter all, it is only one

sensuous )orce that triu-phs oer another sensuous )orce, but nature,notwithstan+ing all her in)inity, cannot attain to the absolute gran+eur

which is in ourseles. e sub-it willingly to physical necessity both

our well0being an+ our eistence. This is because the ery power re-in+sus that there are in us principles that escape its e-pire. $an is in the

han+s o) nature, but the will o) -an is in his own han+s.

2ature hersel) has actually use+ a sensuous -eans to teach us that we areso-ething -ore than -ere sensuous natures. She has een (nown how to

-a(e use o) our sensations to put us on the trac( o) this +iscoery00that

we are by no -eans sub&ect as slaes to the iolence o) the sensations.An+ this is ;uite a +i))erent e))ect )ro- that which can be pro+uce+ by

the beauti)ul9 I -ean the beauti)ul o) the real worl+, )or the subli-e

itsel) is surpasse+ by the i+eal. In the presence o) beauty, reason an+sense are in har-ony, an+ it is only on account o) this har-ony that the

beauti)ul has attraction )or us. Conse;uently, beauty alone coul+ neer

teach us that our +estination is to act as pure intelligences, an+ thatwe are capable o) showing ourseles such. In the presence o) the

subli-e, on the contrary, reason an+ the sensuous are not in har-ony, an+

it is precisely this contra+iction between the two which -a(es the char-

o) the subli-e00its irresistible action on our -in+s. #ere the physical-an an+ the -oral -an separate in the -ost -ar(e+ -anner9 )or it is

eactly in the presence o) ob&ects that -a(e us )eel at once how li-ite+

the )or-er is that the other -a(es the eperience o) its )orce. The erything that lowers one to the earth is precisely that which raises the

other to the in)inite.

4et us i-agine a -an en+owe+ with all the irtues o) which the union

constitutes a )ine character. 4et us suppose a -an who )in+s his +elight

in practising &ustice, bene)icence, -o+eration, constancy, an+ goo+

)aith. All the +uties whose acco-plish-ent is prescribe+ to hi- bycircu-stances are only a play to hi-, an+ I a+-it that )ortune )aors hi-

in such wise that none o) the actions which his goo+ heart -ay +e-an+ o)

hi- will be har+ to hi-. ho woul+ not be char-e+ with such a +elight)ulhar-ony between the instincts o) nature an+ the prescriptions o) reason=

an+ who coul+ help a+-iring such a -an= 2eertheless, though he -ay

inspire us with a))ection, are we ;uite sure that he is really irtuous=r in general that he has anything that correspon+s to the i+ea o)

irtue= I) this -an ha+ only in iew to obtain agreeable sensations,


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unless he were -a+ he coul+ not act in any other possible way9 an+ he

woul+ hae to be his own ene-y to wish to be icious. %erhaps theprinciple o) his actions is pure, but this is a ;uestion to be +iscusse+

between hi-sel) an+ his conscience. *or our part, we see nothing o) it9

we +o not see hi- +o anything -ore than a si-ply cleer -an woul+ +o who

ha+ no other go+ than pleasure. Thus all his irtue is a pheno-enon thatis eplaine+ by reasons +erie+ )ro- the sensuous or+er, an+ we are by no

-eans +rien to see( )or reasons beyon+ the worl+ o) sense.

4et us suppose that this sa-e -an )alls su++enly un+er -is)ortune. #e is

+eprie+ o) his possessions9 his reputation is +estroye+9 he is chaine+

to his be+ by sic(ness an+ su))ering9 he is robbe+ by +eath o) all thosehe loes9 he is )orsa(en in his +istress by all in who- he ha+ truste+.

4et us un+er these circu-stances again see( hi-, an+ +e-an+ the practice

o) the sa-e irtues un+er trial as he )or-erly ha+ practise+ +uring the

perio+ o) his prosperity. I) he is )oun+ to be absolutely the sa-e asbe)ore, i) his poerty has not +eteriorate+ his beneolence, or

ingratitu+e his (in+ly o))ices o) goo+0will, or bo+ily su))ering his

e;uani-ity, or a+ersity his &oy in the happiness o) others9 i) hischange o) )ortune is perceptible in eternals, but not in his habits, in

the -atter, but not in the )or- o) his con+uct9 then, +oubtless, his

irtue coul+ not be eplaine+ by any reason +rawn )ro- the physicalor+er9 the i+ea o) nature00which always necessarily supposes that actual

pheno-ena rest upon so-e anterior pheno-enon, as e))ects upon cause00this

i+ea no longer su))ices to enable us to co-prehen+ this -an9 becausethere is nothing -ore contra+ictory than to a+-it that e))ect can re-ain

the sa-e when the cause has change+ to its contrary. e -ust then gie

up all natural eplanation or thought o) )in+ing the reason o) his acts

in his con+ition9 we -ust o) necessity go beyon+ the physical or+er, an+see( the principle o) his con+uct in ;uite another worl+, to which the

reason can in+ee+ raise itsel) with its i+eas, but which the

un+erstan+ing cannot grasp by its conceptions. It is this reelation o)the absolute -oral power which is sub&ecte+ to no con+ition o) nature, it

is this which gies to the -elancholy )eeling that sei)or between absolute +epen+ence an+

absolute liberty there is no possible transition?, it is su++enly an+ bya shoc( that the subli-e wrenches our spiritual an+ in+epen+ent nature

away )ro- the net which )eeling has spun roun+ us, an+ which enchains the

soul the -ore tightly because o) its subtle teture. hateer -ay be theetent to which )eeling has gaine+ a -astery oer -en by the latent

in)luence o) a so)tening taste, when een it shoul+ hae succee+e+ in


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penetrating into the -ost secret recesses o) -oral &uris+iction un+er the

+eceptie enelope o) spiritual beauty, an+ there poisoning the holinesso) principle at its source00one single subli-e e-otion o)ten su))ices to

brea( all this tissue o) i-posture, at one blow to gie )ree+o- to the

)ettere+ elasticity o) spiritual nature, to reeal its true +estination,

an+ to oblige it to conceie, )or one instant at least, the )eeling o)its liberty. Beauty, un+er the shape o) the +iine Calypso, bewitche+

the irtuous son o) @lysses, an+ the power o) her char-s hel+ hi- long a

prisoner in her islan+. *or long he beliee+ he was obeying an i--ortal+iinity, whilst he was only the slae o) sense9 but su++enly an

i-pression o) the subli-e in the )or- o) $entor sei


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per-anent in his own being00than at once the coarse agglo-eration o)

nature that surroun+s hi- begins to spea( in another language to hisheart, an+ the relatie gran+eur which is without beco-es )or hi- a

-irror in which he conte-plates the absolute greatness which is within

hi-sel). #e approaches without )ear, an+ with a thrill o) pleasure,

those pictures which terri)ie+ his i-agination, an+ intentionally -a(esan appeal to the whole strength o) that )aculty by which we represent the

in)inite perceie+ by the senses, in or+er i) she )ails in this atte-pt,

to )eel all the -ore ii+ly how -uch these i+eas are superior to allthat the highest sensuous )aculty can gie. The sight o) a +istant

in)inity00o) heights beyon+ ision, this ast ocean which is at his )eet,

that other ocean still -ore ast which stretches aboe his hea+,transport an+ raish his -in+ beyon+ the narrow circle o) the real,

beyon+ this narrow an+ oppressie prison o) physical li)e. The si-ple

-a&esty o) nature o))ers hi- a less circu-scribe+ -easure )or esti-ating

its gran+eur, an+, surroun+e+ by the gran+ outlines which it presents tohi-, he can no longer bear anything -ean in his way o) thin(ing. ho can

tell how -any lu-inous i+eas, how -any heroic resolutions, which woul+

neer hae been conceie+ in the +ar( stu+y o) the i-prisone+ -an o)science, nor in the saloons where the people o) society elbow each other,

hae been inspire+ on a su++en +uring a wal(, only by the contact an+ the

generous struggle o) the soul with the great spirit o) nature= ho (nowsi) it is not owing to a less )re;uent intercourse with this subli-e

spirit that we -ust partially attribute the narrowness o) -in+ so co--on

to the +wellers in towns, always bent un+er the -inutiae which +war) an+wither their soul, whilst the soul o) the no-a+ re-ains open an+ )ree as

the )ir-a-ent beneath which he pitches his tent=

But it is not only the uni-aginable or the subli-e in ;uantity, it isalso the inco-prehensible, that which escapes the un+erstan+ing an+

that which troubles it, which can sere to gie us an i+ea o) the

super0sensuous in)inity. As soon as this ele-ent attains the gran+iosean+ announces itsel) to us as the wor( o) nature >)or otherwise it is

only +espicable?, it then ai+s the soul to represent to itsel) the i+eal,

an+ i-prints upon it a noble +eelop-ent. ho +oes not loe the elo;uent+isor+er o) natural scenery to the insipi+ regularity o) a *rench gar+en=

ho +oes not a+-ire in the plains o) Sicily the -arellous co-bat o)

nature with hersel)00o) her creatie )orce an+ her +estructie power=

ho +oes not pre)er to )east his eyes upon the wil+ strea-s an+water)alls o) Scotlan+, upon its -isty -ountains, upon that ro-antic

nature )ro- which ssian +rew his inspiration00rather than to grow

enthusiastic in this sti)) #ollan+, be)ore the laborious triu-ph o)patience oer the -ost stubborn o) ele-ents= 2o one will +eny that in

the rich gra


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)ar-0gar+en than in the uncultiate+ beauty o) natural scenery. But

-an has re;uire-ents which go beyon+ those o) natural li)e an+ co-)ortor well0being9 he has another +estiny than -erely to co-prehen+ the

pheno-ena which surroun+ hi-.

In the sa-e -anner as )or the obserant traeller, the strange wil+nesso) nature is so attractie in physical nature00thus, an+ )or the sa-e

reason, eery soul capable o) enthusias- )in+s een in the regrettable

anarchy )oun+ in the -oral worl+ a source o) singular pleasure. ithout+oubt he who sees the gran+ econo-y o) nature only )ro- the i-poerishe+

light o) the un+erstan+ing9 he who has neer any other thought than to

re)or- its +e)iant +isor+er an+ to substitute har-ony, such a one coul+not )in+ pleasure in a worl+ which see-s gien up to the caprice o)

chance rather than goerne+ accor+ing to a wise or+ination, an+ where

-erit an+ )ortune are )or the -ost part in opposition. #e +esires that

the whole worl+ throughout its ast space shoul+ be rule+ li(e a housewell regulate+9 an+ when this -uch0+esire+ regularity is not )oun+, he

has no other resource than to +e)er to a )uture li)e, an+ to another an+

better nature, the satis)action which is his +ue, but which neither thepresent nor the past a))or+ hi-. n the contrary, he renounces willingly

the pretension o) restoring this chaos o) pheno-ena to one single notion9

he regains on another si+e, an+ with interest, what he loses on thissi+e. 1ust this want o) connection, this anarchy, in the pheno-ena,

-a(ing the- useless to the un+erstan+ing, is what -a(es the- aluable to

reason. The -ore they are +isor+erly the -ore they represent the )ree+o-o) nature. In a sense, i) you suppress all connection, you hae

in+epen+ence. Thus, un+er the i+ea o) liberty, reason brings bac( to

unity o) thought that which the un+erstan+ing coul+ not bring to unity o)

notion. It thus shows its superiority oer the un+erstan+ing, as a)aculty sub&ect to the con+itions o) a sensuous or+er. hen we consi+er

o) what alue it is to a rational being to be in+epen+ent o) natural

laws, we see how -uch -an )in+s in the liberty o) subli-e ob&ects as aset0o)) against the chec(s o) his cognitie )aculty. 4iberty, with all

its +rawbac(s, is eerywhere astly -ore attractie to a noble soul than

goo+ social or+er without it00than society li(e a )loc( o) sheep, or a-achine wor(ing li(e a watch. This -echanis- -a(es o) -an only a

pro+uct9 liberty -a(es hi- the citi


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But i) we gie up eplanation it is +i))erent. 2ature, in beingcapricious an+ +e)ying logic, in pulling +own great an+ little, in

crushing the noblest wor(s o) -an, ta(ing centuries to )or-00nature, by

+eiating )ro- intellectual laws, proes that you cannot eplain nature

by nature5s laws the-seles, an+ this sight +ries the -in+ to the worl+o) i+eas, to the absolute.

But though nature as a sensuous actiity +ries us to the i+eal, itthrows us still -ore into the worl+ o) i+eas by the terrible. ur

highest aspiration is to be in goo+ relations with physical nature,

without iolating -orality. But it is not always conenient to sere two-asters9 an+ though +uty an+ the appetites shoul+ neer be at stri)e,

physical necessity is pere-ptory, an+ nothing can sae -en )ro- eil

+estiny. #appy is he who learns to bear what he cannot change There

are cases where )ate oerpowers all ra-parts, an+ where the onlyresistance is, li(e a pure spirit, to throw )reely o)) all interest o)

sense, an+ strip yoursel) o) your bo+y. 2ow this )orce co-es )ro-

subli-e e-otions, an+ a )re;uent co--erce with +estructie nature.%athos is a sort o) arti)icial -is)ortune, an+ brings us to the spiritual

law that co--an+s our soul. Real -is)ortune +oes not always choose its

ti-e opportunely, while pathos )in+s us ar-e+ at all points. By)re;uently renewing this eercise o) its own actiity the -in+ controls

the sensuous, so that when real -is)ortune co-es, it can treat it as an

arti)icial su))ering, an+ -a(e it a subli-e e-otion. Thus pathos ta(esaway so-e o) the -alignity o) +estiny, an+ war+s o)) its blows.

Away then with that )alse theory which supposes )alsely a har-ony bin+ing

well being an+ well +oing. 4et eil +estiny show its )ace. ur sa)etyis not in blin+ness, but in )acing our +angers. hat can +o so better

than )a-iliarity with the splen+i+ an+ terrible eolution o) eents, or

than pictures showing -an in con)lict with chance9 eil triu-phant,security +eceie+00pictures shown us throughout history, an+ place+

be)ore us by trage+y= hoeer passes in reiew the terrible )ate o)

$ithri+ates, o) Syracuse, an+ Carthage, cannot help (eeping his appetitein chec(, at least )or a ti-e, an+, seeing the anity o) things, strie

a)ter that which is per-anent. The capacity o) the subli-e is one o) the

noblest aptitu+es o) -an. Beauty is use)ul, but +oes not go beyon+ -an.

The subli-e applies to the pure spirit. The subli-e -ust be &oine+ tothe beauti)ul to co-plete the aesthetic e+ucation, an+ to enlarge -an5s

heart beyon+ the sensuous worl+.

ithout the beauti)ul there woul+ be an eternal stri)e between our

natural an+ rational +estiny. I) we only thought o) our ocation as

spirits we shoul+ be strangers to this sphere o) li)e. ithout thesubli-e, beauty woul+ -a(e us )orget our +ignity. Enerate+00we++e+ to

this transient state, we shoul+ lose sight o) our true country. e are


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only per)ect citi


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the hero o) trage+y -ust )irst hae &usti)ie+ his clai- to be a sensuous

being be)ore aspiring to our ho-age as a reasonable being, an+ -a(ing usbeliee in his strength o) -in+.

There)ore the pathetic is the )irst con+ition re;uire+ -ost strictly in a

tragic author, an+ he is allowe+ to carry his +escription o) su))ering as)ar as possible, without pre&u+ice to the highest en+ o) his art, that

is, without -oral )ree+o- being oppresse+ by it. #e -ust gie in so-e

sort to his hero, as to his rea+er, their )ull loa+ o) su))ering, withoutwhich the ;uestion will always be put whether the resistance oppose+ to

su))ering is an act o) the soul, so-ething positie, or whether it is not

rather a purely negatie thing, a si-ple +e)iciency.

The latter case is o))ere+ in the purer *rench trage+y, where it is ery

rare, or perhaps unea-ple+, )or the author to place be)ore the rea+er

su))ering nature, an+ where generally, on the contrary, it is only thepoet who war-s up an+ +eclai-s, or the co-e+ian who struts about on

stilts. The icy tone o) +ecla-ation etinguishes all nature here, an+

the *rench trage+ians, with their superstitious worship o) +ecoru-, -a(eit ;uite i-possible )or the- to paint hu-an nature truly. ecoru-,

whereer it is, een in its proper place, always )alsi)ies the epression

o) nature, an+ yet this epression is rigorously re;uire+ by art. In a*rench trage+y, it is +i))icult )or us to beliee that the hero eer

su))ers, )or he eplains the state o) his soul, as the coolest -an woul+

+o, an+ always thin(ing o) the e))ect he is -a(ing on others, he neerlets nature pour )orth )reely. The (ings, the princesses, an+ the heroes

o) Corneille or oltaire neer )orget their ran( een in the -ost iolent

ecess o) passion9 an+ they part with their hu-anity -uch sooner than

with their +ignity. They are li(e those (ings an+ e-perors o) our ol+picture0boo(s, who go to be+ with their crowns on.

hat a +i))erence )ro- the 'ree(s an+ those o) the -o+erns who hae beeninspire+ with their spirit in poetry 2eer +oes the 'ree( poet blush at

nature9 he leaes to the sensuous all its rights, an+ yet he is ;uite

certain neer to be sub+ue+ by it. #e has too -uch +epth an+ too -uchrectitu+e in his -in+ not to +istinguish the acci+ental, which is the

principal point with )alse taste, )ro- the really necessary9 but all that

is not hu-anity itsel) is acci+ental in -an. The 'ree( artist who has to

represent a 4aocoon, a 2iobe, an+ a %hiloctetes, +oes not care )or the(ing, the princess, or the (ing5s son9 he (eeps to the -an. Accor+ingly

the s(il)ul statuary sets asi+e the +rapery, an+ shows us nu+e )igures,

though he (nows ;uite well it is not so in real li)e. This is because+rapery is to hi- an acci+ental thing, an+ because the necessary ought

neer to be sacri)ice+ to the acci+ental. It is also because, i) +ecency

an+ physical necessities hae their laws, these laws are not those o)art. The statuary ought to show us, an+ wishes to show us, the -an

hi-sel)9 +rapery conceals hi-, there)ore he sets that asi+e, an+ with


13/30

reason.

The 'ree( sculptor re&ects +rapery as a useless an+ e-barrassing loa+, to

-a(e way )or hu-an nature9 an+ in li(e -anner the 'ree( poet e-ancipates

the hu-an personages he brings )orwar+ )ro- the e;ually useless

constraint o) +ecoru-, an+ all those icy laws o) propriety, which putnothing but what is arti)icial in -an, an+ conceal nature in it. Ta(e

#o-er an+ the trage+ians9 su))ering nature spea(s the language o) truth

an+ ingenuousness in their pages, an+ in a way to penetrate to the +epthso) our hearts. All the passions play their part )reely, nor +o the rules

o) propriety co-press any )eeling with the 'ree(s. The heroes are &ust

as -uch un+er the in)luence o) su))ering as other -en, an+ what -a(esthe- heroes is the ery )act that they )eel su))ering strongly an+

+eeply, without su))ering oerco-ing the-. They loe li)e as ar+ently as

others9 but they are not so rule+ by this )eeling as to be unable to gie

up li)e when the +uties o) honor or hu-anity call on the- to +o so.%hiloctetes )ille+ the 'ree( stage with his la-entations9 #ercules

hi-sel), when in )ury, +oes not (eep un+er his grie). Iphigenia, on the

point o) being sacri)ice+, con)esses with a touching ingenuousness thatshe griees to part with the light o) the sun. 2eer +oes the 'ree(

place his glory in being insensible or in+i))erent to su))ering, but

rather in supporting it, though )eeling it in its )ulness. The ery go+so) the 'ree(s -ust pay their tribute to nature, when the poet wishes to

-a(e the- approi-ate to hu-anity. $ars, when woun+e+, roars li(e ten

thousan+ -en together, an+ enus, scratche+ by an iron lance, -ountsagain to ly-pus, weeping, an+ cursing all battles.

This liely susceptibility on the score o) su))ering, this war-,

ingenuous nature, showing itsel) uncoere+ an+ in all truth in the-onu-ents o) 'ree( art, an+ )illing us with such +eep an+ liely

e-otions00this is a -o+el presente+ )or the i-itation o) all artists9 it

is a law which 'ree( genius has lai+ +own )or the )ine arts. It isalways an+ eternally nature which has the )irst rights oer -an9 she

ought neer to be )ettere+, because -an, be)ore being anything else, is a

sensuous creature. A)ter the rights o) nature co-e those o) reason,because -an is a rational, sensuous being, a -oral person, an+ because it

is a +uty )or this person not to let hi-sel) be rule+ by nature, but to

rule her. It is only a)ter satis)action has been gien in the )irst

place to nature, an+ a)ter reason in the secon+ place has -a+e its rightsac(nowle+ge+, that it is per-itte+ )or +ecoru- in the thir+ place to -a(e

goo+ its clai-s, to i-pose on -an, in the epression o) his -oral

)eelings an+ o) his sensations, consi+erations towar+s society, an+ toshow in it the social being, the ciili


14/30

a))ection, consi+ere+ in itsel), woul+ be without any aesthetic alue9

)or, I repeat it, nothing that only interests sensuous nature is worthyo) being represente+ by art. Thus not only the a))ections that +o

nothing but enerate an+ so)ten -an, but in general all a))ections, een

those that are ealte+, ecstatic, whateer -ay be their nature, are

beneath the +ignity o) tragic art.

The so)t e-otions, only pro+ucing ten+erness, are o) the nature o) the

agreeable, with which the )ine arts are not concerne+. They only caressthe senses, while relaing an+ creating langui+ness, an+ only relate to

eternal nature, not at all to the inner nature o) -an. A goo+ nu-ber o)

our ro-ances an+ o) our trage+ies, particularly those that bear the na-eo) +ra-as00a sort o) co-pro-ise between trage+y an+ co-e+y00a goo+ nu-ber

also o) those highly0appreciate+ )a-ily portraits, belong to this class.

The only e))ect o) these wor(s is to e-pty the lachry-al +uct, an+ soothe

the oer)lowing )eelings9 but the -in+ co-es bac( )ro- the- e-pty, an+the -oral being, the noblest part o) our nature, gathers no new strength

whateer )ro- the-. It is thus, says Dant, that -any persons )eel

the-seles e+i)ie+ by a ser-on that has nothing e+i)ying in it. Itsee-s also that -o+ern -usic only ai-s at interesting the sensuous, an+

in this it )latters the taste o) the +ay, which see(s to be agreeably

tic(le+, but not to be startle+, nor strongly -oe+ an+ eleate+.Accor+ingly we see -usic pre)er all that is ten+er9 an+ whateer be the

noise in a concert0roo-, silence is i--e+iately restore+, an+ eery one

is all ears +irectly a senti-ental passage is per)or-e+. Then anepression o) sensibility co--on to ani-alis- shows itsel) co--only on

all )aces9 the eyes are swi--ing with intoication, the open -outh is all

+esire, a oluptuous tre-bling ta(es hol+ o) the entire bo+y, the breath

is ;uic( an+ )ull, in short, all the sy-pto-s o) intoication appear.This is an ei+ent proo) that the senses swi- in +elight, but that the

-in+ or the principle o) )ree+o- in -an has beco-e a prey to the iolence

o) the sensuous i-pression. Real taste, that o) noble an+ -anly -in+s,re&ects all these e-otions as unworthy o) art, because they only please

the senses, with which art has nothing in co--on.

But, on the other han+, real taste eclu+es all etre-e a))ections, which

only put sensuousness to the torture, without giing the -in+ any

co-pensation. These a))ections oppress -oral liberty by pain, as the

others by oluptuousness9 conse;uently they can ecite aersion, an+ notthe e-otion that woul+ alone be worthy o) art. Art ought to char- the

-in+ an+ gie satis)action to the )eeling o) -oral )ree+o-. This -an who

is a prey to his pain is to -e si-ply a torture+ ani-ate being, an+ not a-an trie+ by su))ering. *or a -oral resistance to pain)ul a))ections is

alrea+y re;uire+ o) -an00a resistance which can alone allow the principle

o) -oral )ree+o-, the intelligence, to -a(e itsel) (nown in it.

I) it is so, the poets an+ the artists are poor a+epts in their art when


15/30

they see( to reach the pathetic only by the sensuous )orce o) a))ection

an+ by representing su))ering in the -ost ii+ -anner. They )orget thatsu))ering in itsel) can neer be the last en+ o) i-itation, nor the

i--e+iate source o) the pleasure we eperience in trage+y. The pathetic

only has aesthetic alue in as )ar as it is subli-e. 2ow, e))ects that

only allow us to in)er a purely sensuous cause, an+ that are )oun+e+ onlyon the a))ection eperience+ by the )aculty o) sense, are neer subli-e,

whateer energy they -ay +isplay, )or eerything subli-e procee+s

eclusiely )ro- the reason.

I i-ply by passion the a))ections o) pleasure as well as the pain)ul

a))ections, an+ to represent passion only, without coupling with it theepression o) the super0sensuous )aculty which resists it, is to )all

into what is properly calle+ ulgarity9 an+ the opposite is calle+

nobility. ulgarity an+ nobility are two i+eas which, whereer they are

applie+, hae -ore or less relation with the super0sensuous share a -anta(es in a wor(. There is nothing noble but what has its source in the

reason9 all that issues )ro- sensuousness alone is ulgar or co--on. e

say o) a -an that he acts in a ulgar -anner when he is satis)ie+ withobeying the suggestions o) his sensuous instinct9 that he acts suitably

when he only obeys his instinct in con)or-ity with the laws9 that he acts

nobly when he obeys reason only, without haing regar+ to his instincts.e say o) a physiogno-y that it is co--on when it +oes not show any trace

o) the spiritual -an, the intelligence9 we say it has epression when it

is the -in+ which has +eter-ine+ its )eatures: an+ that it is noble whena pure spirit has +eter-ine+ the-. I) an architectural wor( is in

;uestion we ;uali)y it as co--on i) it ai-s at nothing but a physical

en+9 we na-e it noble i), in+epen+ently o) all physical ai-, we )in+ in

it at the sa-e ti-e the epression o) a conception.

Accor+ingly, I repeat it, correct taste +isallows all painting o) the

a))ections, howeer energetic, which rests satis)ie+ with epressingphysical su))ering an+ the physical resistance oppose+ to it by the

sub&ect, without -a(ing isible at the sa-e ti-e the superior principle

o) the nature o) -an, the presence o) a super0sensuous )aculty. It +oesthis in irtue o) the principle +eelope+ )arther bac(, na-ely, that it

is not su))ering in itsel), but only the resistance oppose+ to su))ering,

that is pathetic an+ +esering o) being represente+. It is )or this

reason that all the absolutely etre-e +egrees o) the a))ections are)orbi++en to the artist as well as to the poet. All o) these, in )act,

oppress the )orce that resists )ro- within or rather, all betray o)

the-seles, an+ without any necessity o) other sy-pto-s, the oppressiono) this )orce, because no a))ection can reach this last +egree o)

intensity as long as the intelligence in -an -a(es any resistance.

Then another ;uestion presents itsel). #ow is this principle o)

resistance, this super0sensuous )orce, -ani)este+ in the pheno-enon o)


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the a))ections= nly in one way, by -astering or, -ore co--only, by

co-bating a))ection. I say a))ection, )or sensuousness can also )ight,but this co-bat o) sensuousness is not carrie+ on with the a))ection, but

with the cause that pro+uces it9 a contest which has no -oral character,

but is all physical, the sa-e co-bat that the earthwor-, tro++en un+er

)oot, an+ the woun+e+ bull engage in, without thereby eciting thepathetic. hen su))ering -an see(s to gie an epression to his

)eelings, to re-oe his ene-y, to shelter the su))ering li-b, he +oes all

this in co--on with the ani-als, an+ instinct alone ta(es the initiatiehere, without the will being applie+ to. There)ore, this is not an act

that e-anates )ro- the -an hi-sel), nor +oes it show hi- as an

intelligence. Sensuous nature will always )ight the ene-y that -a(es itsu))er, but it will neer )ight against itsel).

n the other han+, the contest with a))ection is a contest with

sensuousness, an+ conse;uently presupposes so-ething that is +istinct)ro- sensuous nature. $an can +e)en+ hi-sel) with the help o) co--on

sense an+ his -uscular strength against the ob&ect that -a(es hi- su))er9

against su))ering itsel) he has no other ar-s than those o) reason.

These i+eas -ust present the-seles to the eye in the portraiture o) the

a))ections, or be awa(ene+ by this portraiture in or+er that the pathetic-ay eist. But it is i-possible to represent i+eas, in the proper sense

o) the wor+, an+ positiely, as nothing correspon+s to pure i+eas in the

worl+ o) sense. But they can be always represente+ negatiely an+ in anin+irect way i) the sensuous pheno-enon by which they are -ani)este+

has so-e character o) which you woul+ see( in ain the con+itions in

physical nature. All pheno-ena o) which the ulti-ate principle cannot

be +erie+ )ro- the worl+ o) sense are an in+irect representation o)the upper0sensuous ele-ent.

An+ how +oes one succee+ in representing so-ething that is aboe naturewithout haing recourse to supernatural -eans= hat can this pheno-enon

be which is acco-plishe+ by natural )orces00otherwise it woul+ not be a

pheno-enon00an+ yet which cannot be +erie+ )ro- physical causes withouta contra+iction= This is the proble-9 how can the artist sole it=

It -ust be re-e-bere+ that the pheno-ena obserable in a -an in a state

o) passion are o) two (in+s. They are either pheno-ena connecte+ si-plywith ani-al nature, an+ which, there)ore, only obey the physical law,

without the will being able to -aster the-, or the in+epen+ent )orce in

hi- being able to eercise an i--e+iate in)luence oer the-. It is theinstinct which i--e+iately pro+uces these pheno-ena, an+ they obey

blin+ly the laws o) instinct. To this (in+ belong, )or ea-ple, the

organs o) the circulation o) the bloo+, o) respiration, an+ all thesur)ace o) the s(in. But, -oreoer, the other organs, an+ those sub&ect

to the will, +o not always await the +ecision o) the will9 an+ o)ten


17/30

instinct itsel) sets the- i--e+iately in play, especially when the

physical state is threatene+ with pain or with +anger. Thus, the-oe-ents o) -y ar- +epen+, it is true, on -y will9 but i) I place -y

han+, without (nowing it, on a burning bo+y, the -oe-ent by which I +raw

it bac( is certainly not a oluntary act, but a purely instinctie

pheno-enon. 2ay -ore, speech is assure+ly sub&ect to the e-pire o) thewill, an+ yet instinct can also +ispose o) this organ accor+ing to its

whi-, an+ een o) this an+ o) the -in+, without consulting be)orehan+ the

will, +irectly a sharp pain, or een an energetic a))ection, ta(es us bysurprise. Ta(e the -ost i-passible stoic an+ -a(e hi- see su++enly

so-ething ery won+er)ul, or a terrible an+ unepecte+ ob&ect. *ancy

hi-, )or ea-ple, present when a -an slips an+ )alls to the botto- o) anabyss. A shout, a resoun+ing cry, an+ not only inarticulate, but a

+istinct wor+ will escape his lips, an+ nature will hae acte+ in hi-

be)ore the will: a certain proo) that there are in -an pheno-ena which

cannot be re)erre+ to his person as an intelligence, but only to hisinstinct as a natural )orce.

But there is also in -an a secon+ or+er o) pheno-ena, which are sub&ectto the in)luence an+ e-pire o) the will, or which -ay be consi+ere+ at

all eents as being o) such a (in+ that will -ight always hae preente+

the-, conse;uently pheno-ena )or which the person an+ not instinct isresponsible. It is the o))ice o) instinct to watch with a blin+


18/30

betray the presence o) su))ering9 an+ i) those, on the contrary, that

escape the blin+ sway o) instinct, that only obey physical nature, showno trace, or only a ery )eeble trace, o) su))ering, an+ conse;uently

appear to hae a certain +egree o) )ree+o-. 2ow this want o) har-ony

between the )eatures i-printe+ on ani-al nature in irtue o) the laws o)

physical necessity, an+ those +eter-ine+ with the spiritual an+in+epen+ent )aculty o) -an, is precisely the point by which that

super0sensuous principle is +iscoere+ in -an capable o) placing li-its

to the e))ects pro+uce+ by physical nature, an+ there)ore +istinct )ro-the latter. The purely ani-al part o) -an obeys the physical law, an+

conse;uently -ay show itsel) oppresse+ by the a))ection. It is,

there)ore, in this part that all the strength o) passion shows itsel),an+ it answers in so-e +egree as a -easure to esti-ate the resistance00

that is to say, o) the energy o) the -oral )aculty in -an00which can only

be &u+ge+ accor+ing to the )orce o) the attac(. Thus in proportion as

the a))ection -ani)ests itsel) with +ecision an+ iolence in the )iel+ o)ani-al nature, without being able to eercise the sa-e power in the )iel+

o) hu-an nature, so in proportion the latter -a(es itsel) -ani)estly

(nown00in the sa-e proportion the -oral in+epen+ence o) -an shows itsel)gloriously: the portraiture beco-es pathetic an+ the pathetic subli-e.

The statues o) the ancients -a(e this principle o) aesthetics sensible tous9 but it is +i))icult to re+uce to conceptions an+ epress in wor+s

what the ery inspection o) ancient statues -a(es the senses )eel in so

liely a -anner. The group o) 4aocoon an+ his chil+ren can gie to agreat etent the -easure o) what the plastic art o) the ancients was

capable o) pro+ucing in the -atter o) pathos. inc(el-ann, in his

#istory o) Art,, says: 4aocoon is nature sei


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against an un+esere+ su))ering, an+ is reeale+ in the nostrils, which

swell out an+ enlarge an+ +raw upwar+s. @n+er the )orehea+, the strugglebetween pain an+ -oral strength, unite+ as it were in a single point, is

represente+ with great truth, )or, while pain contracts an+ raises the

eyebrows, the e))ort oppose+ to it by the will +raws +own towar+s the

upper eyeli+ all the -uscles aboe it, so that the eyeli+ is al-ostcoere+ by the-. The artist, not being able to e-bellish nature, has

sought at least to +eelop its -eans, to increase its e))ect an+ power.

here is the greatest a-ount o) pain is also the highest beauty. Thele)t si+e, which the serpent besets with his )urious bites, an+ where he

instils his poison, is that which appears to su))er the -ost intensely,

because sensation is there nearest to the heart. The legs strie toraise the-seles as i) to shun the eil9 the whole bo+y is nothing but

-oe-ent, an+ een the traces o) the chisel contribute to the illusion9

we see- to see the shu++ering an+ icy0col+ s(in.

#ow great is the truth an+ acuteness o) this analysis In what a

superior style is this struggle between spirit an+ the su))ering o)

nature +eelope+ #ow correctly the author has sei


20/30

li-its that separate partial +escription )ro- painting, an+ not to -a(e

the notion o) the pathetic issue )ro- it. et the passage o) irgil +oesnot appear to -e less aluable )or this latter ob&ect, an+ I crae

per-ission to bring it )orwar+ again un+er this point o) iew:00

Ecce aute- ge-ini Tene+o tran;uilla per alta >#orresco re)erens? i--ensis orbibus angues

Incu-bunt pelago, pariter;ue a+ litora ten+unt9

%ectora ;uoru- inter )luctus arrecta &ubae;ue Sanguineae esuperant un+as9 pars caetera pontu-

%one legit, sinuat;ue i--ensa olu-ine terga.

*it sonitus spu-ante salo, &a-;ue ara tenebant, Ar+entes oculos su))ecti sanguine et igni,

Sibila la-bebant linguis ibrantibus ora

Aenei+, ii. FG70FHH.

e )in+ here reali


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It is no -ore in our power to -easure this )orce with ours, an+ to re)erit or not to our own eistence. This happens without our co0operation,

an+ is gien us by the ob&ect itsel). Accor+ingly our )ear has not, as

in the prece+ing -o-ent, a purely sub&ectie groun+, resi+ing in our

soul9 it has an ob&ectie groun+, resi+ing in the ob&ect. *or, een i)we recognithe +isposition, the -oral )aculty? hasbeco-e to a +egree +eelope+ in the soul, there is le)t -ore or less

space )or passie nature, an+ there re-ains -ore or less o) the

in+epen+ent principle in the a))ection.

In the truly -oral soul the terrible trial >o) the i-agination? passes

;uic(ly an+ rea+ily into the subli-e. In proportion as i-agination loses

its liberty, reason -a(es its own preail, an+ the soul ceases not toenlarge within when it thus )in+s outwar+ li-its. rien )ro- all the

intrench-ents which woul+ gie physical protection to sensuous creatures,

we see( re)uge in the stronghol+ o) our -oral liberty, an+ we arrie bythat -eans at an absolute an+ unli-ite+ sa)ety, at the ery -o-ent when

we see- to be +eprie+ in the worl+ o) pheno-ena o) a relatie an+

precarious ra-part. But precisely because it was necessary to haearrie+ at the physical oppression be)ore haing recourse to the

assistance o) our -oral nature, we can only buy this high senti-ent o)

our liberty through su))ering. An or+inary soul con)ines itsel) entirely

to this su))ering, an+ neer co-prehen+s in the subli-e or the patheticanything beyon+ the terrible. An in+epen+ent soul, on the contrary,

precisely seithe )ather? 3see Aenei+, ii. FH70FH8 is here attac(e+be)ore the physical -an, an+ that has a gran+ e))ect. All the a))ections

beco-e -ore aesthetic when we receie the- secon+0han+9 there is no


22/30

stronger sy-pathy than that we )eel )or sy-pathy.

The -o-ent 3see Aenei+, ii. FH60FH8 ha+ arrie+ when the hero hi-sel)

ha+ to be reco--en+e+ to our respect as a -oral personage, an+ the poet

sei


23/30

In)ernal worl+, an+ thou, pro)oun+est #ell9

Receie thy new possessor00one who brings A -in+ not to be change+ by place or ti-e9

The -in+ is its own place, an+ in itsel)

Can -a(e a #eaen o) #ell. . . .

#ere at least e shall be )ree, etc.

The reply o) $e+ea in the trage+y belongs also to this or+er o) thesubli-e.

The subli-e o) +isposition -a(es itsel) seen, it is isible to thespectator, because it rests upon co0eistence, the si-ultaneous9 the

subli-e action, on the contrary, is conceie+ only by the thought,

because the i-pression an+ the act are successie, an+ the interention

o) the -in+ is necessary to in)er )ro- a )ree +eter-ination the i+ea o)preious su))ering.

It )ollows that the )irst alone can be epresse+ by the plastic arts,because these arts gie but that which is si-ultaneous9 but the poet can

eten+ his +o-ain oer one an+ the other. Een -ore9 when the plastic

art has to represent a subli-e action, it -ust necessarily bring it bac(to subli-ity.

In or+er that the subli-ity o) action shoul+ ta(e place, not only -ustthe su))ering o) -an hae no in)luence upon the -oral constitution, but

rather the opposite -ust be the case. The a))ection is the wor( o) his

-oral character. This can happen in two ways: either -e+iately, or

accor+ing to the law o) liberty, when out o) respect )or such an+ such a+uty it +eci+es )ro- )ree choice to su))er00in this case, the i+ea o)

+uty +eter-ines as a -otie, an+ its su))ering is a oluntary act00or

i--e+iately, an+ accor+ing to the necessity o) nature, when he epiatesby a -oral su))ering the iolation o) +uty9 in this secon+ case, the i+ea

o) +uty +eter-ines hi- as a )orce, an+ his su))ering is no longer an

e))ect. Regulus o))ers us an ea-ple o) the )irst (in+, when, to (eephis wor+, he gies hi-sel) up to the engeance o) the Carthaginians9 an+

he woul+ sere as an ea-ple o) the secon+ class, i), haing betraye+ his

trust, the consciousness o) this cri-e woul+ hae -a+e hi- -iserable. In

both cases su))ering has a -oral course, but with this +i))erence, thaton the one part Regulus shows us its -oral character, an+ that, on the

other, he only shows us that he was -a+e to hae such a character. In

the )irst case he is in our eyes a -orally great person9 in the secon+ heis only aesthetically great.

This last +istinction is i-portant )or the tragic art9 it conse;uently+eseres to be ea-ine+ -ore closely.


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$an is alrea+y a subli-e ob&ect, but only in the aesthetic sense, when

the state in which he is gies us an i+ea o) his hu-an +estination, eenthough we -ight not )in+ this +estination reali


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Accor+ingly eery )eeling, whether o) pleasure or approbation, rests

+e)initiely on an agree-ent between the contingent an+ the necessary.I) the necessary has thus an i-peratie character, the )eeling

eperience+ will be that o) approbation. I) necessity has the character

o) a want, the )eeling eperience+ will be that o) pleasure, an+ both

will be strong in proportion as the satis)action will be contingent.2ow, un+erlying eery -oral &u+g-ent there is a re;uire-ent o) reason

which re;uires us to act con)or-ably with the -oral law, an+ it is an

absolute necessity that we shoul+ wish what is goo+. But as the will is)ree, it is physically an acci+ental thing that we shoul+ +o in )act what

is goo+. I) we actually +o it, this agree-ent between the contingent in

the use o) )ree will an+ the i-peratie +e-an+ o) reason gies rise toour assent or approbation, which will be greater in proportion as the

resistance o) the inclinations -a+e this use that we -a(e o) our )ree

will -ore acci+ental an+ -ore +oubt)ul. Eery aesthetic &u+g-ent, on the

contrary, re)ers the ob&ect to the necessity which cannot help willingi-peratiely, but only +esires that there shoul+ be an agree-ent between

the acci+ental an+ its own interest. 2ow what is the interest o)

i-agination= It is to e-ancipate itsel) )ro- all laws, an+ to play itspart )reely. The obligation i-pose+ on the will by the -oral law, which

prescribes its ob&ect in the strictest -anner, is by no -eans )aorable

to this nee+ o) in+epen+ence. An+ as the -oral obligation o) the will isthe ob&ect o) the -oral &u+g-ent, it is clear that in this -o+e o)

&u+ging, the i-agination coul+ not )in+ its interest. But a -oral

obligation i-pose+ on the will cannot be conceie+, ecept by supposingthis sa-e will absolutely in+epen+ent o) the -oral instincts an+ )ro-

their constraint. Accor+ingly the possibility o) the -oral act re;uires

liberty, an+ there)ore agrees here in the -ost per)ect -anner with the

interest o) i-agination. But as i-agination, through the -e+iu- o) itswants, cannot gie or+ers to the will o) the in+ii+ual, as reason +oes

by its i-peratie character, it )ollows that the )aculty o) )ree+o-, in

relation to i-agination, is so-ething acci+ental, an+ conse;uently thatthe agree-ent between the acci+ental an+ the necessary >con+itionally

necessary? -ust ecite pleasure. There)ore, i) we bring to bear a -oral

&u+g-ent on this act o) 4eoni+as, we shall consi+er it )ro- a point o)iew where its acci+ental character stri(es the eye less than its

necessary si+e. I), on the other han+, we apply the aesthetical &u+g-ent

to it, this is another point o) iew, where its character o) necessity

stri(es us less )orcibly than its acci+ental character. It is a +uty )oreery will to act thus, +irectly it is a )ree will9 but the )act that

there is a )ree will that -a(es this act possible is a )aor o) nature in

regar+ to this )aculty, to which )ree+o- is a necessity. Thus an act o)irtue &u+ge+ by the -oral sense00by reason00will gie us as its only

satis)action the )eeling o) approbation, because reason can neer )in+

-ore, an+ sel+o- )in+s as -uch as it re;uires. This sa-e act, &u+ge+, onthe contrary, by the aesthetic sense00by i-agination00will gie us a

positie pleasure, because the i-agination, neer re;uiring the en+ to


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agree with the +e-an+, -ust be surprise+, enrapture+, at the real

satis)action o) this +e-an+ as at a happy chance. ur reason will -erelyapproe, an+ only approe, o) 4eoni+as actually ta(ing this heroic

resolution9 but that he coul+ ta(e this resolution is what +elights an+

enraptures us.

This +istinction between the two sorts o) &u+g-ents beco-es -ore ei+ent

still, i) we ta(e an ea-ple where the -oral sense an+ the aesthetic

sense pronounce a +i))erent er+ict. Suppose we ta(e the act o)%erigrinus %roteus burning hi-sel) at ly-pia. 1u+ging this act -orally,

I cannot gie it -y approbation, inas-uch as I see it +eter-ine+ by

i-pure -oties, to which %roteus sacri)ices the +uty o) respecting hisown eistence. But in the aesthetic &u+g-ent this sa-e act +elights

-e9 it +elights -e precisely because it testi)ies to a power o) will

capable o) resisting een the -ost potent o) instincts, that o)

sel)0preseration. as it a -oral )eeling, or only a -ore power)ulsensuous attraction, that silence+ the instinct o) sel)0preseration in

this enthusiast. It -atters little, when I appreciate the act )ro- an

aesthetic point o) iew. I then +rop the in+ii+ual, I ta(e away therelation o) his will to the law that ought to goern hi-9 I thin( o)

hu-an will in general, consi+ere+ as a co--on )aculty o) the race, an+ I

regar+ it in connection with all the )orces o) nature. e hae seen thatin a -oral point o) iew, the preseration o) our being see-e+ to us a

+uty, an+ there)ore we were o))en+e+ at seeing %roteus iolate this +uty.

In an aesthetic point o) iew the sel)0preseration only appears as aninterest, an+ there)ore the sacri)ice o) this interest pleases us. Thus

the operation that we per)or- in the &u+g-ents o) the secon+ (in+ is

precisely the inerse o) that which we per)or- in those o) the )irst. In

the )or-er we oppose the in+ii+ual, a sensuous an+ li-ite+ being, an+his personal will, which can be e))ecte+ pathologically, to the absolute

law o) the will in general, an+ o) uncon+itional +uty which bin+s eery

spiritual being9 in the secon+ case, on the contrary, we oppose the)aculty o) willing, absolute olition, an+ the spiritual )orce as an

in)inite thing, to the solicitations o) nature an+ the i-pe+i-ents o)

sense. This is the reason why the aesthetical &u+g-ent leaes us )ree,an+ +elights an+ enraptures us. It is because the -ere conception o)

this )aculty o) willing in an absolute -anner, the -ere i+ea o) this

-oral aptitu+e, gies us in itsel) a consciousness o) a -ani)est

a+antage oer the sensuous. It is because the -ere possibility o)e-ancipating ourseles )ro- the i-pe+i-ents o) nature is in itsel) a

satis)action that )latters our thirst )or )ree+o-. This is the reason

why -oral &u+g-ent, on the contrary, -a(es us eperience a )eeling o)constraint that hu-bles us. It is because in connection with each

oluntary act we appreciate in this -anner, we )eel, as regar+s the

absolute law that ought to rule the will in general, in a position o)in)eriority -ore or less +eci+e+, an+ because the constraint o) the will

thus li-ite+ to a single +eter-ination, which +uty re;uires o) it at all


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costs, contra+icts the instinct o) )ree+o- which is the property o)

i-agination. In the )or-er case we soare+ )ro- the real to the possible,an+ )ro- the in+ii+ual to the species9 in the latter, on the contrary,

we +escen+ )ro- the possible to the real, an+ we shut up the species in

the narrow li-its o) the in+ii+ual. e cannot there)ore be surprise+ i)

the aesthetical &u+g-ent enlarges the heart, while the -oral &u+g-entconstrains an+ straitens it.

It results, there)ore, )ro- all that which prece+es, that the -oral&u+g-ent an+ the aesthetic, )ar )ro- -utually corroborating each other,

i-pe+e an+ hin+er each other, because they i-press on the soul two

+irections entirely opposite. In )act, this obserance o) rule whichreason re;uires o) us as -oral &u+ge is inco-patible with the

in+epen+ence which the i-agination calls )or as aesthetic &u+ge. It

)ollows that an ob&ect will hae so -uch the less aesthetic alue the

-ore it has the character o) a -oral ob&ect, an+ i) the poet were oblige+notwithstan+ing that to choose it, he woul+ +o well in treating o) it,

not to call the attention o) our reason to the rule o) the will, but that

o) our i-agination to the power o) the will. In his own interest it isnecessary )or the poet to enter on this path, )or with our liberty his

e-pire )inishes. e belong to hi- only inas-uch as we loo( beyon+

ourseles9 we escape )ro- hi- the -o-ent we re0enter into our inner-ostseles, an+ that is what in)allibly ta(es place the -o-ent an ob&ect

ceases to be a pheno-enon in our consi+eration, an+ ta(es the character

o) a law which &u+ges us.

Een in the -ani)estation o) the -ost subli-e irtue, the poet can only

e-ploy )or his own iews that which in those acts belongs to )orce. As

to the +irection o) the )orce, he has no reason to be anious. The poet,een when he places be)ore our eyes the -ost per)ect -o+els o) -orality,

has not, an+ ought not to hae, any other en+ than that o) re&oicing our

soul by the conte-plation o) this spectacle. $oreoer, nothing canre&oice our soul ecept that which i-proes our personality, an+ nothing

can gie us a spiritual &oy ecept that which eleates the spiritual

)aculty. But in what way can the -orality o) another i-proe our ownpersonality, an+ raise our spiritual )orce= That this other one

acco-plishes really his +uty results )ro- an acci+ental use which he

-a(es o) his liberty, an+ which )or that ery reason can proe nothing to

us. e only hae in co--on with hi- the )aculty to con)or- ourselese;ually to +uty9 the -oral power which he ehibits re-in+s us also o) our

own, an+ that is why we then )eel so-ething which upraises our spiritual

)orce. Thus it is only the i+ea o) the possibility o) an absolutely )reewill which -a(es the real eercise o) this will in us char-ing to the

aesthetic )eeling.

e shall be still -ore conince+ when we thin( how little the poetic

)orce o) i-pression which is awa(ene+ in us by an act or a -oral


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character is +epen+ent on their historic reality. The pleasure which we

ta(e in consi+ering an i+eal character will in no way be lessene+ when weco-e to thin( that this character is nothing -ore than a poetic )iction9

)or it is on the poetic truth, an+ not on historic truth, that eery

aesthetic i-pression o) the )eelings rest. $oreoer, poetic truth +oes

not consist in that this or that thing has e))ectually ta(en place, butin that it -ay hae happene+, that is to say, that the thing is in itsel)

possible. Thus the aesthetic )orce is necessarily oblige+ to rest in the

)irst place in the i+ea o) possibility.

Een in real sub&ects, )or which the actors are borrowe+ )ro- history, it

is not the reality o) the si-ple possibility o) the )act, but that whichis guarantee+ to us by its ery reality which constitutes the poetic

ele-ent. That these personages hae in+ee+ eiste+, an+ that these

eents hae in truth ta(en place, is a circu-stance which can, it is

true, in -any cases a++ to our pleasure, but that which it a++s to it isli(e a )oreign a++ition, -uch rather un)aorable than a+antageous to the

poetical i-pression.

It was long thought that a great serice was ren+ere+ to 'er-an poetry by

reco--en+ing 'er-an poets to treat o) national the-es. hy, it was

as(e+, +i+ 'ree( poetry hae so -uch power oer the -in+= Because itbrought )orwar+ national eents an+ i--ortali


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which poetry obtains ecellently by in+irect -eans it woul+ acco-plish

ery ba+ly as an i--e+iate en+. %oetry is not -a+e to sere in -an )orthe acco-plish-ent o) a particular -atter, nor coul+ any instru-ent be

selecte+ less )itte+ to cause a particular ob&ect to succee+, or to carry

out special pro&ects an+ +etails. %oetry acts on the whole o) hu-an

nature, an+ it is only by its general in)luence on the character o) a -anthat it can in)luence particular acts. %oetry can be )or -an what loe

is )or the hero. It can neither counsel hi-, nor stri(e )or hi-, nor +o

anything )or hi- in short9 but it can )or- a hero in hi-, call hi- togreat +ee+s, an+ ar- hi- with a strength to be all that he ought to be.

Thus the +egree o) aesthetical energy with which subli-e )eelings an+subli-e acts ta(e possession o) our souls, +oes not rest at all on the

interest o) reason, which re;uires eery action to be really con)or-able

with the i+ea o) goo+. But it rests on the interest o) the i-agination,

which re;uires con)or-ity with goo+ shoul+ be possible, or, in otherter-s, that no )eeling, howeer strong, shoul+ oppress the )ree+o- o) the

soul. 2ow this possibility is )oun+ in eery act that testi)ies with

energy to liberty, an+ to the )orce o) the will9 an+ i) the poet -eetswith an action o) this (in+, it -atters little where, he has a sub&ect

suitable )or his art. To hi-, an+ to the interest we hae in hi-, it is

;uite the sa-e, to ta(e his hero in one class o) characters or inanother, a-ong the goo+ or the wic(e+, as it o)ten re;uires as -uch

strength o) character to +o eil conscientiously an+ persistently as to

+o goo+. I) a proo) be re;uire+ that in our aesthetic &u+g-ents weatten+ -ore to the )orce than to its +irection, to its )ree+o- than to

its law)ulness, this is su))icient )or our ei+ence. e pre)er to see

)orce an+ )ree+o- -ani)est the-seles at the cost o) -oral regularity,

rather than regularity at the cost o) )ree+o- an+ strength. *or +irectlyone o) those cases o))ers itsel), in which the general law agrees with

the instincts which by their strength threaten to carry away the will,

the aesthetic alue o) the character is increase+, i) he be capable o)resisting these instincts. A icious person begins to interest us as

soon as he -ust ris( his happiness an+ li)e to carry out his pererse

+esigns9 on the contrary, a irtuous person loses in proportion as he)in+s it use)ul to be irtuous. engeance, )or instance, is certainly an

ignoble an+ a ile a))ection, but this +oes not preent it )ro- beco-ing

aesthetical, i) to satis)y it we -ust en+ure pain)ul sacri)ice. $e+ea

slaying her chil+ren ai-s at the heart o) 1ason, but at the sa-e ti-e shestri(es a heay blow at her own heart, an+ her engeance aesthetically

beco-es subli-e +irectly we see in her a ten+er -other.

In this sense the aesthetic &u+g-ent has -ore o) truth than is or+inarily

beliee+. The ices which show a great )orce o) will ei+ently announce

a greater aptitu+e )or real -oral liberty than +o irtues which borrowsupport )ro- inclination9 seeing that it only re;uires o) the -an who

persistently +oes eil to gain a single ictory oer hi-sel), one si-ple


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upset o) his -ai-s, to gain eer a)ter to the serice o) irtue his

whole plan o) li)e, an+ all the )orce o) will which he laishe+ on eil.An+ why is it we receie with +isli(e -e+iu- characters, whilst we at

ti-es )ollow with tre-bling a+-iration one which is altogether wic(e+=

It is ei+ent, that with regar+ to the )or-er, we renounce all hope, we

cannot een conceie the possibility o) )in+ing absolute liberty o) thewill9 whilst with the other, on the contrary, each ti-e he +isplays his

)aculties, we )eel that one single act o) the will woul+ su))ice to raise

hi- up to the )ullest height o) hu-an +ignity.

Thus, in the aesthetic &u+g-ent, that which ecites our interest is not

-orality itsel), but liberty alone9 an+ -oral purity can only please ouri-agination when it places in relie) the )orces o) the will. It is then

-ani)estly to con)oun+ two ery +istinct or+ers o) i+eas, to re;uire in

aesthetic things so eact a -orality, an+, in or+er to stretch the +o-ain

o) reason, to eclu+e the i-agination )ro- its own legiti-ate sphere.

Either it woul+ be necessary to sub&ect it entirely, then there woul+ be

an en+ to all aesthetic e))ect9 or it woul+ share the real- o) reason,then -orality woul+ not gain -uch. *or i) we preten+ to pursue at the

sa-e ti-e two +i))erent en+s, there woul+ be ris( o) -issing both one an+

the other. The liberty o) the i-agination woul+ be )ettere+ by too greatrespect )or the -oral law9 an+ iolence woul+ be +one to the character o)

necessity which is in the reason, in -issing the liberty which belongs to

the i-agination.

Schiller on the Sublime on the Pathetic

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Transcript of Schiller on the Sublime on the Pathetic