Philosophical Strain in the Works of Joseph Addison
Seminar Paper
On
PHILOSPHICAL STRAIN IN THE WORKS OF JOESPH ADDISON
Course Code: BHE 402
Course Title: Prose Down the Ages
[pic]
Submitted by:
SAMAH RAFIQ
ENROLL. NO. A0706110041
Submitted to:
DR. DIPANKAR SUKUL
LECTURER AT AIESR
AMITY INSTITUTE OF ENGLISH STUDIES AND RESEARCH
AMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH
Joseph Addison is considered to be among the most impactful essayists of all time. His essays mainly appeared in the two famous periodicals The Tatler and The Spectator. He has brought out a number of essays during his lifetime (274 for the The Spectator alone) and has touched upon a wide range of topics and themes through the medium of these essays. In this paper, the philosophical strains in his work will be explored by examining two of his works: Reflections in Westminster Abbey and The Vision of Mirza. In the former, the main theme seems to be that of death and Addison deliberates freely upon his ideas and reflections regarding the same. In the latter, we find many layers of philosophical meaning and allegory embedded within the work which is basically a translation of a Persian manuscript which philosophizes upon the very purpose of human existence.
In Reflections in Westminster Abbey, Addison talks about his visit to the church and his contemplations upon passing through the church cemetery. Addison pens down the ideas that such a visit evokes in his mind. In the opening paragraph itself, Addison marks that the tombstone of many people only mentions the dates of their birth and death. Here, he says that such a practice acts as a kind of satire to the entire existence of that person. Addison talks mocks the so-called heroic poems by saying that the heroes are glorified and given sounding names so that they may eventually get killed and people brand their deaths heroic. Here, we see find a reference to the philosophy that the act of war is meaningless and that there is nothing great or heroic at all that can be
On
PHILOSPHICAL STRAIN IN THE WORKS OF JOESPH ADDISON
Course Code: BHE 402
Course Title: Prose Down the Ages
[pic]
Submitted by:
SAMAH RAFIQ
ENROLL. NO. A0706110041
Submitted to:
DR. DIPANKAR SUKUL
LECTURER AT AIESR
AMITY INSTITUTE OF ENGLISH STUDIES AND RESEARCH
AMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH
Joseph Addison is considered to be among the most impactful essayists of all time. His essays mainly appeared in the two famous periodicals The Tatler and The Spectator. He has brought out a number of essays during his lifetime (274 for the The Spectator alone) and has touched upon a wide range of topics and themes through the medium of these essays. In this paper, the philosophical strains in his work will be explored by examining two of his works: Reflections in Westminster Abbey and The Vision of Mirza. In the former, the main theme seems to be that of death and Addison deliberates freely upon his ideas and reflections regarding the same. In the latter, we find many layers of philosophical meaning and allegory embedded within the work which is basically a translation of a Persian manuscript which philosophizes upon the very purpose of human existence.
In Reflections in Westminster Abbey, Addison talks about his visit to the church and his contemplations upon passing through the church cemetery. Addison pens down the ideas that such a visit evokes in his mind. In the opening paragraph itself, Addison marks that the tombstone of many people only mentions the dates of their birth and death. Here, he says that such a practice acts as a kind of satire to the entire existence of that person. Addison talks mocks the so-called heroic poems by saying that the heroes are glorified and given sounding names so that they may eventually get killed and people brand their deaths heroic. Here, we see find a reference to the philosophy that the act of war is meaningless and that there is nothing great or heroic at all that can be
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