K pojetí zla v antické tragédii a v románech Williama Goldinga

Abstract

William Golding, Nobel Prize winner in 1983, has been receiving more critical attention than any other British writer of the period. Most critics, whether hostile or enthusiastic, agree on Golding's major theme being the problem of evil. Golding's greatest debt as a writer is to Greek tragedy. It is also the only influence he himself admits as his literary inspiration. When studying the specific features of his fiction it is therefore interesting to analyze the concept of evil in Grrek tragedy and to find out to which extent it influences the concepts in Golding's works. As key terms in the present study moral evil and physical evil have been chosen. They are used by the modern philosopher Paul Ricoeur, but come already from Plato, who calls the two phenomena moral evil abd cosmic evil. In connection with moral evil also the concept of ree will in Greek tragedy is examined. The study comes to the conclusion that although in Greek tragedy (Moira) and necessity (Ananké) play a great role, it is the character and his or her free will that influences the plot in a decisive manner. Several examples show that Grrek tragedy makes apparent the extent to which a character is responsible for his/her deeds. This opinion is supported by some important research in the field of Grrek thought (Patočka, Matthaeii, Greene). As far as the concept of evil is concerned, physical evil (suffering and death of the hero) is not perceived as major and final, but is outweighed by the fact that the hero realizes him/herself as a free human being. Greek tragedy protagonists attain their greatness by keeping the moral attitude (rooted in their essential relationship to a transcendent order) even at the price of their own suffering or even death. Analysis of Aeschylus' Prometheus has been chosen to illustrate that moral evil is shown as evil in the proper sense, and also to explain the role of hybris as a major source of evil. In line with Greek tragedy, in Golding's work physical evil, including the death of the characters, is not depicted as their defeat, but on the contrary, it helps to create the image of their greatness, the apotheosis, followed by catharsis. The Greek heritage is illustrated by examples of Golding's tragic protagonists : Simon from Lord of the Flies, Matty from Darkness Visible and Jocelin from The Spire. This depiction of evil lies at the very heart of Golding's works, and it is this which seems to present such difficulty for readers and critics alike. If the reader fails to perceive the apotheosis of the character who is also a tragic victim, he/she is likely to miss the atmosphere of purifying.