POLEMIC WITH NIETZSCHE`S IDEA OF SUPERMEN IN JACK LONDON`S NOVEL A LITTLE LADY OF BIG HOUSE.
The article ''Polemic with Nietzsche`s idea ofSupermen in Jack London`s novel "A Little Lady of Big House" deals with the originality of thewriter's reception and interpretation of some Nietzsche's philosophic ideas. Аpprehending Nietzsche'sideas, D. London criticized and revised them that was most fully implemented in the image of the maincharacter of the novel.One of the most crucial questions in Londons literary output is the development of the problemof a strong and extraordinary man in the world of common people. Perhaps the major problem of thewriters works is whether there is a Superman in real life or if it is just a vague ideal not possible inreality. In his works The Greek State and The Future of our Educational Institutions F. Nietzcheputs forward the idea of the necessity of organizing all state systems and educational institutions in theway that makes it possible to grow and bring up a superman by means of a continual evolution andselection. London believes that the white race might produce a few examples of extraordinary personalities,almost exceptional people. In his work the writer suggests situations in which such people comein contact with each other and, moreover, they have some relations.In the novel A Little Lady of Big House the author actually tries to solve the problem of a strongpersonality being extraordinarily lonely. The Superman is no more a alone person, but he has a wife and afriend. The latter makes the inner conflict of the main characters sharper and the mere idea of the existenceof a universal man in the world of human, too human relations still more problematic.The main character of the book may be understood as the embodiment Nietzches theory of a Superman.A Superman has a strong will; he is physically and morally powerful, competent in manyspheres of human life. The personal values proper to a Superman are best revealed in the image ofDick Forrest, the master of Big House. Dick Forrest is a truly universal personality, strong and welleducated,but his weak point is that he is too sure of his own power. Indeed, he is capable to overcomeproblems and difficulties of the outer world, but Forrest proves totally helpless in solving inner troubles.Having lost his assurance in himself, he views his life as something pointless and not stable,something so much illusionary. In the long run, the character has to go through a continual regress,through a digression from a Superman to a common man, from strength to weakness, from beingsure to the state of doubt and uncertainty.
Keywords
universal personality, strong personality, supermen, individualism, универсальная личность, сильная личность, индивидуализм, сверхчеловекAuthors
Name | Organization | |
Kuteeva N.E. | n_ kuteeva@mail.ru |
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