One of the social studies that deals
with the topic of evil are literature. The debate usually centers on whether
the characters are good or evil, or whether society as a whole has good or evil
aspects. Even the impact of literature on being good or evil has been explored,
but there are three books that might be used to discuss the concept of evil and
its three stages: birth, repentance, and guilty pleasure.
French philosopher and writer Georges
Bataille issue a theory in his book titled Literature and Evil (1957) which
parallels evil with its relation to childhood with an essay that describes the
theory via Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights and its young
protagonists. He explains how the child protagonists failed to cope up with the
adult world because they grow together with a ‘’infantile freedom’’ that
included their wild and passionate life and as they grow day by day the
realities and the norms of the adult world separated them and made them
resentful to each other. The adult world is dominated by reason which is
accepted as Good thus the Evilness of the characters could be seen as a revolt
against its rationality. Bataille explains this as: ‘’Though the love of
Catherine and Heathcliff leaves sensuality in suspension, Wuthering
Heights does, in fact, raise the question of Evil with regard to
passion, as if Evil were the most powerful means of exposing
passion. If we accept the sadistic form of vice, we may say that Evil, as it
appears in Emily Brontë’s book, has reached its most perfect form
(p.8).’’ Heathcliff’s passion that carries the belief of Catherine belonging to
him makes him one the evilest characters of English literature as he spends his
whole life to get revenge and ruin every other character for his mean.
Moreover, at the end with the ghosts of Catherine and Heathcliff that play in
the fields, Bronte unknowingly proves the theory of Bataille as her character
turns their prior state where they run and play as they desire in their own
heaven.
Furthermore, with Charles
Dickens’s Great Expectations we get to see both the link
between childhood and evil as the protagonist Pip experience a childhood that
explains his evil motives in his adulthood and the repent phase of Evilness
which could be seen in our character clearly. Pip’s first memory from his
childhood is being knocked about by an outlaw. As an orphan, he is repeatedly
blamed for being ungrateful by the friends of his sister Mr. Wopsle, Mr.Hubble,
and Mr. Pumblechook who falsely claims to be the provider of the wealth for
Pip. Along with the days spent with Miss, Havisham Pip learns how to act in the
society of Victorian England. For example, when Miss Havisham asks his thoughts
about Estella Pip tells his true feeling and learns from the hard way to hide
his true feelings and the ways of society which makes every man an actor in a
play. The things he learns as proper manners are indeed social snobbery and he
realizes his behavior after he loses his wealth. His attitude towards Joe and
Biddy reveals the Evil in him that continues throughout the novel, however as
the reader has witnessed his childhood they never lose their empathy towards
the protagonist which in the end turns into self-investigation that leads to
his own expiation.
With the last novel Oscar Wilde’s The
Picture of Dorian Gray, we see how Evil turns into guilty pleasure with a
Narcissus-like character. The preface of the novel claims that literature does
not hold any moral concerns as the writer uses Good and Evil like a painter
uses his colors. Thereby, as Dorian watches his Evil soul in his magical
mirror, his painting, the reader also watches that disturbing but fascinating
painting with the protagonist. From the very beginning of the novel, we see the
influence of Lord Henry sinking into the soul of Dorian. As he breaks the heart
of Sibyl Vane he sees the first corruption in the painting and from that point
on Dorian’s soul gradually becomes eviler. Dorian is not moved by his influence
on other people that leads to suicide, he even seems to enjoy it. Every now and
then he wants salvation but the words of Lord Henry prove its impossibility;
‘’Yes, Dorian, you will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins
you have never had the courage to commit’’ (page 94). As Basil confronts his
friend about his influence and his reputation in society, Dorian wants to
justify his Evilness by saying ‘’ I am what I am’’ ( p. 129) just as Shelley’s
Cain. His Evilness turns into such a guilty pleasure that exceeds his will thus
his only salvation from the painting and from Evil turns out to be death.
In conclusion, we see how the concept
of evil can be discussed with these three novels from different perspectives.
Although every novel includes different stages of evil, they all include death as
salvation from Evil which leads readers to a re-evaluation of the concept of
evil.
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