Eternal Struggle: Confronting the Fragility of Life and the Inevitability of Death

The canvas above depicts the honeysuckle, a flower that symbolizes happiness, love, good fortune, and nostalgia. In addition, they are symbols of beauty and fragility. This fragility represents the “passing of beautiful things” (Arner 58). This theme of fragile beauty in nature is seen widely within the Romantic movement, which originated in Europe in the 18th century before eventually spreading in influence in the newborn American nation. Romantics emphasized characteristics like emotion and nature within their music, literature, and art. One such Romanticist, Phillip Freneau, ventured…

Pictured above is the funeral ritual of a Sioux Chief. The tribe is gathered together to mouran and celebrate the life of the Chief. Painted by Karl Bodmer in 1844, it records key beliefs and culture. This painting holds themes of life, death, and the differing views of the afterlife. Traditional Christian belief holds true that after death, one’s soul ascends to Heaven or descends to Hell. Regardless, they are to live eternally in bliss or torture under God’s rule. However, there are many different views of what occurs after death, each often holding religious significance (Campbell 551…

The Red Death – a plague that causes a swift and agonizing death. Reminiscent of diseases and plagues of reality (such as the Bubonic Plague), this plague symbolizes death as it rapidly attacks and spreads the fictional kingdom’s found within Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, “The Masque of the Red Death.” This picture, included within Poe’s short story, illustrates the scene where the Red Death appears within the castle of Prospero, who looks on in terror. Written in 1842, the short story follows the Red Death, a vicious plague that has swept the land and killed half of the population. The…

Depicted above is an abstract painting of an autumn tree as it begins to lose its leaves. Simply titled Autumnal Tree Painting, the empty background and the light watercolour style work to create a hint of transience and lightness within the painting. Yet, it also creates a theme of peace. One could even recognize it as triumphant, as the tree works to harden itself for another winter battle. These themes are also strongly displayed in the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” by Robert Frost. Written in 1923, the poem contains words on the transience of life that, although many have…

The rising sun – symbolic of a new beginning as the world re-enters life. The impressionist style works to convey not only the objective reality but also the emotional and spiritual responses aroused by the heart at such a scene. As an integral part of nature, the sun paints a picture of various themes. As the rising sun depicts a new beginning and hope, as does the setting sun depicts an end. The course of its journey as a whole, from its start to finish, exemplify the idea of change, “the only constant,” as it defines the life on earth and shapes its course (Jani 2). With change always…

In understanding death, there are many who try to resist. Then, there are those who go beyond resisting, and try to find ways to bypass it altogether. Despite this, the fragility of life and the inevitability of death puts these attempts to a stop every time. While human ambitions are infinite, so is the fundamental truth; that it is futile to try and reach above the powers of nature and the Earth, and achieve human perfection. This theme is presented across literature of all time periods, as this pursuit remained an unconscious goal. Yet, many people, including one author Nathanial…

One of the core themes surrounding death is that of acceptance. One must learn to accept what will always be coming, after all. But this path is almost never an easy one. Depicted above is an expressionist painting of a group of prisoners marching through a forest. They are huddled together in rags and hunched over from injuries. None of them are sure if they will make it “up from the haunts of men to the place where the angels are,” or their final destination (Guest 1). This feeling of unease contrasts with the heavy push to move forward as they continue to march on; this march that all…

Betrayal of a loved one – it can be the most painful agony one experiences. In cases of abuse and betrayal, one is often left alone and unsure of where to go from there. Do they try to bring back the past? Do they leave? But the process is always more difficult than it seems, and many are often unable to survive it. With such a cruel struggle, it is hard to believe there is an escape or end. But there is. Above is a metaphorical painting titled simply Betrayal. It decpits someone, who from one point of view, is surviving the effects of betrayal. They may feel like they are stuck…