Humanistic Approach Anticipated In Literature

Humanism is an approach to life-based on reason and our common humanity. It’s a life stance that assures human beings the right and responsibility to give meaning to their own lives. They build a more humane society through natural values and human capabilities. Everyone should feel free to think about what they want, and to think for themselves. Humanists take responsibility and explore new options. There is never one right answer. Humanism is a philosophy based on naturalism. Humanists only understand the universe by science and its methods.

For example, Dante's Inferno is a synthesis of his religious, political, and social views. Dante embraces human individuality and happiness and wanted to overcome sin and find God’s love. While Dante starts to travel through the hell he experiences the nature of sin and claims that the actions one takes in one’s physical life will follow into the afterlife.

Dante can influence the readers and make them feel emotion, always making them “think.” Dante included love and the afterlife in his inferno and wrote about his own experiences. He gives the reader insight into his emotions and motivations. The Inferno is an allegory; which means that pretty much the whole story is symbolizing an aspect of the theme. The punishments of sinners correspond to the sins themselves.

Throughout the Inferno, the philosophy of humanism is anticipated by demonstrating the belief in the afterlife and sin. The purpose is social commentary. Usually, the punishment in Dante's hell is tied to whatever crime the person committed on earth. He needed to recognize and accept his own faults. We could learn a lesson from this today- many of our “wrong” behaviors are wrong because they lead us away from our true purpose in life. Dante was shown hell first so he could see the consequences and how bad things are if you don’t follow the right path. Dante learned his lesson to following the humanities in learning to have responsibilities and to give meaning to his own life.

Another piece of literature that displays humanism is Antigone. There are two main themes in Antigone: One is conflict, and the other is the examination of women’s roles in society. Antigone is faced with the decision of what morals are right. She’s given this choice that she feels the need to do, and that is burying her brother even though Creon, the king, warned her not to. She’s faced with following the law or what respectively should be done to her brother.

Creon is what is representing the opposing side of laws and being a dictator that controls everyone’s life. Antigone is on the side of justice no matter what the consequence is. She chose the quality of being humane and independent to herself. While burying her brother Polynices, she attributes her morality to the gods rather than to man.

Humanity is often faced with uncertainty towards law. We find it necessary to do what everyone thinks we should just to make us look like better people. We are often faced with what the law says and what we morally want to do.

Therefore, Antigone recognizes that her brother must be buried properly to have an acceptable afterlife, that’s what makes her decision set. Based on her own morality and empathetic nature. Antigone represents courage which strengthens the concept of humanism as the ruler of human behavior. Her sister is Ismene is a symbol of anti-humanism, which creates a fear to stand up for herself. Ismene was too afraid to help her sister out and have a proper burial for her brother. She was afraid of disobeying Creon. She is a character who shows weakness and incapability to stand up for herself. Ismene constantly gives into the stronger wills around her. Antigone isn’t afraid of Creon, she only sees him as a man who has too much power and makes poor decisions. Antigone is a strong-willed character who won’t back down from Creon. Creon who has too much pride decides to “banish” Antigone and lock her into a cave where she is left to die. Later on in the story, Creon realizes that what she was saying was correct. It was too late to fix anything; Antigone hanged herself. Antigone knew all along that she did the right thing burying her brother and that one day Creon would learn. Creon finally understood that he should’ve listened to Antigone and was affected as a character after her suicide.

After all, the purpose of the story was to demonstrate how women had little power and how Antigone stood up for her own beliefs against the king. This proves that humanism is an important trait to have in life because believing in your own thoughts and what you say can have a huge influence. Making the right choice is all part of the humanities and believing in your own thoughts. Nothing Antigone said was wrong and she chose not to regret any of it.