Refurbishing
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Introduction
The essay looks into the work of an author and a painter, and how they try to express the particular sentiments of the Romantic era. Two works are chosen for the purpose, one is Topic Delacroix, “Massacre at Chios” and the other is “Alastor” poem By Percy Bysshe Shelley.Massacre at Chios by Delacroix The “Massacre at Chios” has been a favorite piece of artwork among the historians and the art critiques. The 1824 painting by Delacroix depicts the aftermath of the invasion of Greeks on the island of Chios by the Turkish sultan (Amy 2011). Chios memorializes the depressing act of war and the brutality behind, making for a pointless sacrifice. It remains one of the greatest paintings of the 19th century. The Massacres of Chios is based on the massacre of thousands of civilians on the island of Chios in 1822 (Devetzidis 2011, p. 47). The Greek War of Independence received extensive coverage in the newspapers and became the first major war crime. There is a brilliant display of color and roughness in the brushwork. Overall, the tone and look of the painting are dark and depressing. There is no one central focus in the painting and no single figure to be centralized on. However, one is drawn to the figures in the foreground, clinging to each other for support and help. The background looks dark and menacing where one can see the destruction left by the war. Delacroix prepared for the Chios massacre thoroughly and read everything he could find. He spoke to the eyewitness to add authenticity to his work (Devetzidis 2011, p. 54). Delacroix has used a dull palette of greens and browns for this painting. The method and coloring are done with a wild brush work, so as to draw attention to the chaos and brutality left after a war. The sky is done in brownish-green and blends with the actual ground in the background. The environment does not look like an island but a desolate desert. It seems as if the war has consumed the sea, sky, and ground. The figures are drawn in proportions and the painter has made good use of lights and shadows to highlight the points that he wants his viewer to take notice of. It’s hard to distinguish the Greeks and the Turks. However, the two figures on the left in shadow and another towards the right can be identified as Turks because of their turbans and robes, plus the weapons they carry. The rest of the figures lying on the ground seem to be in the pitiable state. Some of them are wounded and others dead. Their clothes are torn, and some of them are almost naked. Their bodies are done in an earthy brown, and their faces are expressionless, as if in a shock. Delacroix tries to focus on the violation of women and loss of their dignity through the figures in the foreground. The Greeks are shown to be weak in body and spirit. A violent movement can be seen in the female captive on the right, who is twisted and in pain. Another woman stands trapped under the Turk on his horse and has her hands raised above her head, perhaps begging for mercy. There is a small child towards the right lower corner, trying to hold on the bare chest of his dead mother, looking for safety. This was the first painting to include many women, and they outnumber the men. However, both men and women are shown to be helpless and weak against the Turkish soldiers (Devetzidis 2011, p. 55).Alastor’ poem By Percy Bysshe Shelley Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem ‘Alastor’ starts with a search of the ideal landscape and womanhood. However, later it turns into the search for the supernatural that surpasses earthly ideals. The solitary poet apparently fails in his quest for seeing the real manifestation of his ideals. However, he realizes that such ideals only exist in the mind and are not to be found in reality. ‘Alastor’ reveals Shelley’s fascination with water and those personal lyrics show the concerns of an idealistic reformer who is disappointed in what he comes across in his unreceptive society. It may be considered as an allegorical to the unique character of a human mind that dives within the fountain of knowledge and yet remains thirsty. As long as his desires are met within the finite world, he is at peace. However, when his mind is stimulated by intellectual facilities and imaginations, he begins on a never ending journey. The luminous world he lives in is suddenly cast over with darkness. He does not find any joy in human happiness or any grief in his sorrow when he come face to face with his empty and hollow spirit. There are two women in Shelley's poem ‘Alastor’, one is the real woman as Arab maiden (129-39) and the other is the ideal woman as the Veiled Maiden that the Poet dreams about (151-91). Their close association in the poem points to the willful and doomed theme of isolation in the poem. By combining the dream-like quality of the Veiled Maiden and the reality of the Arab maiden, it creates an aura of guilt and horror. However, Shelley’s depiction of the two maidens remains open to the criticism (Cochran 2006). Shelley’s ”Alastor”’ revolves around nature, creativity, liberty and imagination and shows them in a philosophical relationship. The poet’s quest is for an ideal and permanent happiness as he argues and expands the vision. The poem on the Spirit of Solitude is inward-looking and talks about the narrator’s frantic pursuit of visions. As long as his needs are met with the finite objects, he is joyous and self-centered. However, beyond a point, he wants more than those worldly objects and images himself as the being. The poem shows that a man must imagine intensely and look deeply within to feel the pains and pleasures of others. The poet has emphasized the connection between nature and the goodness and make use of his poetry to for a better society and the world. The poem inspires moral optimism and forces the reader to think in spiritual and moral terms. His poetry is a kind that can be easily understood and those words carry the power to change the world for the better. Like a typical romantic poet, Shelley shows a great respect for nature in his poem and feels closely connected to the power of nature. Through “Alastor” he shows a higher unifying spirit in the universe that connects every being
Bibliography
Amy (2011). THE MASSACRE AT CHIOS. A Literary Adventure in Art History. Available: http://caravaggista.com/2011/08/the-massacre-at-chios/ [Accessed: 4 Mar 2016].
Cochran, P. 2006, "Byron and Shelley: Radical Incompatibles", Romanticism on the Net, , no. 43.
Devetzidis, A. 2011, " The Massacres Of Chios By Eugène Delacroix – Process, Meaning And Effect", Flinders University, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 47-64
