Untold Story of an American Legend
Discuss about the Untold Story of an American Legend.
Answer:
Introduction:
The tragedy strikes, as per Shakespeare (p36), the couple when some of the associates of Antony do not approve of his crowning Cleopatra as the successor to the throne and he is murdered.
The irony is not about the fall of the great warrior Antonio, but is about the iron will of the lady Cleopatra, who rises as a phoenix after Antony’s death to not only take her revenge from the killers of her beloved but takes charge of the kingdom with great determination and courage. In the passage referred in this context, we see how she is taken over by grief when Antony dies in her arms. We also feel the agony she is going through which is aggravated by the sympathies shown by her maids. The strong character of the woman becomes evident from the closing dialogue which she has with Charmian and Iras, where she not only admonishes their fears, but courageously reprimands them for showing weakness of character, says McCullough (p81).
The second passage, taken from a great, most read, talked and narrated Afro-American folktale, is also about the greatness, the courage and the valour of a man, John Henry, who works as a rock driller and has the strength and determination of breaking any solid rock with his steel hammer. Here, the mite of his courage and grit is not against any human rival nor is he being pitted against a zealous and jealous lover. The comparison shown in the passage, which has been taken for referral purposes, is between the human determination and strength of John-the steel hammer striker and the mechanical power of the boring-machine which is set to take over the work being performed by humans, as per Nelson (p18). Taken to his ultimate limits, the steel-hammer man takes on the task of cutting open the hardest of the rocks, one which is even considered to be un-penetrable by the great might of the mechanical giant. Urged, persuaded and challenged by his Captain, John summons all his determination, strength and will power to carry out the last job of his life which could prove to the mankind that it is the valour of the brave that takes them through the trying times and difficult periods. No man-made tool, machine or equipment is above the man who creates them and then uses them. The greatness of mankind lies in the strength and determination of humans and not in what they create but in what they achieve, says Schlosser.
Both the pieces of literature belong to different generations, different races and different circumstances. Whereas, William Shakespeare, the greatest of all play writers, created Antony and Cleopatra within the backdrop of the rich, wealthy and powerful kingdom of Alexandria, the folklore of John Henry is from the downtrodden, poor and weaker section of the society. The first work of literature is the creation of a great man, who created great tales by using his craft of language. Not only could Shakespeare put his characters on the high pedestals of ultimate courage and wisdom, he also presented his characters in their greater-than-life avtars, which became milestones in the history of fiction and became source of inspiration, as well as despise, for millions of his ardent fans across the world. On the other hand, John Henry was the creation of a living society, was crafted by the yearnings of those living in those times and were experiencing the hardships of life. John Henry was the epitome of a common man’s aspirations, courage and determination to scale new heights. It was the ultimate show of a man’s will power to overpower any creation of humans. John Henry embodies the grit and will of a society, whereas Cleopatra’s passion, courage and determination are the embodiment of a human’s power to overcome other humans.
List of References
McCullough, C. Antony and Cleopatra: A Novel. New York; Simon and Schuster, 2008. Print.
Nelson, S. R. Steel Drivin' Man: John Henry, The Untold Story of an American Legend.
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. Print.
Shakespeare, W. Antony and Cleopatra; The RSC Shakespeare. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009. Print.
Schlosser, S.E. John Henry: The Steel Driving Man – A West Virginia Legend. Retrieved on 9 August 2016 from https://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/07/john_henry.html
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