O THAT MACBETH HAD READ A POEM!
In fact, while doing some evil deed, a man does not need to think. But if he is doing some good deed, he has to stop and consider what consequences he may have to face.
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When stones start sparkling with emotions, literature can be said to have performed its part to perfection.
-Anand
It is no exaggeration to say that evil dominates the human psyche more than any other emotion, like love or compassion. Macbeth and Dr. Faustus appear as objective correlatives of evil. But this article questions were they entirely evil? Is goodness an outer growth over evil, or is evil an outer growth over good? My thesis is that all men invariably are made of the shining stuff, and evil is a super imposition, and can be erased with sharp tools of wit, wisdom and satire.
As far as human society is concerned, goodness has already been pushed to the margins. The animals and birds also indulge in killings but this violence cannot be classified as Evil. People do show sparks of goodness, but very occasionally, while evil is on the elephant ride in the streets of this kingdom, which belongs to God, but is run by monsters. The good remain huddled in corners of existence, whereas the centre stage is grabbed by evil mongers. When evil multiplies and threatens the very fabric of the society, God sends apocalyptic beings like Lord Krishna and Jesus Christ. But it is also a fact that as soon as they disappear from the world, people come back to their original setting, of vileness, suppression and exploitation of the good. The pages of human history depict either wars or men who created havoc with the masses in the name of religion. It appears either there were no good periods in history, or they are intentionally ignored because they do not offer thrills which a reader expects from the reading of history.
Footfall at the Gate of Hell
The Reception at the Gate of Heaven remains closed most of the time. Once or twice during a month, the office opens to admit one or two persons at the most. In fact, it is the Reception at the Gate of Hell where you find most festive conditions. People come in hordes singing folk songs, carrying drinks and beauties in their laps. It is another thing, the monsters welcome them, and after a thorough investigation, they are directed to the Purgatory.
The scene inspires horror when we try to guess how rampant is evil in our society. Some scientists from Lustus University lost their lives when a speeding bus tumbled into an abyss while negotiating a sharp turn high on a mountain. On reaching the Gate of Hell, they were engaged in a verbal duel with the Reception staff.
‘There is no goodness in this world. It is not possible to find one person who believes in good. Close down the Reception Centre for Heaven,’ they argued so vehemently that senior functionaries of Hell and Heaven had to intervene.
Course Correction
Brahma detailed Indra to bring them to the Emergency. All of them were laid on different tables, and given injections of inertia. When the operation was over, and the Professors of Lustus University were back in their senses, a video was played which showed how each man’s consciousness was turned naked, and then, with sharp-edged appliances, the dirt frozen on their consciousness was layered off. After several days of deep digging, a shining layer of light was visible.
The merchants of darkness were stunned to realize that they were essentially made up of the shining stuff. However, man becomes oblivious of this sublimity of his being when layers of dust fall and freeze on the shiny surface. What really transforms the evil souls is the power of goodness, exampled by its practitioners [like the Bishop in Victor Hugo’s novel Les Miserables] Man not only learns but he even unlearns by example.
The Flop Triumvirate
With evil so rampant, if we are getting oblivious of the dividing line between good and evil, it is because our elders have not learnt their ropes well. The teachers, the parents, the religious leaders – are responsible if the moral fabric of the society has deteriorated. The reality is that Evil comes to man far more naturally than good. In fact, while doing some evil deed, a man does not need to think. But if he is doing some good deed, he has to stop and consider what consequences he may have to face. It is the fear of consequences of being good, straight, honest and kind that most of the people have said good bye to this domain.
The emotional demography of good and evil can be understood with the help of the following graph. Thirty percent people can go to any extent in the domain of evil. Five percent people practice goodness and cannot be deflected from their path. However, the remaining sixty five percent keep shifting from good to evil and evil to good depending on their necessities.
Re-forming the Social Fabric
If we want to re-form and re-organize our society, we have to contend with the truth that religion and fears of hell do not horrorize any Faustus now. Millions of people will be ready to sign in blood a contract with the Devil which ensures them twenty four years of thrills. The horror of Faustus’ destiny is no longer a deterrent for evil-mongering which has now become a romantic fantasy.
Art and Literature
Society lacks the tools with which it should be able to touch the souls of the people. The best way is Art and Literature. A poem is truly magnificent if it can tear off the layers of unreality, faithlessness, despair and doubt, from the consciousness of a person who has no direct or indirect connect with art or literature. When stones start sparkling with emotions, literature can be said to have performed its part to perfection.
Dr. Jernail Singh Anand, [the Seneca, Charter of Morava, Franz Kafka and Maxim Gorky awards Laureate, with an opus of 180 books, whose name adorns the Poets’ Rock in Serbia]] is a towering literary figure whose work embodies a rare fusion of creativity, intellect, and moral vision.
