The Philosophy of Fine Art, volume 4 (of 4): Hegel's Aesthetik — Georg Hegel — John Shaqi
The Philosophy of Fine Art, volume 4 (of 4): Hegel's Aesthetik
Georg Hegel · en
A situation which is the reverse of this occurs where people vaguely
grasp at aims and a personal impression of real substance, but in their
own individuality, as instruments to achieve this, are in absolute
conflict with such a result. In such a case what substance there is
only exists in the individual's imagination, becomes a mere appearance
to himself or others, which no doubt offers the show and virtue of
what is thus of material import, but for this very reason involves end
and personality, action and character in a contradiction, by reason
of which the attainment of the imaged end or characterization is
itself rendered impossible. An example of this is the "Ecclesiazusae"
of Aristophanes, where the women who seek to advise and found a new
political constitution, retain all the temperament and passions of
women as before.
We may add to the above two divisions of classification, as a distinct
basis for yet _another_, the use made of external accident, by means of
the varied and extraordinary development of which situations are placed
before us in which the objects desired and their achievement, the
personal character and its external conditions are thrown into a comic
contrast, and lead to an equally comic resolution.
(_γγ_) But inasmuch as the comic element wholly and from the first
depends upon contradictory contrasts, not only of ends themselves
on their own account, but also of their content as opposed to the
contingency of the personal life and external condition, the action
of comedy requires a _resolution_ with even more stringency than the
tragic drama. In other words, in the action of comedy the contradiction
between that which is essentially true and its specific realization is
more fundamentally asserted.
That which, however, is abrogated in this resolution is not by any
means either the _substantive_ being or the _personal_ life as such.