I have already discussed at considerable length, in the first part of
this work, the talent and genius, the enthusiasm and originality of the
artist. I will consequently merely touch upon one or two points in the
present reference to the art of poetry which appear of importance, if
we contrast this activity as effective here with that operative in the
plastic arts and music.
(_a_) The architect, sculptor, painter and musician have to deal
with an entirely concrete and sensuous material, in and through
which each has to elaborate his creations. The limitations of this
material condition the specific form that the type of the conception
no less than the mode of artistic execution assume. The more fixed
and predetermined the general lines of his definition are upon which
the artist has to concentrate himself, the more specialized becomes
the talent required for the assertion of the same in any one and no
other mode of presentment; and we may add in the powers of technical
execution which accompany it. The talents adapted to the poetic art,
regarding the same from the point of view of an ideal envisagement
in a specific _materia_, is subordinated in a less degree to such
conditions; it is consequently more open to universal practice, and
in this respect more independent. The need here at least is merely
that of a gift for imaginative creation. Its limitation is confined
merely to this, namely, that for the reason that this art is expressed
in language, it has to guard itself on the one hand from deliberate
rivalry with external objects in their sensuous completeness, in
the form, that is, where we find the plastic artist apprehends his
subject-matter in its external configuration: and, from a further point
of view, it is unable to rest in the unspoken ideality, the emotional
tones of which constitute the realm of music. In these respects the
problem proposed to the poet, if we contrast him with artists in other
arts, is at once more _facile_ and more _difficult_ It is more easy,
because, although the poet, in the poetical elaboration of speech, must
possess a trained talent, he is spared the relatively more manifold
task of triumph over technical difficulties necessary in the other
arts. It is more difficult because, just in proportion as poetry is
less able to complete the objective envisagement, it is compelled
to seek some compensation for this loss on the side of sense in the
genuine core of Art's own ideality, in the depth of imagination and a
really artistic mode of conception.
(_b_) For this reason the poet is, in the _second_ place, constrained
to penetrate into all the wealth of the spiritual content, and to lay
bare to the vision of mind what is concealed in its depths. For however
much in the other arts, too, the ideal must shine forth through its
corporeal manifestation, and does so in life itself shine forth, yet
the medium of speech remains that most open to intelligence, and the
means most adequate to its revelation. It is the one medium able to
grasp and declare everything whatever that flows through or is present
in consciousness, whether regarded in its ascent or profundity. In
consequence of this the poet finds himself confronted with difficulties
which the other arts are not called upon to overcome or satisfy to
the like degree. In other words, for the very reason that poetry is
actually operative in the world of idea or imagination itself, and is
not concerned with fashioning for its images an objective existence
independent of such ideality, it is placed in an element or sphere in
which the religious, scientific and everyday consciousness are active;
it must therefore take care to make no excursion into the domain or
mode of conception proper to any of these, or to get mixed up with
them. No doubt in the case of every art we find points of contact with
other arts. Artistic creation of every kind proceeds from _one_ mind or
spirit, which comprehends in itself all spheres of self-conscious life.
But with the other arts the distinction of conception in each case is
in its mode complete, for the reason that this, in its ideal creation,
persists throughout in permanent relation to the execution of its
images in a definite sensuous material, and consequently is absolutely
distinct, no less from the forms of the religious consciousness,
than it is from the thinking of science and the intelligence of
ordinary life. Poetry, on the contrary, avails itself, in its manner
of objective communication, of the very means adopted in these spheres
of mental activity, that is to say, human speech; it finds itself,
consequently, otherwise placed than are the plastic arts and music,
which occupy a different field of conception and expression.
(_c_) _Thirdly_, we have the final demand made upon the poet for the
most profound and manifold transfusion of the subject-matter of his
creations with the animating soul of life, because it is his art which
is capable of absorbing most profoundly the entire fulness of the
spiritual content. The plastic artist, in a similar way, must apply
himself to a transfusion of ideal expression in the _external form_ of
architectonic, plastic and the forms peculiar to painting. The musician
must likewise rivet his attention on the _inner soul_ concentrated
in emotion and passion and their outpouring in melodic expression.
In both cases the artist must be steeped in the most ideal intention
and substance of his content. But the sphere of the poet's creative
activity extends yet further, for the reason that he has not merely
to elaborate an ideal world of soul-life and the self-conscious mind.
He has, in addition, to discover for this ideal realm an external
mode of envisagement fitted thereto, a mode by virtue of which that
ideal totality shines through in more irresistible perfection than is
possible in the case of other arts. It is incumbent upon him to know
human existence, both as soul-life and objective life, to receive into
his inmost being the full breadth of the world and its shows, and to
have felt through it there, penetrated, enlarged, deepened and revealed
to himself all it implies. Only after that, and in order that he may
find it in his power to create, as from his own spiritual experience
outwards, a free whole,--ay, even in the case where he restricts his
effort to a comparatively narrow and particular range,--he must have
liberated himself from all embarrassment with his subject-matter,
whether of a _technical_[18] character or otherwise, able in short
to survey the ideal and external aspects thereof with the same free
glance. From the point of view of _instinctive_ creative vigour[19]
we may in this respect pre-eminently praise the Mahomedan poets of
the East. The starting-point in such compositions is a freedom which,
even in the moment of passion, remains aloof from such passion, and in
all the variety of its interests retains exclusively throughout the
_one_ substance as its veritable core, in contrast to which everything
else appears small and transitory, and nothing of finality is left
either to passion or lust. This is a philosophical outlook, a relation
of spirit to the facts of the world, which comes more readily to age
than youth. For in old age no doubt the interests of life are still
present; but they are not there with the urgency of youthful passion,
but rather in the guise of shadows, and to this extent are more readily
conformable to ideal relations such as Art demands. In opposition to
the ordinary view that youth with its warmth and vigour is the fairest
season for poetic creation, we may rather, at least from this point of
view, maintain just the opposite, that the ripest season belongs to the
autumn of old age, provided that it is able to preserve its energies
of outlook and emotion. It is only to a blind old man, Homer, that we
ascribe those miraculous poems which have come down to us under that
name. And we may also affirm of our Goethe that only in old age, after
he had fully succeeded in liberating his genius from all restricting
limitations of sense, that he gave us his most exalted creations.[20]
[Footnote 1: That is, the essential notion (_Begriff_) of Art
generally.]
[Footnote 2: _Substantiellen_, _i.e.,_ the form that most corresponds
to its essence.]
[Footnote 3: _Theoretisch._ Hegel doubtless has the Greek word in his
mind. It is a _Bildung_ for the mind rather than with a view to action.
It assumes contemplation rather than volition.]
[Footnote 4: It is not quite clear whether Hegel means by _Bedürfniss_
the need of spiritual life, or the profounder demand of reality. It
might stand for either.]
[Footnote 5: That is, the _Vernünft._]
[Footnote 6: _Das individualisirte Vernünftige_, _i.e._, reason as
realized in concrete personality.]
[Footnote 7: _In seiner Gediegenheit und schlagenden Fassung.
Gediegenheit_ here thorough grasp. _Schlagenden_ may possibly mean
arresting character of the conception rather than definite, precise.]
[Footnote 8: That is, the notion.]
[Footnote 9: By _aus dem Geiste_ it is quite possible that there is no
reference to individual genius. In that case the translation would be
"in terms of human intelligence," _i.e._, from the resources of human
reason.]
[Footnote 10: This seems to be the meaning of _die Sache der Zeit._]
[Footnote 11: Lit., "They do not come forth from self-substantive and
immediately free vitality (Lebendigkeit)." _Lebendigkeit_ is here the
ideal and creative force or bond of soul-life as above described.]
[Footnote 12: The German word would imply here an interpretation of
symbolic or at least ideal significance.]
[Footnote 13: This I presume is the general meaning of the sentence:
_Asien aber, das er besiegt, ist in der vielfachen Willkühr seiner
Einzelnen Völkerschaften nur ein zufälliges Ganzes._]
[Footnote 14: _Ein Sollen._]
[Footnote 15: It is possible that too much stress is laid on this line
of difference. The fundamental difference between oratory and poetry
is that of form. At least it can hardly be denied that the power of
the orator to meet the demands of local conditions is a vital feature
of his art, that in this respect a Demosthenes is greater than Burke.
It is surely a mistake to assume that such limitations in themselves
or necessarily are an obstacle to creative genius. It is rather the
sign of supreme oratorical power that it can mould them and command
them in conjunction with its more majestic spirit. In this lies an
essential part of the art itself, just as a sculptor or a painter, such
as Tintoret in the S. Rocco Scuola, dominates the defects of local
condition.]
[Footnote 16: Infinite, that is, not in the temporal sense, but as a
complete and self-realized whole.]
[Footnote 17: Hegel calls it "the poetising subjectivity"; that is, the
personal activity essential to poetic composition.]
[Footnote 18: _Practischen_.]
[Footnote 19: This appears to be the meaning of _des Naturells_.]
[Footnote 20: This is perhaps less true of Goethe than it is of
either Milton or Shakespeare. It is possible that Hegel thought more
highly of the second part of "Faust" as art than do the majority of
modern critics. But the truth is there, if subject to a good deal of
qualification in respect to certain aspects of poetry. As Meredith says:
"Verily now is our season of seed,
Now in our Autumn."
And Meredith was not one to do less than justice to the superb Dream of
imaginative youth.]