Maldoror and the Completed Works of the Comte de Lautréamont

Isidore Lucien Ducasse was one of the most mysterious poets in French literature. During his literature career, he used a pen name Comte de Lautrà ©amont and created only two works – Les Chants de Maldoror (in English, it is known as The Songs of Maldoror or just Maldoror) and Poesies. These works influenced considerably modern literature and are considered to be one of the first really surrealistic books. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Maldoror and the Completed Works of the Comte de Lautrà ©amont specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Songs of Maldoror is one of the most exciting and horrifically wonderful books in French literature, and, probably, in the whole world. Maldoror is a bright surreal image of a great philosopher and murder simultaneously. The influence of the Lautrà ©amont’s work is really great; his idea of terrible and misunderstood human being, Maldoror, turned out to be a real shock during the times of its creation, and has even the greater power nowadays. Maldoror is the major character of this novel and its narrator. He addresses to the reader, to his victims, and to everyone who could accidently read this story. This character is a pitiless murder, a sadist, who tries to hide behind the mask of a great philosopher. He is an outcast, who does not want to follow the general rules set by the society. However, all these characteristics do not make his a really negative hero. He is a fighter; he has his strong point of views and is ready to prove them any time. He knows a lot about ethics and philosophy, and he also truly believes that this society is guilty because it cannot accept Maldoror as he is. â€Å"Mother, I can hardly breathe: my head aches†¦/See, he slumps against the back of chair, exhausted†¦/I hear in the distance prolonged screams of the most poignant anguish/My son!/Mother, I’m scared!† (Lautrà ©amont and Lykiard 45 ) At the beginning of the story, Maldoror even asks to forgive his intentions and ideas. He knows that what he is saying is weird, but he cannot do something to stop all this. He offers the reader to kidnap a child in order to torture him/her, enjoy the taste of his/her blood and tears. The first lines present a new character to the reader, he is really powerful with his own ambitions and intentions. He may easily present lots of evidences and proof that his ideas are correct. He says that blood is tasteless and this is what makes it so attractive. Maldoror has a burning desire to taste everything that not every person may allow and encourage the other to follow his example. One more idea, that deserves attention in this work, is Maldoror’s impiety. God is the creator of all beings in the world. He is the only one who has the right to create everything according to his own taste and desire. Maldoror cannot agree with such a decision to deprive him of being a normal part of t he world. Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More His ugliness and dissimilitude with the other humans makes him feel angry with God and despise own Creator. Such anti-theism of the main character contradicts all the religious aspects of those times and makes Maldoror unique and interesting to the reader. He blames God for all his sufferings and poor understanding from the society’s side. The character, created by Lautrà ©amont, is rather original for the literature works at the end of the 19th century. Any other writer has never created such personalities before and never used such strong evidences to prove his correctness of such inhuman ideas and actions. â€Å"His hero (or anti-hero) Maldoror is one of the greatest rebels of literature. Satanic, sadistic and Promethean, he plunges his whole being resolutely into evil and monstrosity, breaking taboos in search of tran scendence.† (Rees 266) Another aspect that fascinated me a lot is the author’s imagery of animals. Ducasse compares humans with numerous animals, both exotic and everyday ones. In order to be like an animal, a human being should get rid of personal vanity. Pretension to culture and a fear to go against the set social norms – this is what binds the person and does not allow him/her to enjoy the life. The choice of animals is really unique. He does not concentrate on such animals as rabbits and polecats, which are always afraid of something and cannot prove their positions in this life. People cannot be compared to such small and cowardly creatures. Maldoror chooses such animals as sharks, eagles, wolves, turkeys, and tigers to underline their power and rights. These animals are described from a pure biological point of view, as this very standpoint cannot be disproved. Maldoror prefers to be a son of tiger or a shark. To my mind, in such case, he could easily exp lain his hunger and cruelty, which are so inherent to those both animals. After I read Maldoror and the Complete Works of the Comte de Lautrà ©amont, translated by Alexis Lykiard, I was pleasantly amazed by its violent content. The author did not afraid to use terrific words, describing the actions of Maldoror, and, even more, to encourage other people to do the same things. I really enjoy the structure of the novel – it was like a conversation of the main character, Maldoror with me. When he asks whether we ever taste the blood after we accidently cut a finger a bit, I unwittingly nod my head. Telling the truth, I have never thought that my blood is tasteless. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Maldoror and the Completed Works of the Comte de Lautrà ©amont specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Of course, it does not mean that I start searching for a knife or something to cut my finger once again and check it . However, I start thinking whether its tastelessness makes any blood unique, and, upon the whole, what is so special about blood, and why so many people want to taste it. I suddenly remember the movies about vampires and other butchers, who cannot but admire someone else blood. The characters of these movies get unbelievable pleasure from other people’s blood, especially when people try to resist and fight for their lives. Is it possible that, inside of every person, a kind of vampire lives and tempts to break all moral norms from time to time and do something not inherent to all humans? Maldoror and the Complete Works of the Comte de Lautrà ©amont is a kind of time bomb that just has to blow up during these times. Modern culture and the interests of modern people, young people in particular, are quite different. Some readers may enjoy this book and be sure that it reflects a lot of burning issues, which trouble many people. However, some reader may find this book rather aggressive and inappropriate for everyone. It is possible that the readers of young age may comprehend the essence of the book in a wrong way and follow its examples without thinking about the consequences. This is why it is crucially important to make certain limitations on those, who can read this work, and those, who cannot. Without any doubts, the work by Comte de Lautrà ©amont is one of the best surrealistic books of all the times. Lots of translations have been already presented to the readers, the work by Alexis Lykiard is one of the best ones. Maldoror and the Complete Works of the Comte de Lautrà ©amont attracts many readers by its simple language and structure. From time to time, Lykiard uses long sentences in order to represent the oddness, which Isidore Ducasse wanted to underline. This book corresponds to almost all surrealistic features: gothic style, evil main character with its â€Å"correct† philosophy, identifiable plot, and a bit epic form. For French li terature, such work was not inherent. The author made an attempt to recede Romanism and lyrics, which characterized French literature of the 19th century, and presented a terrific hero, who evoked pity, fear, and misunderstanding simultaneously. This story cannot leave indifferent any person. Someone will be fascinated; the others may feel a kind of disgust. Not every writer may present such stories in the way, chosen by Ducasse: bold ideas, awesome actions, and animal desires. Such characteristics are not about an ordinary man. Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Lots of them are beyond my understanding, however, such uniqueness amazes and fascinates me with every new page read. Our life changes every day, and we cannot be always ready to these changes. However, Isidore Ducasse created this story at the end of the 19th century, and could not even guess that his story would be relevant during all the centuries. Works Cited Lautrà ©amont, Comte. Maldoror and the Complete Works of the Comte de Lautrà ©amont. Trans. Alexis Lykiard. Cambridge: Exact Change, 1994. Rees, William. The Penguin Book of French Poetry. Penguin Classics, 1992. This essay on Maldoror and the Completed Works of the Comte de Lautrà ©amont was written and submitted by user EddieLau to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

How to handle work when youre depressed

How to handle work when youre depressed Work can be challenging in even the best of circumstances- but when you’re depressed and not feeling your absolute best, getting through each workday can be a real struggle. Many folks grapple with depression in both their personal and professional lives, and it can make getting through each day and handling daily responsibilities difficult. According to a recent study by The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), â€Å"an estimated 16.1 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in the past year. This number represented 6.7% of all U.S. adults.† The NIMH defines a major depressive episode as â€Å"a period of two weeks or longer during which there is either depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure, and at least four other symptoms that reflect a change in functioning, such as problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration, and self-image.†Depression in the workplace is a significant issue- both f or employees and employers. Mental Health America recently reported that â€Å"Clinical depression has become one of America’s most costly illnesses. Left untreated, depression is as costly as heart disease or AIDS to the U.S. economy, costing over $51 billion in absenteeism from work and lost productivity and $26 billion in direct treatment costs. Depression tends to affect people in their prime working years and may last a lifetime if untreated.†Furthermore, a significantly higher percentage of adults suffer from minor or moderate depressive episodes. Although they typically include less pervasive symptoms, it can nonetheless make it hard to handle work and a spiraling effect can result- you feel depressed, which effects your ability to work, which makes you more depressed, and so on.Are you among the millions of Americans who suffer from depression? If so, then you’re not alone and there is a way forward- use the following strategies to help you learn to hand le work when you’re depressed.Don’t ignore the signs.If you’re struggling at work, try your best to recognize the signs that it might be due to depression.Are you feeling tired and lethargic throughout the day for no reason?Are everyday tasks- things that you used to do before with ease- becoming increasingly more difficult for you to handle and complete, or have become completely overwhelming for you?Is interacting with others at your workplace, or working collaboratively on team-based projects, becoming so uncomfortable or unappealing to you that you avoid contact or social interactions with colleagues at all costs?Do you find that your self-care routine is falling by the wayside?Are you noticing negative changes in your overall mood and attitude throughout the day?Has your productivity at work dipped?Do you find yourself missing work, coming in late, or leaving early more often?The truth is, any one or combination of these signs could be an indication that yo u’re suffering from depression. If you answered yes to any of these questions, the first step is to acknowledge that depression might currently be an issue for you.Assess your needs.As previously mentioned, there are varying degrees of depression that an individual can experience, and every person has their own unique symptoms, coping mechanisms, and needs. If you’ve made the determination that you’re suffering from depression- whether its mild or more profound- a good idea is to try and take an honest self-assessment and mental inventory regarding how it’s affecting your life. The last thing you want to have happen is to have your depression take complete control of your life and adversely affect your job situation- which can make your condition worse.Once you’ve determined how your depression is affecting you at work, try to assess your needs. Do you need to simply recalibrate, get organized, and wrap your head around your work responsibilities i n a new and fresh way? Do you need to make some behavioral and lifestyle changes in an effort to enact positive change? Or do you need additional outside help? Once you’re able to make a determination about what you need in order to effect change in your life and make the struggle a bit easier, you’ll be in a better position to choose the right steps for you.Seek help if needed.Do you think that you may need some guidance from others- perhaps friends or family, trusted colleagues, or professional help? The first thing to realize is that this isn’t a personal failure on your part. Many competent and functional adults suffer from depression, and there’s no shame or stigma in reaching out for help. Depression is a heavy weight to carry around on your own- seeking help from others can help ease the burden and allow you to focus on working towards an effective life solution.Explore workplace options.Many progressive workplaces offer benefits packages that incl ude mental health services- from finding the right professional help to meet your needs to financial coverage for associated costs. You may also be eligible to take paid time off from work to focus on getting help and getting better. Contact your HR representative to learn all of your options, which will help you formulate the best strategy for dealing with your depression.You are under no obligation to disclose a private health concern like depression to your colleagues and coworkers. That said, many people chose to be honest and up front about their depression and are met with sensitivity, guidance, and understanding, which can be an incredibly supportive and encouraging thing to have at a time when you need it most. The choice on how to handle disclosure is completely yours.Don’t just ignore your depression.How many problems in your life get better by simply ignoring them? If you feel that you’re experiencing depression at work and it’s affecting your ability to do your job, your best bet is to not ignore it and to use the steps outlined above to try and make some positive changes. Don’t forget- you’re not alone and your situation is not insurmountable. With a little proactive effort and the courage to effect positive changes in your life, you can go beyond learning how to handle depression at work. Instead, you can truly thrive.