Power is like a knife. A knife in proper hands can create pieces of culinary art, however, a knife in cruel hands only creates destruction. Power is misused in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and William Shakespeare’s Richard III and both literary works demonstrate the same consequences. Power destroys morality within the abuser and society. This exploitation of power will also lead to discontentment among the people. Maltreated power will lead to the manipulation of a person’s actions, removing free will. Brave New World and Richard III demonstrate how power births conflict through how it creates unhappiness within society, destroys morality, and manipulates one’s actions.
The abuse of authority in Brave New World and Richard III creates unhappiness in society that leads to lead to conflict. In Richard III, Buckingham helps Richard III rise to power, however, after he receives the crown, Buckingham is left without reward. Thus, prompting Buckingham to flee the city and betray his former ally, “As it thus? Repays he my deep service / With such contempt? Made I him king for this? / O, let me think on Hastings, and be gone / To Brecknock while my fearful head is on” (4.3.118-121). Buckingham is angered by his actions, leading to his betrayal and eventual participation in the conflict at Bosworth Fields. In Brave New World, John the Savage denounces the new world and lives in exile. However, when he is visited by a person he recognizes, he falls victim to his own rage and partakes in the values and control he tried to avoid, “Stupefied by soma, and exhausted by a long-drawn frenzy of sensuality, the Savage lay sleeping in the heather. . . . then suddenly remembered-everything. ‘Oh, my God, my God!’ He covered his eyes with his hand” (Huxley 228). John attempts to escape the control of the new world, but succumbs to it regardless. His realization of his actions leads to self hatred and later, his suicide. Both pieces of literature demonstrate how unhappiness is created through abusive power. Richard III’s abuse of power results in hatred against the offender and physical conflict whilst Brave New World, the abuse of power induces hatred against oneself and lead to moral conflict. Both pieces of literature demonstrate two different scenarios , however both works dictate that the abuse of power will lead to unhappiness. The constant misuse of power results in the destruction of morality and leads to internal and external conflict. In Richard III, towards the end of the play, Richard III comprehends the nature of his actions and makes clear the lack of morality he has, “My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, / And every tongue brings in a several tale, / And every tale condemns me for a villain” (5.3.194-196). Richard III feels internal conflict about his actions, resulting from the abuse in his power as king and his ability to manipulate others. Brave New World conditioning phases out individual morality and replaces it with a standard way of living. In the conversation between John the Savage and Mustapha Mond, Mond comments on the nature of the new world, “. . . they’re so conditioned that they practically can’t help behaving as they ought to behave. And if anything should go wrong, there’s soma” (Huxley 194). Conditioning has destroyed morality as morality is defined as the ability to know right from wrong. By forcing a standard behaviour upon people, they do not know what is right nor wrong but simply act upon conditioned impulse. This standard behaviour and lack of feeling pressure the outliers, especially John and Helmholtz, to rebel. Richard III shows how Richard III did not have morality in …show more content…
Misusing power creates discontent in society which may cause conflict with the oppressor, as seen in Richard III, or hatred toward oneself, as seen in Brave New World. Another consequence of power abuse is the degradation of moral beliefs and cause conflict with those with higher morality. Abusive power also results in the manipulation of one’s actions, resulting in the conflict between ideologies. Through the examples outlined in both texts, power has the ability to corrupt however, may also be used to benefit society. Thus, power must be entrusted to the correct people in order to protect societal beliefs and
The abuse of authority in Brave New World and Richard III creates unhappiness in society that leads to lead to conflict. In Richard III, Buckingham helps Richard III rise to power, however, after he receives the crown, Buckingham is left without reward. Thus, prompting Buckingham to flee the city and betray his former ally, “As it thus? Repays he my deep service / With such contempt? Made I him king for this? / O, let me think on Hastings, and be gone / To Brecknock while my fearful head is on” (4.3.118-121). Buckingham is angered by his actions, leading to his betrayal and eventual participation in the conflict at Bosworth Fields. In Brave New World, John the Savage denounces the new world and lives in exile. However, when he is visited by a person he recognizes, he falls victim to his own rage and partakes in the values and control he tried to avoid, “Stupefied by soma, and exhausted by a long-drawn frenzy of sensuality, the Savage lay sleeping in the heather. . . . then suddenly remembered-everything. ‘Oh, my God, my God!’ He covered his eyes with his hand” (Huxley 228). John attempts to escape the control of the new world, but succumbs to it regardless. His realization of his actions leads to self hatred and later, his suicide. Both pieces of literature demonstrate how unhappiness is created through abusive power. Richard III’s abuse of power results in hatred against the offender and physical conflict whilst Brave New World, the abuse of power induces hatred against oneself and lead to moral conflict. Both pieces of literature demonstrate two different scenarios , however both works dictate that the abuse of power will lead to unhappiness. The constant misuse of power results in the destruction of morality and leads to internal and external conflict. In Richard III, towards the end of the play, Richard III comprehends the nature of his actions and makes clear the lack of morality he has, “My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, / And every tongue brings in a several tale, / And every tale condemns me for a villain” (5.3.194-196). Richard III feels internal conflict about his actions, resulting from the abuse in his power as king and his ability to manipulate others. Brave New World conditioning phases out individual morality and replaces it with a standard way of living. In the conversation between John the Savage and Mustapha Mond, Mond comments on the nature of the new world, “. . . they’re so conditioned that they practically can’t help behaving as they ought to behave. And if anything should go wrong, there’s soma” (Huxley 194). Conditioning has destroyed morality as morality is defined as the ability to know right from wrong. By forcing a standard behaviour upon people, they do not know what is right nor wrong but simply act upon conditioned impulse. This standard behaviour and lack of feeling pressure the outliers, especially John and Helmholtz, to rebel. Richard III shows how Richard III did not have morality in …show more content…
Misusing power creates discontent in society which may cause conflict with the oppressor, as seen in Richard III, or hatred toward oneself, as seen in Brave New World. Another consequence of power abuse is the degradation of moral beliefs and cause conflict with those with higher morality. Abusive power also results in the manipulation of one’s actions, resulting in the conflict between ideologies. Through the examples outlined in both texts, power has the ability to corrupt however, may also be used to benefit society. Thus, power must be entrusted to the correct people in order to protect societal beliefs and