The Limitations and Danger of Scientific Knowledge as a Thematic Focus Essay Example
Critics have argued that "The Lifted Veil" can be seen as a reflection of Eliot's own fears, alienation, doubts, feelings of guilt, and loss of identity. They also note similarities between Eliot and the main protagonist, Latimer. Like Latimer, Eliot was alienated from her father, as well as her brother and sister. It is believed that the story reflects Eliot's chief obsessions, which include her self-interest in science, psychology, double consciousness, and extra-sensory powers of perception.
The text discusses the lack of connection between Bertha's mysteriousness and Eliot's use of anonymity and pseudonym. Feminist critics view Latimer's extra-sensory gifts and isolation as a postponement of women's traditional role in society. This traditional role portrayed women as having honed instinctive senses, but also feeling oppressed and trapped in a cycle of slavery. Alte
...rnatively, Bertha's malevolent nature can be seen as an expression of female sexuality, as she views her bond with Latimer as loveless, lacking passion, and deadening to the senses. Furthermore, the text explores the thematic concern of the limitations and dangers of scientific knowledge in "The Lifted Veil." Terry Eagleton establishes a connection between hysteria and Oedipal themes in the novel.
On the other hand, Jacobus considers the novella to be a hysterical text that uses hysteria as a last resort. It can be interpreted as the work of a woman writer who has been trapped by male prejudice. These critics all agree that Latimer's inconsistency is linked to Oedipal issues, castration, and death. Some critics even go so far as to argue that the horror in Latimer's mind and heart is not only due to hysteria, but also bisexuality, fragmentation, and castration. The reversal
of gender roles occurs when Bertha's muscularity surpasses Latimer's feminism.
In the sense that she is half-woman half-ghost being, Latimer considers Bertha to be the complete opposite of an ideal woman. He constantly wonders if her face could ever appear to be that of a woman born naturally. This idea intensifies as Bertha's sadistic aggression grows, culminating in her plot to poison and kill Latimer. The novella's final scene reveals the true nature of events when Archer, on his deathbed, informs Latimer and his friends. Latimer is shocked by Bertha's face and mystical gaze, as if the dark veil had completely failed. We can conclude that Eliot's novella, The Lifted Veil, portrays the limitations and dangers of scientific knowledge as a central theme. Throughout the text, Eliot expresses her own fears, feelings of alienation, doubts, and guilt. Similarly, Latimer experiences isolation and shares the fear of alienation. Ultimately, Latimer accepts Bertha's superior power.
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