Dogs and Existential Nihilism, A poem for voices Options

[Guest_Jox_*]

Hi,

[JJ advises me that this intro might be off-putting. I do want the poem critted (as well as the intellectual integrity) so if you're not into philosophy, that's fine - please ignore the intro and go straight to the work, below. Thanks, J.]

I'm anxious that the ideas-sequence and (sorry to sound pompous) the conceptual integrity of this is ok. Any input you care to offer will be carefully considered.

Although I’m discussing Existential Nihilism, I think I have a tendency to confused that with the original Nihilism of Nietzsche. If you’re into philosophy and feel I’m doing that please let me know. My knowledge is very limited.

If you think it’s rubbish, please tell me - but I shall want to know why, of course.

Thanks. James.

=====================================================
© James Oxenholme, 2005. I, James Oxenholme, do assert my right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with Sections 77 and 78 of The Copyrights, Designs And Patents Act, 1988. (Laws of Cymru & England, as recognised by international treaties). This work was simultaneously copyrighted in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America. This work is posted as an unpublished work in order to elicit critical assistance, only.

(Writer Change from PF to MB)
January, 2005.
Grateful thanks for first crit received from WMW.
More grateful thanks to Fran and Nina for their helpful suggestions.

MB !-207 AD

======================================================

Dogs & Existential Nihilism
- a poem for voices

Sotto voce Reading 1:

Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more; it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

Council Member A:

The Universal Council
is now sitting.
Order! Order!

Council Member B:

The first case before us:
A petition from Earth, concerning
their dominant species: Humans.

Council Chair:

Not them again,
we dealt with People only
a few hundred Earth years ago.
What in Heaven's name, now?!

Dog:

Your Lordships,
we dogs are
here this day to
please for humans:
their nihilism has gone
existential.
we fear for them.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Digression from
Parallel Universe:

The Grand Inquisitor:
(Robin Goodfellow-Day)

Point of order!
But is this not
prose or drama,
masquerading
as poetry?
How do you answer
that charge?

The Poet: (maybe)

As a nihilist? I don’t!
It matters not.
To suit your value-system,
I’ll simply say thus:
I felt this presentation
best in verse.

The Voice:

Continue!
Onwards, downward,
ever closer to a
non-existent truth:
the meaning of the infinite
universe which cannot exist
in human concept but
cannot end either.

-------------------------------------------------------

Sotto voce Reading 2:

O what made fatuous sunbeams toil
To break earth's sleep at all?

Dog:

Humans believe in gods no more -
faith in nothing, save Science.
Changing the planet so fast,
few species will survive.

Sotto voce Reading 3:

Fear not! said he; for might dread
had seized their troubled mind,
Glad tidings of great joy I bring,
To you and all mankind.

Council Member A:

Scientists, the modern priests;
Religion dying.
So we programmed
the next stage for your planet.
Your humans believe in science,
for the while.

Dog:

You are God;
you are the gods?
Von Daniken was right?

Council Chair (for is it He?):

No, my friends.
You make a critical error.
You think we exist.
Goodbye.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:

Robin Goodfellow (Puck) - Midsummer Night's Dream, William Shakespeare
Robin Day - deceased British tv political interviewer. Renown for introducing a hard interviewing technique.

Readers:

The readers should be positioned on stage in a circle with the Sotto voce in the centre. Each should face the audience. Budget allowing, all readers should wear all black. The lighting should be dim but the speakers clearly visible. Unless a reader is actually reading, their head should be bowed... except for the Council Chair, who should always appear alert and dominant. The narrator will read the titles of the speakers and other details (all in blue) before they deliver their piece.

The nine readers as follows (in order of first appearance):

Narrator (Do not double-up)
Sotto voce readings (Do not further double-up)
Council Member A
Council Member B
Council Chair
Dog (Do not double-up)
Robin Goodfellow-Day (If doubling-up use Council Member A)
Poet (If doubling-Up use Council member B)
Voice (If doubling-up, use Council Chair).

If needs be and the narrator is very clear it might be possible to double-up on other roles but this is highly undesirable.  If it does happen, readers should certainly use different voices for different roles. In case of need, a doubling-up guide is given.

Sotto voce readings - credits:

1 - (Drama) - William Shakespeare, “Macbeth”
2 - (Poem) - Wilfred Owen, 1914/18 - “Futility”
3 - (Carol) - Nahum Tate, 1700 - “While Shepherds Watched”

=====================================================
=====================================================

EARLIER VERSION OF SAME WORK:

Copyright etc.
PF !-207 AB
December 2004.


Dogs & Existential Nihilism

Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more; it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

The Universal Council is now sitting.
Order! Order!

The first case before your Lordships:
A petition from Earth, concerning
their dominant species: Humans.

Not them again, we dealt with them
only about two hundred years ago...
What on Earth now?!

My Lords, we are dogs
Here this day to please for humans.
their nihilism has gone
existential. I fear for them.

Order!
But this is prose -
or maybe drama,
masquerading as poetry?
How do you answer
that charge?

As a nihilist? I don’t!
It matters not.
To suit your value-system,
I’ll simply say thus:
I felt this presentation
best in verse.

Continue!
Onwards, downward,
ever closer to a
non-existent truth:
the meaning of the infinite
universe which cannot exist
in human concept but
cannot end either.

“-O what made fatuous sunbeams toil
To break earth's sleep at all?”

They believe in gods no more -
they have faith in nothing but Science.
They are changing the planet too fast,
too few species will survive

“Fear not!" said he; for might dread
had seized their troubled mind,
"Glad tidings of great joy I bring,
To you and all mankind”

Those Scientists are the modern priests.
Religion was dying so we
programmed the next stage
for your planet.
Your humans believe in science,
for the while.

So, asked GSD, you are God?
You are the gods?
Von Daniken was right?

No, my friends.
You make a critical error.
You think we exist.
Goodbye.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

2 - (Poem) - Wilfred Owen, 1914/18 - “Futility”
3 - (Carol) - Nahum Tate, 1700 - “While Shepherds Watched” [/b]

[Guest_Jox_*]

Hi Nina,

Two big crits in one day; I owe you!

>>Seeing as you asked so nicely James, I will try and comment.

Very kind - thanks Nina.

>>I must admit that your poem/drama baffled me somewhat. Firstly because you presented it as a drama then repeated it as a poem, with a number of changes in the words. I didn't know quite where to start commenting.

The top version is the revision (in bold); the lower the original. Fran said the original was not clear as to the voices, so I made the voices more segregated. But it’s always meant to be a stage-performed play. Sottu to be confusing. (My revisions can be seen from the ref no - AB, then AC, then AD etc. (Though AC is not shown in this case).

>>I know absolutely nothing about Philosophy. The poem seemed somewhat mocking in its tone, but left me confused as to what the target of your mockery is. Is it humankind? Belief in God? Existential nihilism? Or even dogs?

I was not trying to mock (oh dear - will have to look at the tone again - thanks.) . I know very little about philosophy - this is part of my (Very ad hoc and incomplete) learning process. I was exploring Nihilism (the belief that nothing matters) and touching on its Existential “extension” where we might as well all commit suicide because nothing matters. (I don’t agree with the latter and only agree with the former in the overall sense - I don’t think anything does matter in the final analysis but, of course, we all have lives to live so very many things do matter within that context).

>>By the end of the poem, I was none the wiser as to your opinion on the subject, but maybe I am missing something.

No, I’m pleased you were none-the-wiser: I omitted my opinions. I was exploring the area.

>>Looking at the verses themselves:

Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more; it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

>>shouldn't it read that struts and frets its hour upon the stage

Ah! Well... I’m embarrassed here. I put three quotes in italics and credited them in the notes at the end. This is the first of the three. I was not trying to pass it off as my work at all! Sorry. It is actually by Shakespeare from Macbeth, so I don’t feel sufficiently competent to correct it... any way I think the “his” is the chap named Life (he’s personified it). This writing is perfect Nihilism! (About 200 years before Philosophy caught-up). Mind you, you have shown that, however good the work or exalted the writer, we can still offer suggestions. (If we dare!)


So, asked GSD, you are God?
You are the gods?
Von Daniken was right?

>>this verse made no sense to me at all. I have no idea what GSD stands for.

Oops, sorry means German Shepherd Dog (proper name for an Alsatian). The dog is there lobbying on mankind’s behalf (Dogs being just about the only creatures on the planet who seem to like humans and want them to prosper).

>>Finally thanks James, this board is never dull with you around to stimulate our brain cells

Well... what can I say, apart from thanks for reading, thanks for the crit and thanks for the kind compliment, Nina. All very much appreciated.

Happy New Year to you and yours.

James.