Boethius and Philosophy

Boethius, in The Consolation of Philosophy, is simply trying to apply his reason to human existence in order to make sense of that existence in a world which seems to champion evil and defy justice and goodness. The author depicts himself as a man torn by the misfortunes of life, finding some relief if not happiness in the pleasures of poetry. Poetry does not help him make sense of his suffering but at least gives him the opportunity to express his pain: "Poetry, which was once the glory of my happy and flourishing youth, is still my comfort in this misery of my old age" (3).

However, immediately, philosophy comes to him in a vision as Lady Philosophy, offering him more than poetry could ever offer, namely the opportunity to make rational sense of the world as a means of transcending his suffering instead of wallowing in it. The dialogue between Boethius and Lady Philosophy ensues, in which Boethius learns that there is indeed more in life than poetry to answer human suffering. In fact, philosophy offers a return to reason from the madness of meaningless misery, and even happiness or at least well-being which flows from the guidance of reason.

Lady Philosophy's first words to Boethius are to warn him against the false comfort of poetry and to offer instead the true consolation of philosophy and reason. The Muses of Poetry "will only nourish him with their sweet poison" and "kill the fruitful harvest of reason with the sterile thorns of the passions" (4). Philosophy, on

Related Essays

Ethical Structures with Religious Basis .... Boethius talks the issue over with Philosophy, pictured as a she, a nurse ministering to him while he awaits his execution. Philosophy .... (2675 11 )

Concept of Fortune in Boethius & Dante .... "Reclaiming Boethius' The Consolations of Philosophy." 1983 NEH Institute Resource Book for the Teaching of Medieval Civilization, ed. Howell Chickering. .... (4241 17 )

Aristotle, Plato, Dante .... New York: Bobbs-Merrill, 1962. Boethius. The Consolations of Philosophy. New York: Penguin. Lee, Desmond (tr.), Plato: The Republic. .... (1638 7 )

Concept of Fortune .... "Reclaiming Boethius' The Consolations of Philosophy." 1983 NEH Institute Resource Book for the Teaching of Medieval Civilization, ed. Howell Chickering. .... (4240 17 )

The soul-body relationship .... Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1987. Boethius. The Consolations of Philosophy. New York: Penguin, 1969. Buchanan .... (1912 8 )

endures in the face of trouble is the state of reason. Despite his philosophical education, Boethius had become convinced, step by step, that he was happy with his fame, wealth and power, with "the pleasures of false happiness" (22). When those possessions and honors were stripped from him, he felt he had lost his happiness and any chance at winning it back again. Philosophy tells him, however, that now he has the experience to see the truth of philosophy in reality, in his own life. This terrible situation in which he finds himself is precisely the best situation for him to be in in order to discover the highest truth available to human beings about the meaning of existence. Again, the point is made that the journey to true and lasting happiness or well-being must begin at a point of utter misery. Only at such a point is the human being reduced to such unhappiness that he at last can begin to question what happiness truly is. Up to that point, for all his philosophical reading, Boethius was still under the spell of the belief that fame, good fortune, wealth and power were the sources of happiness. Now they are gone and he is miserable. Will he be like most other men and either try to win his possessions and honors back, or

Category: Philosophy - B