Aldous Leonard Huxley the best
novelists of twentieth century, is one of the best the most subtle and
intellectual modern writers. He was an author of repute and his works present
satirically the disillusionment in social life. He is a spokesman of his
century almost all the views and ideas in a highly readable manner.
‘Brave New World’ also expresses a
frightening expression of fears felt by many thoughtful people-fears of future
in which the only value would be material values. The novel is concerned with
the theme of what would become of man and the world and lived in, if such excessive
subservience to science and technology continued.
The title
The irony implicit in Huxley’s choice
of the title is evident enough and his satire on the supposedly ‘Brave New world’ of the modern man
living in 632 after Ford, quite biting. The world presented by him is neither
brave nor new, but simply disgusting. He is satirizing the scientific progress
carried to an extreme. Like Miranda of Shakespeare’s play, the savage is also
ignorant of vices that this ‘The Brave New World’ and its inhabitants are heir
to.
The theme of ‘Brave New World’
The theme of ‘Brave New World’ is a presentation of the picture of future in order to
satirize the present. There is an alarming tendency among human being to make
the best the latest advantage in the fields of scientific knowledge. Their life
is becoming mechanized and standardized. Edward Albert rightly remarks,
“The
novel gives a satirical
picture
of what he imagines
the world
would be under
the rule
of science. No disease,
no pain
but no emotion and
worse, on
spiritual life”.
Another
theme of Brave New World presents the predicament of the individual in a mass
community. It shows us to what will become of the individual in a socialized
community where greater emphasis will be laid on community on the individual
man and woman It also embodies a
warning about the future of man based on scientific and technological progress.
a satirical novel.
Brave
New world is a satirical novel. Like George Orwell’s novel ‘Nineteen
Eighty-Four’ Brave New World contains a satiric vision of and commentary on
future. However a close look at the novel shows that the satire in it is aimed
at present. It is a realistic satire which presents an anti-utopian vision of
the future to launch an attack on the present. So According to George Woodcock
“This novel is a fantasy of
the future and a satire on
the present. And in both
roles it carries conviction
because of the export and
convincing handing of detail
to create a plausible world. ’
utopian and the anti-utopian fiction
Huxley
has written both the utopian and the anti-utopian fiction. Last novel ‘Island’
is a utopian fiction. However his novel ‘Brave New World’ is an anti utopian
work because it has presented a picture of the future world which is extremely
gloomy, dismal, depressing and repulsive.
Brave New World’ can be
regarded as a utopian novel because it projects an imaginary work of future but
it is anti-utopian in that, this world is simply disgusting and not an ideal or
alluring one as we find in a work of utopian fiction.
scientific fiction
“Brave
New World” can rightly be put into the category of science fiction. Huxley was
disgusted at the unchecked growth of science and the immense progress made in
the direction of material comforts and mechanical mode of life. He wanted to
warn mankind against the dangers of the unrestricted growth of science in
future. With his vast knowledge of science, he imagined a future where human
life was mechanized and man himself was deprived of all emotional and spiritual
values because of his over-dependence on science and his indulgence in material
pleasures.
He
presents a future state dominated by science which had discovery how to produce
life in the laboratory. Pain, dirt, diseases, squalor, poverty and conflict
have all been abolished in this scientific paradise. Every physical desire to
encouraged and can be gratified. Restraint is unknown because it unnecessary.
Science has effectively done away with the unpleasant consequence of human
concupiscence. Youth, beauty, and vitality endure as long as life, while condition
of the mind and body ensure.
But
in this world, man has lost his individual freedom, and is supposed to have any
emotions or sentiments like love and loyalty and is simple on the level of a beast.
Huxley builds up a picture of such a life only to condemn it, through the
savage, and to caution us against complete subservience to science which is
responsible for creating this world.
‘Brave
New World’ is an outstanding work of science-fiction. Keith May aptly called it
a Satirical utopian or anti–utopian science fiction Paul W. Gannon
remarks,
“It is a
masterpiece of science
fiction.
Huxley has imaginatively
employed
scientific facts and
theories
to produce a classic of its kind.”
plot and structure
In case of plot and structure, ‘Brave New
World’ is brimful of ideas. Huxley had to say many clear things on various
subjects and discuss, full account of which he managed to work into him. Huxley
had to organize his structure in such a manner as to be able to present both
the world. There is not much by way of action in the novel and most of the part
of the novel is devoted to the description of the new world of future. The
prominent characteristic of the plot is its compressed manners of depicting the
society which Huxley imagines to be in future. Huxley organized in the texture
of this story of novel very skillfully.
An allegory novel
Allegory is the word related style of
novel. In such a novel characters are meant as symbols. An Allegory is a
narrative in which action, setting, sense apply to some other related person,
things, concepts, or events. Thus an allegory is a story with a double mean.
Apparently the writer tells an interesting story but his real aim to convey
some moral truth. Brave New World is a remarkable alike.
Brave New World is an allegory novel
because the character, setting, and action of novel have direct concern to
reality. Novel contains a satiric vision of and commentary on future. However a
close look at the novel shows that the satire in it is aimed at present. Thus
we find a story with a double meaning.
The
novel presents the contrasting view of two different worlds and their values.
The first is the new world of the future World Sate with its emphasis on stability,
security, free sex and conformity to social order and ideals. The other world
is the old worlds like that of the Reservation with its emphasis on emotion
ties, freedom, individuality and moral or spiritual values.
On
the one hand, there are machinery, modern medicine and universal happiness and
universal happiness. On the other, we have God, Religion, Art and Poetry. One
based on the ideal of scientific industrialization is represented by Mustapha
Mond and the other on the lawrentian ideal of primitive vitalism represented by
John the savage. Huxley advances arguments in favour of both, but seems to
believe in and show the triumph of the traditional ways of the old world.
Conclusion
To summing up, ‘Brave New World’ may
rightly be said to occupy an important place not only among Huxley’s novels,
but in the whole field of English fiction and among the works of utopian
fiction in other language as well. In Conclusion ‘Brave New World’ is a Utopian
or dystopian satirical science fiction. Huxley chiefly dealt with the science
affecting human life the process of dehumanization and the antagonism between
the two world of scientific progress and imaginative vitalism.
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