Back in Book One, he proposed that the highest good is actually "the working of the soul." And he continues that emphasis in Book Ten with a discussion about what brings true happiness. And (surprise!) it's not a life of unending pleasure. He proposes that the values of our pleasures rise and fall with the activity with which they are joined. Pleasure is therefore a necessary element in the best life, but it is not the principal ingredient.The value of life depends upon the nature and worth of the activity with which our pleasures are connected.
In contrast to hedonism (a relentless pursuit of pleasure), he advocates for eudaimonia (the ability to live well, to flourish), which includes virtuous activity in accordance with reason.
What does all this have to do with Elizabeth Goudge? I've been thinking a lot about her novels and of how often they lack the feel-good, happily-ever-after endings that most readers crave. Many times her characters set aside their personal desires and pleasures to do the hard thing. They shore up their souls to live a deeper, truer life. So the endings are always happy in the Aristotelian sense.
My next post will cover my favorite Goudge titles in case you are wondering where to start.
P.S. I read this book in bite-sized chunks (15 minutes a day, 4 times a week) and it took nine months. I took copious notes so that the ideas would have a better chance of "sticking" in my brain. I'm grateful for my dear husband who patiently listened to my ruminations over many an early morning breakfast.
1 comment:
This is interesting because I've just been reading a lot of Goudge this year. I had read The Little White Horse several years ago and didn't care for it. But someone recommended The Dean's Watch to me recently. I felt it got off to a slow start, with tons of description before getting to the actual story (in fact, it inspired a post on Patience with Old Books). But eventually I loved it. Then I read The Scent of Water and The Bird in the Tree. I did pick up on themes of self-sacrifice in her work.
I wanted to know a little more about Goudge herself. Though there were definite Christian themes and allusions in her work, there were also some things that made me wonder where she was coming from. So now I am reading Beyond the Snow: The Life and Faith of Elizabeth Goudge by Christine Rawlins. It seems to be cobbled together from Goudge's own writings, but it has given a bit of insight so far.
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