Classics Are Loved Throughout the Generations
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Classics Are Loved Throughout the Generations
  • Kim Lee Hyunmin, Kim Han Yujin
  • 승인 2020.03.16 09:55
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What determines whether work is a masterpiece? To earn the title of classic, a piece must meet a number of necessary conditions, but especially, “time”. Nevertheless, not all old works are considered as classics. Another vital criterion is interest. Without continual interest, the work is forgotten. Any piece that receives continued attention can be referred to as a classic. In today’s fast-changing world, there are some works that have passed the test of time. Then, what draws people to these masterpieces?

 

COVER OF PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
COVER OF PRIDE AND PREJUDICE


Pride and Prejudice (1813)

“Of a fine, stout, healthy love it may. Everything nourishes what is strong already. But if it be only a sight, thin sort of inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet will starve it entirely away.”
-Darcy


Pride and Prejudice

The Bennets lived in the early 19th century, and Mr. Bennet had five daughters. The family lived in the Longbourn area of England. Elizabeth, the second daughter, was brilliant and confident. She and her older sister Jane, once they had reached marriageable age, were to be married off as heirs to the family’s Longbourn Estate. One day, two wealthy gentlemen, Bingley and Darcy, arrived from London and visited the Bennet family. Jane and Bingley immediately showed affection towards each other. Darcy also took a liking to Elizabeth. However, Elizabeth viewed Darcy as a blunt arrogant man, and as such, she was not open to the affection as what Darcy showed at her. Several days after Bingley and Darcy left Longbourn for London, Jane felt into a deep longing for Bingley, so she set off to London to see Bingley.  Her departure was met with discouragement from cynical and scornful attitude of Bingley’s sister. Elizabeth, on the other hand, had received a proposal of marriage from Darcy. However, she refused and showed her rejection with anger. He had also been responsible for interfering in the relation between Bingley and Jane. Realizing that Elizabeth had misunderstood his actions, Darcy then wrote her a letter confessing to her exactly what had transpired in Longbourn. Reading the letter, Elizabeth fell into disarray. Will Elizabeth, Darcy, Jane, and Bingley ever marry their true loves?

Recommendation

At once in your life, you may have shown prejudice towards another without realizing it. Just as Elizabeth had misjudged Darcy as being an arrogant man merely because of his appearance, prejudice can form just by looking at one’s outward appearance. The novel discusses such prejudices and arrogance (pride) from which it arises. Elizabeth discriminated against Darcy because of his status and attitude, and her negative views towards him led her to misunderstand almost all of his behavior. Darcy’s arrogance also contributed to others’ misunderstandings of him. Their misunderstandings kept them from valuing Darcy as a person, and as result, they all became confused about love. In the end, the two leading characters overcome their personal flaws and find true love, which is what Jane Austen, the author of this story, hoped to convey to her readers. In line with the title of the novel, ‘Pride and Prejudice’, the two emotions can prevent us from making morally correct judgments about others, and they mask our own true values. All people must be careful of cementing prejudices and pride. The message applies not only to relationships of love, but all other relationships that surround us. Anyone who has difficulty forming relationships with others can find an answer in this book.

 

OFFICIAL POSTER OF TITANIC
OFFICIAL POSTER OF <TITANIC>


Titanic (1997)

“To make each day count.”
- Jack Dawson


Titanic

Titanic, also called the ‘Ship of Dreams’, set off from England to the US. Rose was onboard the Titanic, and upon arriving in the US was to take part in an unwanted marriage. She travelled first class with her family and fiancé, but was skeptical about her current and future life. She is bored with her structured life, planned out by her mother without consideration of what she really wanted from life. Such skepticism caused Rose to attempt to commit suicide by jumping off the ship. Hanging from the ship’s railing, a man saved Rose. His name was Jack Dawson, a poor painter from Paris who had won himself a ticket on the Titanic in a card gambling game. Rose and Jack become close after his rescue of her, and for the next several days they met often and started to show affection for each another. A relationship between a first class aristocrat and third class citizen was viewed poorly and criticized by others. Despite the negativity, the two fell in love and promised to run away together once the Titanic arrived in the U.S. However, the day before the ship was scheduled to arrive in the US, it collided with a huge glacier. Will Rose and Jack survive and live happily ever after?
 

SCREENSHOT OF TITANIC
SCREENSHOT OF <TITANIC>

 

Recommendation

Watching Titanic, the following question may come to mind: “What would I have done in that situation?” The film presents the actions of various humans in extreme situations. Viewers will have various feelings depending on the human actions. There will be feelings of sorrow for those who turn a blind eye to those seeking help and feelings of angry to those who show selfishness in the desire to survive. Viewers may also feel anger towards the status system at that time; that is, employees keeping lower class people locked down while first class people are given the chance to evacuate first. In such an emergency, frustration could be felt watching the ship’s employees operate solely according to the ship’s manual. Also, viewers may also sense the sadness at the end of life with the loved ones. Most of all, this final emotion is likely the reason Titanic has been loved for a long time; it resonates with audiences of the past and present. The movie <Titanic> is more than love between classes. It presents human behavior in extreme situations, which makes each of us reflect on humanity. Another attractiveness of the film is the presentation of different eras. In the movie, viewers observe the unwanted marriages of the past by women and how they become property of their husbands. There is also the distinct presentation of the class system. The film gives its audiences many things to consider. This reporter recommends watching the film with an eye on the present to understand why the movie is loved by all who have seen it and why it is a must-see classic.

 

Kim Lee Hyunmin / Editor-in-Chief
smt_lhm@sookmyung.ac.kr
Kim Han Yujin / Woman Section Editor
smt_hyj@sookmyung.ac.kr


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