Masculinity the Issue of Male

Masculinity

The issue of male relations and especially male friendship has been discussed in literary texts in different ways. William Shakespeare and Goethe are some of the most representative figures of the literary world and are essential in the discussion over masculinity and male relationships.

Shakespeare's "The Merchants of Venice" and Goethe's "The Sorrow of Young Werther" are significant in trying to point out certain relevant coordinates that defined the way in which male relationships were viewed, depicted and constructed both in terms of reality observation as well as from the point-of-view of the literary practice.

In order to have a perspective over the complexity of the relationships between men in these literary coordinates, it is important to have in mind certain aspects such as the patters followed by the authors in depicting the relationships, the pressures such relationship face, as well as the dynamic of their evolution.

Firstly, both Shakespeare and Goethe used in their two mentioned works certain patterns. Shakespeare presents the male couple, Antonio and Bassanio as the typical friends. They are two adventurers, both in heart and mind, each of them with their own problems being discussed among each other. Antonio is the more pragmatic one, with problems that relate to the material world. He has invested all his money in trade and at the start of the play he faces serious issues related to his ships at sea. On the other hand, Bassanio is the dreamy type of character, who follows his heart and who is desperately in love with Portia, the heiress of a considerable fortune. The relationship of the two men is based on sincere feelings and constant mutual support. Nonetheless, Antonio is the one more coherent in thoughts and actions, as he is the one advising his friend to acquire the money he needs for courting Portia from a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. This initiative reveals both the practical nature of Antonio, as well as the adventurous spirit of the two. From this perspective, the initial relationship of the two may be compared to that of Romeo and Mercutio, from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." Despite the fact that the "Merchants of Venice" is more a comedy rather than a tragedy, the relationship of the two is somewhat comparable with that available in "Romeo and Juliet." Similar to Romeo and Mercutio who are strongly connected through a friendship that defies any norm and rule, Antonio and Bassanio are too linked through a certain sense of completion. Mercutio may resemble Antonio through their more pragmatic spirit, while Bassanio is similar to Romeo in his quest for his impossible love. Even so, in the two couples, each of them completes the other, at the level of their relationship.

In Goethe's work, Werther can be described as establishing two friendship relationships. On the one hand, he is friends with Wilhelm, to whom he writes the letters making up the entire novel, and, on the other hand, a special type of relationship with Albert, the man to marry Werther's great love, Lotte. In any case, however, the linking point is Werther who can be viewed as being the typical lover, frustrated by the impossibility of accomplishing his feelings. The relationship with Wilhelm is available to the reader from the writings if Werther; nonetheless, their type of connection is based on the confessions made by Werther and the way in which he writes his letters to him. They are very personal, written with a direct address; therefore, the target of the letters is well determined in the person of Wilhelm.

However, there is another issue that must be taken into account. It may be that in fact Wilhelm's existence to be merely a literary creation of the author in order to give depth to the novel. More precisely, Wilhelm can also be interpreted as being an invention that in fact represents the reader to whom Werther confesses. The connection is thus more personal and direct and enables the reader to be in contact with the main character.

The other relationship Werther establishes is with Albert, who is his direct adversary in the fight for Lotte's love. Although they come to develop a certain type of friendship, Werther will never consider his adversary as being his friend, precisely due to the fact that his main characteristic is that of an unfulfilled lover, therefore he cannot base his friendship on sincere attitudes, but on hidden thoughts. Even so, there is a sense of relationship because Werther admires his qualities, although he is convinced that Albert will not make Lotte happy.

Throughout the evolution of these two pieces of literature, there are certain pressures these relationships are subjected to. In this sense, the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio, on the one hand, and that of Werther and Albert's on the other are faced with an evolutionary trend in their respective works. Antonio and Bassanio must go through the difficult task of saving Antonio's life when it is discovered that he had lost his ships at sea. Despite this pressure, Bassanio comes to his rescue to save his life. This represents a proof of the simplicity of their relation, based on honest, true feelings. The pressure of life and death is not relevant to change the equilibrium of their relation.

In the other case however, the relationship between Werther and Albert appears at the opposite corner. More precisely, due to the fact that neither of the two nurtured any sincere feelings of attachment towards the other, despite their relative closeness, as Werther is determine to end his life, Albert does not come to his rescue. Even more, Lotte is the one sending his the pistols Werther requires. Form this point-of-view it is obvious that there can be no talk of true friendship among the two men.