Agony And Extacy Essay, Research Paper

THEME(S)

Major

?Art surpassing life? and ?The agony and ecstasy of an artist? are

the two significant themes of the novel. Michelangelo waits for

years to get recognition and understanding of his creativity. He

works for many rulers and acts according to the whims of

different religious heads. He meets both the good and the bad

and witnesses their end. He is kept away from the marble and

forced to work in other mediums. He experiences prolonged

agony during the time he is separated from his favorite stone. He

lives on hope and his talent waits to be unleashed. By the time he

gets the opportunity to carve marble statues of his liking, he is

too old to execute such monumental works. However, divine

energy and a spiritual power, aid him to complete all his tasks

successfully. Working on the marble, he feels ecstatic and

overcomes all the hurdles of age and ailments. His art makes him

superhuman and immortal. Years after his death, he is still

remembered for his beautiful pieces of art and considered as one

of the greatest sculptors in the world.

MOOD

The mood of the novel is serious as it traces the life of

Michelangelo as an artist; from a teenager to an old man of

ninety. The artist experiences both the agony and the ecstasy as

he waits for commissions from fanatical rulers and carves on

beautiful marble slabs. He is kept away from the object of his

desire for long and his work gets interrupted often. And when he

gets to carve marble statues, he has to work for long hours and

struggle hard to complete his tasks on time. His enemies try to

malign him and overwork makes him ill. However, he

overcomes disease, hatred and age through his talent and

dedication. The novel ends on a note of hope with Michelangelo

expressing satisfaction with his work before he breathes his last.