The Consolation Of Philosophy By Boethius Analysis

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Boethius examines the different factors that drive individuals to chase after celebrity among others by using the voice of philosophy to create dialogue, in which he discovers the futility of fame. The Consolation of Philosophy warns readers to shy away from the enticing tactics of fame by claiming that no matter the level of notoriety one achieves, an individual’s name will never be dispersed among all nations; furthermore, any fame attained will eventually prove fruitless as all people are mortal. Lady Philosophy asserts that people who fall into the trap of fame need to be reminded of their finite nature and she changes the reader’s perspective as she insists that incentives to succeed cannot be rooted in selfish desires for fame. In order …show more content…

He deems that although fortune determines much of one’s life, “she never associates with good men and does not turn into good men those with whom she associates” (Boethius 40). From this quote, one can determine that fortune is also interwoven into the backstory of an individual’s fame because fortune favors those who are not necessarily good people. Comparatively, Boethius continues his discussion of fortune following his conversation about fate. It is interesting to observe how Boethius’ opinion on fortune changes after exploring the influences concerning fame. He expounds upon his original interpretation of fame by stating that “bad fortune is more useful than good fortune,” as bad fortune is always truthful and people can learn from its teachings (Boethius 44). He realizes that good fortune could allow one to be highly recognized in society, yet allows that the individual becomes consumed with increasing his celebrity among peoples. For example, Nero was not expected to rise to the throne. Through a bout of good fortune and many unexpected family deaths, Nero was able to become emperor. Although this fortune brought him the crown, it also stripped him of his ability to reason as a man and Nero began to regard himself as a deity. He exhibited this mindset through poisoning people to stay in power, which shows that he was unwilling to let go of his fame as emperor. Good fortune brought Nero the throne, but also resulted in the loss of his reasoning as a man and led him to chase after empty fame. Comparatively, bad fortune can allow for one to have a realistic mindset and not be concerned with his reputation as he is not constantly in the limelight. Ultimately, this example and the dialogue surrounding the topic allows for a greater understanding of all the factors that come into play concerning

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