The Themes of Philip Pullman's Northern Lights

812 Words2 Pages

“Northern Lights deals with large themes; love, betrayal, religion and science” Discuss

Northern Lights deals with the forces of love, betrayal, religion and science; all of these themes spur from one source, power. Each character in the novel experiences these topics, because each character is powerful. Northern Lights shows us that all individuals must either choose to use or be overcome these forces.

Ever since the dawn of time, love has been a fundamental part of every human’s lives. Northern Lights demonstrates to us that the love of a friend or the love of spouse can create either great power or bring misery and unhappiness. Iorek and Lyra are a perfect example a powerful relationship. Iorek has been denied power, Lyra is on a quest to find power and with out the love the two shared as friends, neither would be able to complete their missions. However, this is not to say the love and power are a perfect combination. To illustrate, look at Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel. “His hands, still clasped her head, tensed suddenly and drew her towards him in a passionate kiss. Lyra thought this looked more like cruelty than love” both are powerful in their own right, but neither is truly happy with the other. They cannot agree or conform with each others beliefs of Dust, meaning no physical love could keep them together. Although there was a strong romantic interest between the two, both came from different sides of power, her religion and he science. Northern Lights shows its readers that when true love is evident, than true power is achievable.

Betrayal is a key aspect in the journey to power. Most characters in Northern Lights weave many webs of lies to cover up the truth. Not every character relies on betrayal to achieve power, however like this world, there are individuals that will stop at no lengths to meet their desires. For example, both Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter betray Lyra in order to help themselves. They lie about who they are (in relation to being her parents), Mrs. coulter tries to take the alethiometer and Lord Asriel kills her dear friend Roger. Iofur, brother of Iorek is another who betrayed those closest to him. After killing his own father, he denied ever doing such a hideous act. Not only that, he exiled his own brother, and became king of Armored Bears.

Show More
Related

  • The Hunger Games: Annotated Bibliography

    741 Words  | 2 Pages

    Information from this site will be beneficial when explaining the reference of love as a way to combat evil. This theme is quite strong throughout the series.

    Read More

  • Love in A Midsummer Night's Dream

    924 Words  | 2 Pages

    In conclusion, all of the above paragraphs dealt with examples proving that love can be associated to a higher power. A higher power in definition is any being or group of beings that have direct control over the actions of another being. Two of the examples showed how a higher power can control love and one of the examples showed how love can defy a higher power and prevail. In any case, it has been proven that a higher power does exist when dealing with love. Many people have wondered what love really is and how love develops between people. Even if love isn't associated with a higher power in life, it is a strange phenomenon and so far the association of love with a higher powers is a valid suggestion as it was proven in the story, "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

    Read More

  • Destructive Love in Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon

    1770 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Song of Solomon, through many different types of love, —Ruth's incestuous love, Milkman and Hagar's romantic love, and Guitar's love for his race, —Toni Morrison demonstrates not only the readiness with which love will turn into a devastating and destructive force, but also the immediacy with which it will do so. Morrison tackles the amorphous and resilient human emotion of love not to glorify the joyous feelings it can effect but to warn readers of love's volatile nature. Simultaneously, however, she gives the reader a clear sense of what love is not. Morrison explicitly states that true love is not destructive. In essence, she illustrates that if "love" is destructive, it is most likely, a mutation of love, something impure, because love is all that is pure and true.

    Read More

  • A Very Brief History of Cuba

    2159 Words  | 5 Pages

    Cuba has come an exceptional way economically, politically, and culturally since its discovery in 4200 BC. According to a recent MDG Report Card by the Overseas Development Institute, Cuba is among the top twenty performing countries in the world. As a former colony of Spain, Cuba was under their domination for 388 years before gaining independence. One cannot predict the future of the country, but by looking at the history of Cuba from its pre-colonial era to the present, it is clear that it will be written by charismatic Cuban leaders.

    Read More

  • Love Affairs in Le Morte d’Arthur and The Wife of Bath’s Tale

    1595 Words  | 4 Pages

    In a relationship, Love is a feeling that humans share with a special person. Some bonds could be mutual, while others are dissociated. During the Medieval period, love affairs were dominated by one gender, men, and the women had little or no control over decisions. Before a gentleman married a lady, the gentleman first boasted about her beauty, championed the cause of the lady, and did whatever the lady requested. The era was influenced by knights, and dictated by honor and chivalry that each knight had to display to their king and queen. As a gentleman, a knight had to be just at all times, especially toward ladies. At this time, there was a king named Arthur. King Arthur had a flourishing kingdom that abruptly ended. Later on, many authors recounted the story of the reign of King Arthur. Sir Thomas Malory published Le Morte d’Arthur, and Geoffrey Chaucer published The Wife of Bath’s Tale. Although both of these books recount the reign of King Arthur, the stories are very diverse and unique in their own way. Both stories demonstrate for a relationship to be successful, both partners must be submissive, must be brave, and must be willing to learn from mistakes.

    Read More

  • Abelard and Heloise

    1232 Words  | 3 Pages

    Time and again, history has created a star-crossed couple that overcomes all obstacles through the strength of love. Whether it is from Pyramus and Thisbe, Romeo and Juliet, or Jack and Rose, the only possibility to separate the couple is the death of one or both individuals. Love is defined in these relationships as fighting against all odds, class, society, and even family, in order to be with their loved one. While these stories may be fictional, history has presented a real case of star-crossed “lovers”, Peter Abelard and Heloise. This couple went to little length to fight society in trying to establish a relationship with one another. Although considered a love story to some, a relationship founded on lust, inability to fight for marriage, and union to the church, shatters the illusion of romance and shows the relationship for what it truly is, a lackluster liaison.

    Read More

  • True Love In Edith Hamilton's Mythology

    769 Words  | 2 Pages

    Love is often misconstrued as an overwhelming force that characters have very little control over, but only because it is often mistaken for the sum of infatuation and greed. Love and greed tread a blurred line, with grey areas such as lust. In simplest terms, love is selfless and greed is selfish. From the agglomeration of mythological tales, people deduce that love overpowers characters, even that it drives them mad. However, they would be wrong as they would not have analyzed the instances in depth to discern whether or not the said instance revolves around true love. Alone, true love help characters to act with sound reasoning and logic, as shown by the tales of Zeus with his lovers Io and Europa in Edith Hamilton’s Mythology.

    Read More

  • Love: The Great Equalizer in Midsummer Night’s Dream

    954 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... as they present pure fantasy, and the lovers have one foot in each world; they experience desperation in the face of harsh realities, but meanwhile they learn and change as a result of their fantastical dreams. The allusions used in each world illustrate the differences between them and bring them together simultaneously. All of the myths and legends referenced have similar themes and origins, but each is interpreted differently by the speaker; the lovers speak of mythological figures much like themselves, the mechanicals attempt to do the same with little success, and the fairies reference gods and goddess who toy with the fates of mortal lovers. Such striking similarities echo the ever-present theme that in love, we are all the same. Whether we fancy a donkey, a meddling fairy, or a friendly Athenian, in love there is beauty, hilarity, and irrationality in excess.

    Read More

  • The Heart Of Darkness

    552 Words  | 2 Pages

    The novel, Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, is literally about Marlow’s journey into the Belgian Congo, but symbolically about the discovery of his heart and soul during his journey, only to find that it is consumed by darkness. He realizes that the man he admired and respected most, is really demonic and that he may be just like him. He is able to come to this realization however, before it takes the best of him.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between The Storm And How I Met My Husband

    518 Words  | 2 Pages

    Longing and love. Two words that we, as human beings, have been programmed to see as synonyms to one another. One cannot have love without longing, longing without love. These two words have an almost dynamic affect in the relationships we form throughout our lives. When we are experiencing longing for an individual, we must almost definitely love that person as well, or so we’ve witnessed in countless examples of film and Harlequin novels. Kate Chopin’s short story, “ The Storm,” and Alice Munro’s “How I Met My Husband,” longing and love can exist in a person’s life individually. One does not ease to exist because the other is not present. In Kate Chopin’s short story, the theme centers on the explosive episode of intimacy between Calixta and Alce Laballire, something as natural and as fleeting as a Louisiana storm. In

    Read More

  • Renaissance Love in Tristan and Iseult

    614 Words  | 2 Pages

    The modern concept of love owes a great deal to the Humanist tradition of the Renaissance. The humanists focused on perfection and exaltation of this life as opposed to the afterlife. In Tristan and Iseult the seeds of Renaissance love are present in the Middle Ages. To the modern eye, it is a mystery how the period of the Middle Ages produced the seeds of the diametrically opposite Renaissance. Yet it is necessary to understand this transformation if one is to fully comprehend the forces that helped produce the modern consciousness. Courtly Love is a transitional concept that emerged in the Middle Ages. It is transitional because it emerged early and acknowledges God as the creator of love, yet it concentrates on the lovers themselves. The tale of Tristan and Iseult is one of the oldest tales that exhibits courtly love. The Love of Tristan and Iseult, as a metaphor for courtly love, is pivotal to the transition from the Middle Ages' focus on community and afterlife to the Renaissance focus on the individual and earthly happiness.

    Read More

  • Love In Romeo And Juliet: The Consequences Of Love

    727 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although love is interpreted as a wonderful thing it can also ruin someone's life, “Love is a trap. When is appears, we see only its light, not its shadows.” (Paulo Coelho) Love doesn’t fix people it breaks them asunder. It waits and waits for its next target to make a mistake and ruin everything they worked for. As seen in various works including; “The Raven” , Romeo and Juliet, and “The Gift of the Magi”. Romantic love is a force that inflicts pain upon those who believe in it or those who have been through it.

    Read More

  • The Role of Love in Ancient Greek Medicine

    1444 Words  | 3 Pages

    For the ancient Greek doctor and philosopher, Eryximachus, Love’s potential for health and destruction were rooted in its divine origins. Good love “stems from the Muse Celestia” and “Common Love,” from “Polymnia” (Symposium 22). He saw these two loves as at the center of human/divine communication: “all the ways in which gods and men communicate with one another—are solely concerned with the perpetuation or the cure of love” (Symposium 23). Love provided the link, then, between the mortal and immortal beings. It was a common project that both humans and gods could work on. Eryximachus further articulated, “It is (Love) who makes it possible for us to interact on good terms with one another and with our divine masters” (Symposium 23-4). It is the element of life that transcends the human realm, giving the people a taste of the divine in their own lives.

    Read More

  • Discrimental Effects Of Imperialism In Joseph Conrad's Heart Of Darkness

    1622 Words  | 4 Pages

    Upon meeting Kurtz’s wife, Marlow decides to lie to her, attempting to protect her from the darkness. As Kurtz’s fiancé begs for Marlow to repeat Kurtz’s last words, Marlow lies: “The heavens do not fall for such a trifle. Would they have fallen, I wonder, if I had rendered Kurtz that justice which was his due…but I couldn’t. I could not tell her. It would have been too dark—too dark altogether…” (Conrad 72). Marlow lies to Kurtz’s fiancé in an attempt to protect her from the darkness. After witnessing the darkness of imperialism, Marlow realizes heaven does not fall for the darkness of mankind, so it will not fall for a lie. Upon this realization, Marlow becomes aware of the darkness not only in the jungle, but also back home. As Marlow completes his story, his lie to Kurtz’s fiancé causes Marlow to realize the unavoidable darkness for humanity. After completing his story, Marlow looks up, only to understand how unavoidable darkness really is: “The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds, and the tranquil waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the earth flowed somber under an overcast sky—seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness” (Conrad 72). As a result of telling his story, Marlow realizes the darkness of mankind is not only a result of imperialism, but also a result of existence. Lying to Kurtz’s fiancé completes Marlow’s realization of

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Growing Up In The Novel Of Philip Pullman's 'Northern Light'

    1747 Words  | 4 Pages

    Northern Light`s is the first novel of Philip Pullman`s trilogy. his dark materials was published in 1995. One of the most original elements of Pullman’s trilogy is the daemons. Within Lyra’s world, ever single human has a daemon, observable version of the soul that takes on an animal form. In creating the daemon, Pullman draws on feudal traditions in which witches and wizards have animal “familiars,” creatures active with some unreasonable spirit who can carry messages from the witch or wizard to the world beyond. In this essay , I will discuss the theme of growing up through the novel , and I will focus theme for main the character is lyra

    Read More

More about The Themes of Philip Pullman's Northern Lights

Open Document