Introduction
As psychologists understand it, resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity. The concept is especially pertinent in war and other catastrophes that cause significant harm to individuals and groups. The concept of resilience has always been wide-ranging in its scope, from its core philosophy from social psychology to its various applications in business and society (Atwood 33). Resilience is unrestrained by previous experiences and cannot be forced upon anyone. Grace Mark’s resilience is a significant theme in her life. It is revealed in several ways throughout the story, most prominently when she is stripped naked and then branded by a series of hot irons on her right shoulder (Atwood 38). She must endure these painful attacks to survive the abuse and humiliation she takes at the hands of her abuser, Father James Whitecloud. His beating does not stop until Grace refuses to buckle under his demands and asks for help from Reverend Thomas Kinnear. This essay will examine various representations of resilience, specifically as presented in Margaret Atwood’s novel, Langston Hughes’ play, and Shakespeare’s poem.
Critical Analysis
Resilience is how individuals, communities, and ecosystems adapt to environmental changes. It is important to remember that resilience is not a static concept but a dynamic one. It can be developed through practice and experience and by knowing how to cope with failure and setbacks. Additionally, an individual can acquire resilience through several ways, including emotional support, education and training, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The novel by Margaret Atwood describes how this concept is developed throughout Grace Marks’s childhood and adolescence as she faces adversity. In the novel Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood, the audience is introduced to Grace Marks, who is an Irish immigrant and a domestic servant for a wealthy family in Canada. The character Grace Marks was resilient throughout her life, and even though she was abused by her master, she remained resilient and did not let it affect her life negatively. She went on to live with another master named James McDermott, who loved her so much that he gave her his daughter’s and son’s names when they married. He also supported her financially so she could return to school and become educated.
In addition, the concept of resilience can be seen in the play Hamlet written by William Shakespeare and the poem I, Too by Langston Hughes. In both poems, some characters are resilient despite their poverty or homelessness. These characters use their creativity or imagination to overcome their hardships through poetry or artwork, allowing them to express themselves freely without worrying about what others think of them. Further, Grace Marks is resilient in her sense of survival and strength. She has a strong will and an ability to cope with difficult situations. She uses this strength to overcome adversity and survive in a harsh environment until she gets caught. The story tells people that she was born into poverty and had to work for her family to survive. Her father was abusive, so she ran away from home at age nine. She was found guilty of her crimes of murder, arson, and robbery and was hanged for these crimes (Atwood 46). Her life was full of hardships, but she never gave up on what she loved most, her freedom.
In Alias Grace and Poem, I, Too, the audience can see characters who another person has hurt, but they do not let that stop them from living their lives. They still go on with their life as if nothing happened. In Hamlet, Prince Hamlet decides to kill his father, Claudius, because he thinks he has murdered his mother, Gertrude, and wants revenge for this murder (Shakespeare 15). But even though he does this to get revenge for what happened to Gertrude, he still feels guilty about killing Claudius because he knows that Claudius did not kill Gertrude, but someone else did.
Moreover, In the novel, resilient characters are those who have overcome their hardships and continue living life as usual. Throughout Grace Mark’s imprisonment, she was subjected to harsh conditions and physical abuse from others (Atwood 77). She also endured mental abuse from nuns that taught her religion. In addition to being physically abused, Grace is emotionally used throughout the novel. As a young girl, she was forced into prostitution at a young age by her mother. Then as an adult, she was forced into prostitution again by her sister Marguerite after a customer brutally beat her in their brothel. This leads people to believe that Grace may have been abused physically and emotionally throughout her childhood and adolescence.
Resilience is further developed through Grace’s ability to escape imprisonment, even when she does not want to. She became a successful author after writing about the events during her time in prison. The concept of resilience is also developed throughout Shakespeare’s play Hamlet by Queen Gertrude, who must deal with her son’s death while caring for her husband, King Hamlet. In the poem I, Too by Langston Hughes, he describes how he was misunderstood as a black man who is not welcomed at the dining table because of his skin color (Hughes). He says he is only trying to fit in with his friends, but they do not understand or help him. He uses his poetry and rhyming technique to address how he feels about the treatment because he has also been affected by this event.
Throughout the novel, people can see that Marks’ resilience is also developed through her interactions with others and her own will to survive. One example is when she receives a letter from her mother, who had been arrested for witchcraft and sent to prison (Atwood 56). She is denied food or drink until she confesses to being a witch. Another example is when she refuses to give up hope that her master will return home and take her with him. Her resilience also comes through her interactions with other characters, such as John Connolly, who was one of the last people to see Grace alive before she died. He tells Grace that he will not let them execute her without knowing who killed her because he cares about her as an individual rather than just an enslaved person or criminal.
Grace Marks is subjected to violence and abuse at the hands of her husband. She holds onto her innocence until she kills her abusive husband and is sentenced to hang. Throughout her trial, she maintains a strong sense of self-identity and refuses to submit to the societal norms that would make her a submissive woman. In Hamlet, the main character is not only his father but also his uncle Claudius who his brother poisoned. He struggles with grief and guilt when he learns he killed his father and uncle. However, one discovers this in this text through interactions with others around him, such as Ophelia and Polonius (Shakespeare 102). He becomes more resilient over time because he learns how to cope with these feelings through talking with others who have been through similar situations or have similar feelings.
Furthermore, Grace Marks can return to her abusive husband after being accused of murdering him. She has a strong will and personality, which makes her able to withstand the abuse from her husband and others. She does not let the abuse she receives from her husband affect her or change her personality. She continues to be happy and optimistic throughout all of this time. In the play Hamlet, the main character is described as very resilient. He keeps going with his plans even though everyone around him tries to stop him from doing what he wants to do. Another character shown as being very resilient in this play is Horatio (Shakespeare). He does not give up on trying to find out what happened during the events in Hamlet’s life, which made him so depressed and sad when he was younger.
Conclusion
Resilience is necessary for modern life; it can be defined as the ability to withstand or recover from challenging circumstances. It is commonly associated with a political, social, and environmental context. Not only do individuals need to be resilient to survive, but, as discussed earlier, nations and the global community face similar challenges when it comes to remaining resilient. The qualities and features needed to do so are not difficult to come by. The texts by Atwood, Hughes, and Shakespeare provide examples of how resilience can be expressed. They also illustrate the dangers inherent in not being able to express one’s feelings or deal with adversity. When people encounter situations threatening their well-being or happiness, it is often helpful to realize that many others have had similar or even worse experiences. As artists and aesthetes, it may seem frivolous for people to complain about their hardships. However, suppose people learn to take pride in the moments that they overcome their difficulties. In that case, they will continue to be motivated and persistent in responding to whatever setbacks arise.
Works Cited
Atwood, Margaret. Alias Grace. S.L., Virago Press Ltd, 2019.
Hughes, Langston. “I, Too by Langston Hughes.” Poetry Foundation, 2019, Web.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. BoD–Books on Demand, 2023.