Top 5 Analytical Essays on 'The Wolf and the Sheep' in La Fontaine's Fables by Hippolyte Ten

Hippolyte Ten (1828 – 1893) was a renowned literary researcher, cultural activist, and a member of the French Academy in the 19th century. At the age of 25 in 1853, Ten published his monumental literary work titled 'La Fontaine and His Fables.' The essay 'The Wolf and the Sheep in La Fontaine's Fables' is a section from this influential study. Jean De La Fontaine (1621–1695), a celebrated French poet and fable writer, was born in the village of Château-Thierry into a family of forest rangers. Orphaned at a young age, he was educated freely and extensively by his father. From an early age, he lived closely with nature, developing a deep love for forests and wild animals. After completing his studies in Paris, he returned to his hometown to manage the local forest and live among the impoverished workers. His rich connection with nature and the common folk made his poetry and writings deeply rooted in folklore, vividly portraying nature and animals, as well as showcasing his immense compassion for the poor. He possessed vast knowledge of both nature and society.

La Fontaine mingled with free-spirited intellectuals and avoided courtly life, which made him less favored by King Louis XIV. He authored numerous works in various genres, including stories, poetry, novels, and plays, but gained worldwide fame for his collection of fables 'Fables' (1666–1694), consisting of 12 volumes. He was elected to the French Academy in 1863.

La Fontaine's writing style is poetic, witty, and rich in meaning. His stories, with over 60 fables published in five volumes, stand out for their narrative talent. His fables combine different poetic forms, ranging from 12-syllable verses to shorter, more flexible lines. His fables embody a strong national character and represent the essence of French literature.

Many of his famous fables have been passed down through generations and serve as timeless representations of various personalities and life situations, such as 'The Ant and the Grasshopper,' 'The Crow and the Fox,' 'The Wolf and the Lamb,' and more. La Fontaine inherited the tradition of earlier fable writers like Aesop, Babrius, and Phaedrus, while also creating new, age-defining images. Each of his fables typically consists of two parts: the main story, resembling a small play with a twist, and a concise moral conclusion.

In his fables, animals such as lions, tigers, foxes, and rabbits are personified, exhibiting human traits like love, hatred, good, and evil. The animal society in La Fontaine's fables represents the society of 17th-century France, with all its social classes and conflicts, from the powerless to the powerful, and even the king, symbolized by the lion. La Fontaine praised the wisdom and kindness of the working class while critiquing the arrogance of the nobility, the hypocrisy of the clergy, and the sycophantic attitude of the government officials, among others. His fables also carry a deeply poetic and critical tone, reflecting the social realities of his time.

La Fontaine's fables remain a timeless part of literature, still carrying profound contemporary relevance today.

Fables are a genre of folk literature that typically use animals to illustrate human behavior. These stories carry deep social and educational messages, which is why many writers have chosen to work within this genre, including notable figures such as Aesop and La Fontaine.

Hippolyte Ten (1828-1893) was a philosopher, historian, and renowned French literary scholar, also a member of the French Academy. He dedicated a great deal of time to studying La Fontaine's fables. This essay, an excerpt from Chapter II, Part II of his work 'La Fontaine and His Fables,' was published in 1853.

The text is divided into two parts: - Part One (up to 'so kind-hearted'): the image of the sheep in La Fontaine's poetry. - Part Two (the rest): the image of the wolf in La Fontaine's poetry. In both sections, the author compares the representations of the sheep and the wolf in La Fontaine's fables with those of the scientist Buffon. The structure of the argument follows a similar pattern: La Fontaine's view - Buffon's view - La Fontaine's view. In the first part, La Fontaine's depiction of the sheep is brought to life through a specific verse. This writing style makes the essay more engaging and vivid.

Buffon, as a scientist, describes the sheep and the wolf from a realistic perspective, without discussing 'the gentle nature of the sheep' or 'the misfortune of the wolf,' as these traits are human projections, not qualities inherent to the animals themselves. Such traits would not be found in a scientific study.

When constructing the image of the sheep, La Fontaine places a lamb in a specific context: facing a wolf by a stream. This setting highlights the lamb's gentle, timid nature, a characteristic typical of sheep. Since this is a fable, La Fontaine humanizes the sheep and portrays both the wolf and the sheep as human-like figures.

The wolf in La Fontaine's fables is depicted based on the wolf's inherent trait of hunting. From this, the author highlights two points: - The wolf is a figure of mockery (as it struggles to find food and is starving). - The wolf is also despicable for causing harm to others. To elaborate on these points, one could analyze the wolf's representation in La Fontaine's fable by considering the following: + The wolf is presented as a specific, vivid character (skinny, hunting for food, seeking to eat the lamb). + The wolf is anthropomorphized, just as the lamb is, following the creative freedom of the poet and the conventions of the fable genre.

The text 'The Wolf and the Sheep in La Fontaine's Fables' is written by Hippolyte Ten (1828 - 1893), a member of the French Academy, a literary researcher, philosopher, and renowned historian of 19th-century France.

Through this work, the author highlights the differences between Buffon (1707 - 1788), a naturalist, and La Fontaine (1621 - 1695), a French fable poet, in their depiction of the wolf and the sheep.

1. The first section discusses the sheep.

Buffon, in his scientific writings, described the natural characteristics of the sheep as foolish, fearful, and prone to gather in flocks, trembling and dull-witted. They only stand still in the rain or snow, blindly following the leader unless driven by the shepherd or chased by dogs.

In contrast, La Fontaine, in his fables, portrays the sheep's soul and inner life. The sheep is depicted as 'loving and kind-hearted.' When the lamb bleats, the mother sheep rushes to it, recognizing her child among the flock. She stands patiently in cold, muddy land while her child nurses, gazing absentmindedly. This image symbolizes maternal love and sacrifice, echoing Hippolyte Ten's remark: 'La Fontaine felt sympathy for such sorrow and goodness.'

2. The second section discusses the wolf.

In La Fontaine's fables, the wolf is a thief, wretched and unfortunate. It has a shifty look, a thin body, and is often chased. He is 'a scoundrel, always starving and always being beaten.' Buffon describes the wolf as a wild and dangerous animal. Wolves form packs only when hunting, and after the hunt, each wolf goes its own way, living quietly and in solitude. Their shifty faces, wild appearances, eerie howls, and foul smells are natural traits of wolves.

La Fontaine's wolf, however, is a tyrant. He slanders, roars, and ultimately 'devours the lamb without a word.' While Buffon sees the wolf as a harmful creature, La Fontaine, with his creative and imaginative mind, discovers other aspects: the cruel yet miserable wolf, often tricked, awkward, starving, and driven mad by hunger!

Buffon 'constructed a tragic narrative of cruelty,' while La Fontaine 'constructed a comedy of ignorance' (starving, tricked, and beaten). Through comparison, Hippolyte Ten's text reveals the difference between scientific writing and artistic literature. Scientific texts delve into natural characteristics, drawing conclusions about the nature of things. Artistic literature builds characters, describing the soul of things through imagination.

The wolf and sheep in La Fontaine's fables are an artistic creation. The wolf is a tyrant, cruel and sly, while the sheep is a victim, a poor, innocent creature. In studying literature, it's important to understand the essence of artistic texts, which rely on figurative and imaginative language.

Art in literature is the realm where reality is elevated, offering insight into the inner lives of characters. In contrast, scientific texts delve into the natural world, drawing conclusions about the essence of things. 'The Wolf and the Sheep in La Fontaine's Fables' is a renowned research work by Hippolyte Ten, where he compares and explores the differences between scientific writing and artistic literature. Through these perspectives, the wolf and the sheep reveal contrasting personalities. The wolf is a cruel and cunning tyrant, yet at times, it evokes sympathy. The sheep is a 'subject', weak and timid, but beneath that lies a kind and compassionate creature.

Hippolyte Ten (1828-1893), a philosopher, historian, and acclaimed literary scholar of France, was a member of the French Academy. La Fontaine and his fables were a famous research subject of Ten, published in 1853. The text 'The Wolf and the Sheep in La Fontaine's Fables' is excerpted from Chapter II, Part Two of this work. The passage compares the depictions of the wolf and the sheep by two authors, La Fontaine and Buffon, showcasing Ten's argument that art is marked by the personal perspective and emotional response of the artist. Ten uses La Fontaine's fable 'The Wolf and the Sheep' as the theme of his study. The wolf and the sheep in this fable represent two opposing forces: the ruthless, violent tyrant and the weak, pitiful sheep.

Buffon, in his renowned work 'Natural History,' describes the sheep as 'foolish and fearful.' He emphasizes how the sheep gather in flocks and are easily startled, often huddling together at the slightest sound. According to Buffon, the sheep are 'so frightened and so dull-witted' that they fail to avoid danger. Their timidity and weakness make them easy prey for predators, unable to escape or fight back. Buffon further describes the sheep as slow and uncoordinated, standing still in rain or snow without noticing the discomfort, living a monotonous, unchanging existence. The sheep only move when led by the flock's leader, following in lockstep unless urged by the shepherd or chased by dogs.

In contrast, La Fontaine depicts the sheep through its emotional depth. In his fables, the sheep is 'loving and kind-hearted,' with a profound sense of maternal devotion. The mother sheep can immediately recognize her lamb's call and rush to its side. She stands still in the cold for hours while her lamb nurses, her expression patient, her eyes distant. Despite the cold and exhaustion, she endures, fulfilling her role as a mother. La Fontaine, with his artistic eye, sees into the sheep's soul, feeling compassion and sympathy for this humble creature.

When we think of wolves, we often imagine them as wild, vicious creatures hungry for blood. However, La Fontaine, with his sensitive and perceptive nature, uncovers another side of the wolf: 'miserable and unfortunate.' While a thief, the wolf is also pitiable, always wearing a 'shifty' and 'worried' look, fearful of being hunted. For La Fontaine, the wolf is simply a 'scoundrel,' perpetually hungry and always beaten. The wolf is deceitful, using lies to lure the lamb into danger, yet its personality is complex. Through the artist's delicate understanding, the wolf, though cruel, also stirs sympathy. Despite its malice, the wolf is clumsy and inept, often falling into traps, starving, and driven mad by hunger.

While La Fontaine 'constructed a comedy of ignorance,' Buffon 'constructed a tragedy of cruelty.' Wolves live alone and avoid gathering in packs, except during noisy, chaotic hunts for larger prey like deer, cattle, or boars. After the hunt, they return to solitary lives. With their shifty, wild, eerie, and unpleasant nature, wolves are truly detestable to Buffon, who sees them as 'harmful in life, useless in death.'

Ten's analysis successfully uses a comparative approach to explore the wolf and sheep in La Fontaine's fables, alongside Buffon's scientific studies of these creatures. This comparison highlights the artistic characteristic of creativity, viewing objects and phenomena from multiple perspectives, both realistic and humanistic. Ten also distinguishes the difference between scientific and artistic texts. Scientific writing focuses on the natural characteristics of things, while artistic writing delves into the soul of characters, seen through the multifaceted lens of the writer.

The excerpt 'The Wolf and the Sheep in La Fontaine's Fables' by Hippolyte Ten is an outstanding literary study. With a well-structured argument and persuasive rhetoric, Ten illustrates the different viewpoints of a scientist and a poet regarding the wolf and the sheep. Through this, Ten reveals La Fontaine's remarkable talent in creating vivid, memorable characters in his fable 'The Wolf and the Sheep.'