MANGAO, Maribert M.

Ocassional Paper #2

Ocasional Paper #2
BSSE English 4A1-1 Classical Literary Theory
Classical Literary Theory

Applying Classical Literary Theory in

Wilfrido Ma. Guerreros Three Rats

Classical theory rooted from the time of the ancient Greek and Roman, where
Plato, Aristotle, Horace and other prominent philosophers were in their quest to search
knowledge and explanations to the phenomenon around them. Hence, the views and
the proposed meaning, more specifically, in the field of literature became the standard
and basis for development of the said discipline during their era and as time progress.
The way these philosophers view literature established a concrete path towards the
enhancement and improvement of literature as an art. In this regard, criticizing the
literary masterpiece is necessary to mirror the progress and improvement of the said
area.

Considering the views and proposed meaning, of what literature is in the

perspective of the prominent philosophers during the ancient Greek and Roman, the
literary masterpiece crafted by Wilfrido Maria Guerrero will be viewed as; (1) how he
perceive and imitate the world of forms and ideas in his literary masterpiece, (2) the
elements of the story which can be considered as bad imitation for censorship, (3) the
purgation, clarification and emotional cleansing that the readers achieved after and
during reading the text, (4) the function of literary piece and lastly, (5) the style of
language utilized all through out the text.

Humanity is being surrounded by objects that every individual can perceive in his
own way. There are circumstances, phenomenon and undertakings that are present in
their lives as they coexist with other human being and other species. As the author tries
to represent the circumstances, phenomenon and undertakings, the creative expression
symbolizes the way how the author perceives. According to Plato, artistic representation
is highly suspect and corrupt in that it is thrice removed from its essence. The truth and
the real ideas and forms, perceived by the author and transformed as a text in a literary
masterpiece. The gift of seeing resemblances is nothing other than a rudiment of the
powerful compulsion in former times to become and behave like something else (Walter
Benjamin, 1993). In the case of the literary masterpiece of Wilfrido Maria Guerrero, the
literature itself is an artistic and creative expression of the circumstances of a husband
and wife, including the people that are part of it. The relationship of Gonzalo, Nita
(Gonzalos wife) and Adrian (Gonzalos Bestfriend) is a portrayal of love, friendship,
revelation, betrayal and revenge as perceived by the author. Hence, the literary
masterpiece itself is the representation how he perceive such elements. The mentioned
themes above are embedded on the scenarios in the text and the conversations of the
characters in the story that make it possible for the readers to draw inferences, as to
where the story really revolves and the transition of occurences that justify the act of
each character in the story.

First, the portrayal of love in the story. The following lines and the conversation of
Nita and Gonzalo at the start of the story set the ambiance of love, especially in the part
of Nita as the wife of Gonzalo;

NITA. Here's the coffee, Gonzalo. (She sets the tray on the table.)

GONZALO (Without lifting his eyes from the paper) Is it hot?

NITA. (Laughing) -- Boiling. (She pours a cup and gives it to him.) Here. (He takes his
cup, slowly sips it, without taking his eyes off the paper.) You must be tired from your trip
to Baguio.

GONZALO. Not at all, Nita.

NITA Two whole weeks. Long enough for me. I was lonely

The way Nita take care of things for Gonzalo, shows that she is the typical, ideal and
conventional wife. Her longing for the time when Gonzalo is not around was expressed.
However, in the part of Gonzalo as a husband, it is evident that there is low interest and
there is no sense of longing towards Nita. The short responses and the stiff expression
that he portrays while he drinks his coffee justify it.

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 Second, the portrayal of friendhsip. During the conversation of Nita and Gonzalo,
the image of the great friendship of Gonzalo and Adrian was formed, and the following
scene of Adrian and Gonzalo provides a concrete proof how great their friendship is;

ADRIAN. Gonzalo- I'm glad you're back. (GONZALO looks at ADRIAN for a brief
moment. With the usual clairvoyance of old friends being able to read each others
expression, GONZALO goes to ADRIAN and puts his arm around him.)

GONZALO. What's wrong?

The deep friendship of Adrian and Gonzalo is present in this scene. Without saying a
word that he is in trouble, Gonzalo immediately sensed that his friend has a problem
and without a doubt, Gonzalo gives Adrian a check so that he can pay the debt that he
acquired because of gambling. The connection, strong bond and concern are the
elements used to represent the greatness of their friendship.

Third, the portrayal of revelation. After reading the whole story, it was revealed
that Gonzalo knows everything, from the start that Nita, his wife and Adrian, his great
friend are having an affair. The intense revelation was depicted in the following scene;

GONZALO. Shut up, you bitch!

NITA. Don't do it, don't! (GONZALO lights a cigaret, sits calmly.)

GONZALO. So no one came this afternoon. Adrian admitted he did. NITA. No!
GONZALO, (Ignoring her interruptions). But he made one slight -mistake: he said he
had told the maid he had come. But he doesnt know you dismissed her this morning.

The confrontation that Gonzalo made, confrimed and revealed the affair of Nita and
Adrian. The raging anger of Gonzalo that he is keeping all along, especially when he
arrived and the moment that he talked to Adrian, the time when he tried so hard to
contain the emotion and act as a husband and a great friend of Adrian, finally burst out.

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 Fourth, the portrayal of betrayal. The affair of Nita and Adrian is the greatest
betrayal. Even there is no emphasis as to what extent their affair is. The following lines
of Nita reflect their profound affair;

GONZALO. There is-a tiny bit-but my pity isn't for Adrian. Im reserving it for you.

NITA. Destroy me then-I'm just as guilty!

GONZALO. No, Nita, I cannot destroy you. I'll let you live-but I'll let you breathe, eat,
and sleep~ every second of your cursed life-with that ugly word adulteress in your heart!

NITA. I'd rather die! I'd rather be destroyed!

In this scenario, Nita is trying to spare the life of Adrian by offering her own life and be
destroyed. She is guilty of betraying Gonzalo and ready to face the consequences of
her act. But, she still wished for the safety of life of Adrian. However, Gonzalo refused.

Lastly, the portrayal of revenge. The enormous pain caused by the betrayal of his
loved ones was revealed and the agony that he went through because of that, was
mirrored by his line;

GONZALO. Your feelings are a matter of indifference' to me. Soon you're going to
witness a crime. You're going to see your beloved-and my beloved friend-Adrian-die the
death of a rat

The price of his revenge that he chose for the betrayal that he experienced is the death
of his great friend, Adrian, a crime that he will commit. However, with such act, revenge
was represented in a very brutal and sadist way. According to Plato, in his Republic of
Censorship number 10, art that manages to be compelling and realistic by copying the
way things appear, at the cost of misrepresenting the way things are. Revenge in the
perspective of Gonzalo as a character exceeds and violates the ethical and moral
aspect of a human being. In the rule of land in the Philippines and in the Ten
Commandments of God, it is not accepted as a form to repay ones sin, no matter what
grounds or violations one have. Forms of imitation, at a third remove from the truth is

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thus used to justify an ethical charge: that these works cripple our thought and corrupt
our souls (Jessica Moss, 2007).

On the other hand, reading the literary text, successfully touched the emotional
aspect of the reader. The lines, scenarios and the way each character acts are the
major components, why readers were able to emphatize and symphatize the
occurences and circumstances in the story. During the transition of events, the picture
that is being depicted was captured in the minds of the readers as they interact with the
literary text. Thus, affecting the emotional state of the readers. According to Aristotle,
catharsis involves such pleasure, this pleasure involves the presentation of events
which arouse pity and fear. The tragic story of the characters, was highlighted because
of the undertakings that Gonzalo went through. He was indeed pitiful because he was
betrayed by his wife and his great friend, the emotional disturbance and pain that it
caused were tremendous in the part of Gonzalo. Later, due to his undertakings, he
turned into a man whom a person must fear, he became someone who is capable of
taking away of someone elses life. Hence, Pity turned into fear.

Upon reading the literary masterpiece, the experience of interacting with the text
can left a huge impact in terms of satisfaction regarding emotional state, mental state
and moral aspect of the readers. Fear and pity will arouse, imagination can be
exercised, and the sense of realization will be present. The language used in the text
can also contribute to the appreciation for the text because it is in a conversational
(middle) level, which can help the readers to emphatize the characters more. The
function and the reason of the mere existence of the literary masterpiece explain the
development of literature as discipline of art and science.

Literature regarded as; an imitative art, part of emotional cleansing, for its
functions and existence and according to the language that serves as a medium for the
messagae to be conveyed are the main reasons, why the literary masterpiece entitled
The three rats is a beautifully crafted text.

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References:

Aristotles Conception of Tragic Catharsis. Retrieved November 18, 2016 from

http://neoenglishsystem.blogspot.com/2010/08/aristotles-conception-of-tragic.html-

Jessica M. (2007) Imitative Poetry and Why is it Bad?. Retrieved November 18, 2016
from, http://www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/philo/faculty/moss/WhatisImitativePoetry.pdf

Michelle W. (2002) Mimesis. Retrieved November 18, 2016 from,

http://csmt.uchicago.edu/glossary2004/mimesis.htm .

Wilfrido G. (1948) The three rats. Retrieved November 18, 2016 from,
https://aboutphilippines.ph/files/Wilfrido-Ma-Guerrero_THREE-RATS.pdf