From Necessity To Freedom

The structure of Schelling’s concept of “art” is based on his philosophical theory and artistic examples.His art is closely related to philosophy.The former regards the latter as theoretical basis,which itself is the explanation of the latter.Philosophy of art,which is the combination of art and philosophy,is considered as the highest stage of his philosophical system,while drama as art world.Therefore drama must be the clearest explanation of it.Drama is the starting point of this article.In order to study how Schelling’s art explains philosophy,the researches on drama can be divided into two aspects: why drama can explains philosophy(chapter 1 and 2)and how drama explain philosophy(chapter 3 and 4).This article illustrates why drama can explain philosophy.In accordance with its position in the Identity philosophical system,Identity philosophy of Schelling takes “absolute” as the starting point,freedom as the foothold.“Absolute”,which is formed on develop-discard of Fichte’s ”absolute I” and Spinoza’s “substance”,is the identity of absolute object and absolute subject;which are relatively absolute entirety that identify of object and subject,alone.For this reason,research on “absolute” has three parts :natural philosophy,which starts from nature(absolute object)and ends up with real identity of object and subject;transcendental idealism philosophy,which begins with I(absolute subject)and finishes up with conceptual identity of object and subject;philosophy of art,which starts at art(identity of subject and object)and at the end of indistinguishable identity of object and subject.In Schelling’s point,the object of art of philosophy ——art world,is constructed according to how the Identity philosophical system is constructed.Artwork is the identity of conscious activities(subjective)and unconscious activities(objective).The art world includes realistic sequence(real identity of object and subject)and conceptual sequence(conceptual identity of object and subject),which contain lyrics 、epic、drama,ranked in ascending order.Drama,as the highest stage of it,is objectively real identity of freedom(subject)and necessity(object)and is objective actualization of “absolute”.It has the same foundation as philosophy and nature,consequently.It can be treated as objective philosophy.The explanation of philosophy starts from the perspective of the relationship of freedom and necessity.“Absolute” embrace two opposite sides——absolute object and absolute subject,it also presents as “necessity”—— the power of making them the identical.The power is relatively objective,as objective necessity,in absolute object,while as subjective necessity in absolute subject.The dispute of freedom and necessity is the most fundamental opposition of “absolute”,while drama starts with the dispute,ends up with identity of opposition.In the process of identity and opposition——in drama,the power of bringing freedom into line with necessity——“necessity”,is presented.In tragedy,the dispute is objective and realistic,in which the power of making them the identical is relatively objective destiny,where the objective necessity is manifested.In comedy,the dispute of them bases on hypothesis,existing in subject,in that the power has subjective attributes,where the objective necessity is highlighted.In modern drama,the dispute of them disappear,as a result,they merge into identity,which itself is absolute necessity.Therefore,” necessity” cannot be separated from freedom,the explanation of which is also of freedom in drama.Schelling’s viewpoint of freedom is affected by Spinoza’s proposition—“freedom is the understanding of necessity”.From Schelling ‘s perspective,freedom contains “necessity” in itself.The possession of actual freedom is grounded on the understanding of “necessity”.Drama prove that “necessity” exists behind freedom by “necessity” intervening subject’s action;prove that the actuality of human’s freedom comes from the understanding of “necessity” by the way——understanding “absolute”,which audience possess absolute freedom.Drama accomplish the explanation of freedom,which starts with the explanation of “necessity”.Schelling’s drama aesthetics has great influence on the latter(chapter 5).He is the first person who grants drama with metaphysical meaning in the history of western philosophy.Schopenhauer and Sartre are affected by him in the philosophization of drama.The influence of Schelling’s drama theory also can be found in Ibsen’s and Albee’s drama creation.The unique value of comedy in the possession of freed in mind,which has been accepted by Schiller.