Delaney

INTEG 120 (001)

Linda Carson

23 September 2008

Purpose in Life

        In comparing Ernst Haeckel’s drawing Diatomeas and Matsuo Basho’s haiku, on the surface, there did not seem to be any connections between them. After further exploration however, I began to understand the essence of what Ernst Haeckel stood for and believed in and what I perceive to be the meaning of Basho’s haiku. It then became obvious that what I think was the essence of Haeckel’s beliefs and the essence of Basho’s poem coincide exactly.

        Ernst Haeckel was a German biologist, zoologist, philosopher and artist who lived from 1834-1919 and was a huge believer and advocator of Darwinism and evolution (Ernst Haeckel). His drawing called Diatomeas was only one of many scientific drawings he created. Today, Haeckel is infamous for his drawings of various species of embryos at different stages of development. His science became fraudulent when he exaggerated the similarities between the embryos in an effort to prove the evolutionist theory that during early development, organisms “re-trace every stage of [their] evolutionary ancestry” (Miller and Levine). Although Haeckel’s actions left his name tarnished with intellectual fraud and helped creationists discredit the theory of evolution entirely, I can objectively see him as somewhat admirable (Schaffer). Haeckel believed in Darwin’s theory of naturalism and evolution so strongly that regardless of the consequences, he decided to do whatever necessary in order to convince people of what he believed to be the steadfast truth. It is this passion that I relate to the haiku by Basho.

Matsuo Basho was a Japanese poet who is estimated to have lived from 1644 to 1694 (Ueda). He spent much of his time composing haikus, one of which is the following:

Nothing in the cry 


of cicadas suggests

they are about to die

To me, this haiku is a reminder of life. A reminder to live life to the fullest with no regard for the consequences of pain or death, because existence is not enough if you have not truly lived and fulfilled your purpose. The purpose of the cicadas is instinctual; as far as humans are aware, they exist to reproduce and support the natural food chain. The cry of the cicadas that Basho refers to here is their mating cry; the song they create in order to mate and fulfill their purpose in life. Anywhere between 15-100% of cicada populations die during this time, and yet they continue to cry out their love songs regardless (Williams, Smith, and Stephen). This is because it is their purpose.

        Ernst Haeckel was very similar to the cicadas that Basho wrote about because he had a purpose to fulfill as well. Haeckel believed so strongly in his and Darwin’s theories of evolution, that he felt it was worth jeopardizing his well established career as a scientist. He intentionally fudged his embryo drawings, knowing full well of the possible and likely consequences. I believe that Haeckel was so confident that he knew the truth that no matter what it took, the most important thing was to prove evolution as concretely as he could. In the scientific world, this was his purpose. He sacrificed his career and his reputation on the off chance that his falsified proof would enlighten the world to the truth of evolution.

        The symbolism of cicadas and Haeckel’s life intertwine so perfectly that I can conclude that Haeckel “shed off the golden cicada skin”, an old Chinese saying meaning to deceive one’s enemies with falsities (Kam). He did this to fulfill his purpose in the scientific realm, however reckless. Cicadas also have their own natural purpose in the world, however dangerous. Haeckel and the cicadas in Basho’s poem share a common thread of admirable meaning, no matter what the consequences of their actions.

Works Cited

Ernst Haeckel. 2008. University of California Museum of Paleontology.  23 Sept. 2008 <http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/haeckel.html>.

Kam, David. “Shed Off the Golden Cicada Skin.” Marketing Deviant. 26 May 2008.  21 Sept. 2008 <http://marketingdeviant.com/shed-off-the-golden-cicada-skin/>.

Miller, Ken, and Joe Levine. Haeckel and his Embryos. 21 Dec. 1997. Brown University.  22 Sept. 2008 <http://www.millerandlevine.com/km/evol/embryos/Haeckel.html>.

Schaffer, Amanda. “Ernst Haeckel: Evolution’s Controversial Artist.” Science: The State of the Universe. 18 Aug. 2005. Washington Post Newsweek Interactive.  21 Sept. 2008 <http://www.slate.com/id/2124625/>.

Ueda, Makoto. Matsuo Basho’s “Narrow Road to the Deep North.” Ed. Nobuyuki Yuasa. 9 May 2002. University of Oregon.  23 Sept. 2008 <http://www.uoregon.edu/~kohl/basho/life.html>.

Williams, Kathy S, Kimberly G Smith, and Frederick M Stephen. Emergence of 13-Yr          

Periodical Cicadas (Cicadidae: Magicicada): Phenology, Mortality, and Predator

Satiation. 18 Sept. 1992.  23 Sept. 2008 <http://www.jstor.org/pss/1940484>.