In Chapter 12 of Aldous Huxley's Brave New
World, Helmholtz Watson, an emotional engineer who writes political and
social verses to promote the political philosophy of the New World and pacify people,
feels dissatisfied in his writing. So, when John the Savage reads Shakespeare's
Romeo and Juliet, a play written in blank verse replete with
beautiful metaphors, similes, imagery, and other literary devices, Helmholtz is charmed,
especially after listening to the famous balcony scene of Act II. He tells John that the
verbal detail is a "superb piece of emotional
engineering."
The emotional language of Romeo
and Juliet is what Helmholtz finds fascinating. He understands that
Shakespeare is such a "marvellous propaganda machine" because he had so many "insane,
excruciating things to get excited about." People must be hurt and angered and upset;
otherwise, they cannot have such "x-rayish phrases" as those that Shakespeare can
employ. The New World does not have these. No one could possibly be that upset about a
girl or a boy. Helmholtz wonders what he could use to arouse such
emotion,
"I
don't know," he said at last, "I don't
know."
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