Art and the Emergence of Darwinism - Essay Example

Art and the Emergence of Darwinism The theories that were brought forward by Charles Darwin when discussing natural selection came to greatly influence the sociocultural landscape of nineteenth century Europe. The ideas he postulated were to influence the way the Europeans behaved not only in Europe but also all over the world. Hence, it can be said that these ideas gave rise to the belief of European superiority over other racial groups, despite the fact that in the nineteenth century, most of Europe was deeply religious.

Darwinism emerged as a powerful force in the determination of the European view of the world because it was used to justify the sometimes-irreligious actions and atrocities that were committed by the Europeans. Although the ideas of Darwinism were brought up in a deeply religious environment, it came to coexist side by side with the religious community. In fact, Darwinism might have been the reason behind the increase in European missionary activities not only in Africa but in Asia, because it may have given rise to the belief that since the Europeans were superior, then their religion must also be superior (Rose 297).

The idea of European supremacy took hold in Europe and it emerged in the literature that was written in that period where Europeans featured as heroes while members of other races were perceived to be the villains or inferior in both physique and intellect (Day 59). Such writings continued to have an influence on the perceptions of not only the Europeans themselves, but also on the members of the other racial groups. Therefore, it can be said that Darwin’s theory came to influence the society of the nineteenth century and has continued to do so even today.

Works CitedDay, Matthew. "Godless Savages and Superstitious Dogs: Charles Darwin, Imperial Ethnography, and the Problem of Human Uniqueness." Journal of the History of Ideas 69.1 (2008): 49-70.Rose, Steven. "Darwin, Race and Gender." EMBO reports 10.4 (2009): 297-8.