Burke Sublime Analysis

Burke would describe this image as sublime because of the power, vastness, and difficulty in which it represents. To be more specific, Burke believed that all things sublime hold some type of power. He says, “I know of nothing sublime which is not in some modification of power” (Cahn and Meskin 116). He also explains that the sublime must make us feel a type of fear. The sublime cannot just be strong and unable to hurt us. “Whenever strength is only useful, and employed for our benefit or our pleasure, then it is never sublime” (Cahn and Meskin 117). Correspondingly, the image of the Grand Canyon, shows us how easy it is to fall off and die. The knowledge that we could die from falling off the canyon creates fear within a person. This fear the canyon creates within us gives the canyon
This shows us the significant vastness the canyon holds.Therefore, the image we see is sublime in it’s vastness. Finally, Burke would say that the image displays difficulty, which makes the image sublime. Since the surface of the canyon is rugged and broken up, it shows natural labor and greatness.To exemplify, Burke says “Stonehenge, neither for disposition nor ornament, has anything admirable; but those huge rude masses of stone, set on end, and piled on each other, turn the mind on the immense force necessary for such a work” (Cahn and Meskin 118). The unevenness and largeness of the rocks and land which make up the Grand Canyon; help in making the image of the Grand Canyon Sublime. Burke believes that the “huge rude masses of stone” make our brains think of all the difficulty it would take to recreate or move them. In general, the stones are difficult to truly comprehend because of their natural roughness. All of which, make the image sublime. In conclusion, Burke would look at the image and see the sublime surrounding the great uneven surface of the Canyon and the vastness within