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The Philosophy Of Happiness Defies Time

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The Philosophy Of Happiness Defies Time
The Philosophy Of Happiness Defies Time
Boethius is currently under house arrest for a crime he did not commit, lost and confused as he knows the “beginning of things but not their goal” (17). In his dejected state
Lady Philosophy appears to him and through reason is able to heal him. Some of the main ideas and themes represented in book I and II include renewing Boethius’s sense of what the goal of mankind is at it’s most primal and essential level. One of the other main ideas and or themes essential to Boethius once again becoming reaquainted with himself include the reminder of what is essential to live a happy life. Lady Philosophy reminds
Boethius that neither wealth, nor power, nor positions of power will bring happiness. Lady
Philosophy also catechized to Boethius that happiness comes from within oneself, and that neither Lady Fortune nor others can remove it from you.
The passage I have chosen to analyze is a poem about the follies and false hope contained in mortal objects, which can be found on page 41 lines 6 through 10. I believe that this passage is significant because it is an eloquently put example of the summary of teachings that Lady Philosophy is attempting to impart onto Boethius. The goal of mankind and to an extent the point of our existence is to find total and true happiness. However most of humanity has forgotten not only our goal but how to correctly and veraciously achieve it.
Many pursue riches they falsely believe will bestow happiness. However Lady Philosophy imparts the wisdom to Boethius that riches, power, and positions of power are worthless and will only bring misfortune. The reasoning behind this is that happiness is the ultimate and highest good, and therefore cannot be taken away from it’s possessor. However,
“money of its nature has no means of preventing its being taken from its owner against his will” (45). The same can be asserted of power and positions of power. If it is true
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