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As regards the natural element； actual self…consciousness shows in the very fact of applying
elements of nature for its adornment； for its abode and so on； and again in feasting on its own
offering； that itself is the Fate to which the secret is betrayed； no matter what may be the truth as
regards the independent substantialitv of nature。 In the mystery of the bread and wine it makes its
very owm this self…subsistence of nature together with the significance of the inner reality； and in
Comedy it is conscious of the irony lurking in this meaning。
So far； again； as this meaning contains the essence of ethical reality； it is partly the nation in its two
aspects of the state； or Demos proper； and individual family life； partly； however； it is
self…conscious pure knowledge； or rational thought of the universal。 Demos； the general mass；
which knows itself as master and governor； and is also aware of being the insight and intelligence
which demand respect； exerts compulsion and is befooled through the particularity of its actual life；
and exhibits the ludicrous contrast between its own opinion of itself and its immediate existence；
between its necessity and contingency； its universality and its vulgarity。 If the principle of its
individual existence； cut off from the universal； breaks out in the proper figure of an actual man and
openly usurps and administers the commonwealth； to which it is a secret harm and detriment； then
there is more immediately disclosed the contrast between the universal in the sense of a theory；
and that with which practice is concerned； there stand exposed the entire emancipation of the ends
and aims of the mere individual from the universal order； and the scorn the mere individual shows
for such order。（10）
Rational thinking removes contingency of form and shape from the divine Being； and； in opposition
to the uncritical wisdom of the chorus — a wisdom； giving utterance to all sorts of ethical maxims
and stamping with validity and authority a multitude of laws and specific conceptions of duty and
of right — rational thought lifts these into the simple Ideas of the Beautiful and the Good。 The
process of this abstraction is the consciousness of the dialectic involved in these maxims and laws
themselves； and hence the consciousness of the disappearance of that absolute validity with which
they previously appeared。 Since the contingent character and superficial individuality which
imagination lent to the divine Beings； vanish； they are left； as regards their natural aspect； with
merely the nakedness of their immediate existence； they are Clouds；（11） a passing vapour； like
those imaginative ideas。 Having passed in accordance with their essential character； as deterned
by thought； into the simple thoughts of the Beautiful and the Good； these latter submit to being
filled with every kind of content。 The force of dialectic knowledge（12） puts determinate laws and
maxims of action at the mercy of the pleasure and levity of youth； led astray therewith； and gives
weapons of deception into the hands of solicitous and apprehensive old age； restricted in its
interests to the individual details of life。 The pure thoughts of the Beautiful and the Good thus
display a comic spectacle： — through their being set free from the opinion； which contains both
their determinateness in the sense of content and also their absolute determinateness； the firm hold
of consciousness upon them； they become empty； and； on that very account； the sport of the
private opinion and caprice of any chance individuality。
Here； then； the Fate； formerly without consciousness； consisting in empty rest and forgetfulness；
and separated from self…consciousness； is united with self…consciousness。 The individual（13） self is
the negative force through which and in which the gods； as also their moments； （nature as existent
fact and the thoughts of their determinate characters）； pass away and disappear。 At the same time；
the individual self is not the mere vacuity of disappearance； but preserves itself in this very
nothingness； holds to itself and is the sole and only reality。 The religion of art is fulfilled and
consummated in it； and is come full circle。 Through the fact that it is the individual consciousness in
its certainty of self which manifests itself as this absolute power； this latter has lost the form of
something ideally presented （vorgestellt）； separated from and alien to consciousness in general —
as were the statue and also the living embodiment of beauty or the content of the Epic and the
powers and persons of Tragedy。 Nor again is the unity the unconscious unity of the cult and the
mysteries； rather the self proper of the actor coincides with the part he impersonates； just as the
onlooker is perfectly at home in what is represented before him； and sees himself playing in the
drama before him。 What this self…consciousness beholds； is that whatever assumes the form of
essentiality as against self…consciousness； is instead dissolved within it — within its thought； its
existence and action； — and is quite at its mercy。 It is the return of everything universal into
certainty of self； a certainty which； in consequence； is this complete loss of fear of everything
strange and alien； and complete loss of substantial reality on the part of what is alien and external。
Such certainty is a state of spiritual good health and of self…abandonment thereto； on the part of
consciousness； in a way that； outside this kind of comedy； is not to be found anywhere。（14）
1。 v。 sup。； A。； b。
2。 A 〃drama〃。
3。 The Epic exorcises the dead past； v。 Odyssey； XI。
4。 Oedipus。
5。 Orestos。
6。 In the Delphic Oracle。
7。 The witches in 〃Macbeth〃。
8。 Macbeth。
9。 Hamlet。
10。 Cp。 Cleon in Aristophanes； Knights。
11。 Cp。 Aristophanes； Clouds。
12。 Cp。 the arguments in the Clouds。
13。 In comedy。
14。 Cp。 Hegel's Aesthetik； W W。； X。； 3； 560。
C
Revealed Religion （1）
THROUGH the Religion of Art spirit has passed from the form of substance into that of Subject；
for art brings out its shape and form； and imbues it with the nature of action； or establishes in it the
self…consciousness which merely disappears in the awesome substance and in the attitude of
simple trust does not itself comprehend itself。 This incarnation in human form of the Divine Being
begins with the statue； which has in it only the outward shape of the self； while the inner life
thereof； its activity； falls outside it。 In the case of the cult； however； both aspects have become
one； in the outcome of the religion of art this unity； in being completely attained； has at the same
time also passed over to the extreme of self； in the spirit； which is perfectly certain of itself in the
individual existence of consciousness； all essential content is swallowed up and submerged。 The
proposition； which gives this light…hearted folly expression； runs thus： 〃The Self is Absolute Being。〃
The Being which was substance； and in which the self was the accidental element； has dropped to
the level of a predicate； and in this self…consciousness； over against which nothing appears in the
form of objective Being； spirit has lost its aspect of consciousness。（2）
（1）。 The Presuppositions requisite for the notion of Revealed Religion
This proposition； 〃The Self is Absolute Being〃； belongs； as is evident on the face of it； to the
non…religious； the concrete actual spirit； and we have to recall what form of spirit it is which gives
expression to it。 This form will contain at once the movement of that proposition and its
conversion； which lowers the self to a predicate and raises substance into subject。 This we must
understand to take place in such a way that the converse statement does not per se； or for us；
make substance into subject； or； what is the same thing； does not reinstate substance again so that
the consciousness of spirit is carried back to its commencement in natural religion； but rather in
such a way that this conversion is brought about for and through self…consciousness itself。 Since
this latter consciously gives itself up； it is preserved and maintained in thus relinquishing itself； and
remains the subject of the substance； but as being likewise self…relinquished； it has at the same
time the consciousness of this substance。 In other words； since； by thus offering itself up； it
produces substance as subject； this subject remains its own very self。 If； then； taking the two
propositions； in the first the subject merely disappears in substantiality； and in the second the
substance is merely a predicate； and both sides are thus present in each with contrary inequality of
value — the result hereby effected is that the union and transfusion of both natures ＇subject and
substance＇ become apparent。 In this union both； with equal value and worth； are at once essential
and also merely moments。 Hence it is that spirit is equally consciousness of itself as its objective
substance； as well as simple self…contained self…consciousness。
The religion of art belongs to the spirit animating the ethical sphere； the spirit whi