Heinrich von Kleist’s “The Earthquake in Chile” presented a number of ideas and concepts embedded within the story of star-crossed lovers Jeronimo Rugera and Josephe Asteron. By and large, it was a representation of many themes in one story such that the major ideas of providence, then social injustice and disintegration, and the hope of finding peace and happiness during the most unusual situations, all materialized in the story to express a forceful message. Understandably, Kleist was determined to provide a brief but compelling and inconceivable narrative, which generally sought to transform the foundations of society and the philosophies of man through criticism.
The inexorable ties between Jeronimo and Josephe represented the potency of man to show an obstinate strength of character based on the dynamics of genuine love and passion. Moreover, it illustrated the depth and power of love to move mountains and become something that builds the character of man as a human being. Love was the strength that fuelled Jeronimo and Josephe’s desire to love and make love beyond the conventions of society. Love was also the strength and courage that led Jeronimo to think about taking away his life just as Josephe was about to be hanged to death. Love was the hope, which led Jeronimo to look for Josephe and their son, Phillippe, despite the inestimable destruction, which shook Santiago apart. Kleist represented love as something that creates beauty – the beauty of life, the beauty of compassion, and the beauty of providence. Love was definitely a moving force that not even one of the strongest natural calamities – the earthquake – was able to tear down.
Kleist’s criticism of the social order was evident on the people’s responses toward Jeronimo and Josephe’s relationship. Although what Jeronimo and Josephe had done was regarded as a mistake, it was unjust of the people in their social environment to act irresponsibly and discriminatorily. The role of society was to develop a strong moral fiber that would consequently lead to the people’s observation of ethical and principled views. Society was supposed to be a major institution that propels goodness and morality, positivism, constructivism, growth, and development, and so on. However, in Kleist’s narrative, society succumbed to moral disintegration and was initially the first one to bog down established norms and morals by ordering the death of Jeronimo and Josephe, and then directly giving themselves away as accessories to manslaughter and immorality for the sake of asserting its power and control.
The actions of Don Fernando Ormez, his wife Doña Elvira, and his son Juan, mirrored the force of sacrifice and strength of character in fighting for beliefs and ideologies that are moral in nature despite the many challenges and setbacks that try to dissuade individuals into fighting for what is right. Don Fernando laid his life and his family’s repute to society by helping Jeronimo and Josephe even if all the people in the community were threatening them with death. The meaningless pandemonium led to Jeronimo, Josephe, and Juan’s death. It was the most painful thing to accept that those who sacrifice for morality and goodness were still those who had to endure the pain and suffering.
However, despite the most unfortunate situation that Don Fernando and Doña Elvira found themselves in, they still found happiness in hoping and not letting the deaths and sacrifices be left in vain. Even in death and in loss, good things abound as the price of standing up for what is right no matter the cost. It took strength of character to create something beautiful out of the most painful things in life. But the life that Don Fernando and Doña Elvira found in Phillipe implied that as long as there was life, there is hope and there is a chance to realize happiness as long as one is strong enough to make sacrifices in order to espouse goodness over evil.
