Walter Benjamin | Essays, Apborisms, Autobiograpbical | Writings ‘Translated by Edmund Jepheott Schacken Books + New YorkFate and Character ate and character are commonly regarded 28 causally con- ected, character being the cause of fate. The idea underlying this isthe following: if, on the one hand, the character of a person, the way in which he reacts were known in all is ‘etal and if onthe other al the events in the areas entered by that character were knows, both what would Bappen to ‘him and what he would accomplish could be exacly predicted. ‘That his fate would be known. Contemporary ideas do not perinit immediate logical aces to the idea of fat, and there fore modem men accept the idea of reing character from, for example, the physical features ofa peron, finding know edge of characer as such womehow generally present within themicves, whereat the notion of analogously reading a ‘person’ fate from the lines in his band seems unaceptabe. ‘This appears as imposible at “to predict the future for ‘under thie category the forweling of fate ls unceremoniously subsumed, while character appemts as something existing in the present and the pas and therefore as percepible. It is, however, precy the contention of thoxe who profes 10 pprodict men's fate from no matter what sign, that for those Able to perceive it (who ind an immediate knowledge of fate 4 such in themselves) itis In some way present, oF more ‘autiousy sated, aceaible, The syppoition that some “acces stiley” of furure fate contradicts neler that concept ie nor the human powers of perosption predicting iti not, as en be shown, nonsensical. Like character, fats, 100, can be appre- Ihended only through signs, not in isl, for—even if this or that character trait this or eat link of far, is diredy in view, its nevertheless «relationship that is meant by these Fate and Character 305 concepts never accesible except through signs because itis situated above the immediatly viable level. The sytem of characterologeal signs is generally confined to the body, if we disregard the characerolopial significance of thee signs ine vewigated by the horosope, whereas in the traditional view all the phenomena of extemal Ife n addition to bodily one, can become signs of fate. However, the connection between the sign and the signed constcutes in both spheres an ‘equally hermetic and dificule problem, though diferent in other respects, beause despite sll the superficial observation and fale hypostasizing of the sgn, they donot in either system signify characer or fate on the batis of causil connections A nexus of meaning can never be founded causally, even though inthe present cs che existence of the sigs may have ‘ben produced causaly by fate and eharactr. The inquiy that follows ic not concerned with what such system of signs for ‘aracter and fate ike, but merely with whatit-signifen Te emerges that the waditonal conception of the nature snd the relationship of character and fte not only resins problematic insofar ai is incapable of making the powilty ‘ofa predicion of fate rationally comprenenibe, but that it is fase, because the distinction on which it reais theoretically ‘untenable. For f¢ is imposible 19 form an uncontradiciory ‘concept of the exterior of am active human being the core of ‘whom is taken 10 be character. No definition of the exteral work can disegard the limls sex by the concept ofthe active ‘man, Between the ative man and the external world all is Ineraction, thelr spheres of action Interpenetratey no matter Tow different their conceptions may be, their concept are Inseparable. Not ony ist imposible to determine in & single ‘ase wat finally isto be considered function of cheracer and what a faetion of fate in a human ie (his would make no diference here if che ewo only merged in experienc) the ‘extemal world dat the active man encounters can also in principle be reduced, 1o any desired degree, to hie inner ‘world, and his inner world similely to his outer worl,306 Reflections inde rgd in rngpe as one and Oe ane hg Coated th voy ehrecer and fe fa or eg there ane cde Such ice wen Niche tyoifa man ha mse he an pene ce fely rect” That mews ta man bs Case Ni fe { enmycnsant,Adoiedy so means: he ht 20 thea contson dn ye Stic. Tea onap fawn be c,d, ms caniy apie tom tn of arc, which I Stent be sive nice te ht in move xy Seine. On te bas oh ein tno pe ‘Stone what deren were tees cheer te il hero te ad inte se of te hrc Tatoo be fund In ain ems be ken aie Seth anpt to phe nw ny dos pen ‘Snuon mre tur he rink of ighr hres t8 con ip or cnc I ual ple asc, fel coment: We max fit the om th egos By fee cor yh thy were pel chee Ta Chor aoe to egudh be con of toe anode on wih ato gut: Thn,w meno pial ne te epost ope Clothe ge to trlgou fem Dob ono hse soul Nowe tres Of te aes of any competing eon of the Caney of fae tote coc tances mpane thot galt inte el ghee ant of nhc In te Grek dns denclpmeat of te ffi the Mepnan ated aman" by so ean snd ‘oedrmton of an imcent end of Hit a emp {into the nt plows ofons, heb Thre terete erodes of fe noun Ans qui ies tren depen any select got fat sp inet up oo mirn den ae vgey of 7 Hoppe ue, what ler nate tom be celine! of he ate sf eet Ottis a ft Holdin dv for nigel he ise Fate and Character 307 fu gods “atelese” Happiness and bie are therefore no more art ofthe sphere of fate chan i imocenee, But an onder the sole intinsic eoncepes of which are misfortune end guilt, nd Within which there is no conceivable path of liberation (for insofar as something is fate ite misfortune and gull) such sn order cannot be religious no matter how the misundersiood. ‘concept of guilt appears fo suggest the contrary. Another ‘sphere must therefore be sought in which misfortune and suit alone cary weight, a balanee on which bli and i ‘oeence are found too light and float upward. This balance is the sale of law. The lavs of fate—aisfortune and guilt are elevated by law to measures of the peron it would be false wo assume that only gui is prevent ima legal context: i Js demonstrable that all Tegal gull is nothing other than aisfortane. Misakenly through confusing itelf with the realm of justice, the order of law, which Is only a residue of the demonic stage of human existence when legal sates etermined not only men’ relationships but also thei relation to the gods, has preserved itself long pat the tine of the vi tory over the demons. It was not inlaw but in tragedy that the head of genins lifted icf forthe frst time feom the mist of gull for in tragedy demonic fate is breached. Bue not by having the endless pagan chain of guilt and atonement super. seded by the purity of man who ht expiated and is withthe ‘Pure god. Rather, in wagedy pagan man becomes aware that he is beter chan his god, but ehe reaction robs him of Speech, remains unspoken. Without delaring tel, i secks seerely to gather is foros. Guilt and atonement it doce not ‘measure juny in the balance, but mines indiscriminately, ‘There is no question of the “moral world order” being re: ‘sored; insend the moral her, ail dumb, not yet of age ss such he sealed a ero—wishes to rise mse by shaking ‘hat tormented word. The paradox of the birth of genius im ‘oral speeclesines, moral infanility, is the sablimity of tragedy. It it probably the bass of all sable, in which ‘genius rather than God, appears. Fate shows itel, therefore,308 Reflections Jn the view of life, as condemned, as having at botom, fst ‘ben condemned and then become guilty. Goethe summarizes both phaser ia the words “The peor man you let become gully.” Law condemns, not to punishment but to guilt, Fate {5 the guile content ofthe living. I corresponds wo che natural, ‘condition of the living, that illsion noe yee whaly dispelled ftom which man iso far removed tat, under its rule, he wat never wholly immersed int bat only invisible in is best part. is not therefore reilly man who has 9 fate; rather, che subject of fate fs Indeterinable."The judge can perceive fate ‘wherever he pleases: with every judgment he must blindly cate fate, Ie i never man but only the life in him that ie taiker—the part involved in natural guilt and misfortune by sirte of iluion. In the manner of fate, this fe can be coupled to cards as to planets, and the clarvoyante makes wise fof the simple technique of placing it in the context of gilt, by means of the fit ealcolable, definite things that come to hand (Qhings unchasely pregnant with certain), Thereby she discover in gas something about a natural life in man that she seek to submtute forthe head of genius mentioned alien son his sie, the man who vist her gives way to the fully life within hisuelf. The guile context is temporal in a fotalyinaudhentie way, very diferent in is kind and measure from the time of redemption, or of music or of tra. On determining the particular nature of time in fate depends the ‘complete elucidation of these matters. The fortuneeller who ‘ses cards and the palmiseeeach us atleast hat dhisie can at ceverymoment be ae smltaneou with another (not present. It isnot an autonomoss time, but paastally dependent on the time of higher, less natural fe, I has no preven, for fate- fal moments exist only in bad novel, and past and facure it ‘knows only in curious variations "There ia therefore a concep of fate—and it i the genuine concept the only one that embraces equally fae in tragedy fand the intentions of the fortunetller—:hat is completely Independent of thst of character, having its foundation in an Fateand Character 309 cemttely diferent sphere: The concept of character must be developed toa sinllar level It sno aeident that both orders are connected with interpretative practices and that in chir- -mancy character and fate coincide authentically. Both concern the natural man-—or, beter, the nature of mam, the very being that makes its appearance in signs that either cceur spon ‘taneously or are experimentally produced, The foundation of the concept of character will therefore need Iikewite to be ‘elated to a natural sphere and to have no more 10 do with ethics or morality chan fate has with religion. On the other Iban, the concept of character will have tobe diverted of thote features that consttnte its eroncous connection to that of ate ‘This connection is efeaed by the iden of network that can be tightened by knowledge at vil into a dense fabric, for this is how character spears to pedal observation, Along with the broad undedying teat the tained eye of the con noiseur of men is supposed to persive finer and closer connections, until what Tooked Hike a net ie ghtened into doth. In the threads ofthis we a wetk wndersanding be. Teves it posesses the moral nare of the character concerned and can distinguish tts good and bad qualities But, a+ moral pilowpiy is obliged to demonstrate, only actions and never ‘qualities can be of moral importance. Appearances are ad- ‘mitedly to the contrary. Noe jut "thievh” “extravagant” courageous" seem to imply moral valuations (een leaving ‘ide the spparent moral coloration ofthe concept), but above all words lke “selfaacrifcing” “malicious” “vengeful” en vious” seem to Indiate character traits that cannot be ab- ssracted from moral valuation. Nevertheless, sich abstraction 4s in all eases not only pouble but necessary in order to rasp the meaning of the concept. This abstraction must De such that valuation itself is fully preserved; ony its moral accent is withdrawn, t give way t0foeh condiional evalue- ‘ons, in either a poiive or «negative sete, aa are expres Dy the morally indiferent desrptons of qualities of the intetee (uch a5 “lever” or “spi.310 Reflections “The true sphere to which there pieudomoral chartter deaciptions afe to be consigned is shown by comedy. At ite ‘center, asthe main protagonist ina comedy of charter, stands folten enough 2 person whom, if we were confronted by his actions in life instead of by his peron on the stage, we would call a scoundrel. On the comic stage, however, his actions take on only the interest shed with the ight of character, and the latter iy in lasieal example, the subject not of moral condemnation but of high amusement. It Is never in them- selves never moray thatthe actions of the comic hero affect his public: his deeds are interesting only insofar as they reflect the Hight of character. Moreover, one notes that the ‘reat come playwright—for example, Molitre—does not seek to define his creations by the multiplicity oftheir characer traits. On the contrary, ppchologcat analysis denied any eces wo his work. Te has nothing to do withthe concers of prpehology i miselines or bypochondria, in L'avere or Le mmalade imaginaire, are hypostasized as the foundation of all sation, About hypochondtia and mlselines these dramas teach nothing: fF from making them comprehensible, they depict them with an intensifying cases, ifthe object of perchology is the inne life of man understood empittaly, Molitre’s characters are of no mse to iteven as means of demon. stration, Character is unfolded in them like a sup, in the nce of it single trait, which allows no other to remain visible in its proximity. The sublimity of character comedy tess on thie anonymity of man and his morality, alongside the utmost development of individuals drough is exclusive daracter tat, While fate unfolds the immense complexity ‘ofthe guilty person, the complications and bonds of his gull, character gives this myntieal enslavement of the person o the guile context the angwer of genlus. Complication becomes Simplicity, fate freedom. For the character ofthe comic igure 4s not the scarecrow of the determinst; itis the beacon ‘whose beams the freedom of his actions becomes visible. To the dogma of the natura guilt of human life, of original Fateand Character jr ‘guilt, the ieredeomable nature of which coutiates the doc tine, and its oceulonal redemption the cult, of penis, genius opposes a vision of the natural innocence of tan. This vision remains for its part Hewie in the realm of nature, yet mora insights ae stl ata proximity to is erence that is atsined by che opposed idea only in the form of tragedy, hich is not its only form. The vision of character, om the ‘other hand, is berating in all ts forms tis Hnked to free dom, as cannot be shown here, by way of is afiity to loge. ‘The character tat is no therefore the knot inthe net. tis the san of individuality inthe colores (anonymous) shy of ‘man, which eas the shadow of the come action, (This places Cohen's profound dictum that every tragic action, however sublimely it strides upon it cothurmus, cat 8 cote shadow, nits most appropriate context) Physiogmomic signs like other mantic symbols serve forthe ancients primarily the exploration of fate in accordance with the dominance of the pagan belief in guilt. The scudy of physiognomy, lke comedy, was a manifestation of the new age of genius Medern physiognomice reveals is connetion with the old sr of diviadon fn the unfit, morally evaluative accent ofits concepts, a also in thesrving for analytical coat plexity. In precisely this respect the ancient and medieval physiognomists saw things more dearly, in recognising that character can only be grasped throvgh & small number of ‘morally indifferent base concepts, lke those, for example, that the doctrine of temperament tied to dently.