Summary of Origin of Species

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Summary of Origin of Species

Writer:     E. Royston Pike

Write a summary of the essay ‘Origin of Species’.

This theory incorporates within three points:

1. Natural selection
2. Struggle for existence

iii. Survival of the fittest

Darwin’s evolutionary theory was reaction against the biblic notion of man. Bible holds that man was created out of God’s words. God says “let there be man” and there was man. This belief was popular in Western thoughts until the 20^th century when Darwin propounded the theory evolution. Darwin argued that the man did not come into existence out of the God’s words rather man is the product of evolution.

Darwin argued that the nature or environment plays a significant role in the evolution of human and other nonhuman beings. Nature herself makes selection but it is incorrect to live everything in the lap of the nature.  Along with the nature the living beings struggle in the environment for existence. In this struggle only those survive who prove to be the fittest.

For Darwin in this initial stage, man was the ape with the tails and many other organs but in the course of time all those organs which did not come into use are being collapsed. Darwin believes that man is in the process of evolution and we are gradually evolving day by day. This theory was not new with Darwin. It was already developed by Darwin’s father Erasmus Darwin and Lamark. Yet, the credit for developing evolutionary theory goes to Darwin, for his systematically developed it.

Darwin’s theory has a broader in application in literature and society. When it is applied in literature it is known as literary Darwinism and when it is applied in society, it is known as social Darwinism. Both literary and social Darwinism unanimously hold that the entire urban or the city is the Darwinian jungle forest where the fittest survive. Those who do not provide to be the fittest die of. But a question arises is it applicable in case of sexual struggle of human and non-human beings? But the nature of sexual struggle is difference from other struggle. The one who is defeated in the sexual struggle will or will not have the offering but the death will not be there.

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