Man’s Peril by Bertrand Russell summary and annotations

 

SRR Govt.Arts& Science College Karimnagar

Satavahana University Karimnagar- Degree I Year English Sem-2

Unit 5.-2020-21 onwards

Bertrand Russell  was a British philosopher,  logician, writer  and a public speaker. He was the recipient of Nobel prize for literature in 1950. His noted works are Why I am not a Christian, the Principles of Mathematics, War crimes in Vietnam.
The main theme of the essay is futility of war and its impact on all life on our planet.The war between nuclear weapon states leads to annihilation of human race.Russell urges the nations in this anti war essay that all should keep their issues and conflicts aside and understand the peril. Hydrogen bomb is more powerful than Atom bomb and it can destroy the entire human race in the world. Humans have not learnt lessons from their past experiences, for instance, the USA Atom bomb raid on Hiroshima and Nagasaki .  If the hydrogen bomb explodes, the radioactive particles scatter into the environment, causes much harm by diffusing into air, water and the earth. This has become evident with the Bikini test(Bikini Atoll is a coral reef in the Marshall Islands)  in which 23 nuclear weapons  detonated by the USA. The essayist quotes some of the experts ideas on the obliteration caused by the world war among nuclear states and abolishment of war. People think that abolition of war is not possible so war may be continued prohibiting nuclear weapons.  He fears that nuclear powers may not bind to their agreements on nuclear ban and they manufacture H-bombs as soon as the war breaks out. Russell exhorts the neutral countries to play a key role in  preventing the outbreak of a world war. He expresses his displeasure over nuclear proliferation.   The result of war leads to extermination of all life including flora and fauna on our planet.. He appeals to human beings as a human being to remember humanity and forget the rest.

For original speech- Bertrand Russell click this link.

For video lessons click here

Annotations

1.      There lies before us, if we choose, continual progress in happiness, knowledge, and wisdom. Shall we, instead , choose death, because we cannot forget our quarrels?

Reference :- These lines are taken from the essay ‘ Man’s peril ‘written by Bertrand Russell  .He puts forth his views on nuclear war impact on our planet .

Context :- The writer explains the damage and destruction caused to the human life by the  nuclear weapons. He urges  us to put ourp quarrels aside and work for peace.

Meaning,:-Bertrand Russell  says that there are only two choices before us.i.e. abolition of war or nuclear war leading to annihilation of human race. He appeals to human beings as a human being to stick to humanity and forget the rest. If human beings choose peace, they live in happiness and prosperity otherwise they are wiped out by the lethal nuclear weapons.

S Rajesh Kumar