Here's a breakdown:
The Sublime:
* Vastness and Power: The sublime often arises from encountering something vastly larger and more powerful than ourselves, like towering mountains, raging storms, or the immense expanse of the universe.
* Transcendence: It can inspire a feeling of being dwarfed and humbled by something beyond our comprehension, leading to a sense of awe and wonder.
* Beauty and Terror: The sublime can simultaneously be breathtakingly beautiful and terrifying, like a powerful waterfall that both draws us in and threatens to consume us.
Awesome and Fearful:
* Awe: The awe aspect of the sublime stems from the immense scale and power of the object or experience, leaving us in a state of reverent wonder.
* Fear: Fear arises from the sense of vulnerability and insignificance we experience when confronted with such overwhelming forces. This fear can be primal, stemming from our basic instincts of self-preservation.
Examples:
* Standing at the edge of a towering cliff: The vastness below and the sheer drop inspire awe and fear, as we realize our own fragility in the face of such power.
* Witnessing a volcanic eruption: The raw power and destructive force of the eruption inspire awe, but the knowledge of the potential danger instills fear.
* Gazing at a vast starry night sky: The sheer immensity of the universe, with its countless stars and galaxies, evokes a sense of wonder and insignificance, leading to awe and a tinge of fear.
The Contradiction:
The sublime is a unique experience because it combines contradictory emotions. We are drawn to it, wanting to be closer to its power, but simultaneously fearful of its potential to overwhelm us. This duality is what makes the sublime so powerful and captivating.
In Conclusion:
A sense of the sublime flavored with awesome and fearful is an experience that leaves us deeply moved, both by the beauty and power of the world around us and by our own fragility in the face of its vastness. It's a reminder of our place in the universe, and the profound emotions that arise from contemplating our existence within it.