EXAMINING GEORGE ROMERO'S NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CRITERIA OF LONGINUS' ON THE SUBLIME
             Like the ancient text On The Sublime, Night of the Living Dead has withstood the test of time. The connection between a 1968 zombie film and a first-century CE text may not be evident at first glance, but through close examination director George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead upholds many of Longinus' criteria listed in On The Sublime.
             First-century writer Longinus aggrandizes certain characteristics told in the twentieth-century film. His need for universality is found in Romero's examination of human nature. This film meets his desire for an artist to restrain and control his creation. The small scale of the story line helps control the possible snare of grandeur. In a suburban town outside of Pittsburgh, there are two life struggles taking place. The first is the endeavor to avoid flesh-eating zombies and the second is to survive in the house where strangers must band together for survival. The occupants of the house have already been slain, leaving a constant reminder of the reality of the danger. The true nature of the struggle emanates when strategies for survival are in question. The danger emigrates from the outside horror of the zombies to the internal feuding. An examination of human nature emerges. Together, On The Sublime and Night of the Living Dead, both directly and indirectly, illustrate sublime characteristics.
             Longinus writes about the need for universality in the sublime. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to find an object that is universally accepted. However, universal messages can be found. One such message, which is both ubiquitous and can be found in Romero's film, is the desire for human nature to prevail. Dealing with such a substantial subject in a plausible scenario, the director illustrates remarkable restraint by keeping the script relativel...