Howard's plight

My last post shall be short and sweet, for I think that best suits. 

It is much easier to talk about something than to actually do it.

The Rhime of the Ancient Mariner in relations to omens and objects. 

What is a good-luck object and can we marry/ be with a good-luck object? Could the albatross represent what we see within our society today with the Hugh Hefners and their young bunnies?Could these people we 'love'; these trophies, be objects for us?

There is an issue when attempting to label someone's love as objectified. Would that person, you're attempting to judge, then not try to justify the relationship they have as personally meaningful to them? Simply because you label an older/younger relationship as objectifying certainly does not mean others will. Each relationship has to be left to its own criterion. There can't really be any overall consensus by others. That really boils down to simple gossip and judgmental attitudes, in the end. 

Multiculturalists tell us to stop valuing the author. That there are no geniuses. And an issue has come up as to whether the labeling of artists as geniuses is gendered. Why so many academic books focused on male achievements throughout history? You never see women authors or painters or composers researched. This could all be resolved; however, by simply ceasing to debate over it and write the much needed book about a female geniuses. And if it were a woman who wrote the book would they, hopefully, not be able to write an un-objectified account of that artist?

Is the idea of the Renaissance a fallacy? The idea of the human? Well, everything does, in fact, influence us, so there is actually no thing or idea we can ever produce or invent that has not been influenced, in some way, by some action made upon us. Simple Cause and Effect. 

Multiculturalism and 'Great Art'

As Zadie Smith points out in an interview:

If a writer berates you with an idea, then you cannot trust them. The biggest obstacle to life is vanity (self-deception); it is also the biggest obstacle to art. Art is an analogy of morals. We should attempt to be truthful and honest as an adult, and by achieving this we need to construct our perspective from different points of view. 

Multiculturalism 

"Culture wars"  is fight between the left and the right. The right simply views Shakespeare as genius. The left; however, wants more minority in the cannon. 

We can view someone like Zadie Smith as propaganda for the left. Is she then still really Zadie Smith? Zadie Smith vs. 'Zadie Smith' 

Shall we call her book great art? This was a question arising in class as to what to label the novel if it delivered on our expectations. Well the expectations on the board, were certainly not my expectations, and I'm sure they were not others as well. Shouldn't aesthetics of art be based on individual interpretation rather than overall consensus?  

This family within the story prides themselves on being a family practicing free thinking, yet they refuse to acknowledge their own son's desire to free himself intellectually, from their oppression, and seek out answers for himself. A little hypocritical it would seem. 

Define Epic Art 

Define Modern Life

Question 2: Can there be heroes in modern life?

 

For Aurora's conception of generations and time, this becomes a problem. According to her, each era views itself as the absolute worst, and it is only far afterwards, in viewing the accomplishments of the past that one can appreciate the advancements of the time. Myopic was Barrett Browning's word for describing this outlook, and it can be commonly understood, for, how often are we bombarded day in and day out with tragic news. Far more than we hear of amazing accomplishments. The ugly, the frightening, and the depressive seems to dominate daily opinion as it draws more readers on a continual basis than uplifting stories ever will. And we all can be sure that the media will continue to focus on that which draws in the masses. Perhaps, even this whole idea of a pessimistic society based on mass reporting is simply our own way of 'looking down on the faults of our own time', thus confirming Aurora's position. 

Question 3: Who are the modern day equivalents of the poets that A.L. is writing about?

In keeping with Aurora's thought would she not be the exact poet she is trying to describe. By taking note of the accomplishments before her, and realizing the potential in her own age, by her own peers, she steps outside of that very myopic thought discussed earlier. And now, in an age passed, she has become a celebrated poet in her own right, continuing that very circle of praise upon former generations she illustrated so eloquently within her poem. 

Elizabeth Browning published her first book of poetry at age 22. She came close to becoming poet laureate, and was opposed to industrial revolution. Browning's mother died at 20, and it was after this that the girl eventually formed a dependance on  the drug morphine. In 1845 she met Robert Browning and a year later they eloped. She came to write some of the most beautiful love poetry ever written, including: "How do I love Thee?"
Within the the first book, young Aurora Leigh's life appears nothing like that of the Elizabeth Browning.

Aurora Leigh.
There are two uses of the word "live" here, both pertaining to physical and spiritual aspects.
What does it mean to be alive..? Aurora's aunt within the poem dislikes her brother's wife because it was their marriage that her inheritance promise. By marrying a Tuscan woman the brother has become uncommon, in the sense that he has left behind all his lordship responsibilities and inheritances. However his defiance of English life comes to an end by his wife's sudden demise.
This poem too joins the great english epics in the sense that it is a growth of a poets mind, yet, in this case the poet is a woman.

Our minds are palimpsests: We grow in the cultural surroundings we find ourself in, taking on the thoughts and ideas of those who influence us; which as it happens, is usually everyone we come in contact with, in one way or another. Each thing we experience influences us in some way, even if to persuade us to never come in contact with that particular thing again.

Outer Infinite equals a kind of innocence within the poem. And one could make a case here for absolutely adoring mothers spawning geniuses. Aurora, herself,  hungers for that deep unconditional love throughout the world. Like a bird torn from the nest. The phrase "kissing full sense into empty words"... evokes the notion of  bringing a child into language as each child invariably takes from the example set before them. 

Aurora

A girl torn away from everything she loves and yet still making the best of her situations. That's an honorable person. Her cultural surroundings certainly were bleak, yet this individual has not let her heartaches in life overpower her; at least not in the first book. She has had her share of traumatizing experiences, especially with that strange picture on the wall, and then losing the only thing in the world that seemed to give her comfort. Yet, through it all she arrives at her new-found location and refuses to act insubordinately. Perhaps she sees no hope in rebelling, but either way, I admire the characters attempt at contentment. We'll see how long it lasts...

Laura's Take:
Could Latimer truly read Alfred's mind and yet proclaim that Alfred has no doubts whatsoever. Surely all men have doubts, even small ones, but no mind could be completely complacent.

The Class: Its true that Latimer is angry at Alfred but it seems he doesn't really know him at all. Alfred has always been the father's favorite son, evoking a feeling of resentment within Latimer from an early age. Latimer becomes a discredited source when he proclaims Alfred would find no evil by not marrying Bertha - for we know that one day Alfred does find evil, in death.
"The fear of poison is feeble against the sense of thirst"
For Latimer to acknowledge Bertha's true nature he would have to accept that his visions are not accurate That he is in fact imagining all that he sees and that his foreknowledge is not factual.  In other words he does not have the powers he thinks he does. But by admitting this he would be discrediting himself. Perhaps also we could think as to whether it may be impossible to project onto someone you truly love. Or does Latimer not truly love Bertha at all; does he only love what he envisions Bertha to be..? Perhaps Latimer's projection reaches out in two extremes; on one side he idealizes her- on the other size he demonizes her. Could his ideals of Bertha have spawned from his mother's angelic upbringing towards him?

By assuming to know everyone and their shortcomings, you place yourself on a pedestal far above all, when, in reality, you have as many faults as everyone around you. Yet it is your refusal to acknowledge these faults that leads your to occupy your time  concerned with others.

Stream of consciousness ...

An Illustration of J.K. Rowling and Kyra Sedgwick has been shown...

Rowling is clearly thinking here, " I have more money than the Queen but do you really need to be in my face taking my picture like that. Oh well, I hope it doesnt end up on the internet to be googled by those Harry Potter freaks.

Sedgewick, on the other hand,  is surely feeling uncomfortable " I cannot hold this pose much longer, my back has gone numb. I wonder if my hair look good, is my face in the light; here, let me pout my lips a little more...

How easy is it to read the thoughts of another...

Does Latimer really have the supernatural powers he thinks he does?

Well, his vision of Prague first stimulates this ability, and upon visiting the city he affirms his notions that his vision was in fact accurate. Latimer is highly susceptible to art, though, and the bridge at Prague is one of the most painted bridges in the world. Perhaps, this man simply saw an image, remembered it vividly, and traveled there to affirm this image in his head.

So why can he not read Bertha's mind..? She is fun. If you want someone to be something you will project those desired traits onto that person. So what does Bertha actually do? She plays with his mind by not revealing to him a whole lot, thereby leaving room for speculation.

Giorgianni's cruel eyed woman is the painting he views when he thinks about the elder Bertha; his wife. When someone who doesn't need anyone or anything exercises their control over a weak, needy person, that former individual is worshipped by the latter. Just as the critic is loved by the one who is always praised. Latimer believes that he can move her, possibly relating back to his demanding father and his mother who worshipped him and then died.

Latimer sees himself as dying. Plain and simple. Yet he still views himself as a genius, mentally exceptional -not exceptionally mental- but feels that he needs something more to compliment his already overwhelming intellect. His soul is drastically lower than that of the poet for they can write- he cannot- and they have hope of one day having their work read.

Jean Jacque's Confessions. Latimer contrasts his poetical self with the realistic constantly. He refers to himself as a Romantic and believes Bertha to be attracted to that romanticism.

tagcrowd.com
etc.princeton.
project gutneberg
sarah olinger link

Is Latimer like Victor? 

As Victor struggled to be the greatest scientist of his day he naively believed he could achieve supernatural feats. His own shortsightedness failed to take into account the implications of such an experiment, and thus he lead an irresponsible failure. Latimer, here too, is positive that he can achieve something supernatural. His belief that he has the ability to see future events and read peoples minds is a sad projection of what he innermost desires within the world. Many could make the argument that Victor and the monster were one and the same; Victor becoming that which he created. Well the same could be said for Latimer. He convinces himself wholeheartedly that he can do these things. He becomes a character that he has created for himself, and in the process never stops to think of the moral implications of such a duplicitous lifestyle.