The Lady of Shalott's Final Moments

My first contact with this painting was nearly five months ago. I was studying for a final with a friend and a passerby exclaimed that she loved that screensaver! My friend’s screensaver was a picture of the painting of the “Lady of Shalott.” They had a surprisingly intense conversation about the painting and then moved on with their respective lives. This struck me as a powerful interaction about a painting that I had never experienced. It confused me how they could feel so strongly about a painting that was more than a century old.

That evening I searched the painting online. I sought to understand how they could have such strong sentiments about this painting. I love stories, I love understanding “The Why” behind people’s actions. I am generally not a fan of ambiguity and personal interpretation. I prefer the absolute truth.

"The Lady of Shalott" by John William Waterhouse 1888

During my research, I learned that this painting was created to supplement a powerful poem written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. I also learned that John William Waterhouse loved painting women right before their deaths. This appeared to be a vulnerable moment. I learned the story I wanted, and the painting suddenly struck me at a much deeper level. The Lady is dying for breaking a curse. In her last moments of life, she chooses to experience the life she has not been able to enjoy by leaving her tower and venturing out on a boat. Her face expresses a mix of deep emotions including fear and sadness, but I would also argue satisfaction and even pleasure.

In contrast with my first experience where I did not understand this piece, I have grown to love this painting. This painting typifies the Romantic period. This displays a full range of emotion expressed by the face of the Lady of Shalott. The colors in the painting are a contrast of light and dark that creates a focus on the Lady while also displaying the dark gothic or difficult emotional state that she is in. It expresses both a fear of death, desire for the unknown, and releases a tone of fatal reverence as one would feel I the presence of a dying loved one. 

Image credit: John William Waterhouse "The Lady of Shalott" 1888. By Plum Leaves licensed under CC by 2.0

Confusion will be MY Epitaph

"The Words of the Prophets are written on the Subway Walls and Tenement Halls..."

"...The Wall on which the prophets wrote... Is cracking at... the seams..."

• Something Big: Memories to last a (digital) lifetime
• When I was checking up the other day on how much memory on my Google Drive remained, I was astonished at how much I still had. Despite putting so many documents, presentations and PDF's on to the cloud in over seven years of use, I had barely used up a fraction of a percent thus far! I have no clue as to how I could possibly use up so much available space, as except I use it for... less than legal purposes, there would be no way as to fill it up to the maximum limit.
• Something Broken: The Mind is a plaything of not just the body, but itself
• I don't think like most people. I don't have the same impulses, the same drives that the average man has. While in a flight of fancy I can imagine an literary scene as if it was in real time, and yet in the same moment I could not understand how torque is calculated, despite taking and passing a college-level physics course. I can see the relationships between characters and themes as clearly as dry glass, and yet my mind fogs up when my mind needs to figure out what a person in the real world really wants or is feeling. My IQ is lauded, and yet I can't help but feel that in this interpersonal world it is less than useless. How could I ever understand how another thinks when I can't even understand my own thoughts and actions?
• Something Artistic: Confusion will be MY Epitaph
• Music is one of the highlights of my life, but it was not until recently that I had discovered a song by King Crimson called "Epitaph". A "sequel" of sorts to the Simon and Garfunkel song "the Sound of Silence", it is an ode to the dark future ahead, where civilization crumbles around us as we dunk our heads into the sand. Sometimes I have no clue what the future holds, but in other times I can imagine oh so terribly how disastrous things can become and are becoming. I dream of nuclear war, a world that is safe to no child, and to this I can only wail the song's chorus: "Yes, I feel tomorrow I'll be crying... Yes, I feel tomorrow I'll be crying..."
• Something Mysterious: How positive and joyous an emotion...
• What does it mean to love? This not an uncommon question, but unlike others I truly have no idea as to how to do so. What would my family say, if I were to tell them, "I do not know if I love you, I do not know how such is accomplished"? What would whoever should be wife say, if I were to confess, "Am I supposed to feel warm when I am beside you? Am I truly someone who cares about you, and your wellbeing?" I can feel happiness, satisfaction, and a whole host of negative emotions, but have I ever truly loved? Are the bonds I form with others as strong as steel... or as delicate as a stem?

Image Credit: "Munich Subway Station" via Wikimedia Commons

"Can't We All Get Along?" Today's Political Discourse Through the Eyes of Adam Bede Characters

In 1799 rural life in Britain was relatively similar across the country. Most people were poor and struggled to provide for their families. The romanticization of a young woman dreaming of living a life of luxury with a with a wealthy squire and the strange notion of a woman preacher would have been common encounters for rural citizens across Europe.

Mary Ann Evans published Adam Bede in 1859. This was a period of time where enlightenment thinking had become part of society long enough for it to start to sink into action. This was also a time of religious tension in England. Enlightenment principles like individual social liberty and tolerance of other individuals were portrayed in characters like Mr. Irwine and Dinah. These characters were accepting and thought that all humans deserved respect:

"These fellow-mortals, every one, must be accepted as they are: you can neither straighten their noses, nore brighten their wit, nor rectify their dispositions; and it is these people--amongst whom your life is passed--that it is needful you should tolerate, pity and love: it is these more or less ugly, stupid, inconsistent people, whose movements of goodness you should be able to admire--" (Narrator, 17:160)

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Dinah set out to prove that caring for the dispossessed is the most important part of religion and Mr. Irwine was respectful of Dinah's title as a preacher despite being a woman.

As I skimmed through the reviews the comments mentioned themes kindness and tolerance. With the polarizing climate of politics and the dangerous rhetoric taking place in media, it seems as though the notion of kindness and tolerance has been lost.

As I have sought to find the truth concerning social issues we face in society I have found that the intentions of those supposedly fighting for the dispossessed are less concerned with helping the afflicted and more concerned about hating and smearing their opposition. Has the enlightenment value of the sovereign individual been lost? Are we being forced to join ideology groups to feel part of the compassionate cause?

I definitely don't have the answers, but a song written by Kenny Chesney in light of today's political discourse comes to mind:

"Get along on down the road
We've got a long, long way to go
Scared to live, scared to die
We ain't perfect, but we try
Get along while we can
Always give love the upper hand
Paint a wall
Learn to dance, call your Mom
Buy a boat, drink a beer
Sing a song, make a friend
Can't we all
Get along."       

While the premise may be simple and commonsensical, I think Mary Ann Evens, Dinah, and Mr. Irwine would all agree with Mr. Chesney.

     

     

The John Donnes of the Modern Era

John Donne was a fantastically witty poet and author. What is interesting about the life he lived is that his life took a dramatic turn and this can be seen the content of his writings. While he was young, he was wildly successful at writing love poems that attracted a younger, wilder crowd. It bought him popularity, validation, and wealth. However, John Donne chose to marry a young girl without the approval of his parents. This is where his life took a turn for the worst.

At this point, he lost nearly everything. He loses his diplomatic influence, his wealthy parents ostracize him and he is left to fend for his growing family. His tone begins to change in his writings as life is no longer as perfect as it once was. This is something that I feel most people can relate to. there are times in life where it seems like nothing could go wrong. Some enjoy this hiatus from problems longer than others. I find that many of the upper-class people in modern society experience this life growing up. This rarely lasts forever, as depicted by John's life. He was humbled and changes his writings from witty love poems to zealous pleas to God. Despite not always understanding why God sent him these trials, we do notice that he writes with deeper, more sincere intent than his earlier texts.

 A modern example I have noticed is Lamar Odom. He was a former professional basketball player who won a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. Unfortunately, he got into drugs and like John, fell from fame. This story lives on today as he fought his addictions and is currently working to join the Chinese basketball league. The Lamar we knew is not the Lamar we see today. He is grateful for every day, realizing how close his life came to being lost. No matter who we are or what we have accomplished, nobody is invincible. In dropping to the lowest point, either our best or worst self is able to emerge.

Image credit: Love, Creative Commons Love, John Hain, licensed under CC by Pixabay

LOVE: Reasoning vs. Senses

Having been married for 35 years, I was intrigued by the wisdom of Castiglione in The Courtier. He concludes that “it is not reasonable to argue that the old can love blamelessly and more happily than the young….” 

Anyone who is young and in love would most likely be quick to argue this statement. He explains the fight within each of us between our senses and our reasoning. I think most of us would agree that when we are young, “the senses…are in full strength in youth” as Castiglione says. He explains that in our youth “the soul cannot of itself clearly perceive the truth when it is carrying out the duties of governing the body.” Therefore, the soul “must appeal to the senses for its first notions.” And as a result, young men are “rebellious against reason.” 

Image credit: https://www.flickr.com/search/?l=commderiv&q=love

He argues that “lovers who are more mature in age experience the contrary; for in their case the soul is no longer weighed down by the body.” He says that “they are not deceived and they possess completely the beauty they love.” He finishes by saying that “the true love of beauty is good and holy and always benefits those in whose souls the bridle of reason restrains the iniquity of the senses; and that is something the old can do far more easily than the young.” 

I have now lived long enough to realize that although young love is normal for all, and will never change its ways, relying mostly on senses, it is the reasoning of enduring love that is more precious. Love that endures overcomes all that we never believed would happen to us. The old achieve this reasoning love through much heartache and endurance. Ironically, that achievement is the beauty of love. 

As is normal in this earth life of ours, it is usually through our tribulations that we achieve true joy and happiness; the joy and happiness that cannot be found in our youth because time has not yet been given to us.

It's Only a Kiss...

In "The Courtier," Pietro Bembo states: "...Love is simply a certain longing to possess beauty; and since this longing can only be for things are known already, knowledge must always of necessity precede desire..." In relation to the printing press and other inventions circa the Renaissance era, the mass production of rhetoric (knowledge) changed the desire (mindset) of every society; however, this was only possible if the governing force of that society allowed the production of that rhetorical knowledge.

For example, Peter the Great of Russia created a precedent of strict control over the country and forbade customs that deviated from the vision of Russia he had of Russia (Drogin). Meanwhile, the American colonies were based on a free-for-all society, where if a religious or financial institution attempted strict control, there was plenty of other space to create one’s own institution. Therefore, while Russian leaders filtered more undesirable rhetoric out of their society, American ideals were based on freedom of speech and expression, creating drastically different pools of perspective and opinion.

Joey Franklin’s essay “The Lifespan of a Kiss” further exemplifies how rhetoric creates differing desires in different societies. In the 20^th century, France offered to display the now world famous sculpture from French sculptor Augeste Rodin aptly named “The Kiss” in Tokyo but Japan refused the offer, not because of the nakedness but the gesture of kissing. Japan told the French that they would put the sculpture on display if a cloth was placed solely over the faces of the kissing couple. France refused: “morally, the French just couldn’t allow it” (Franklin).

The reason for this denial from Japan, as Franklin writes, is that the Japanese don’t kiss in the open, their romance novels and soap operas never portray kissing, meanwhile France is stereo-typically known for their vehement displays and literature of romance and expressions of the body.; essentially, varying rhetoric creates differing, collective desires for an entire country. 

 Image Credits: "The Kiss by Auguste Rodin" (public domain images via Wikimedia Commons) 

Looking Past the Mark

In Castiglione's book on The Cortier, Pietro Bembo takes a classic rhetorical approach to portray love and beauty as divine qualities, distinct from the body. The most fundamental tools he uses to display his argument is definition and division. Pietro says he will "make it clear" exactly what love is, and how we experience it. He goes on to divide our perception and understanding of the world into the senses, rational thought and intellect. He defines love as an ardent desire for beauty,  which cannot be satisfied by sensual love, but by cherishing your partner, serving them, and rationally enjoying their divine beauty. While Pietro is correct that beauty cannot be enjoyed through sensual desires, he misses the mark of the true reasons behind love.

Portrait of a Young Man- Bronzino (1530's)

Beauty and love cannot only be enjoyed through rational thought and intellect. In Bronzinos' Portrait of a Young Man renaissance thinkers humanist ideas can be seen. As n Haughtan points out in her thesis, "Portrait of a Young Man not only depicts his subject's idealized appearance but also his scholarship, background and potential. " The book cracked in his right hand suggests that reading was so normal that he would have been caught in the act, not wanting to stop when the painter came. Bronzino does not simply add the book as an afterthought, but the ornate background furniture, and the book as a symbol of knowledge, class, and wealth at the time add to the viewers concept of beauty. This idea however falls as flat as the painting itself. To love only through looking or listening to someones thoughts and ideas is as futile as trying to understand the Young mans true character by simply looking at the painting. 

Pietro concedes that a kiss may be appropriate at certain times because the rational lover can mingle his soul with that of his lover. He contends that beauty is supernatural, and loses its nobility when fused with our bodies, but what he doesn't realize, is that by expressing our natural desires in love, we take part in the supernatural and divine. What Pietro thinks of as only sensual and evil, is a part of and a symbol of the divine creation of all mankind. The mingling of souls in a kiss is amplified and completed as are dedicated to each other, and become like the Ultimate Creator. While beauty is divine, and cannot be only fulfilled in the body, trying to exclude all physicality from love is looking past the mark of what love is.

Bronzino - Portrait of a Young Man, (1530's)- public domain

Haughton, Neil. “Perceptions of Beauty in Renaissance Art.” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, vol. 3, no. 4, 2004, pp. 229–233., doi:10.1111/j.1473-2130.2004.00142.x.