Unusual Litterature
Tuesday, 31. October 2006, 22:59:08
I am reading "unusual" litterature at the moment. I am reading Danish books from the period of romanticism - which originated in the late 18th century here in Western Europe.
Admitted - that is rather nerdy - but I really feel this like taking part of an adventure. A journey in time, if not in space.
I am currently dealing with a book by the name "Adam Homo", by the Danish author Frederik Paludan-Müller. The book is one long piece of rhyming poetry going over 656 pages. I think it is very, very interesting to dig down in a book like this. I am reading in it every evening before going to bed - and when I switch off my lamp in order to go to sleep, I strangely feel like having travelled more than a hundred years back in time. People back in those days (well, Paludan Müller at least) did live in an entirely different mind-pattern.
Nature was the ideal - women and children were directly connected to nature, therefore more "pure" in heart and thoughts. Men, on the other hand, were more civilized, meaning that they were more separated from their natural offspring, therefore having to express their longing for the natural being in art. Something that women and children didn´t have to.
Reading old books is probably one of the closest things to a time-machine you can find. It´s like moving into another person´s head one hundred years ago. I have bought this classic book for like 10 Euro in a second-hand book store - and it´s a treasure indeed. A bang for the buck, as you Northern Americans would probably put it.
And every time something new (in this case more likely old) is filling my mind, I will have to make a photograph out of it. The below photo is my attempt to express romanticism - symbolised with that old book and the last rose of this season. The book is from my bookshelf and the rose is from my garden. Nature and litterature - both pointing back to times passed and almost lost. A very romantic thougt - therefore a very romantic photo, I hope.
Admitted - that is rather nerdy - but I really feel this like taking part of an adventure. A journey in time, if not in space.
I am currently dealing with a book by the name "Adam Homo", by the Danish author Frederik Paludan-Müller. The book is one long piece of rhyming poetry going over 656 pages. I think it is very, very interesting to dig down in a book like this. I am reading in it every evening before going to bed - and when I switch off my lamp in order to go to sleep, I strangely feel like having travelled more than a hundred years back in time. People back in those days (well, Paludan Müller at least) did live in an entirely different mind-pattern.
Nature was the ideal - women and children were directly connected to nature, therefore more "pure" in heart and thoughts. Men, on the other hand, were more civilized, meaning that they were more separated from their natural offspring, therefore having to express their longing for the natural being in art. Something that women and children didn´t have to.
Reading old books is probably one of the closest things to a time-machine you can find. It´s like moving into another person´s head one hundred years ago. I have bought this classic book for like 10 Euro in a second-hand book store - and it´s a treasure indeed. A bang for the buck, as you Northern Americans would probably put it.
And every time something new (in this case more likely old) is filling my mind, I will have to make a photograph out of it. The below photo is my attempt to express romanticism - symbolised with that old book and the last rose of this season. The book is from my bookshelf and the rose is from my garden. Nature and litterature - both pointing back to times passed and almost lost. A very romantic thougt - therefore a very romantic photo, I hope.
WIDGETIZE
musickna # 1. November 2006, 02:22
Absolutely right.
One reason why it is so important to read works such as Paludan-Müller's. They give a sense of a different time and sensibilty, yet all the while recognisably human and relevant to us today.
Myself, prompted by my son who is reading it at school, tonight I read Edgar Allan Poe's very grisly "The Black Cat", again written in a language and style far removed from that of today. Yet, once you enter its world, it is absolutely riveting.
kate xu # 1. November 2006, 02:32
I am currently dealing with a blog by the name "Allan´s Weblog". The blog is full of rhyming poems and beautiful photos going over 63 pages. I think it is very, very interesting to dig down in a blog like this. I am reading in it every evening before going to bed - and when I switch off my laptop in order to go to sleep, I strangely feel like having travelled to Allan's garden and stolen a rose which was put on the book filled with words I never saw before.
musickna # 1. November 2006, 02:38
Duplo # 1. November 2006, 03:20
I have read litterature from that period too and it is truly great reading.
Currently I stick to blogging and English litterature though.
Set aside the beautiful photos, beautiful poems and other writings for a second.
Because you already know how much I appreciate you sharing those with os, this photo is another amazing piece by the way:up:
Your blog has become my favourite window to Denmark, the true home for both of us.
angel292005 # 1. November 2006, 03:46
Excuse me Allan, but can you please explain to me this? In particular this statement,
thanks if you are able to,
sarah
ricewood # 1. November 2006, 07:26
Don´t think that was sufficient - yet more thank you!!!
Sarah: I can try explaining - can be hard, though. This entire mindset is rather foreign to me - even though it´s actually a part of our national heritage.
You see - after the French revolution and after science began giving answers to all the mysteries in life, there was this counter-reaction developing. A lot of people felt that values based on tradition, religion, historical myths and the joy of nature was gradually being taken away from them. Therefore they began - once more, like in the old days - basing their judgements and their ways of living on the way they felt, rather than on what they knew for a fact. They somehow felt that the leaves of the trees in spring were becoming less greeen when they were told that the green was due to a substance called chlorofyle and it´s whole reason for being was to transfer carbondioxide into the plant and make it into energy, oxygen and water. I assume it was a much nicer thought for them to think - no, make that feel - that God made the leaves green so that man could aknowledge His grace every spring.
That, and the fact that men often have a distinct feeling that women have a mysterious quality to them, and that children are so loveable because of their spontaneity, they felt that because of men´s more developed intelligence (this is not my opinion, mind you!) the men were missing something. A connection to mystery and beauty in life. And men being the ones in society which were expressing themselves through litterature, painting, poetry - well in art, rather than women, they must have felt that it was because they had to. And women didn´t have to - they obviously did not write and paint and whatever. They cooked, were beautiful to look at, men fell in love with them - so the poor men thought they were closer to God somehow. A mystery in life that the writing and painting men needed - so they wrote and painted about that as well.
I hope this "lecture" of mine helped clarifying my previous blurred words. If not - I´ll have to make it better, that is if you ask me again
misund007 # 1. November 2006, 10:54
ricewood # 2. November 2006, 06:57
Tylda # 3. November 2006, 19:55
Yes that's true.I just finished reading very good book -"The winners" author of this book is Julio Cortazar. This book is pretty new nowel but it helps to understend peoples minds and feelings.Even if persons in your book are not real you know that they can reflect some true characters and then after you read good book you can become more open, more tolerant and understending,so for me this is the reason why books are the best things in this world
ricewood # 4. November 2006, 13:21
I_ArtMan # 22. December 2006, 18:15
they touch on feeling. you know, what is happening to feeling these days... is it diluted by the speed of life? who reads anymore for the
pure joy of entering a new world.
i have to think about this theory about those days in denmark.
reminds me of the movie 'babette's feast'. the times and the quaintness of beliefs.
also everone.... literature... scott the speelchecker.
ricewood # 22. December 2006, 18:29
Thanks Scott. Interesting reply.
Also Scott - after a full stop starting a new sentence always big initial letter.
I_ArtMan # 22. December 2006, 22:00
nationalism.
ricewood # 22. December 2006, 22:09
I_ArtMan # 23. December 2006, 00:28