Long long ago, in the bygone age of the 1970s and early 1980s when I studied capital-L Literature, the focus was on idolizing the text. We analyzed every word as if divinely inspired. It was the age of textual criticism. No one thought or cared about the author or the historical context. Everything we needed to know or discover was on the page. Today, the pendulum has swung to the opposite extreme. We gobble up personal info on the author and think we know them, but do we? No, we don’t, but looking back, I’m astonished that all my professors were so blinded by literary theory that they totally ignored the personal story.
That is such an interesting perspective, Ellie! I was in school during that era, too -- and I hadn't thought about it in exactly this way. Seems like perhaps a happy medium is a good place to land!
This is why I began experimenting with Ekphrastic poetry, Jennie. A piece of art struck me, and I wrote free-association style. It helped to know about the sculpture, or the artist, first, but it wasn't essential to me.
I’m just like you! Pretty human of us. Who doesn’t enjoy People magazine? All the gossip about the stars. Same with FB, but we read about people we know. I love biographies and reading writers bios.
I do something similar. When I finish reading a book I really enjoyed, I'll often head to the internet to learn more about the author and to YouTube to find any interviews with the authors. Sometimes that will then lead me to a podcast. Sometimes one short interview is enough, other times, it's just the beginning of a continuing search.
Long long ago, in the bygone age of the 1970s and early 1980s when I studied capital-L Literature, the focus was on idolizing the text. We analyzed every word as if divinely inspired. It was the age of textual criticism. No one thought or cared about the author or the historical context. Everything we needed to know or discover was on the page. Today, the pendulum has swung to the opposite extreme. We gobble up personal info on the author and think we know them, but do we? No, we don’t, but looking back, I’m astonished that all my professors were so blinded by literary theory that they totally ignored the personal story.
That is such an interesting perspective, Ellie! I was in school during that era, too -- and I hadn't thought about it in exactly this way. Seems like perhaps a happy medium is a good place to land!
Yes, now I value both the text and context.
Ah now I’m not worried about the artist. I’d rather not know anything about them or if would spoil the story. I love how different we all are!
That's so interesting! So you don't come home from things and obsessively Google the writer?🤣
No! Well. Sometimes but rarely 😊
This is why I began experimenting with Ekphrastic poetry, Jennie. A piece of art struck me, and I wrote free-association style. It helped to know about the sculpture, or the artist, first, but it wasn't essential to me.
Art is both a window and a mirror.
That sounds so cool! It's BONKERS how attached I am to knowing the creator's story.
I’m just like you! Pretty human of us. Who doesn’t enjoy People magazine? All the gossip about the stars. Same with FB, but we read about people we know. I love biographies and reading writers bios.
Ha -- I had not thought about People magazine in this way, but i guess I DO always reach for it in the doctor's waiting room!
I do something similar. When I finish reading a book I really enjoyed, I'll often head to the internet to learn more about the author and to YouTube to find any interviews with the authors. Sometimes that will then lead me to a podcast. Sometimes one short interview is enough, other times, it's just the beginning of a continuing search.