Download - Point, Literature and Romanticism
Good morning, Ladies and Gentleman. Today I would like to tell you about the pointconcept,
its use in literature and its relation to Romanticism.
When I ask ordinary people, who aren`t specialised in Humanities, what is
«point», ladies modestly answer that it is a type of a footwear worn by ballet dancers, and man answer mindfully,
that it was a French revolutioner from St Etienne, who seeked the death
prosecution of French king.
And they both are right, even more, their
definitions are closely related to the concept of «point» analised in
this talk.
So, what is «point» in literature? In order to fully understand it, let`s appeal to the
history of text structure.Aristotle studied text composition and reached a conclusion that «the outcome
of fable should be result of fable itself».
For this philosopher poetry or literature was «techne», «mimesis» of reality.
He believed that the fable of every story should be complete and holistic, and
the text itself should be neither idealistic, nor vicious. From Aristotle`s rationalism such concept as «Aristotle`s
drama» arised.
In contrast, Plato`s poetry was regarded as «metanoia» or divine posession, and the text could have been either idealistic or vicious. Platonism in this case «resembles» German philosophical Romanticism, which was much more subjective than Plato`s objective idealism, but was a reaction to «Greek positivism» too and contained elements of misticism and faith.
«Point» concept was especially suitable for Romanticism
literature, in order to distantiate from classical canons and from
fableoutcome principle.
So «point» concept is embodied in such genres as epigrams, novels and verses. Let`s start with epigrams.
In Ancient Greece epigrams were a popular genre: first they were carved in stone and then they
appeared in books.
Plato in IV century B.C. dedicated this epigram to his beloved
comediographer Aristophane. Even in this period epigram contained
wit and wisdom in the end.
Charites were thinking where to dwell and settle forever;
They found this place, which was Aristophane`s soul.
Plato
Famous Russian poet of the Golden Era Alexander Pushkin wrote this
epigram about DondukovKorsakov, who was a clerck of Ministry of Education, vicepresident of the Academy of
Sciences and censor.
В Академии наук .Заседает князь Дундук
, Говорят не подобает ;Дундуку такая честь ?Почему ж он заседает ... Потому что ж .есть
( : Или Потому что .есть чем сесть )
. . А С Пушкин
Sasha Chorny was a satirical (in contrast to sophisticated and sublime Andrey Bely) Russian poet of the early XX Century. This epigram was dedicated to Maxim
Gorky.
,Пролетарский буревестник ,Укатив от людоеда Издает в Берлине вестник
« ».С кроткой вывеской Беседа, , –Анекдотцы бормотанье
( , , !) –Буревестник знать зачах И лояльное молчанье …О советских палачах
. « »С Черный Горький
Next we`re going to talk about novels. During Baroque and Classicism periods novel was prosecuted by its immorality as frivolous genre.
In the XIX Century there was a revival of novelistic literature.
The contemporary type of novel formed in Germany during Romanticism period.
This genre was theoretically grounded by philosophers Shleyermacher and Shlegel.
The latter had created the theory of romantic irony as an opposite to the
gravity of Enlightment and developed subjectivism.
We observe this subjectivism and irony from Romanticism to Postmodernism
nowadays. Since that time novel became
inseparable of surprise or «point».
Johann Ludwig Tieck «Der blonde Eckbert» (1797)
Sigizmund Krzhizhanovsky «Fairytales for wunderkinds» (1919-1927)
Jean Cocteau «Orpheus» (1949)
So here are the gold standarts of genre: pseudofairytale «Der blonde Eckbert» be Johann
Ludwig Tick, «Fairytales for wunderkinds» by Sigizmund
Krzhizhanovsky (the outcomes of novels resemble aphorisms).
As an example of XX Century — play «Orpheus» by Jean Cocteau (the point in it was a monologue of Orpheus with God, which was absent in previous versions).
Finally, let`s move to verses. In this example from
Mayakovsky we can see laconic and unexpected final, but in contrast to
epigram there is no dedication to any person.
Превращусьне в Толстого,
так в толстого, —ем,
пишу,от жары балда.
Кто над морем не философствовал?Вода.
В. Маяковский «Мелкая философия на глубоких местах»
So «point» is a stylistic approach used to express wit outcome of an epigram, unexpected resolution of
novels storyline or any sudden ending in the verse.
The «point» phenomenon has connection to Romanticism as a reaction to Enlightment: in epigrams there is a prevalence of satire over seriousness...
...in novels there is a mockery for traditional composition and Aristotle`s drama, in verses there are irrational
finite phrases as a manifestation of sensuality
and paradoxical feature.
And last but not least let me show you the connection
between ballet points, French revolutionary named Pointe and pointconcept in
literature.
After the French Revolution, where moissier Pointe took an active role, French women refused to wear high heels and it influence to appearance
of points.
Point as dance footwear originated in Romanticism epoque for the roles of fairies, goddesses and magical beings.
So, «point» has liberated France from monarchy, tender womens feet from pressure and literature from predictable outcomes.