Over the past 10 days, I’ve been having a few arguments on the hell-site (still) known as Twitter. Foolish, I know. First, because a “former English major” and a few others said Shakespeare was “inaccessible and alienating to students” and should be dropped from school. Then because one said Shakespeare’s considered a genius only because “there was a lot of low-hanging fruit,” and another said Shakespeare and Mozart were “both very usual” and “The Artistic Genius is a myth that is forged by cultural institutions over decades and centuries.” Some of you are surely glad you’re not on social media. But no, it got worse. A couple of days ago, the news of Christopher Nolan’s new project revealed that a few film youtubers had never heard of The Odyssey; there were strong reactions; numerous philistines appeared in defence of ignorance, asking if people are supposed to know “every single piece of literature” and calling others pretentious; a few appeared to think The Odyssey was American or written in English (one for example asked “How do they expect people who don’t speak English as their first language to know this book?”, but there were others).
Dismal.
Even if there is little impact, I can’t help feeling an urge to fight against anti-intellectualism and inverted snobbery, against identity politics and Critical Race Theory, against philistinism and the School of Resentment.
One of the ways to fight is reading and analysing and promoting classic books.
So next year, I’m gonna read The Odyssey. It would be a sudden jump, but that shouldn’t matter—I’m curious about George Steiner’s comparison of Dostoyevsky to Shakespeare and Tolstoy to Homer. The question is which translation.
(At some point, I will get to Ovid because of his influence on Shakespeare and Cervantes, but perhaps not yet).
In 2025, I’m gonna continue exploring the 18th century. At the moment I’m taking a tiny break from Tom Jones to read a book by my uncle the literary critic, and may pick up something else whilst in Leeds. Should also expand beyond novels—I know I’m narrow.
I’m also gonna see more of the 17th century. Perhaps read some more Spanish Golden Age plays. Or just explore 17th century French drama. I haven’t read Molière. And of course reread a few Shakespeare plays and read some more Shakespearean criticism.
Those are the main projects.
There are also some loose ideas scattered around. For various reasons I’m now more interested in Ulysses, so I’m gonna have to build up for it—try Dubliners again and build up.
I’d also like to read more Jewish literature. Over the past year, I read Primo Levi, Isaac Babel, Isaac Bashevis Singer. Tom of Wuthering Expectations gave me as birthday present a collection of classic Yiddish stories. Should read those. And perhaps more.
Even if the philistines and authoritarians win, even if the public becomes increasingly ignorant of classic works because of tiktoks and a million other distractions, I will not lose—because these books I read are mine.
Amen, sister! Preach it!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way; the resentful, the spiritual levelers, those who want to tear down and trample anything that dares to exist above them - they can't keep me from reading what I want to read, can't keep me from valuing what I find valuable, can't prevent me from trying to stretch myself to reach something above me (maybe the problem isn't that it's too high; maybe the problem is that I'm too low - of course they wouldn't consider that in a million years).
Keep doing what you're doing, and keep sharing it with us. It encourages me and I appreciate it, and I know I'm not alone. Have a wonderful 2025!
(And a suggestion for "expanding beyond novels" - Black Lamb and Grey Falcon by Rebecca West.)
Thank you.
DeleteRead some of the books together with me if you like.
A wonderful 2025 to you too!
Well done, the growth of philistinism and dumbing down in Western culture is distressing on occasions, but you stood up for your ideals, well done. Fancy having the gall to criticise Shakespeare and Homer. The guy who was an English Mr ajotobread r puzzles me. If he disliked the canon, why study it? There have been several cases of students refusing to read works because they "trigger" them. What they are really saying is " I'm not mature enough to study this text".
ReplyDeleteI'm sad to say I have come across a lot of people with English degrees or who even are English teachers/ professors, who hate Shakespeare and want to remove classic literature from the curriculum.
DeleteNot only on social media. Sometimes they appear in the media.
If you’re looking for more Jewish novels, I strongly recommend My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok.
ReplyDeleteAnother comment here mentioned Black Lamb and Grey Falcon. I’m not sure what you would think (and it’s a huge book), but it is one of my all-time favorites.
Okay, thank you.
DeleteAt the end of this year, I convinced myself that another attempt at Ulysses was in order. I would occasionally pick up the book and read a small section, hmmm...didn't seem too bad. Some of the initial chapters even had humor I could understand! So armed with guides by Nabokov and Burgess I set out again.
ReplyDeleteNever again! After the first few chapters the book treats you like a complete piece of shit, pages of unreadable nonsense. Which only really relents for the last chapter. Even then you are left wondering how many references to his anal obsession he can cram in.
The book is a giant snore, I'm really left wondering if the people who put this at the top of 20th century literature have read more than a couple of pages. (a la Proust). I liked 'Dubliners' and 'A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man'. But 'Ulysses' ugh...
I'd be interested to see what you make of it.
That makes me more curious.
DeleteSince you are probably aware of the overall 'story' and main characters, reading a few test chapters won't hurt. I suggest reading either "Cyclops" or "Oxen of the Sun". If a couple of hundred pages more of this type of thing sounds like a good time, you're onto a winner and you still have the joy of "Circe" to come!
DeleteNo, I will build up for it. Haven't read Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and people have told me I should read that beforehand.
DeleteI'm reading Northrop Frye at the moment whilst taking a break from Tom Jones.