Aug 25, 2023·edited Aug 25, 2023Liked by radicaledward
Yes! With the help of Campbell, I did go through it once (I would not have made it without the Campbell book). But I'm a weirdo. I actually have not read the other Joyce books. I read FW because it's very similar to William Blake. I think reading it as a novel, as Campbell somewhat does, is wrong. It is a poem like Blake's prophecies or Spenser's The Faerie Queene.
Also I found Joyce's recording of himself reading from it was very helpful in hearing how the book was meant to be read. You can hear the music of the poem in the recording ... It's really an oral book. I wish he had made more recordings of himself reading it.
Ah, interesting! This lines up with my assumptions about it. I mean, even Ulysses is probably better listened to than read, honestly. I read it way back when but then listened to the audiobook this second time.
And I bought the audiobook for Finnegans Wake months ago with that assumption. I'm going to give it a try soon and will, of course, let everyone know what I think!
Aug 25, 2023·edited Aug 25, 2023Liked by radicaledward
Yes, please write about it!
I've thought for a while about writing a contrarian take on it asserting that the dream of the book is a nightmare. It is sort of a commonplace of critical writing about the book that it is a life-affirming work (because of its theme of resurrection), but going through the whole thing I found it to be mostly a record of anguish and despair. A hard view of life, in my opinion!
Yeah, I don't think Joyce is what anyone would describe as an optimist, honestly. Have you read the Richard Ellmann biography of him? I found it fascinating.
I haven't but I know it's a famous book. He is fascinating for how much his life story matters for his books. I will definitely get around to it eventually. I get reluctant to go to big imposing books like Ulysses sometimes because I know they'll kind of take over my life for a while.
Just such a wonderful piece. Loved it, loved it, loved it. Keep kicking ass! You’re on the right track!
Thanks!
If you go for FW, I recommend the Joseph Campbell guidebook …
Have you read it?
Yes! With the help of Campbell, I did go through it once (I would not have made it without the Campbell book). But I'm a weirdo. I actually have not read the other Joyce books. I read FW because it's very similar to William Blake. I think reading it as a novel, as Campbell somewhat does, is wrong. It is a poem like Blake's prophecies or Spenser's The Faerie Queene.
Also I found Joyce's recording of himself reading from it was very helpful in hearing how the book was meant to be read. You can hear the music of the poem in the recording ... It's really an oral book. I wish he had made more recordings of himself reading it.
Ah, interesting! This lines up with my assumptions about it. I mean, even Ulysses is probably better listened to than read, honestly. I read it way back when but then listened to the audiobook this second time.
And I bought the audiobook for Finnegans Wake months ago with that assumption. I'm going to give it a try soon and will, of course, let everyone know what I think!
Yes, please write about it!
I've thought for a while about writing a contrarian take on it asserting that the dream of the book is a nightmare. It is sort of a commonplace of critical writing about the book that it is a life-affirming work (because of its theme of resurrection), but going through the whole thing I found it to be mostly a record of anguish and despair. A hard view of life, in my opinion!
Yeah, I don't think Joyce is what anyone would describe as an optimist, honestly. Have you read the Richard Ellmann biography of him? I found it fascinating.
I haven't but I know it's a famous book. He is fascinating for how much his life story matters for his books. I will definitely get around to it eventually. I get reluctant to go to big imposing books like Ulysses sometimes because I know they'll kind of take over my life for a while.
When I went to NI I spent a day at Seamus Heaney's Home Place. It may not have been there when you were there.
Ooo, interesting. I was there from 2008-2009 and then again in 2012.
I even went to North Ireland several times! Though never to his house.
It didn't open until 2016. It is really out in the county in Bellaghy.
https://seamusheaneyhome.com/about-homeplace/
Reason enough for me to return to Ireland, I'd say.
Always good to have even a flimsy excuse!