SREETAMA GHOSH
1024118
CIA2
MEL 132
WESTERN AESTHETICS
JULY 15, 2010.
Map of Stephen F.Eisenman’s “The Intransigent Artist or How the Impressionists got their name”
Paragraph 1: Routes how the movement Impressionism got its name-exhibition in Paris studio on 15 April 1874-Claude Monet’s painting titled Impression-‘impression’, ‘effect of an impression’; used by press to refer to the paintings-‘Le Charivari’ by Louis Leroy, speaks of a school of Impressionists-Jules Castagnary explains Impressionism for readers of ‘Le siècle’- The Sociѐtѐ itself accepted the name, voting to title its third exhibition the ‘exhibition of Impressionists’.
Paragraph 2: Arguments concerning the origin of the name- accuracy of the account-popularity of the term Impressionism in period between April 1874 and February 1877-why did the Sociѐtѐ anonyme adopt a name that had been used in mockery?-the necessity to name the new art- why did the artists and their critics regard the term significant?-impressionism constitute a single moment of the ongoing debate over modernism itself.
Paragraph 3: Inclusion of the word Impression in the vocabulary of art criticism and what it implied-the term entered the vocabulary at about the same time that the French positivists were pursuing their studies of Perception- Charles Baudelaire described the “Impression produced by things on the spirit of M.G(uys)”-Studies of Richard Shiff and Charles Stuckey provide base for generalization of the meaning of the term- art based on impressions or sensory experience must resemble, what Ruskin had earlier called,’ innocence of the eye’-Theodore Duret said of Manet that his paintings reflects his impression of things ‘in a variant coloration’.
Paragraph 4: The dual nature of Impressionism-individuality and juxtaposition of colour ‘notes’ with their adjacent tone- Castagnary cites that “Impressionists leave reality and enter into full idealism”-idealism signifies the individualism of the artists, determined by the reflection of the macrocosmic world on his senses.
Paragraph 5: Connotations of the term Impressionism in 1874-technique of painting and an attitude of individualism shared by a group of artists unofficially led by Manet-political and radical connotations of the term-“does it constitute a revolution?” asked Castagnary of Impressionism- Impressionism deemed individualism as an necessary instrument for the freedom of citizens from political, economical and religious dogma-reconstructing France after disastrous Franco- Prussian war and commune.
Paragraph 6: Debate on the sanguinity about the political moderation of the new art and appearance of the word Intransigent-the word Intransigent popular until the Impressionists self-naming in1877.
Paragraph 7: Derivation and meaning of the word intransigent- derived from Spanish neologism los intransigentes-designation for the anarchist wing of the Spanish federalist party of 1872-the intransigents were opposed to the compromises offered by the Federalist benevolent-intransigents claimed for cantonal independence against benevolent Republicans-dispute resulted in war.
Paragraph 8: Political unrest in Spain due to the dispute between the intransigents and Benevolent Republic-attempted intransigent coup in July 1873 fuelled civil war-rebels routed-last Intransigent stronghold, Cartagena, submitted to the Republic-end of 1874,the Republic defeated and the Spanish bourbons restored to power.
Parahgraph9: Support of the assertion that Impressionists had joined hands with the Intransigents in politics-preface to the catalogue for an auction of Impressionist paintings, Philippe Burty described the paintings of the new group, “who are here called Impressionists, elsewhere the Intransigents.”-in the review of second Impressionist exhibition, Albert Wolff wrote, “The self- proclaimed artists call themselves the Intransigents, the Impressionists Intransigents in politics had alliance with Impressionists were further stated by Emile Blemont and Louis Eaul.
Paragraph 10: A critic for La Gazzette, Marius Chaumelin take on politics of Intransigent Art and the appropriateness of its name-Chaumelin claims that the fundamentals of the new art were derived from the principles of the political Intransigents- but little help offered to readers in determining as how political turned in to artistic intransigence.
Paragraph 11: Stѐphane Mallarmѐ clarifies the link between radical, or intransigent, art and politics-Mallarmѐ perceived the new art as an expression of working -class vision and ideology- argument justified in Mallarmѐ’s essay ‘The Art Monthly Review’.
Paragraph 12: Mallarmѐ argues that new Impressionist art marked a significant new stage in social evolution-Impressionism was a movement with a radical co-operative programme.
Paragraph 13:Set of homologies offered by Mallarmѐ between Impressionist art and working class, or radical vision-he suggested that this radical erasure was positive, akin to the popular art usually indigenous to the working class-key term in his dialectic was ‘the theory of the open air’.
Paragraph 14: The function of the open-air painting; what makes Impressionist painting appealing to the rising class of workers and petit bourgeois and Mallarmѐ’s view of the ideal Impressionist painter-Open-air painting justifies for the discarding of academic traditions or individualist whim-Impressionists’ stripping away results in a pictorial clarity and flatness that imitates the look of the simple- thus favored by the rising class of workers and petit bourgeois.
Paragraph 15: The essence of the new art, that emerged between 1874 and 1877, occupies the position between the polarities Impressionist/Intransigent- new art as an single instance of Modernist dialectics-works exploring their own physical origins are Intransigent rebukes to a society-on the other hand, the apolitical self-regard of Modernist art creates an environment suitable to industrial appropriation of the works-‘free space desired by Modernism significant to culture industry.
Paragraph 16: Intransigent the alter ego of Impressionism-opposition between Impressionist and Intransigent art unresolved in the criticism of Claretie, Chesneau, Burty, Wolff, Enault, Chaumelin, and Mallarmѐ.
Paragraph 17: Ambiguities of the new art-assumption that it was deliberate steps by the artists to create a zone of aesthetic freedom that could remain autonomous from political polarizations-new art embodied a ‘theory of open air’, so did its criticism based on ideological unease-critics on the left no more confident than those on the right-Renoir’s rejection of the name further fuelled critical uncertainty over the new art- prolonged ideological antinomies to prevent painting absorbed into ‘cheap tinsel.’
Paragraph 18: Success of the new art apparently owing to the manner of style adopted by Manet and refusal of a proper name by Renoir-Manet chose to expose the Enlightment fissure between subject and object or word and thing through an art that called attention to its status as fiction-he refused Romantic symbolism and Jacobian tradition.
Paragraph 19: Impressionist followers of Manet succeeded in eliding ideological oppositions still offering scope for knowledge-evidence of knowledge in pictures-Manet’s art rhetoric of binaries-new art provides free space between Impressionist and Intransigent.
Work cited:
Eisenmam, Stephen F. “The Intransigent Artist or How the Impressionists Got their Name.”
Art in Modern Culture: An Anthology of Critical texts. Eds. Francis Franscina, and
Jonathan Harris. London/New York: Phaidon, 1992.Print.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Thormas Paine : American Crises
American Literature has its beginning in the 18th century. The American literatures were pamphlets and writings extolling the benefits of the colonies to both a European and colonist audience. The religious disputes that prompted settlement in America, the revolutionary period containing political writings were also the topics of writing. The strength of America lies in its culture.
Literature and not philosophy became the topic of discussion for the elite class. “Colonization is about capturing minds and not capturing terrorist”, was the idea. During the emergence of World War I, England stopped imparting education to the Germans as they were their enemies; in reply to this, Dental science started emerging in the Germen camps.
In 1492, Columbus reached America, and by 1600’s Native Americans, Red Indians started to settle there. It is said that Aryans ‘came’ from central Asia, Mughals ‘invaded’ and Britishers ‘colonized’ America. Evidence of this can found in the linguists of America as it is similar to Sanskrit, Greek and Latin. The Mughals came from Mangolia with their army and settled down there. Genetically, Native Americans are Magnolian.
Thomas Paine (1737-1809)
Thomas Paine was a renowned pro American writer, who used ‘plain’ language in an attempt to engage even those people who never read. His works promoted the struggle for American independence and for the rejection of government based on hereditary monarchy. He rejected hierarchies in church and state.
During that period local aristocracies were being challenged by the rising artisan class. He used his rhetorical powers to argue for American independence. On January 9, 1776, he published Common Sense which argued for American independence from Great Britain and for a republican form of government as superior to heredity monarchy. Common Sense helped in spreading a national spirit and led to the creation of the Declaration of Independence.
His writings showcased how emerging state uses the vocabulary of religion to sanctify their cause. Religion is used to defend states, although religion and state are completely different entities. Religion becomes a tool to justify their cause for a national state. Religion in turn relates to Puritanism which is based largely on Old Testament and it also has its roots in the Jewish history.
From The American Crisis
In the introductory paragraph itself, Paine represents the current state of affairs in America. America was undergoing both domestic and outer (external) crises. He aims to attain a free nation, free from the tyranny of British. He wishes to break free from the bindings, he believed that binding is slavery.
He also points out the faults, the mistakes made in the past and he counters how to redress it. Lack of preparation becomes one of the main reasons for their folly, for the downfall of America. Paine also justifies their goal of FREE AMERICA, as he feels that it is a just claim which has been sanctioned by God himself. “God Almighty will not give up a people to military destruction, or leave them unsupported to perish”. Nation state action is sanctioned by religion. Political struggle kept alive though divine invocation.
He also talks about the panic which has gripped America. He gives examples of the previous situations in France and England, where panic became a downfall and a cause of misery. He believed that now it was the right time to attack; he wanted all the people to fire up their spirits and fight together, unite and gain independence. He gives a detailed account about the experiences of the troops at Fort Lee. He talks about the fragile and temporary army and the mistakes committed by both armies.
The essay has a Biblical tone to it. Paine’s language is similar to that of Bible (Old Testament); especially the text relating to Jewish struggle; there is also the use of imagination from the Jewish: the journey towards the Promised Land (Israel). The notion of “All nations”, is taken from the Bible.
There is also the imagery of Joan of Arc, wherein there is divine intervention where someone will be blessed to lead America towards her independence. Also there are references to enlightened visions and contested boundaries.
Literature and not philosophy became the topic of discussion for the elite class. “Colonization is about capturing minds and not capturing terrorist”, was the idea. During the emergence of World War I, England stopped imparting education to the Germans as they were their enemies; in reply to this, Dental science started emerging in the Germen camps.
In 1492, Columbus reached America, and by 1600’s Native Americans, Red Indians started to settle there. It is said that Aryans ‘came’ from central Asia, Mughals ‘invaded’ and Britishers ‘colonized’ America. Evidence of this can found in the linguists of America as it is similar to Sanskrit, Greek and Latin. The Mughals came from Mangolia with their army and settled down there. Genetically, Native Americans are Magnolian.
Thomas Paine (1737-1809)
Thomas Paine was a renowned pro American writer, who used ‘plain’ language in an attempt to engage even those people who never read. His works promoted the struggle for American independence and for the rejection of government based on hereditary monarchy. He rejected hierarchies in church and state.
During that period local aristocracies were being challenged by the rising artisan class. He used his rhetorical powers to argue for American independence. On January 9, 1776, he published Common Sense which argued for American independence from Great Britain and for a republican form of government as superior to heredity monarchy. Common Sense helped in spreading a national spirit and led to the creation of the Declaration of Independence.
His writings showcased how emerging state uses the vocabulary of religion to sanctify their cause. Religion is used to defend states, although religion and state are completely different entities. Religion becomes a tool to justify their cause for a national state. Religion in turn relates to Puritanism which is based largely on Old Testament and it also has its roots in the Jewish history.
From The American Crisis
In the introductory paragraph itself, Paine represents the current state of affairs in America. America was undergoing both domestic and outer (external) crises. He aims to attain a free nation, free from the tyranny of British. He wishes to break free from the bindings, he believed that binding is slavery.
He also points out the faults, the mistakes made in the past and he counters how to redress it. Lack of preparation becomes one of the main reasons for their folly, for the downfall of America. Paine also justifies their goal of FREE AMERICA, as he feels that it is a just claim which has been sanctioned by God himself. “God Almighty will not give up a people to military destruction, or leave them unsupported to perish”. Nation state action is sanctioned by religion. Political struggle kept alive though divine invocation.
He also talks about the panic which has gripped America. He gives examples of the previous situations in France and England, where panic became a downfall and a cause of misery. He believed that now it was the right time to attack; he wanted all the people to fire up their spirits and fight together, unite and gain independence. He gives a detailed account about the experiences of the troops at Fort Lee. He talks about the fragile and temporary army and the mistakes committed by both armies.
The essay has a Biblical tone to it. Paine’s language is similar to that of Bible (Old Testament); especially the text relating to Jewish struggle; there is also the use of imagination from the Jewish: the journey towards the Promised Land (Israel). The notion of “All nations”, is taken from the Bible.
There is also the imagery of Joan of Arc, wherein there is divine intervention where someone will be blessed to lead America towards her independence. Also there are references to enlightened visions and contested boundaries.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
V Semester Literary theory class notes 4
18 June 2010
The topic that were to be discussed in today’s and the next class are
1. Saussure’s idea of language- the sign system
2. The arbitrary nature of language
3. Signifier exists in time
4. Thought and language
5. Question of language/ parole
6. Signification
7. Value
8. Difference
9. Syntagm and paradigm
SAUSSURE’S IDEA OF LANGUAGE
Saussure says that word represented thing. For example the term ‘duster’ represents a something that a teacher or lecturer uses to clean the blackboard. All words have certain objects to represent.
This means that any word has two properties,
· The word itself
· What it suggests
·
For example when the word auditorium is used in a classroom, there is no auditorium in the class, yet when the term is mentioned everyone gets the picture of, or understand what is being implied by it. It is the idea of the word that exists in the classroom. And this is what happens
most of the time. What we have is the sound through which we get the picture of things. Be it buildings, objects, even feelings.
So we have the word and what it suggests.
Then Saussure labels the word and says that the word is actually a sign,
And the sign has two parts- signifier and the signified.
Here the signifier is the word, the sound or the combination of sounds. And there is a sound image. The sound controls the imagery of mind
The example given by Saussure is that of a tree. When the word ‘tree’ is pronounced, the image of a tree comes in your mind.
Here Saussure is talking only about the spoken language.
So when you make the sound tr-ee or /tri:/, the image created in the mind is the sound image or a visual image.
ARBITRARY NATURE OF LANGUAGE
Saussure says that relationship between signifier and signified, sound and image is at any point of time arbitrary. He said there is no natural relationship between the sound and the image.
This is because when you say, vriksha (hindi), paed (hindi) or mara (kannada) you are creating the same image as tree. Therefore there is no natural relationship. We can decide and create new words or a language if the community agrees to it.
For example if the entire college agrees to calling the tree “taro”, and gives the ‘swaying of tree’ the term “taroying”, the same image will be created in the dead as tree or swaying of tree when I say “taro” or “taroying” respectively.
Thus the relationship is arbitrary and not natural.
If it was natural, when I say 'Tree' everybody all around the world must get the same image in their head, but this is not the case. A person who does not know English, this image with not be created. Also, there would have been only one language in the world, which is not the case.
Now the question arises is what about Pantomime and Onomatopoeic expressions.
Pantomimes are movements or certain gestures that are acted out to create a meaning. If through an action you are able to create the same meaning, and everybody in the world understands that meaning then this theory of this arbitrary relationship is wrong.
But this is not true. Take the example of road signs, only a person who drives/rides or travels much by road will recognize the road signs. A particular tribe from an area where these signs are these signs will not make sense to them.
If this example seems to extreme, you can take the example of clapping. Clapping can have many different significations. Clapping can be for example, an applaud, or simply to tell a speaker that he/she has exceeded time or is boring. A clap can be to call someone also. So is also the case with laughter. This ambiguity of significations explains the arbitrary relationship of signifier and signified.
Coming to Onomatopoeic words. Consider an example of your hand getting caught in the door, now if you’re an Indian you would scream “Aaaa!” or “Aiyo!”, although if you are a British you might say “Ouch!”
Also the words we use to term the sounds of animals like Dogs. In India it is “Bhow-Bhow” whereas in Europe it will be “Woof-Woof”
SIGNIFIER EXISTS IN TIME
Saussure says that signifier exists in time, which means that nobody in this world can produce or say two words simultaneously.
When we speak, we speak one word plus another word plus another word and so on. It is impossible to say two words at once, one will always be after another.
THOUGHT AND LANGUAGE
For Saussure thought and language are inseparable. He says that without language there can be no thought and thought gets order, expression and meaning only because of language. If there is no language there can be no thought and thought is only in language.
Question by Anusha: “Can thought not be in images?”
LANGUE AND PAROLE
Saussure says what we have is langue. What we learn as children is a structure that is there. There is a basic structure in every language this structure never changes.
For example the SVO (subject-verb-object) structure of sentence in English and the SOV (subject-object –verb) structure in Indian languages.
What we speak is parole and parole will have different combinations all the time.
So every language has a langue, which is a basic structure from where people pick up thousands of combinations. They are so numerous that no two piece of writing or speech are exactly similar.
The proof of this can be seen in a software which detects whether what you have written is original or copied from some other work. Therefore no two assignment or essay or any piece of writing can ever be same.
And if you are given any sentence in the language you know well, you can tell whether it is grammatically correct or wrong. Therefore there is a universal rule to that, which Saussure terms as langue.
SIGNIFICATION
Saussure does not use the word meaning. He uses the word signification. When signifier and signified come together or when you relate them, what you have is signification.
Consider a modern art gallery, if you have no background on modern art, art pieces will just seem as some colourful designs without any meaning. But if someone comes and explains to you what the strokes and colours signify you begin to understand the significations that the artist uses.
Pinto, Anil. Class Lecture. Introduction to Literary Theory. Christ University. Bangalore, India. 18 June 2010
Friday, July 09, 2010
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Dewey Decimal Classification System
For the pdf versions of the matter below click here
Dewey Decimal Classification System followed at Christ University Library
Hand out for Humanities/Social Sciences Students
By Anil Joseph Pinto, Dept of Media Studies
General
000 Generalities
100 Philosophy & psychology
200 Religion
300 Social sciences
400 Language
500 Natural sciences & mathematics
600 Technology (Applied sciences)
700 The arts
800 Literature & rhetoric
900 Geography & history
070 News media, journalism, publishing
071 News media, journalism, publishing In North America
072 News media, journalism, publishing In British Isles In England
073 News media, journalism, publishing In central Europe In Germany
074 News media, journalism, publishing In France Monaco
075 News media, journalism, publishing In Italy
076 News media, journalism, publishing In Iberian Peninsula & adjacent islands
077 News media, journalism, publishing In eastern Europe In Soviet Union
078 News media, journalism, publishing In Scandinavia
079 News media, journalism, publishing In other languages
300 Social sciences
320 Political science
330 Economics
340 Law
320 Political science
330 Economics
340 Law
400 Language
401 Philosophy & theory
401 Philosophy & theory
410 Linguistics
414 Phonology
415 Structural systems (Grammar)
415 Structural systems (Grammar)
701 Philosophy & theory
707 Education, research, related topics
729 Design & decoration
770 Photography & photographs
778 Fields & kinds of photography
779 Photographs
780 Music
781 General principles & musical forms
782 Vocal music
783 Music for single voices The voice
784 Instruments & Instrumental ensembles
785 Chamber music
786 Keyboard & other instruments
787 Stringed instruments (Chordophones)
788 Wind instruments
789 Not assigned or no longer used
790 Recreational & performing arts
791 Public performances
792 Stage presentations
800 Literature & rhetoric
801 Philosophy & theory
808 Rhetoric & collections of literature
809 Literary history & criticism
810 American literature in English
811 Poetry
812 Drama
813 Fiction
814 Essays
815 Speeches
816 Letters
817 Satire & humour
820 English & Old English literatures
821 English poetry
822 English drama
823 English fiction
824 English essays
825 English speeches
826 English letters
827 English satire & humour
828 English miscellaneous writings
829 Old English (Anglo-Saxon)
801 Philosophy & theory
808 Rhetoric & collections of literature
809 Literary history & criticism
810 American literature in English
811 Poetry
812 Drama
813 Fiction
814 Essays
815 Speeches
816 Letters
817 Satire & humour
820 English & Old English literatures
821 English poetry
822 English drama
823 English fiction
824 English essays
825 English speeches
826 English letters
827 English satire & humour
828 English miscellaneous writings
829 Old English (Anglo-Saxon)
881 Classical Greek poetry
882 Classical Greek drama
883 Classical Greek epic poetry & fiction
884 Classical Greek lyric poetry
887 Classical Greek satire & humour
888 Classical Greek miscellaneous writings
890 Literatures of other languages
882 Classical Greek drama
883 Classical Greek epic poetry & fiction
884 Classical Greek lyric poetry
887 Classical Greek satire & humour
888 Classical Greek miscellaneous writings
890 Literatures of other languages
891 East Indo-European & Celtic
892 Afro-Asiatic literatures Semitic
893 Non-Semitic Afro-Asiatic literatures
894 Ural-Altaic, Paleosiberian, Dravidian
895 Literatures of East & Southeast Asia
896 African literatures
897 North American native literatures
898 South American native literatures
899 Other literatures
892 Afro-Asiatic literatures Semitic
893 Non-Semitic Afro-Asiatic literatures
894 Ural-Altaic, Paleosiberian, Dravidian
895 Literatures of East & Southeast Asia
896 African literatures
897 North American native literatures
898 South American native literatures
899 Other literatures
For further details check:
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
understanding viewpoints/ MA Eng Previous
Class notes by Sneha
Common notions of Art and Literature are derived, as most of us would like to believe dwelling in the utmost theoretical derivations of the canonical texts and in those famous images of a Plato, Aristotle or a Kant. What we forget to do is question these ideas and their ideologies. Common human error is that they they read for reading sake and therefore believe in art being' the mirror of the society', 'art for art sake' and the 'social responsibility' that art/poetry/poets have to take into consideration. This is what primarily what surface reading does to us. We tend as such to miss out on the 'in between' meanings.
People seem to pinpoint Plato for having accused poets and to have them banned from...where? Essentially from the 'Republic' ( the model polis) and not the Greek society which he inhabited. So can we say at this point that this was what he considered ideal. His differentiations between the realms and the forms is well known to all by now and his problems with the natural world could be seen in the light of its inconsistency, the fluid world therefore. What Plato chose to do was to present the ideal. For instance take 'justice' and not just define it but picturize it in a way that multiple interpretations do not probe in. Hence the philosopher king stayed an ideal for the ideal polis he thought of in his 'Republic'. Again, Plato is comfortable with the idea if the natural actually represents the ideal.
Aristotle, disciple of Plato affirmed the constancy of the natural world what the latter rejected on grounds of instability. For the disciple, the idea of the ideal can be achieved only through the acquaintance with the natural. That is to say, only multiple encounters with the 'real' chairs can give me an impression of the ideal. (To talk about an Indian, one basically needs to interact with a few Indians from various places.) And Aristotle believes that the representation is a complement and not a copy.
Renaissance and post, Aristotle was not buried. The Arabs supposedly preserved Aristotle from the 6th to the 9th century and then with the onset of science, empiricism and likewise wherein to be scientific one needed to affirm reality and engage in it, Aristotle's idea was re affirmed.
Drawing back now, as aforementioned, one needs to read between the lines. Its basically to figure what the writer argues about if indeed he does argue and to read it in that light alone. It only then that one gets these arguments right.
Common notions of Art and Literature are derived, as most of us would like to believe dwelling in the utmost theoretical derivations of the canonical texts and in those famous images of a Plato, Aristotle or a Kant. What we forget to do is question these ideas and their ideologies. Common human error is that they they read for reading sake and therefore believe in art being' the mirror of the society', 'art for art sake' and the 'social responsibility' that art/poetry/poets have to take into consideration. This is what primarily what surface reading does to us. We tend as such to miss out on the 'in between' meanings.
People seem to pinpoint Plato for having accused poets and to have them banned from...where? Essentially from the 'Republic' ( the model polis) and not the Greek society which he inhabited. So can we say at this point that this was what he considered ideal. His differentiations between the realms and the forms is well known to all by now and his problems with the natural world could be seen in the light of its inconsistency, the fluid world therefore. What Plato chose to do was to present the ideal. For instance take 'justice' and not just define it but picturize it in a way that multiple interpretations do not probe in. Hence the philosopher king stayed an ideal for the ideal polis he thought of in his 'Republic'. Again, Plato is comfortable with the idea if the natural actually represents the ideal.
Aristotle, disciple of Plato affirmed the constancy of the natural world what the latter rejected on grounds of instability. For the disciple, the idea of the ideal can be achieved only through the acquaintance with the natural. That is to say, only multiple encounters with the 'real' chairs can give me an impression of the ideal. (To talk about an Indian, one basically needs to interact with a few Indians from various places.) And Aristotle believes that the representation is a complement and not a copy.
Renaissance and post, Aristotle was not buried. The Arabs supposedly preserved Aristotle from the 6th to the 9th century and then with the onset of science, empiricism and likewise wherein to be scientific one needed to affirm reality and engage in it, Aristotle's idea was re affirmed.
Drawing back now, as aforementioned, one needs to read between the lines. Its basically to figure what the writer argues about if indeed he does argue and to read it in that light alone. It only then that one gets these arguments right.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Certificate course in citizen journalism
- Those interested in practicing citizen journalism in India are invited to
participate in a two-month citizen journalism course in Mumbai. Classes
begin August 1. Deadline: July 15.
The program will be conducted every Saturday morning at the Journalism
Mentor Center at Andheri East. It is being held by the Journalism Mentor
Foundation for Excellence in Journalism. There is a registration fee of Rs.
3000 (US$64).
For more information visit
http://www.journalism.org.in/
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Humanist theory and Platonic legacies in literature
HUMANIST THEORY
Humanism refers to the idea that we can understand or explain our world through rational enquiry. It rejects explanations based on the supernatural or divine forces. This idea became the basis for the development of science on the Western world.
Humanism inaugurates rational enquiry and rejects the supernatural or the realm of emotions. It was a response to the Dark Ages when people believed in religion unquestioningly. The hold of the Church was so strong that even the king had to bow down to its decisions. Gradually, people started questioning the teachings. Martin Luther King insisted on reading the Bible rather than following the interpretations of the priest. He argued that we must follow religion rationally. Many people started questioning the rigid ritualistic aspects of religion too. Even scientists like Galileo argue that one must read the book of nature.
Such ideas promote the growth of science and reinforce the belief in observation and rational analysis. It is in such a context that humanism emerges. With this, we also see a revival in the study of Classical Greek and Roman texts. We see the emergence of faith in human rather than divine.
Plato's ideas too, are rooted in the belief that reason or rational thought must be employed to make sense of the world. This assumption influences how he looks at art or representation (since the terms 'art' or 'literature' did not exist when Plato formulated his theories). Since, art or literature appeals to the audience's emotions rather than their reason, Plato considered it to be inferior method for understanding the 'truth'.
Nature / Physical World (copy)
Representation / Art (copy of the copy, so, twice removed from the original)
Plato further argues that art or the world of representation tries to copy 'nature' and therefore it is twice removed for the Ideal or reality. Art was therefore, a copy of the copy. Plato also argues that no artist has access to the ideal world. He explains this through his famous allegory of the cave.
ARISTOTLE'S RESPONSE
To understand Aristotle's views, we must begin by looking at how he looks at reality. Aristotle believes that reality resides in the changeable world of sense perceptions or, the physical, material world. He argues that the 'form' of Ideal can only exist in tangible examples of that form. So, it is only through individual examples of table, that we can understand the essence of a table, or 'table-ness'.
Thus, while Plato is concerned with content of representation, Aristotle is concerned with the form. Plato's approach lead to the development of moral criticism while Aristotle's approach lead to the birth of genre criticism.
Pinto, Anil. Class Lecture. Introduction to Literary Theory. Christ University. Bangalore, India. 11 June - 21 June 2010.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Those who want to organise lectures/guest talks/interactions...
Attention: I year MA English, II Year JPEng and CEP, and III Year JPEng and PSEng students
In case anyone of you is interested in arranging guest lectures, talks, interactions on topics related to the courses being taught by me I would be happy to give space for it. The resource persons could either come physically, or come online from any part of the globe of any age group or qualification. The only criterion is they should be resourceful in the topic you have chosen.
In case anyone of you is interested in arranging guest lectures, talks, interactions on topics related to the courses being taught by me I would be happy to give space for it. The resource persons could either come physically, or come online from any part of the globe of any age group or qualification. The only criterion is they should be resourceful in the topic you have chosen.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Gazes in Literature
Gazes in Literature / 19 June 2010 / 3rd Sem CEP
The aim of this session was to make aware the students of literature about the existence of 'gazes' within the realm of their studies.
A 'gaze' is different from a 'look', which is different from 'to see'. 'To see' would connote the physical sense or attribute of seeing; a 'look' would be to see with a particular purpose; a 'gaze' is a term with social connotations - it would be determined by prevalent social values. Simply put, it could mean similar to, but not completely the same as, 'in the perspective of'.
An example for a gaze would be the 'male gaze'. The 'male gaze' is when an individual (of any sex and gender) perceives the woman as a consumptive object.
Different academic disciplines have gazes. Mr Pinto argues with the case of the anthropological gaze. This gaze, which came along with its discipline in the colonial era, looks at communities with a coloniser-colonised binary perspective. He further argues that this becomes a common world view, with the coloniser and colonised being replaced by other power poles; for example, the city-village binary.
An understanding of this neccessitates revisiting the history of anthropology. Anthropology came along with colonisation, where the colonisers were curious to study the colonised. Interestingly, argues Mr Pinto, when one studies an other, the one is endowed with a position of higher power/knowledge. So when the colonisers studies the colonised, it was from their position of higher power that they went about it.
Anthropology has four branches:
- Archaeology
- Social anthropology
- Cultural anthropology
- Physical anthropology
The colonisers mainly dealt with physical anthropology where racial bodily differencs were studied, with the aim of perhaps discovering 'a perfect race'.
As mentioned earlier, a group of people studying an other is put in a position of higher power, thereby automatically producing a power structure with two players - the students, i.e. the colonisers, and the studied, the colonised.
The colonisers considered it their responsibility ('White man's burden' as Rudyard Kipling puts it) to impart their knowledge, technology, and thus modernity and development to the colonised lands. They were the bringers of the light. This is a gaze. The 'poor needs help from the rich'. And this binary gaze exists even today, in many different forms.
There are gazes in literature too. When we talk about feminist literature, or post-colonial literature, or Native-American literature, our gazes shift. Certain meanings, values and interpretations are associated with the work by virtue of our gaze.
The point of this argument is not that we do away with gazes. Rather, it is that we have to be aware of the presence of such gazes within the realm of literature, and be cautious of them. Perhaps even revisit these gazes, and question their form.
Coming back to the coloniser-colonised binary, it can be a problematic gaze. If we have an understanding of developed cityfolk trying to help undeveloped village communities, we have a vision which is slightly skewed in some place. But most of us are conditioned into this gaze through our many years in this world. A shifting of the binary does not help. An argument that since women have been exploited for centuries by men, a shifting of positions with women posited above men will solve the problem does not really hold ground. So what can be done? One solution, though not the best one, is to make the categories more inclusive and open. Another is to engage in love. But I lost track at this point, and further discussion is required to clarify certain points!
*
Pinto, Anil. "Gazes in literature". 19 June 2010. American Literature, 3rd semester BA CEP. Bangalore, India. Class Lecture.
(Notes by Mohan K. Pillai - post subject to author's bias and perspective)
The aim of this session was to make aware the students of literature about the existence of 'gazes' within the realm of their studies.
A 'gaze' is different from a 'look', which is different from 'to see'. 'To see' would connote the physical sense or attribute of seeing; a 'look' would be to see with a particular purpose; a 'gaze' is a term with social connotations - it would be determined by prevalent social values. Simply put, it could mean similar to, but not completely the same as, 'in the perspective of'.
An example for a gaze would be the 'male gaze'. The 'male gaze' is when an individual (of any sex and gender) perceives the woman as a consumptive object.
Different academic disciplines have gazes. Mr Pinto argues with the case of the anthropological gaze. This gaze, which came along with its discipline in the colonial era, looks at communities with a coloniser-colonised binary perspective. He further argues that this becomes a common world view, with the coloniser and colonised being replaced by other power poles; for example, the city-village binary.
An understanding of this neccessitates revisiting the history of anthropology. Anthropology came along with colonisation, where the colonisers were curious to study the colonised. Interestingly, argues Mr Pinto, when one studies an other, the one is endowed with a position of higher power/knowledge. So when the colonisers studies the colonised, it was from their position of higher power that they went about it.
Anthropology has four branches:
- Archaeology
- Social anthropology
- Cultural anthropology
- Physical anthropology
The colonisers mainly dealt with physical anthropology where racial bodily differencs were studied, with the aim of perhaps discovering 'a perfect race'.
As mentioned earlier, a group of people studying an other is put in a position of higher power, thereby automatically producing a power structure with two players - the students, i.e. the colonisers, and the studied, the colonised.
The colonisers considered it their responsibility ('White man's burden' as Rudyard Kipling puts it) to impart their knowledge, technology, and thus modernity and development to the colonised lands. They were the bringers of the light. This is a gaze. The 'poor needs help from the rich'. And this binary gaze exists even today, in many different forms.
There are gazes in literature too. When we talk about feminist literature, or post-colonial literature, or Native-American literature, our gazes shift. Certain meanings, values and interpretations are associated with the work by virtue of our gaze.
The point of this argument is not that we do away with gazes. Rather, it is that we have to be aware of the presence of such gazes within the realm of literature, and be cautious of them. Perhaps even revisit these gazes, and question their form.
Coming back to the coloniser-colonised binary, it can be a problematic gaze. If we have an understanding of developed cityfolk trying to help undeveloped village communities, we have a vision which is slightly skewed in some place. But most of us are conditioned into this gaze through our many years in this world. A shifting of the binary does not help. An argument that since women have been exploited for centuries by men, a shifting of positions with women posited above men will solve the problem does not really hold ground. So what can be done? One solution, though not the best one, is to make the categories more inclusive and open. Another is to engage in love. But I lost track at this point, and further discussion is required to clarify certain points!
*
Pinto, Anil. "Gazes in literature". 19 June 2010. American Literature, 3rd semester BA CEP. Bangalore, India. Class Lecture.
(Notes by Mohan K. Pillai - post subject to author's bias and perspective)
Am. Lit- 2CEP- June 5th-7th
June 5, 2010
TRANSLATION
William Jones- translated Kalidasa to English
Lord Cornwallis- translated Manusmriti and Mahabharat to English
Goethe
Chaucer
Beowulf- translated from Italian to English
Novel came to English through Spanish translation
WHY STUDY AMERICAN LITERATURE?
1. Multi-cultural similarities between India and USA
2. History of translation
3. Super power status of USA
4. USA is a large English speaking nation, and as long as we study English Literature, we ought to study it from wherever it originates
5. Since English Literature travelled from UK to USA, studying American Literature provides a comprehensive and coherent study
6. Democratic spirit of USA
7. Post war Literature was predominantly American and very influential
8. Exploration and conquests
9. Globalisation and role of USA in world politics
10. Anything that is dominant must be engaged with
WHY SHOULD WE NOT STUDY AMERICAN LITERATURE?
1. English has been a tool of oppression- Lord Macaulay, Masks of Conquest
2. English Literature as a discipline was taught in India much before England.
Courses in India were started by those on fellowship from US.
Indian Literature as a discipline, taught in 1980’s, much after American Literature was introduced
3. FBI policy to set up scholarships and fellowships. US defence, government and education are closely connected- MIT was control room for WW2 and inventor of major defence ideas. US set up library in Hyderabad.
4. Rule by the oppressor cannot be gun-rule, must be ideological- Musharrif
5. Is the sheer magnitude a good enough reason to study it?
Urdu- highest number of primary schools in Karnataka
Should one not learn one’s own culture first?
6. Tokenism, Co-opting
7. We are influenced more by Japanese(Haiku), Latin America, UK, French and Russian literature, than American
8. American Literature is not as progressive as we think- It mainly studies white male writers.
Therefore, did we get sucked into West Anglo Saxon Protestant Politics of American Literature?- Most American Literature is from North American, not the Catholics from the South.
9. US’s primary export is culture
NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE
· Obama didn’t mention the Red Indians in his first presidential address. But every hill in the US was named by the Indians. Present names of various places in US have aboriginal roots.
· Avatar- movie- talks about colonialistic personality of US
· Columbus- landed in 1492. Funded by Queen Isabella of Spain. (Now its race for moon. Explorer had to take notes and return and would not be credited until another person followed the same route and found the same place)
June 7, 2010
Psychologists-Indians
Freud
Bible
Buildings on graves
EUROPE- 14, 1, 16 Century AND THEIR JOURNEY TO AMERICA
· Eureopeans were looking for Promised Land. They considered travel to America their Exodus.
· All of Shakespeare’s tragedies were about collapse of monarchy, restoration and hope. People were neurotic with the fear of the collapse.
· When society changes, fundamentalism is first result- Northern Ireland, South USA, Pakistan, Afganistan, Gaza
· New money was coming to Europe.
This led to a changing of class and social structres.
These insecurities expressed through religion, that too an idea religion.
Ideal religion emphasizes on past, rejects the present, and is based on texts.
Rejection of past makes them take their arguments elsewhere, hence colonialism.
Thus, Europeans travelled to America.
· New World was made similar to old- New England
· They identified with Adam and Eve-
· Genesis command to ‘go and rule over the world’ was the excuse to colonise. Hebrew word for the same is ‘raada’ meaning, to take care of
· US has breached every treaty with the Red Indians
· 1776- Independent from England
· 1880- Civil war. North and South split
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