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Cellar Scribblings
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on September 15, 2022, 08:56:41 pm ---It certainly is fair, and I suppose many an academic hour is spent on that. But I wouldn't "call them out." To me that phrase sounds like an attack--like attacking a work because it reflects the time in which it was created.
--- End quote ---
I guess it's a matter of what degree of opposition or disagreement you're comfortable with. I would agree with FRiend Lee's assessment:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on September 12, 2022, 06:46:28 pm ---Frankly I'm getting tired of opera, particularly classical opera. The storyline is always a variation on the woman who went wrong and is punished by losing her reputation or dying and the men are always strutting around. I don't get excited about the women's lamenting or drama and the men's bravura.
--- End quote ---
I'm not into opera but I think the same sentiment applies to literature. I would never advocate banning a book, but analyzing and criticizing outdated gender assumptions in canonical works seems completely valid. And if that criticism rises to level that could be described as "attacking" -- whatever that means in regard to long-dead authors and works in the public domain -- that wouldn't bother me in the least. Those on the other side are free to argue that the literary value of the work outweighs such issues.
I guess another way to put it is, sure, works are a reflection of their times, just like historical figures are. To some extent I'm able to compartmentalize and separate, say, Thomas Jefferson's severe flaws from his intelligence and insights or whatever. But I don't just shrug and say, oh well, lots of people owned slaves and raped and/or slept with them back then so it's no big deal.
Traditional education (and maybe education now as well, or at least in Florida ::)) ignored Jefferson's faults. I think literary education has done the same with these gender issues, or at least did when I was taking literature classes (which admittedly was so long ago Tostoy was practically still alive :laugh:).
Front-Ranger:
Opera is supposed to be so highbrow, but it's not! Most of the characters are so one dimensional and stereotyped. The music is often wonderful, but the style of singing can sometimes be overblown. On the audience side, I have issues with people who want to be seen at the opera, although Denver is an eclectic crowd with children and people wearing cowboy boots. And the price of it...I could see a dozen movies for the same price. Not that I have to pay, but when I go with M. I feel obligated in other ways.
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on September 16, 2022, 11:12:14 am --- Denver is an eclectic crowd with children and people wearing cowboy boots.
--- End quote ---
Is it such a formal occasion they dress up in their black jeans? :laugh:
The cultures of Denver and Minneapolis are somewhat similar, but when in Denver I've always noticed that many more people wear jeans. I started joking that in Denver people wear blue jeans all the time except when they go to weddings and funerals -- then they wear black jeans.
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: serious crayons on September 16, 2022, 12:32:35 pm ---Is it such a formal occasion they dress up in their black jeans? :laugh:
The cultures of Denver and Minneapolis are somewhat similar, but when in Denver I've always noticed that many more people wear jeans. I started joking that in Denver people wear blue jeans all the time except when they go to weddings and funerals -- then they wear black jeans.
--- End quote ---
Do they wear black cowboy boots for formal affairs? ;D
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on September 16, 2022, 01:08:31 pm ---Do they wear black cowboy boots for formal affairs? ;D
--- End quote ---
One would hope!! :laugh:
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