by - (name removed by request) 57 minutes ago (Wed May 31 2006 10:35:20)
The only copy I saved is from the day Casey first posted the thread. My apologies if there are insights missing from subsequent days...
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The Shirts as Symbolic 'Bruderschaft' -- D.H. Lawrence's 'Women in Love'
by - CaseyCornelius 11 hours ago (Thu May 25 2006 08:45:45 )
UPDATED Thu May 25 2006 16:19:04
I've posted this as a reply to terryhall2 in the 'Blood on the shirts' thread, but will post it in a separate thread here because of its size.
In the now-long-deleted Classical Allusions thread the veteran poster, bkamberger, and I discussed exactly this point back in early January. We jointly struck upon the idea that the two shirts are a visual symbol for the blood-mingling sworn blood-brotherhood or 'Bruderschaft' which is prominent in German mythology and literature. I'll repost an excerpt from the discussion [thanks to someone having archived the whole thread elsewhere] along with some more recent additional thoughts - I've indicated bkamberger's comments in italics - what's important is the content of the fruitful joint discussion:
--remember that the blood on the shirts is Ennis', which Jack had wiped off with his sleeve. Boys often become "blood brothers" by self-inflicting a small wound and mingling the blood. By keeping the shirts, Jack was cherishing that pact and perhaps hoping that this blood would eventually carry him to Ennis' heart, just as blood does in the body.
---I seem to recall several legends in which a fallen hero is restored by reacquiring a bit of his own blood that has been lost. And having that blood be on the shirt of his lost love would surely have even more of a restorative effect for both. The shirt is, in fact, their entire relationship in talismanic form, and it will survive them both.
I had toyed with the idea of 'the wound' on the shirts alluding to an 'intermingling of blood' which is the prime trait of a Bruderschaft. I'm glad that it's also occured to you.
I had backed off of the idea for two reasons:
1] the wounding was not willing nor intentional, but accidental on Jack's part, eliciting a frustrated, agressive reaction by Ennis -- ie. suggested no agreement whatsoever;
2] none of Jack's blood was spilt -- although the obvious, painful bruise which appeared could be conceived of as such.
Still, I'd agree with you that the ultimate use of the shirts as a talisman [your terrific term !] by Jack emotionally signifies something similar to a Bruderschaft.
You're right that "the wounding was not willing nor intentional," but given the characters involved, how could it be otherwise? Neither could ever quite pledge commitment, or even state his love openly, and they certainly do more than their share of hurting each other, either inadvertently or in an angry form of blind passion. And yet, for all their denials, they ultimately do forge a bond as close and strong as any Bruderschaft. Remember that the memory Jack cherishes most is of Ennis hugging him in a non-sexual manner and humming a lullaby, just as a loving brother might. Remember, too, that Ennis was raised by his brother, who was hard on him, and that his relationship with Jack was probably at least partially spurred by a yearning for a more affectionate sibling.
The passage you quote from the story is very compelling and has convinced me that it does indeed allude to a Bruderschaftich or Bruderschaft-like relationship between Jack and Ennis. I've wanted to consider it and will join you willingly in assenting to that point. My God, just your quoting the passage reminds me what a heart-rending symbolic image Proulx has created for what is destined to be a locus classicus for the tragic male love story of our time.
Another Bruderschaft thought ---
I'd forgotten about the only other direct reference to a Bruderschaft in recent English literature -- the symbolic one between Gerald and Birkin in D.H. Lawrence's 'Women in Love. Some of the characteristics of Lawrence's protaganists and their situation, especially in that both also have hetero-sexual relations with women in addition to their intense emotional and physical bond with each other, have parallels to traits of Annie Proulx's Ennis and Jack.
Gerald and Birkin in a conversation refer to their relationship as something akin to a Bruderschaft and the striving and physicality of its expression is baldly stated in their
[in]famous, naked wrestling scene. The last is a ploy on the part of Birkin [the equivalent of Jack] to have a barely disguised, subliminal sexual encounter with a wary Gerald [akin to the more repressed Ennis]. That physical expression links in my mind with the extreme physicality with which Ennis and Jack initially show their own loving, spiritual connection in their rough wrestling. This occurs both in the first tent-scene encounter and the playful intimacy of Jack roping Ennis with their wrestling roll down the hillside deteriorating into the slugfest - both are instances of their intense desire for each other, which Jack demonstrates and intitiates, having to be filtered through the rough-housing which makes it macho-masculine 'acceptable' and with which Ennis is comfortable.
And the Gerald/Birlkin Bruderschaft ends similarly with the death of one of them, but, in that case it is the Ennis-like protaganist, Gerald, who commits suicide [by exposure in a frozen mountain-scape] because of an inability to reconcile his place in the world with his ambiguous sexuality and self-loathing. The opposite character in that work, Birkin, the equivalent of Jack, is the one left to grieve his friend deeply and resolving that he will pursue his ravenous need for a physical and personal union with a male.
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Re: The Shirts as Symbolic 'Bruderschaft'
by - the_protector 11 hours ago (Thu May 25 2006 09:06:46 )
UPDATED Thu May 25 2006 09:07:53
Casey,
The 'Blood-brother' concept you guys were discussing is a very interesting one. And even though you mentioned backing off because of the lack of Jack's blood, I still find a sense of 'sharing'
I was't enough that the blood be on Ennis shirt only. And when I watched the film the first time, I wondered how Ennis' blood got on both shirts. On subsequent viewings I noticed how deliberately placed Jack's arm is as his shirt sleeve soaked up Ennis' blood. It seems like a very awkward pose for Jack; his arm is bent weirdly.
This gives the impression that Jack purposely gets Ennis' blood on his sleeve...A pre-meditated attempt to have a part of Ennis...just in case they never meet again??
Also this blood-brother thing got me thinking about blood-oaths...which gives 'Jack I swear..." a new spin.
If you feel embarrassed, I'll be your pride.
If you need direction, I'll be your guide.
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Re: The Shirts as Symbolic 'Bruderschaft'
by - Kathy-70 10 hours ago (Thu May 25 2006 09:53:28 )
Yes this is an interesting concept. Another significance of the shirts is that Jack preserved them from their very first summer together. His feelings ran longer and deeper than Ennis' (apparently) and Ennis was only made aware of this after Jack's death.
It would never have occurred to Ennis to keep a souvenir or reminder of their first summer on Brokeback. And yet Jack seemed to have built his whole life around it. The revelation from Jack's father that Jack wanted to bring Ennis to the ranch and they were going to work it together demonstrates Jack's lifelong commitment to Ennis. Ennis seems to only worry about how people would react if they found out - with references to the tire-iron incident from his youth.
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Re: The Shirts as Symbolic 'Bruderschaft'
by - whiteoutofthemoon 9 hours ago (Thu May 25 2006 10:31:30 )
Damn this is a great discussion. Speaking of the bloody shirts, can someone please clarify this one thing that has been bothering me since the first viewing: when Ennis gets the bloody nose, he clearly wipes most of the blood on his RIGHT sleeve, and it spills over onto Jack's LEFT sleeve (or if that was intentional on Jack's part, makes it even more poignant). Yet, at the end, in Jack's closet, the blood patches are clearly seen on both shirts on the LEFT sleeve...including Ennis', as he reaches in and pulls the sleeves apart.
I'd really hate to think of this as some prop or edit flaw in an otherwise perfect scene with awesome symbolism, but if someone can please reassure me that I'm wrong, I can get that out of my mind, many thanks!
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Re: The Shirts as Symbolic 'Bruderschaft'
by - the_protector 9 hours ago (Thu May 25 2006 10:38:45 )
"Speaking of the bloody shirts, can someone please clarify this "
I think during the fight, BOTH RIGHT sleeves get bloodied. And when Ennis finds them later, it is indeed the right sleeves that have blood on them.
If you feel embarrassed, I'll be your pride.
If you need direction, I'll be your guide.
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Re: The Shirts as Symbolic 'Bruderschaft'
by - whiteoutofthemoon 9 hours ago (Thu May 25 2006 10:52:01 )
""Speaking of the bloody shirts, can someone please clarify this "
I think during the fight, BOTH RIGHT sleeves get bloodied. And when Ennis finds them later, it is indeed the right sleeves that have blood on them. "
thanks protector, but begging to differ....the biggest blood stain came on Ennis' right and Jack's left sleeve, when he came up to hug him, and in the closet scene, he pulls out the shirts with the backs facing us, meaning that the LEFT sleeves were facing out.
Again, small detail, but I would hate to think that Ang missed this small flaw in a very important scene!
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Re: The Shirts as Symbolic 'Bruderschaft'
by - the_protector 9 hours ago (Thu May 25 2006 10:59:37 )
UPDATED Thu May 25 2006 11:00:19
Sorry, whiteoutofthemoon (love the name BTW), but I got the movie right here on my iPod *pats front pocket*.
Ennis wipes is nose with is right sleeve. Jack also gets is right sleeve bloody. Jack's left hand is on Ennis' cheek and his right sleeve is under Ennis' nose.
And at the end, Ennis pulls the shirts out of the closet with the FRONTS facing us and THEN turns the shirts around to embrace them.
If you feel embarrassed, I'll be your pride.
If you need direction, I'll be your guide.
