Eli Siegel’s lecture of July 15, 1970: “What Lives?” or “What Have I Seen?” by Ann Richards - Part Two - (Eli Siegel has just read the opening of Endymion--see Part One) Mr. Siegel said, “This is writing that should be known. After taking you into one lane he takes you to another. Does he have to say more? The way this changes- the diversity of it is something, still there is a plan – I must say this – it’s better than most people think. There are good things everywhere in this poem.” Mr. Siegel looked at each word, and showed first the criticism the Romantic critics had, for instance about the couplet Keats wrote, which was not like the neat couplet of 18 th century poet Alexander Pope, but instead had a winding way. And as he went on, reading the poetry in such a way that its music was heard, he also showed those criticisms he himself had, which he expressed with such good will; it was, as a student in the class said, “the value of the line and the negation of it” at the same time. To try to give some idea of what this was like, later, there are these lines:
About the phrase“sprouting a shady boon,” Eli Siegel said, “’Sprout’ is an intransitive verb John Keats!” An intransitive verb does not receive an object. If something sprouts, it sprouts itself! Then in the 3rd stanza Keats has this:
Mr. Siegel commented, “’Budders’ for flowers?—only someone bred in the city would put it that way…You see I am interested in your work, Mr. Keats.” Mr. Siegel concluded by reading and talking about the first lines of Hyperion, which is the story of Saturn’s fall from power. So different from the jumpiness and diversity of Endymion, the music of Hyperion is sinking and spreading, as if, as Mr. Siegel put it, “The whole history of the world hasn’t come to much.”
“’Fore God, what dignity you’ve come to, Mr. Keats,’ said Mr. Siegel, “Certainly the sadness of the world has come to you these years…You’ve presented the ever-going mystery and inscrutableness of reality. Even so, Mr. Keats you’re being able to write lines of somnolent power. There’s strength of expression, however sad you might feel.” This great lecture shows how Eli Siegel was able to see a self through poetry. That is how he saw the self of John Keats and it was this way of seeing that became Aesthetic Realism. It is how every person deserves to be seen and that will be when Aesthetic Realism is known. **** |
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Here are further links about how Aesthetic Realism sees the arts & sciences, urgent cultural and economic matters, ethics, and the life questions of every person:Anthropologist and author Dr. Arnold Perey tells of his field research in New Guinea and the classes he teaches today--and much more--at Aesthetic Realism: A New Perspective for Anthropology For teachers, parents, and others, here are links that will tell you more about the Aesthetic Realism Teaching Method:
What makes a photograph beautiful? How can a photographer improve his or her work? What does the art of photography have to do with justice to people? Find out at Len Bernstein: Photographic Education Based on the Aesthetic Realism of Eli Siegel Some of Eli Siegel's books, essays, lectures, and poems can be read at The Aesthetic Realism Online Library Also, see what critics have said about Aesthetic Realism and Eli Siegel. Aesthetic Realism Associate Lynette Abel tells here about classes she attended taught by Eli Siegel, reports on classes conducted by Ellen Reiss, and reprints some of the newspaper articles she has written: Lynette Abel: Aesthetic Realism and Life What interferes with our expression? Find out at Aesthetic Realism Encourages Self-Expression the website of Miriam Mondlin Read Ellen Reiss's critical observations about the poetry of Robert Burns (one of our favourite poets). She shows how relevant what Burns was writing about 200 years ago is to what is going on today. His poetry has the terrifically just way of seeing people that is needed by government leaders and every one of us. |
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