Neil Gaiman www.NeilgaimanBoard.com www.NeilgaimanBoard.com The World's End Other Writers What You're Reading Right Now pt 2
www.NeilgaimanBoard.com www.NeilgaimanBoard.com The World's End Other Writers What You're Reading Right Now pt 2 Topic Closed|
Go
|
New
|
Find
|
Notify
|
Tools
|
|
has no member title Member  |
It does inasmuch as it was scandalous for Hardy to call her a "pure" woman on his front cover if what you whited out was not the case. He was making quite a revolutionary point, I guess. __ The brickchewing, camera flaunting restroom saint formerly known as Babylon the Bride |
|||
|
|
Goofy Beast Member  |
I do think it makes a difference, although not that much of a difference. In the eyes of society, Tess has lost her purity whatever happened, simply by becoming a mother out of wedlock. There are enough societies nowadays where raped women=fallen women. Whether Tess was raped or not is a matter of degree with respect to her purity or lack of, at least in the eyes of society and of Angel, at least if I remember the book correctly. In a way I think that's quite revolutionary: in my opinion, Hardy seems to be saying that whether she consented or not does not matter - it's bullshit to call her 'impure' in either case, and how she's treated by Alec is wrong in either case. Does that make any sense?
|
|||
|
|
has no member title Member |
*points up*
What he said! I read Tess when I was twelve. The teacher figured I was good enough at reading to handle it and then got a really perturbed look in her eyes when I went up to her after glancing at the synopsis and said "Excuse me, what does seduced mean?" Then I had to reassure her that I did indeed want to go on reading it.  __ The brickchewing, camera flaunting restroom saint formerly known as Babylon the Bride |
|||
|
|
Goofy Beast Member |
I like that the book completely doesn't dwell on the pivotal scene - that it leaves the scene out completely, in fact.
After having taught Tess a few years ago, I must say that while I like it I prefer Jude the Obscure (although it's even more depressing and bleak - or perhaps that's why...  ) and The Mayor of Casterbridge, perhaps because I found it easier to relate to the main characters in those two novels than to Tess.
|
|||
|
|
Assistant *fwap*er Member  |
Currently reading and enjoying The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey.
******************************** The only really sane person in there is Igor, and possibly the turnip. And I'm not so sure about the turnip. ~~ Terry Pratchett |
|||
|
|
Great wyrm of Toronto Member  |
Osamu Tezuka's Phoenix: Civil War Part 1
______________________________ Do not leave me with a bowl of anything for an extended period of time. |
|||
|
Member |
I agree with Thirith - it doesn't matter since the narrator is sympathetic to Tess in either case; society condemns her regardless of what has actually happened. It reminded me of Mill on the Floss where it ultimately doesn't matter that Maggie never did anything to harm Lucy's engagement; but that doesn't matter. The bad thing is that it looks as if she did. Anyway - I have just finished "Season of Mists", the 4th Sandman. It surprised me as a bit because it seems most of a unity compared to the earlier 3 "volumes", where the stories are connected but still kind of independent from each other. __________________________ You are a Farrier. You enjoy nothing more than seeing a well-fitted hoof. Just because it's an animal doesn't mean it can't have a touch of style. Try this pump; here's a stilletto; my, did you see the calves on that pony? Size 6? Oh, madame, really! Still, there are so many hooves, and so little time, and you often miss out on the fun (and the better meme results.) __________________________ "Truth! Justice! Freedom! ... And a Hard-boiled Egg!" - Terry Pratchett, Night Watch |
|||
|
|
has been eaten by a grue. Member |
I agree; the point is that she's condemned because of what happened to her, not because of what she did. their judgment of her had nothing to do with her choices and everything to do with something that she couldn't have controlled—the pregnancy itself. which is very Hardy: he perceives god, if he exists, as a childlike creature throwing tantrums and punishing on a whim with no regard to justice and fairness, and certainly not mercy. ~ We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But...babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play-world. ~ Elite Special Force Procrastinator, trained in High Arts of Extended Coffee Breaks and Master Linguist of the Water Cooler Conversation |
|||
|
|
Wigber Member  |
Blue Belle - Andrew Vachss
good gritty underbelly-of-NYC anti-hero detective-ness. i likes, i likes a lot. ____________________________ Future First Lady of Cyberspace Green Robot World the Canadian half of Minobot! |
|||
|
|
Member |
Just finished Viking 1: Odinn's child by Tim Severin and have now started Viking 2: Sworn Brother.
The first book was very good, even if it felt more like history than fiction sometimes. But it was very interesting, and the voice of the first person narrator is very entertaining because he has such a dry humor. " 'A lovers' spat',(...)'Boy meets girl, girl wants boy dead. An everyday story really.'" - D. Gemmell |
|||
|
|
will crush you with her mighty shoe Member  |
Working on Small Favor by Jim Butcher. Taking me forever to read anything lately, get so tired too quick.
|
|||
|
|
Member |
I didn't really see that in Tess so much; God or his existence was definitely questioned, but it seemed to be that the real thing being accused was society & its mores, which need not have all that much to do with God. After all, Reverend Clare & his wife are described as people who would have been a lot more charitable towards Tess than non-clerical people. Having said that, I haven't read any other Hardy yet, so I might very well be talking out of my... ears here, since one novel isn't representative. And sorry if I abridged your post - I hope I didn't falsify by taking things out of context! Anyway, I have just finished Ibsen's A Doll's House, which I loved. In a way, I found it a weird play in that it felt a bit unnatural that all of this should happen in such a short time; people develop at an amazing speed. Maybe that holds true for many or most theatre plays, but it hardly ever struck me as much as here. __________________________ You are a Farrier. You enjoy nothing more than seeing a well-fitted hoof. Just because it's an animal doesn't mean it can't have a touch of style. Try this pump; here's a stilletto; my, did you see the calves on that pony? Size 6? Oh, madame, really! Still, there are so many hooves, and so little time, and you often miss out on the fun (and the better meme results.) __________________________ "Truth! Justice! Freedom! ... And a Hard-boiled Egg!" - Terry Pratchett, Night Watch |
|||
|
|
Great wyrm of Toronto Member |
Osamu Tezuka's Phoenix: Civil War 2.
______________________________ Do not leave me with a bowl of anything for an extended period of time. |
|||
|
|
Member |
I just re-read Ghosts, also by Ibsen. It's funny how so-called immoral behaviour seems to manifest itself as an illness in the offspring in this & other plays - a bit like a red thread, & it reminds me of this book I once wanted to read (by Linda Hutchinson or sth, I believe) - about how in operas extramarital sex often leads to heroines dying of consumption or sth.
__________________________ You are a Farrier. You enjoy nothing more than seeing a well-fitted hoof. Just because it's an animal doesn't mean it can't have a touch of style. Try this pump; here's a stilletto; my, did you see the calves on that pony? Size 6? Oh, madame, really! Still, there are so many hooves, and so little time, and you often miss out on the fun (and the better meme results.) __________________________ "Truth! Justice! Freedom! ... And a Hard-boiled Egg!" - Terry Pratchett, Night Watch |
|||
|
|
Member |
Song of stone by Ian Banks
Which i am now rushing through because i brought "all tomorrow's Parties" yesterday and want to start it! |
|||
|
|
Wigber Member  |
i don't entirely know why, but i couldn't get passed the first section of song of stone. it just wasn't doing it for me, and the second time i tried i got caught up in the fact that i'd already read it and failed. weird. though i had same problem with whit to a degree, and raced through dead air and the business. so go figure. all tomorrow's parties is cool. i take it you've read idoru? i'm re-reading some stuff. nearly finished alex besher's first novel, rim. and made good progress with noon's first novel vurt, while on a train back and forth to ednburgh yesterday. |
|||
|
|
Wigber Member |
when i was in oslo last year i was talking about henrik ibsen gate, where the ibsen museum is. and aishawgb was wondering what i was talking about. apparently they had only recently changed the street name to commemorate some related anniversary. apart from that, not actually read any of his stuff... |
|||
|
|
Member |
I found song of stone quite boring and indulgent. I haven't read idoru, should i before all tomorrows parties? |
|||
|
|
has been eaten by a grue. Member |
no worries! I was just thinking that Hardy's perception of God is reflected in his perception of society—which was predominantly Judeo-Christian, especially at that time. they make snap decisions and pass judgments because they can without regard for justice or fairness. although your point about Reverend and Mrs. Clare is very much the reverse of what I was thinking, so maybe I should just read the book again. ~ We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But...babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play-world. ~ Elite Special Force Procrastinator, trained in High Arts of Extended Coffee Breaks and Master Linguist of the Water Cooler Conversation |
|||
|
|
Wigber Member |
reading idoru first would probably make some sense. ATP is third in a trilogy, so it combines elements/characters of virtual light and idoru. you can probably read it by itself, but i think it will make mose sense with the other two first, particularly idoru. |
|||
|
| Previous Topic | Next Topic | powered by eve community | Page 1 ... 89 90 91 92 93 |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
|||
| Site | www.NeilgaimanBoard.com | ||
| Servlet | eve1da002 | ||
| Version | 1.3.0 build 9293 | ||
| Module | Forums 4.0.3 | ||
| Stylesheet | "naz" | ||
| Wordlet Set | "Default Wordlet Set" | ||
Topic Closed
Neil Gaiman www.NeilgaimanBoard.com www.NeilgaimanBoard.com The World's End Other Writers What You're Reading Right Now pt 2
www.NeilgaimanBoard.com www.NeilgaimanBoard.com The World's End Other Writers What You're Reading Right Now pt 2© YourCopy 2001