Wings of Art: Joseph Campbell on James Joyce

Customer Reviews:

Joseph Campbell Reads and Analyzes Joyce.......2003-06-20

Great set of tapes from a lecture given by Campbell on Joyce. Also available as video tape set at many college libraries. The book "Mythic Worlds, Mystic Words, Joseph Campbell on James Joyce" contains much of the lecture and more. Great in all formats !

On a par w/Moyers interviews.......2001-09-21

Only Campbell could make Joyce seem so accessible, and he was eminently qualified since he spent a good portion of his life studying Joyce. The first 5 minutes are a billiant summary and distillation of a writer who is broader and more universal in his scope than anyone since Shakespeare. The only slight downside is the occasional throat-clearing and other noises that are part of a live recording, but it's a minor distraction. Five tapes might seem long when you start, but you'll wish it was longer when you're done.

Jo he be hav mad skillz - dis program iz da bomb!.......1998-05-09

Joseph Campbell coauthored the classic Finnegans Wake reference A Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake: Unlocking James Joyce's Masterwork, and in these six tapes of an informal lecture to a small audience he presents another tour de force encompassing his analysis of Portrait, Ulysses, and Wake.

He delivers Joyce's theory of art (alone worth the price of the tapes), relates the texts' themes to mythology and philosophy, and generally provides a wonderful sense of James Joyce as a brilliant man of sorrows acquainted with grief, who labored mightily to bring forth the Big Three. Perhaps even on a level with Stuart Gilbert's James Joyce's Ulysses.

These tapes are a great buy for anyone interested in Joyce.

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J. Joyce
A rare jewlry
Fantastic! Yet . . . Be Advised . . .
Great to experience...
An excellent reader for an excellent author

The James Joyce Audio Collection

Manufacturer: Caedmon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0060501790
Release Date: 2002-06-18

Book Description

James Joyce's self-referential, allusive, and pun-filled works are widely recognized as the signature pieces of European modernist literature, and helped hasten the 20th Century break from traditionally recognized forms of prose. He repeatedly explored the themes of childhood and adulthood, and youth and maturity while simultaneously widening the boundaries of the novel.

This collection includes selections from his most important works: Ulysses, Finnegan's Wake, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Dubliners. The most fascinating treat here is the landmark recording of James Joyce reading selections from Ulysses. This rare recording was made in 1924, and Joyce's reading provides the singular experience of hearing the work as he intended it to be read.

Also providing the unique insight of spoken-word to these wonderful works are the accomplished, sensitive and expressive performers Cyril Cusack, Siobhan McKenna, Jim Norton, Colm Meaney, and E.G. Marshall.

Customer Reviews:

J. Joyce.......2007-01-11

This just wasn't my cup of tea. Couldn't get through the CD. Found it difficult to understand, and when Joyce was actually reading, I couldn't understand a word. This CD was a waste of my money.

A rare jewlry.......2007-01-11

I am very satisfied of having opportunity to hear this work and Joyce reading it. Beautiful!

Fantastic! Yet . . . Be Advised . . . .......2006-07-01

If you are a fan (student?) of Joyce, this set is indeed wonderful and, yes, indispensable.

In the "Truth in Advertising" department, however, be advised that the recording of Joyce reading from Ulysses is very short (just a little over four minutes!). The outer package states, "The most fascinating treat here is the landmark recording of James Joyce reading selections from Ulysses. This rare recording was made in 1924, and Joyce's reading provides the singular experience of hearing the work as he intended it to be read." In truth, there is just one selection of Joyce reading from Ulysses; representing barely one-and-one-half pages from Chapter 7, Aeolus (pp. 142-43 in the 1990 Vintage International Edition).

Another inconsistency concerns the recording date: There is a written quotation in the package attributed to Sylvia Beach that provides informative details about the process by which she recorded Joyce reading from Ulysses in 1924. She goes on to say that Joyce was adamant that "this would be his only reading from Ulysses." Yet the CD track listings indicate that the Ulysses excerpt was recorded "circa 1921." Which is it?

Further, given the considerable logistics, negotiations and expense that Beach apparently invested in order to record Joyce, it seems inconceivable that they would have recorded for only four minutes; notwithstanding the "primitive manner" of recording in the early 1920s. Where is the rest? Do other selections really exist?

The set includes one other, somewhat longer selection of Joyce reading from the Anna Livia Plurabelle section of Finnegan's Wake (three pages at the end of Book One; pp. 213-16 in my ancient copy of the Viking Compass Edition). It was recorded "circa 1932," and lasts eight-and-a-half minutes.

In both excerpts, there are some slight, inconsequential discrepancies between the recorded and written versions; often simply affecting word order. These do make one wonder which version Joyce intended.

So here you have a total of fourteen-and-a-half minutes of Joyce's voice. Believe me, I am not complaining. But if you have read this far, it's a fair bet that you, too, would like to know how much (or how little) of Joyce's voice is actually contained in this 4-CD set. The sound quality is pretty good, considering the age, particularly if you follow along in the books while listening. And that is no doubt the best way to experience these recordings, in order to more fully appreciate Joyce's wonderful lilt, accent, pronunciation & emphasis; and to gain a much better understanding of his meaning.

Would that we could hear Joyce reading all of Ulysses! But, this little bit is infinitely better than nothing!

The selections recorded by other readers are excellent, too, but that would be the subject of another review. Best regards.

Great to experience..........2003-01-14

I had a brief introduction to James Joyce by reading "Araby" ions ago in high school, and was looking to become more acquainted with his works. This collection performed by Gabriel Byrne was a joy to listen to...who better to hear it from than a Dubliner and a great actor to boot?! Although I was debating whether or not it was better to read his works directly before listening to any interpretation, film or audio alike, I don`t regret it. In fact, I think it will help me appreciate Joyce more when I go back to read the works featured. The chamber music as well left me thinking of another time and place, adding a nice backdrop for the dialogue.

An excellent reader for an excellent author.......2000-06-30

Listening through the 'James Joyce Collection' is pleasure itself. The four cassettes offer the best of Joyce's shorter works (short parts of 'The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man', short stories from 'The Dubliners' and poems from 'Chamber Music'). Even those who find Joyces's big works difficult will have an excellent time listening to these pieces of work. The short stories and poems are enchanting as they portray Joyce's Dublin and Dubliners, the stories are of a riveting kind. Byrne's sensitive, lively performance renders them all the more enjoyable. The gentle brogue of the Irish actor gives you an additional touch of authenticity. The 'James Joyce Collection' is well worth buying if you're yearning for an intense auditive and literary experience.

Great Voices Audio Collection/Anais Nin, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, E.E. Cummings

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Great Voices Audio Collection/Anais Nin, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, E.E. Cummings
Anais Nin , and Ernest Hemingway
Manufacturer: Caedmon
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Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 1559949759

Book Description

This wonderful collection gathers four classic recordings of the greatest writers of the twentieth century, reading their own works.

Selections include Anais Nin reading portions of her diary, Ernest Hemingway reading In Harry's Bar in Venice, James Joyce reading from Ulysses, and E.E. Cummings reading from Xaipe.

"Dubliners" and Selected Stories (Classic Books on Cassettes Collection)

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"Dubliners" and Selected Stories (Classic Books on Cassettes Collection)
James Joyce
Manufacturer: Audio Book Contractors
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Binding: Audio Cassette

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Book Description

This enchanting collection of Irish tales includes: "Eveline", "After the Race", "Two Gallants", "The Boarding House", "Counterparts", "Clay", "A Painful Case", "Ivy In the Committee Room", "A Mother", "Grace" and "The Dead" (Three 90-minute cassettes and one 60).

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El Retrato Del Artista Joven
James Joyce
Manufacturer: Yoyo Music USA Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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Listen & Read James Joyce's Dubliners (The Dover Audio Thrift Classics Series)

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Listen & Read James Joyce's Dubliners (The Dover Audio Thrift Classics Series)
James Joyce
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Brilliant collection of stories, rich with memorable characters and displaying Joyce’s genius for the subtleties and nuances of language. On the cassette, stage, screen and TV actor Charles Keating provides superb narratives of "Araby," "Eveline," and "Counterparts." The unabridged paperback edition of Dubliners contains all 15 stories of the collection.

A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man (Classic Books on Cassettes Collection) (Classic Books on Cassettes Collection)

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Have a good measure of patience ready to exchange for keen insight and impeccable writing
Highly moving coming of age story
Education Book
Being James Joyce
Charting your own course in life

A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man (Classic Books on Cassettes Collection) (Classic Books on Cassettes Collection)
James Joyce
Manufacturer: Audio Book Contractors
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ASIN: 1556853173

Book Description

Masterpiece of semi-autobiographical fiction reveals a powerful portrait of the coming of age of a young man of unusual intelligence, sensitivity, and character. Telling portrayals of an Irish upbringing and schooling, the Catholic Church and its priesthood, Parnell and Irish politics, sexual experimentation and its aftermath, and problems with art and morality.

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Published in 1916 to immediate acclaim, James Joyce's semi-autobiographical tale of his alterego, Stephen Dedalus, is a coming-of-age story like no other. A bold, innovative experiment with both language and structure, the work has exerted a lasting influence on the contemporary novel.

Customer Reviews:

Have a good measure of patience ready to exchange for keen insight and impeccable writing.......2007-06-18

Actually, I listened to an audio version of this book - it was the only way I was able to finish it. Even so, it still took me quite a while to get through it. The writing is very dense, and self-absorbed. The book offers many rewarding insights into stream of consciousness thought processes, and typical youthful struggles with issues like religion, good and evil, aesthetics, books and learning, family relations, nationalism and politics, sex and love, asserting one's independence, and getting along with teachers and peers. The detailed accounts of Roman Catholic dogma were a bit tedious, yet I ran into references to them in other works soon after finishing those sections. Having been brought up Protestant, I was spared a lot of the gory details created by the human imagination regarding what hell must be like.

A rather profound insight that came in handy one day while teaching was that people who work hard to live pious lives often end up with a short temper, impatient with the visible weaknesses of others. That also was confirmed in a separate context soon after I listened to that part.

I had to give this work five stars - it is acknowledged great literature - but I wasn't so sure I liked the narrator that much the further I got into it. I guess anybody can be hard to like when they make an effort to be brutally honest about their thoughts and feelings. The narrator's ambivalence about things like his teachers and his interactions with them were sometimes disorienting, but that was certainly his purpose - to show that there are many possible views of the same interaction, and you have to make your own calls. The question posed to the narrator toward the end, about whether he had actually ever loved anyone in his life so far, put the entire work in a perspective worth pondering.

I think for the razor-sharp insights and the utterly lucid writing, this work is eminently worth reading. But you may have to push yourself to make it to the end - I did, anyway.

Highly moving coming of age story.......2007-05-25

This is the semi-autobiographical coming of age story of Stephen Dedalus. I read it about 10 years ago when I was an undergraduate and found it fairly hard to get through, so I thought I'd give it another go. On my second reading I found I was able to relate far more closely with the protagonist and appreciate the quality of Joyce's prose. The story, which is told mainly in the third person, recounts several stages of Stephen's youth. The beginning of the book is written in almost childlike prose as it depicts Stephen's experiences as a schoolchild at a Catholic boarding school. I was able to relate to Joyce's depiction of a very precocious yet sensitive young boy, full of childlike curiosity and terrified of the harsh discipline meted out by the priests. The latter part of this chapter also contains an interesting discussion between Stephen's father and his colleagues about Parnell and Irish politics. Not being an expert on Irish history, I couldn't follow this debate as intelligently as many readers will be able to, yet through it Joyce depicted the sharp political cleavages dividing Ireland at the time.

The next two chapters follow Stephen at a Catholic high school. He has become increasingly alienated from society and emotionally withdrawn. He also begins visiting prostitutes, which leaves him feeling disgusted with his sinful nature. Perhaps the most amazing part of the book is in chapter three, which details Stephen's religious conversion and subsequent renunciation of his faith. This chapter contains a sermon on the torments of hell which terrorizes Stephen and leads to his initial spiritual immersion. This sermon carries on for about 15 pages and is given in the most lurid, evocative prose that one can imagine. The sermon is explicitly designed to terrorize young minds and lead them to renounce their sinful ways. It really resonated with me, as I myself grew up in a conservative church where I was reminded every Sunday of the unimaginable horrors that awaited me if I did not turn my back on the sinful world. While Stephen, shaken with guilt and terror after this sermon, initially tries to immerse himself in the rites of the church, he continues to be assailed by doubts and skepticism, which ultimately lead him to renounce his faith. Joyce vividly describes the joy and freedom that Stephen feels upon freeing himself from the reins of religious doctrine and proclaiming his independence from all such confining systems of thought.

The last part of the book shows Stephen as a university student. There were parts of this chapter that were hard for me to relate to. First, there is about a ten page section in which Stephen elaborates to a friend his theory of aesthetics. Art scholars and philosophers might find this fascinating, but it was somewhat hard for me to follow. There is also a very peripheral romantic interest that is never fully fleshed out. Joyce's ultimate aim here, though, was to depict Stephen as a highly independent young man. Stephen refuses to lend his support to the various faddish social and political movements of the day, whether it be Marxism or Irish nationalism. In the end, Stephen makes the decision to leave Ireland, finding that his artistic aspirations will never be fulfilled if he stays.

Overall, this book clearly deserves its reputation as one of the best works of literature in the English language. Although several aspects of the story are hard to relate to for those who are either not Irish or experts on Irish history, there are also a number of universal themes that resonate more widely. First, this story can be read as a sort of free-thinker's manifesto. While it is admittedly hard at times to fully relate to Stephen (he is depicted as elitist and anti-social), many will be able to relate to his feelings of alienation and his independence of thought. Finally, one cannot properly review this work without noting Joyce's prose. Joyce reminds me of Nabokov in the sense that, although he is often longwinded, one can forgive him his longwindedness because it is simply a pleasure to read his beautiful prose. This is one of those books that contains passages that I will go back and read over and over again.

Education Book.......2007-05-13

Required reading for daughter. Book took too long to arrive. MysticBleu

Being James Joyce.......2007-02-07

Several years ago a movie came out called "Being John Malkovich." I didn't see the movie, but the title was always intriguing to me. Essentially, this book is as close as one could come to "being" James Joyce as a young man.

As other reviewers have noted, the book starts slowly. I did not find the storyline to be particularly compelling, but the revolutionary "stream of consciousness" style introduced by Joyce to the literary world in this book was quite compelling. While I could not call this book a "page turner," make no mistake: it is well worth the effort to persevere to the end. There is a reason why some books are considered "literature." This is one of them.

My Viking Press edition contained no notes or explanations...just the simple, unadorned manuscript without someone's notes telling me what I should extract from the book, what I should think, why it was great literature, etc. Nothing to "coach" me in a particular direction. Now that I have finished reading it, I would enjoy exposing myself to notes and essays on this work, to compare my own impressions with those of others.

The plot of the book is simple enough: a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story featuring Stephen Daedelus, Joyce's alter ego - hence, the title of the book. We follow Daedelus through his formative years, first as the young son of a wealthy family sent off to boarding school, then as the adolescent whose family has fallen from political grace and is now struggling to make ends meet as young Stephen changes to another school that while different, is still as much about religious instruction (Catholicism) as about secular topics. Then, we find him in his mid-teens undergoing a stage in which he abandons himself to lust and then swings the pendulum to the other extreme by attempting something approaching mortal perfection in his religious devotion and briefly even considers entering the priesthood. At the close of the book we find Daedelus in college demonstrating his clearly formidable intellect as he ponders and debates subjects with his professors and peers such as the meaning of beauty and the responsibility of the artist. Ultimately, Daedelus gives us his conclusion on how he intends to live his life that is at once both profound and cliché: to express himself through his art (his writing) as freely and wholly as he can, even if it means being spurned by society and making mistakes. In today's vernacular, it would probably come out as something like, "I gotta be me." But of course Joyce leads us to this conclusion not as some airhead MTV-generation pronouncement, but as the result of his coming-of-age experiences and his deep philosophical ponderings about the meaning of life, the role of religion, and his purpose on this earth.

The stream-of-consciousness style pioneered by Joyce in this book is remarkable, both in its originality to the literary world, and in its ability to give us the events of the story not just through the eyes of Daedelus, but almost through his subconscious. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to read someone's thoughts, right down to the sometimes erratic ways in which one thought leads to another or the impressions that occur somewhat randomly, this is what Joyce delivers. In these pages, he delivers not what it would be like to observe James Joyce, but what it would be like to actually be James Joyce.

The language throughout is beautiful, many times a form of prose poetry. Often described as a novella rather than a novel, the rather sparse page count is rather deceptive: this is a dense book and will take as long for most people to read as a book three times its length. One thing in my edition of the book that was unconventional was Joyce's refusal to use quotation marks to distinguish dialog. He set off dialog with elongated dashes at the beginning of dialog sentences instead. Occasionally, I had to read passages several times to understand who was speaking because Joyce depars entirely from the convention we are all used to.

All in all, this is an excellent starting place for those new to Joyce such as myself, both because it gives insight into the author, and because it introduces the character Daedelus who apparently figures prominently in other books by Joyce such as "Ulysses."

Charting your own course in life.......2007-02-06

The narrative point of view of this book was very innovative for its day. Its not a traditional driving narrative where the author weaves together elements of a plot that leads the characters to a telling conclusion. The point of view is interior to the main character, but in the third person not the first, and the language changes as the character changes.

The narrative follows the growing up and coming to age of Stephen Dedalus from his earliest memories. It shifts from exterior events to interior reflections and fades in a disconnected way into dream events. Some of the exterior events are quite striking and memorable, such as Stephen getting whipped for something he did not do, the bird-girl on the shore, and a long priestly harangue about going to hell. Many signs along the way acquire a mythic or symbolic significance. There are frequent references to birds and flying, which signify Stephen's growing intention to leave Ireland.

The heart of the book is the story about a struggle against authority. The ability to rebel against dire warnings of everlasting punishment from disobeying a religious order requires considerable strength of mind from a lone individual. It requires inner resources, a constant source of solace that gives one an unwavering resolve. Stephen experiences the travails of youth, the giving into lust and subsequent shame, and then turning to the Church. He realizes that by becoming a priest all his material cares would be taken care of and the Church would allay his security anxieties. But his artistic temperament is awakened, most notably in the epiphany of seeing the girl on the shore; and he knows that he cannot endure the kind of sick drudgery that he would feel in the labors of renunciation of his self. Instead of having others chart his course, he awakens to the freedom of charting his own course.

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"You Can't Please Your Father and Me Both; You Must Choose Between Us..."
a classic American tale of parents and children
A pleasure
Early James At His Best
the sacrificial American girl

Washington Square (American Collection)
Henry James
Manufacturer: Assembled Stories
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Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 1860154638

Book Description

Washington Square follows the coming-of-age of its plain-faced, kindhearted heroine, Catherine Sloper. Much to her father’s vexation, a handsome opportunist named Morris Townsend woos the long-suffering heiress, intent on claiming her fortune. When Catherine stubbornly refuses to call off her engagement, Dr. Sloper forces Catherine to choose between her inheritance and the only man she will ever truly love. Cynthia Ozick, in her Introduction to what she calls Henry James’s “most American fiction,” writes that “every line, every paragraph, every chapter [of Washington Square] is a fleet-footed light brigade, an engine of irony.” Precise and understated, this charming novel endures as a matchless study of New York in the mid-nineteenth century.

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Inspired by a story Henry James heard at a dinner party, Washington Square tells how the rakish but idle Morris Townsend tries to win the heart of heiress Catherine Sloper against the objections of her father. Precise and understated, the book endures as a matchless social study of New York in the mid-nineteenth century.

Customer Reviews:

"You Can't Please Your Father and Me Both; You Must Choose Between Us...".......2007-07-08

Although Henry James is best known for The Portrait of a Lady (Penguin Classics), this slender volume of a young woman's lifetime is one that resonates for the oddest reasons. With a protagonist who is entirely passive, a plot that is somewhat uneventful and a cast of supporting characters that are entirely unsympathetic, "Washington Square" is a novel that encapsulates a life hardly worth reading about. Paradoxically, that is precisely why it should be read, and why it's so surprisingly memorable.

Catherine Sloper is shy, plain, dull and a little slow in her studies. Her mother was none of these things, leaving her somewhat of a disappointment to her father, an accomplished and well-respected doctor, a man who Catherine adores and longs to please. Well aware of her spiritless nature, Catherine is astonished when she receives the attention of the handsome and charming Morris Townsend, and is soon devotedly in love with her new suitor. Encouraged by her romantic and foolish Aunt Lavinia Penniman, Catherine accepts Morris's proposal of marriage. Unfortunately, her father is not at all impressed by the match, (believing Morris to be a mercenary after her dowry) and forbids Catherine from seeing him on the threat of disinheritance. Torn between the two most important people in her life, the listless and confused Catherine decides to wait. But will her beloved wait for her, or is she deceived by his true intentions?

Catherine's complete ordinariness is what makes her special within the context of the novel, as I am hard-pressed to think up another heroine who is so uncommonly common. Though she is a pleasant enough person, there is nothing remotely interesting to her, save the predicament she finds herself in. Her situation is frustrating to behold, as the poor girl is torn between her intelligent, infallible father and her charming, loving fiancée. Although her father has his daughter's best interests at heart, he handles the affair with such practicality and stubbornness that his crusade against Townsend eventually dwindles into a battle of will between himself and his daughter, and then petty revenge and one-upmanship. Likewise, though Morris Townsend seems faithful and loving, declaring that he has no interest in Catherine's inheritance whatsoever, we cannot shake a sense of untrustworthiness in him. Despite Catherine's plainness, you can't help but feel that neither man deserves her.

To be privy to Catherine's inner struggles is to witness a tiny and insignificant life within literature, with none of the romance, passion or tragedy of Lizzie Bennett, Tess Durbeyfield, Cathy Earnslaw, Jane Eyre, or any other literary heroine that comes to mind. Although Mrs Penniman alleviates some of the gloom with her far-flung intrigues and romances, her presence ultimately brings more harm that good to her young charge. Catherine is a woman who suffers in silence, without witness or companionship, a testimony to how passive-aggressiveness, lost opportunities and selfishness can destroy the life of one who has no means of fighting back. Every single individual on earth would like to believe that they are special, unique and important in some way, and the mediocrity of a life ill-spent becomes quite terrifying by the close of the novel. Catherine's attempts to assert some control over her father and her suitor are pitiful to behold, though they are victories, they are tiny ones within the context of her life. It's almost as if James uses Catherine as a vessel for every individual who has simply "misplaced" their life, and the emptiness that follows those who don't have the means, strength or fortitude to fight against those that hold them in sway. Make sure it never happens to you.

a classic American tale of parents and children.......2007-03-21

Eloquently composed by a master of the World and American novel, Henry James, WASHINGTON SQUARE is a revelatory , painful study of wealth, prestige, and social discrimination in mid nineteenth century New York. Quite possibly James' masterpiece, it poignantly depicts with sympathy and intellectual blindness the a father's oppressing memory of his dead wife upon his innocent, frail and oblivious daughter. The daughter, Catherine Sloper, has become an iconic chatacter in American dramatic literature and film due to James' superficial description of her awkwardness coupled with the arrival of her wit, ruthlessness, spirit and clever sensibility after she is jilted by her fiancee. A remarkable study of how parents unknowingly deprive children of love and nurturing though their grief and personal disappointment.

A pleasure.......2007-01-22

Washington Square is a pleasure to read. Best of all is Henry James' lush prose; his ethereal descriptions of characters and their emotional states and feelings towards others is peerless - and beautiful, and often funny in a stylistic sense. The novel itself functions as an expostition of human greed and the need for control, physically and emotionally. The four focal characters are all well drawn, and because of that their more despicable natures come forward. The naive Catherine; her father, the overbearing Dr. Sloper; his sister, the officious Mrs. Penniman; and the greedy, and lazy, Morris Townsend, ostensibly interested in Catherine only for her, and her father's, money. There is plenty of scheming and posturing by all four of them, and any more words from me will spoil the novel. Also amusing, is the dated sensibilities of the characters; but it all adds up to an enjoyable novel by an American master.

Early James At His Best.......2006-12-18

Though James rejected this tale for inclusion in the New York Edition of his works, presumably because it was too simple and straightforward, many readers have not shared his judgment, insisting instead the work has great merit.
Its theme is an intriguing one that raises the following question: Is it better to be clever or good? Even here, for James, the answer is not all that simple, his conclusion being it's probably best to be some subtle combination of both.
Dr. Sloper and Morris Townsend, the central male figures, are clever men, but each is deficient in his own way. The caustically witty Doctor wants to be just, but his pride in being right about Morris as a fortune hunter ultimately overrides his fatherly concerns. For this reason, he becomes a sort of Hawthorne-like villain, a scientific, detached, almost gleeful observer of his own daughter's plight, rather than a suitably caring parent. He suffers, finally, not from an excess of cleverness, but from a defect of generous felt emotion. Morris, too, is a definitely clever character, but at the same time he's the spoiled creation of enabling women, a boy-man who's more a self-interested player at life than a vital participant in it, an early version of the fatherless "It's all about me" youth of later modern fiction.
The heroine Catherine is a sorely beset young woman, pulled this way and that, now by her right-at-all-costs father, then by her fortune hunting suitor. She is a good, dutiful daughter throughout, though the novel details her growth in intelligent personhood. She finally gains the independence needed to tell her manipulative father where his parental rights end and her own moral self begins. Similarly, once her education in life is complete, she is able to avoid a final romantic capitulation, telling the shameless Morris in the novel's last scene what her mature self now requires he hear from her. Naturally, he's too self-involved to accurately understand her real character.
This short novel, finally, is rich in witty literary parody. It's closing chapters read like an inverted "Odyssey," with the patiently waiting Catherine weaving embroidery in Penelope-like fashion, until the surprise return of the long wandering Morris. All in all, despite the masterly author's doubts, this is a work of considerable distinction.

the sacrificial American girl.......2006-07-10

Washington Square can be read as an upper-class fairy tale. Catherine Sloper has the tendency to see the people around her as if they were characters in a novel. Her father's education has been based on safeguarding Catherine from the vulgarity of "appearance". He is mostly concerned with her daughter not being overdressed. But how is she to learn not to overestimate her acquaintances? The influence of her aunt, a woman of powerful romantic imagination, misleads the young Catherine in her view and opinion of the young and dazzling Morris Townsend. Is he really madly in love with her? What has made this young gentleman worthy of receiving the benefit of every doubt in the Sloper household? Catherine seems to lose her sense of her rights in this relationship: "she had only a consciousness of immense and unexpected favours".

The problem is that Aunt Penniman delights in a drama, and the young Townsend has too high a sense of performance himself to disappoint her. A kiss and an embrace may no longer be a demonstration of affection, but a "sign". The poor bachelorette does not think too much about it, and will take whatever comes her way. Can this man be untrue to her when he says that she is irresistible? Is he in love or is he mercenary?

In the opinion of Dr Sloper, the young Townsend is out to seek his fortune through marriage. He has been reckless in his early youth, squandering his small fortune. But is it too despicable of him to seek to remake his life through matrimony? How are we to draw the moral profile of such a person? Are we capable of mercy, or only of Sloper's smug scorn of Catherine's need for love? It seems to be the case that the "interested" Morris may be altogether more likeable than Catherine's father.

When is the right moment to leave a partner whom one mistrusts? Isn't it better to suffer for a twelvemonth and then get over it than to commit oneself for life to someone unworthy of our cares, be it boyfriend or Dad? Is Morris really a selfish idler? On the occasion of her being disinherited, would Morris still care to marry an unattractive and impoverished girl?

Cosmopolitanism is in the novel a measure of young Catherine's incapacity to develop. After her father takes her for an artistic tour of Europe, she hasn't managed to grow into a "wiser" woman. But how is wisdom to be measured? She becomes withdrawn from her tactless and proud father. After she has been cruelly jilted, Dr Sloper is perverse enough to mock her having lost her chance to marry a charming young man. One is led to believe that Sloper had some Freudian attachment to his daughter, who had come to substitute his her beautiful mother in Sloper's heart. James's understanding of romantic and human emotions is deeply moving.

James Joyce: The Dead And Other Stories (Great Authors)

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James Joyce: The Dead And Other Stories (Great Authors)
James Joyce
Manufacturer: In Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1584726768

The Masters' Collection: Twelve Great Stories Well Told

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The Masters' Collection: Twelve Great Stories Well Told
Isaac Bashevis Singer , Katherine Anne Porter , and James Joyce
Manufacturer: The Audio Partners
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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