Second, congrats to Sandra Bullock who has adopted by all accounts an absolutely precious little boy. Yay, yay, yay!! And way to go on divorcing that douche! You deserve better!! It happens to the best of us, sis.
(Photo source)
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Random Pop Culture Stuff
First, I'm reading Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. Yes, this is the book which has been made into a movie starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. No, I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm planning to. Well, Mz. Julie has a blog still, which you can view here. So far, I'm really enjoying this book/memoir. And it makes me feel a little more accomplished in the kitchen sometimes. Stay tuned for a review when I'm done! :)
Second, congrats to Sandra Bullock who has adopted by all accounts an absolutely precious little boy. Yay, yay, yay!! And way to go on divorcing that douche! You deserve better!! It happens to the best of us, sis.
(Photo source)
Second, congrats to Sandra Bullock who has adopted by all accounts an absolutely precious little boy. Yay, yay, yay!! And way to go on divorcing that douche! You deserve better!! It happens to the best of us, sis.
(Photo source)
Monday, April 26, 2010
How Very Interesting
So, my Avatar watching, and then the subsequent playing of Sweet Home Alabama when we switched off the DVD player (it was on the random cable channel the T.V. was already set to), got me thinking about a phenomenon in script writing.
What, pray tell, is the phenomenon, you ask?
Well, I'll tell you: the use of the name "Jake" (or "Jacob") for central, manly, heroic characters.
Now, now, don't scoff until you think about it for a second. Seriously, just off the top of my head, I can name five "Jakes" of the cinema (and some are from the books that preceded the movies).
And these Jakes all have commonalities. They're handsome. They're brave. They're out to save the bad guy/protect the girl/rescue the little kid/prove himself.
For example:
Since Avatar started the train of thought, we'll start with Jake Sully. He's a former
Marine who is paralyzed from the waist down. But does this stop Jake from serving his country/planet? Does it stop him from going on a psychic adventure, plugged into a giant blue dude? Does it stop him from winning the girl, leading the army, and effectively freeing an entire planet from evil? NO! Exhibit A: Jake Sully. Hero, love interest, warrior. We won't talk about the fact that he delivers speeches like William Wallace (Braveheart)...and that he's also blue--you know, 'cause Wallace and his cohorts painted themselves blue [snicker].
Okay, so next up obviously has to be Jake Perry from Sweet Home Alabama. He's tall. He's a hottie!! He won't sign Melanie's divorce papers, but follows her to New York and realizes he's got to make something of himself to be worthy of her **sigh!** He owns his own company and is independent. He's a gentleman and has a bloodhound (read: manly man). And he still desperately loves Melanie to the point of being exasperatingly annoyed by her at times. In the end, Mr. Blue Eyes gets the girl. Exhibit B: Jake Perry. Rawr.
But there are more Jakes out there! One of my favorites? Jake Brigance from A Time to Kill. He's the underdog (and also HOT); a family man and loyal to his wife even when Ellen Roarke busts a move on his sweaty fineness. He's fighting for a black man in the uber white South. He faces death threats, has to send his wife and kid away for their safety, his house is burned to the ground, he loves his dog, and it looks like the slimy DA is going to win after all. But in the end, Jake is triumphant and bridges cultural and racial divides to become a hero in and out of the courtroom. Yay!!
And, who could forget everyone's favorite werewolf? Jacob "Jake" Black. (Twilight) He's heroic. He transforms into a furry four-legged critter when he gets pissed, but hates what that's done to him. He yearns for Bella and is tortured by her choice to hang with vampires and follow Edward around like a love sick puppy. He can't stand the fact that she plans to become one of them and therefore his mortal enemy. He's tanned. He's buff. He's manly. He's going to protect Bella if it kills him, literally. He's "sorta beautiful." Yet another Jake we love!
And last, but certainly, in no way least: Jake McCandles from Big Jake. Seriously, I don't even really need to say anything here. This Jake is played by the Duke himself: John
Wayne. So, you know he comes with swagger. He's a cowboy. He saves his grandson. And dude's married to a chick played by Maureen O'Hara. Checkmate! Exhibit E: Jake McCandles, legendary Jake.
So, I'm sure I'm missing some, and would love some input on any "Jakes" in pop culture you've found.
Side note: Jacob became Israel in the Old Testament. Judaeo-Christan subtlety? You be the judge.
Photo sources:
Jake Sully
Jake Perry
Jake Brigance
Jacob Black
Big Jake
What, pray tell, is the phenomenon, you ask?
Well, I'll tell you: the use of the name "Jake" (or "Jacob") for central, manly, heroic characters.
Now, now, don't scoff until you think about it for a second. Seriously, just off the top of my head, I can name five "Jakes" of the cinema (and some are from the books that preceded the movies).
And these Jakes all have commonalities. They're handsome. They're brave. They're out to save the bad guy/protect the girl/rescue the little kid/prove himself.
For example:
Since Avatar started the train of thought, we'll start with Jake Sully. He's a former
Marine who is paralyzed from the waist down. But does this stop Jake from serving his country/planet? Does it stop him from going on a psychic adventure, plugged into a giant blue dude? Does it stop him from winning the girl, leading the army, and effectively freeing an entire planet from evil? NO! Exhibit A: Jake Sully. Hero, love interest, warrior. We won't talk about the fact that he delivers speeches like William Wallace (Braveheart)...and that he's also blue--you know, 'cause Wallace and his cohorts painted themselves blue [snicker].
Okay, so next up obviously has to be Jake Perry from Sweet Home Alabama. He's tall. He's a hottie!! He won't sign Melanie's divorce papers, but follows her to New York and realizes he's got to make something of himself to be worthy of her **sigh!** He owns his own company and is independent. He's a gentleman and has a bloodhound (read: manly man). And he still desperately loves Melanie to the point of being exasperatingly annoyed by her at times. In the end, Mr. Blue Eyes gets the girl. Exhibit B: Jake Perry. Rawr.
But there are more Jakes out there! One of my favorites? Jake Brigance from A Time to Kill. He's the underdog (and also HOT); a family man and loyal to his wife even when Ellen Roarke busts a move on his sweaty fineness. He's fighting for a black man in the uber white South. He faces death threats, has to send his wife and kid away for their safety, his house is burned to the ground, he loves his dog, and it looks like the slimy DA is going to win after all. But in the end, Jake is triumphant and bridges cultural and racial divides to become a hero in and out of the courtroom. Yay!!
And, who could forget everyone's favorite werewolf? Jacob "Jake" Black. (Twilight) He's heroic. He transforms into a furry four-legged critter when he gets pissed, but hates what that's done to him. He yearns for Bella and is tortured by her choice to hang with vampires and follow Edward around like a love sick puppy. He can't stand the fact that she plans to become one of them and therefore his mortal enemy. He's tanned. He's buff. He's manly. He's going to protect Bella if it kills him, literally. He's "sorta beautiful." Yet another Jake we love!
And last, but certainly, in no way least: Jake McCandles from Big Jake. Seriously, I don't even really need to say anything here. This Jake is played by the Duke himself: John
Wayne. So, you know he comes with swagger. He's a cowboy. He saves his grandson. And dude's married to a chick played by Maureen O'Hara. Checkmate! Exhibit E: Jake McCandles, legendary Jake.So, I'm sure I'm missing some, and would love some input on any "Jakes" in pop culture you've found.
Side note: Jacob became Israel in the Old Testament. Judaeo-Christan subtlety? You be the judge.
Photo sources:
Jake Sully
Jake Perry
Jake Brigance
Jacob Black
Big Jake
Sunday, April 25, 2010
I think I missed something...
Okay, I realize that I'm going to disappoint some of you, but I promise, I have very valid arguments for what I'm about to say...
It was up for Best Picture...and was the largest grossing box office smash. The reviews have been FANTASTIC! People have watched it over, and over, and over, and...well, you get the point. So, when my hubby purchased Avatar this weekend, I was prepared for AWESOME.
Eh. [shrugs]
It was OK.
[cringing for reaction]
Okay, now that that's over, allow me to explain. First, I'm not saying it's bad, because it's NOT a bad movie. The cinematography was beautiful. The actors did a great job (I heart Michelle Rodriguez; chick kicks serious butt) and visually, things probably couldn't be better. And the unique, completely fabricated language is pretty impressive.
The story? Eh.
SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!
(Now that I can't be blamed for ruining the movie for you, I can continue!)
Avatar read (watched?) like a typical Native American movie to me. I know James Cameron said that it was about environmentalism, but all I could think about were the gazillions of movies about white/Native interactions that are [already] out there. The only difference here is that instead of the wild west, the natives are on a different planet. And they're blue.
And can we just discuss the name of the planet for a minute?? Pandora?? REALLY???? I'm sure Cameron was going for some deep symbolism or something (recall if you will that Pandora was the Greek chick [ah! seeing another pattern developing in my blogs!] who opened the forbidden box--known as "Pandora's box" [haha, genius Greeks]--and let all the plagues out into the world), but that symbolism is lost to anyone who doesn't get it, and intensely vague for those who do.
Moving on...
Okay, so we've got these blue dudes and chicks running around with tails, right? Oh, and phallic dreadlocks that they can use to plug into the world around them. Like trees where the souls of their ancestors reside...and animals. Which begs the question: how do they, um, copulate? [Ahem.]
So a Native American would steal a horse, or find a wild pony, jump on its back and break it and then would own it, right? These blue dudes? SORRY: Na'vi. Yeah, they plug their squid-like dreads into the squid-like tube thingy attached to some part of these wild flying beast thingies (which I'm sure have a technical name, but I don't really care) and all of a sudden, the frenzy in the wild animal's eyes dies away and one of near love replaces it, and the animal is owned by the blue dude...er, Na'vi. Seriously. They call it "making the bond." Yeah. That's also a metaphor for something else...but, moving on. [shudder]
There's another clip where one of the deer-like animals is killed by the blue guys for sustenance, and as it dies, the main character Jake finishes him off with thanking the four-legged critter for his sacrifice and commending his spirit to the Earth/Pandora(?) mother goddess. You know, I seem to remember a little movie called The Last of the Mohicans in which two of the main characters DO THE EXACT SAME THING, only not in black-light wack-a-doo world.
That's another thing: the movie (while beautiful) looks like a giant moving black light poster. Ciga-weed, anyone?
Oh, yeah, and Dances with Wolves has a whole animal/human/earth connection thing too, but who's counting??
Ooh, ooh, yeah, and remember the power loaders in the movie Aliens?? You know the ones: yellow; Ripley jumps into one to fight the queen alien. "Get away from her, you b*&ch!!" Ah, now you remember! Cameron recycled that idea too (granted, it was his own the first time around, so it's not technically plagerism...) and orchestrates a climactic fight scene in this movie between a different soldier and a blue, less acidic alien. Geez. (Sigourney Weaver's also in BOTH movies)
And the score?
Dear James Horner,
Please come up with new phrasing and drop the triplet sets that you use in EVERY score. It's very recognizable. And old. I could have plugged the Mask of Zorro soundtrack in and have gotten something pretty similar in most cases.
Best regards,
me.
Really, I could keep going. But, I won't.
In all, I feel that to fully grasp the concept of Avatar, I would need to smoke some serious peyote (which I am unwilling to do), hug some major trees, roll around in a lot dirt (maybe even eat a little...), and forget all of the movies about big, bad white expansionist guys taking over the less advanced, more spiritual indigenous peoples that I've EVER seen. Then, maybe I can get on board with it.
Or not...the blue dudes and chicks would still be obnoxiously scream-crying about everything, and that gets old. Fast.
So, here's to the almost-best picture of the year. Like most in that category, it was a disappointment.
[let the scoffs and arguments commence]
Avatar photo source
Pandora photo source
The Last of the Mohicans photo source (Because I love me some old-school, loincloth wearin' Daniel Day-Lewis) (www.fanpop.com)
It was up for Best Picture...and was the largest grossing box office smash. The reviews have been FANTASTIC! People have watched it over, and over, and over, and...well, you get the point. So, when my hubby purchased Avatar this weekend, I was prepared for AWESOME.
Eh. [shrugs]
It was OK.
[cringing for reaction]
Okay, now that that's over, allow me to explain. First, I'm not saying it's bad, because it's NOT a bad movie. The cinematography was beautiful. The actors did a great job (I heart Michelle Rodriguez; chick kicks serious butt) and visually, things probably couldn't be better. And the unique, completely fabricated language is pretty impressive.
The story? Eh.
SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!
(Now that I can't be blamed for ruining the movie for you, I can continue!)
Avatar read (watched?) like a typical Native American movie to me. I know James Cameron said that it was about environmentalism, but all I could think about were the gazillions of movies about white/Native interactions that are [already] out there. The only difference here is that instead of the wild west, the natives are on a different planet. And they're blue.
And can we just discuss the name of the planet for a minute?? Pandora?? REALLY???? I'm sure Cameron was going for some deep symbolism or something (recall if you will that Pandora was the Greek chick [ah! seeing another pattern developing in my blogs!] who opened the forbidden box--known as "Pandora's box" [haha, genius Greeks]--and let all the plagues out into the world), but that symbolism is lost to anyone who doesn't get it, and intensely vague for those who do.
Moving on...
Okay, so we've got these blue dudes and chicks running around with tails, right? Oh, and phallic dreadlocks that they can use to plug into the world around them. Like trees where the souls of their ancestors reside...and animals. Which begs the question: how do they, um, copulate? [Ahem.]
So a Native American would steal a horse, or find a wild pony, jump on its back and break it and then would own it, right? These blue dudes? SORRY: Na'vi. Yeah, they plug their squid-like dreads into the squid-like tube thingy attached to some part of these wild flying beast thingies (which I'm sure have a technical name, but I don't really care) and all of a sudden, the frenzy in the wild animal's eyes dies away and one of near love replaces it, and the animal is owned by the blue dude...er, Na'vi. Seriously. They call it "making the bond." Yeah. That's also a metaphor for something else...but, moving on. [shudder]
There's another clip where one of the deer-like animals is killed by the blue guys for sustenance, and as it dies, the main character Jake finishes him off with thanking the four-legged critter for his sacrifice and commending his spirit to the Earth/Pandora(?) mother goddess. You know, I seem to remember a little movie called The Last of the Mohicans in which two of the main characters DO THE EXACT SAME THING, only not in black-light wack-a-doo world. That's another thing: the movie (while beautiful) looks like a giant moving black light poster. Ciga-weed, anyone?
Oh, yeah, and Dances with Wolves has a whole animal/human/earth connection thing too, but who's counting??
Ooh, ooh, yeah, and remember the power loaders in the movie Aliens?? You know the ones: yellow; Ripley jumps into one to fight the queen alien. "Get away from her, you b*&ch!!" Ah, now you remember! Cameron recycled that idea too (granted, it was his own the first time around, so it's not technically plagerism...) and orchestrates a climactic fight scene in this movie between a different soldier and a blue, less acidic alien. Geez. (Sigourney Weaver's also in BOTH movies)
And the score?
Dear James Horner,
Please come up with new phrasing and drop the triplet sets that you use in EVERY score. It's very recognizable. And old. I could have plugged the Mask of Zorro soundtrack in and have gotten something pretty similar in most cases.
Best regards,
me.
Really, I could keep going. But, I won't.
In all, I feel that to fully grasp the concept of Avatar, I would need to smoke some serious peyote (which I am unwilling to do), hug some major trees, roll around in a lot dirt (maybe even eat a little...), and forget all of the movies about big, bad white expansionist guys taking over the less advanced, more spiritual indigenous peoples that I've EVER seen. Then, maybe I can get on board with it.
Or not...the blue dudes and chicks would still be obnoxiously scream-crying about everything, and that gets old. Fast.
So, here's to the almost-best picture of the year. Like most in that category, it was a disappointment.
[let the scoffs and arguments commence]
Avatar photo source
Pandora photo source
The Last of the Mohicans photo source (Because I love me some old-school, loincloth wearin' Daniel Day-Lewis) (www.fanpop.com)
Friday, April 23, 2010
ECLIPSE!!!
New trailer!!! Thanks, Oprah; every once in a while I think you're totally cool!
SO AWESOME!!! I can't WAIT for the action scenes (ala Braveheart, it appears) :)
SO AWESOME!!! I can't WAIT for the action scenes (ala Braveheart, it appears) :)
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Depravity, documented
So, when I'm completely brain-fried from more serious pursuits, I jump onto one of my favorite websites, Texts From Last Night, to blow off some steam (and to marvel at the debauchery and general insanity of the modern college [and sometimes high school eek!] student).
I will warn you, DO NOT go onto this site if you are at all offended by drugs, sex, general lewdness, and/or foul language. Some of the texts are rated PG-13, and even a few are PG, but for the most part, they're "R" rated, and this is the reason why I haven't provided a link here in this post. But, if you can handle the "f" word being thrown around in text (as it is in collegiate classrooms every day of the week), then you'll think it's unbearably funny what some of these real winners get themselves into...and maybe impressed by the wit and sarcasm of many of them.
So, for those who don't wish to go on the site, I've given you a random CLEAN sampling [the numbers in parentheses are for the zip codes the texts are from]:
(604): dont worry, it'll just be a conversation starter like "why did you get that pierced?" or "wow, i got arrested there too"
(732): I got 70 on my final, or put differently, I got a "still graduating" on my final.
(610): Look I'm sorry I shaved your cat, but get over it.
The next two are a son and father pair:
(434): you would not believe what I got pierced last night...
(540): son, I feel like that is a phrase a father never wants to hear.
(440): sarcasm needs its own font
(778): we were going to warn you, but we veto-ed that idea somewhere between "this is the stupidest thing we've ever done" and "let's order a pizza"
And my absolute favorite ??
(541): my math teacher staples burger king applications to failed tests
(All texts borrowed from textsfromlastnight.com; picture of iPhone text from Wikimedia Commons, Nick Richards, photographer)
I will warn you, DO NOT go onto this site if you are at all offended by drugs, sex, general lewdness, and/or foul language. Some of the texts are rated PG-13, and even a few are PG, but for the most part, they're "R" rated, and this is the reason why I haven't provided a link here in this post. But, if you can handle the "f" word being thrown around in text (as it is in collegiate classrooms every day of the week), then you'll think it's unbearably funny what some of these real winners get themselves into...and maybe impressed by the wit and sarcasm of many of them.So, for those who don't wish to go on the site, I've given you a random CLEAN sampling [the numbers in parentheses are for the zip codes the texts are from]:
(604): dont worry, it'll just be a conversation starter like "why did you get that pierced?" or "wow, i got arrested there too"
(732): I got 70 on my final, or put differently, I got a "still graduating" on my final.
(610): Look I'm sorry I shaved your cat, but get over it.
The next two are a son and father pair:
(434): you would not believe what I got pierced last night...
(540): son, I feel like that is a phrase a father never wants to hear.
(440): sarcasm needs its own font
(778): we were going to warn you, but we veto-ed that idea somewhere between "this is the stupidest thing we've ever done" and "let's order a pizza"
And my absolute favorite ??
(541): my math teacher staples burger king applications to failed tests
(All texts borrowed from textsfromlastnight.com; picture of iPhone text from Wikimedia Commons, Nick Richards, photographer)
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
"What are you doing?! What! What! What are you doing?!"
Every girl needs a sassy gay friend. As proof, see what COULD have happened to Juliet (of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet), "If she'd had a sassy gay friend."
Now, you may not share my warped sense of intellectual geeky humor, but I think this is freakin' hilarious!!
And this is a great one, because everyone knows the story of R & J...we all had to read it in school, or we saw the monstrosity starring Leonardo DiCaprio & Claire Danes several years back, or we've watched Edward recite lines in the film adaptation of New Moon [swoon] and the parallels drawn in the book form of said story.
Enjoy! (My favorite part? "Desperate! Desperate! I am really desperate! Are there any stalkers on my grounds?")
Now, you may not share my warped sense of intellectual geeky humor, but I think this is freakin' hilarious!!
And this is a great one, because everyone knows the story of R & J...we all had to read it in school, or we saw the monstrosity starring Leonardo DiCaprio & Claire Danes several years back, or we've watched Edward recite lines in the film adaptation of New Moon [swoon] and the parallels drawn in the book form of said story.
Enjoy! (My favorite part? "Desperate! Desperate! I am really desperate! Are there any stalkers on my grounds?")
Monday, April 19, 2010
A Dose of Douche Baggery:
I've come to the conclusion that nothing, I mean NOTHING shouts "I'm compensating" quite like hanging a fake pair from the tail end of your massive, excessively large truck.
(Photo source)
Wow. Yeah. Um...You know, I've said it before and I'll say it again: Freud was onto something with all of his crazy theories; he just went a step too far in everything. But, I have to contend that women don't have penis envy, these guys have penis envy. [snicker]
And in related douche baggery, Jon Gosselin now has a faux-hawk. Oh, and I love that in this pic, he's walking out of a Goodwill Store. And he's trying to get custody of the kids? Yeah. A judge is gonna totally look and him and think he's prime parental material.
(Photo source)
Sheesh.
(Photo source)
Wow. Yeah. Um...You know, I've said it before and I'll say it again: Freud was onto something with all of his crazy theories; he just went a step too far in everything. But, I have to contend that women don't have penis envy, these guys have penis envy. [snicker]
And in related douche baggery, Jon Gosselin now has a faux-hawk. Oh, and I love that in this pic, he's walking out of a Goodwill Store. And he's trying to get custody of the kids? Yeah. A judge is gonna totally look and him and think he's prime parental material.
(Photo source)
Sheesh.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Return of the Opera
Sometimes, a musician is more than a musician. Sometimes, they prove that beyond the singing and the playing, they are ultimately brilliant artists on a completely different creative level than mainstream music.
We've all surely heard excerpts of Tommy from The Who, or The Wall from Pink Floyd. Both rock operas are hard to avoid in pop culture since they were, and remained for many years, favorites in the music world.
Rock operas and folk operas have continued since the '70s with recent releases by The Decemberists (The Hazards of Love) and Green Day (21st Century Breakdown) among others. In a related genre, last year, Muse released what many musical critics have dubbed a "rock symphony" with The Resistance. (It's great, by the way!)
Well my friends, I have a new folk opera for you: Hadestown by Anais Mitchell. Aaaah!! This is SO good; you have no idea!
The fact that the opera features one of my favorite artists, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, is like icing on the cake for me. His voice is so haunting and beautiful. I swear, anytime I hear a song by Vernon, I just feel like I've entered into a musical dreamland. I could lay in a field of wild flowers and pick shapes out of the clouds while listening to his songs...but, I digress. This isn't a post about the greatness of Bon Iver/Justin Vernon. It's about the musical genius of the compilation that is Hadestown.
"Hadestown is a folk opera based on the Orpheus myth and set in a post apocalyptic American depression era." --From Anais Mitchell's website.
But, before I get ahead of myself, let's review the Orpheus myth:
Orpheus and Eurydice marry, and according to one myth she's bitten by a snake and dies. But really, the important part is that she ends up the the underworld, Hades, which is incidentally also the name of the god of the underworld.
Orpheus, a great musician and son of gods and muses, travels into the underworld to retrieve his love. While there, he gleans the sympathy of Persephone, the wife of Hades, and is eventually granted permission to lead Eurydice out of the underworld, but there's a catch: Eurydice has to follow Orpheus out of the underworld, several steps behind him, and he must not look back at her until they are both out of Hades, or she will disappear forever back into the underworld.
Tragically, when Orpheus emerges from Hades, he's so anxious for his wife that he mistakenly looks behind himself before he should. She's not yet stepped out of the underworld and vanishes from him forever. Yet another Greek tragedy!
Fast forward to 2010 and we have Anais Mitchell, featuring some fantastic artists, reworking the Orpheus myth. Everything feels very early 20th century. Persephone regularly haunts a speakeasy, and sounds like it when she sings. There's a country, folksy sound that is reminiscent of bluegrass from the '40s, and many times, I envision Oh, Brother Where Art Thou while listening to the album. Coincidentally, Oh, Brother is based on The Odyssey and set in the real American Depression era.
There are awesome song samples on anaismitchell.com and I highly suggest them! Don't flinch from the "folk opera" moniker; you'll miss out on some really fantastic artistry if you avoid it based on the genre alone.
The musicality of the album is astounding. The use of strings evokes an image of a pit orchestra before a Vaudeville stage. Accordions and trumpets are used with finesse. The deep, dark, speech-singing of Hades contrasts with the light, pure, high crooning of Eurydice, and Orpheus is lyrical and haunting beyond imagination.
Hadestown was written by Anais Mitchell who plays Eurydice; featuring: Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) as Orpheus, Ani DiFranco as Persephone, Ben Knox Miller (The Low Anthem) as Hermes, Greg Brown as Hades, and The Haden Triplets as The Fates, and will not disappoint!
Enjoy!
(Photos of album and Mitchell from www.anaismitchell.com; painting of Orpheus and Eurydice courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
We've all surely heard excerpts of Tommy from The Who, or The Wall from Pink Floyd. Both rock operas are hard to avoid in pop culture since they were, and remained for many years, favorites in the music world.
Rock operas and folk operas have continued since the '70s with recent releases by The Decemberists (The Hazards of Love) and Green Day (21st Century Breakdown) among others. In a related genre, last year, Muse released what many musical critics have dubbed a "rock symphony" with The Resistance. (It's great, by the way!)
Well my friends, I have a new folk opera for you: Hadestown by Anais Mitchell. Aaaah!! This is SO good; you have no idea!
The fact that the opera features one of my favorite artists, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, is like icing on the cake for me. His voice is so haunting and beautiful. I swear, anytime I hear a song by Vernon, I just feel like I've entered into a musical dreamland. I could lay in a field of wild flowers and pick shapes out of the clouds while listening to his songs...but, I digress. This isn't a post about the greatness of Bon Iver/Justin Vernon. It's about the musical genius of the compilation that is Hadestown.
"Hadestown is a folk opera based on the Orpheus myth and set in a post apocalyptic American depression era." --From Anais Mitchell's website.
But, before I get ahead of myself, let's review the Orpheus myth:
Orpheus and Eurydice marry, and according to one myth she's bitten by a snake and dies. But really, the important part is that she ends up the the underworld, Hades, which is incidentally also the name of the god of the underworld.
Orpheus, a great musician and son of gods and muses, travels into the underworld to retrieve his love. While there, he gleans the sympathy of Persephone, the wife of Hades, and is eventually granted permission to lead Eurydice out of the underworld, but there's a catch: Eurydice has to follow Orpheus out of the underworld, several steps behind him, and he must not look back at her until they are both out of Hades, or she will disappear forever back into the underworld.
Tragically, when Orpheus emerges from Hades, he's so anxious for his wife that he mistakenly looks behind himself before he should. She's not yet stepped out of the underworld and vanishes from him forever. Yet another Greek tragedy!
Fast forward to 2010 and we have Anais Mitchell, featuring some fantastic artists, reworking the Orpheus myth. Everything feels very early 20th century. Persephone regularly haunts a speakeasy, and sounds like it when she sings. There's a country, folksy sound that is reminiscent of bluegrass from the '40s, and many times, I envision Oh, Brother Where Art Thou while listening to the album. Coincidentally, Oh, Brother is based on The Odyssey and set in the real American Depression era.
There are awesome song samples on anaismitchell.com and I highly suggest them! Don't flinch from the "folk opera" moniker; you'll miss out on some really fantastic artistry if you avoid it based on the genre alone.
The musicality of the album is astounding. The use of strings evokes an image of a pit orchestra before a Vaudeville stage. Accordions and trumpets are used with finesse. The deep, dark, speech-singing of Hades contrasts with the light, pure, high crooning of Eurydice, and Orpheus is lyrical and haunting beyond imagination.
Hadestown was written by Anais Mitchell who plays Eurydice; featuring: Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) as Orpheus, Ani DiFranco as Persephone, Ben Knox Miller (The Low Anthem) as Hermes, Greg Brown as Hades, and The Haden Triplets as The Fates, and will not disappoint!
Enjoy!
(Photos of album and Mitchell from www.anaismitchell.com; painting of Orpheus and Eurydice courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Bumper Sticker Gnomes Strike Again!
Okay, so I didn't get a photo of this one as I was in a hurry (so, note the photo of Angelina Jolie, which will make more sense in a minute), but just picture with me for a minute, a red two seater something-or-other with a T-top that was probably a smokin' car, like, thirty years ago. Today, it's faded and a total beater.
On one of the rear windows was a simple white sticker with black font.
What did it say?
"If tattoos were outlawed, only outlaws would look cool."
???????????
And if we all lived in Douche Bag World, we'd all wear Ed Hardy, drink Venti Caramel Machi-mocha-latte-choco-wacko espresso, drive Hummers (hehehe!), and be "cool."
Heh, heh. ...Yeah.
NB: I think Jolie is a great actress and am not calling her a douche bag. It was just safer to Google "Angelina Jolie Tattoo" in images than the simply Google "Tattoo" in the same category...Trust me.
On one of the rear windows was a simple white sticker with black font.
What did it say?
"If tattoos were outlawed, only outlaws would look cool."
???????????
And if we all lived in Douche Bag World, we'd all wear Ed Hardy, drink Venti Caramel Machi-mocha-latte-choco-wacko espresso, drive Hummers (hehehe!), and be "cool."
Heh, heh. ...Yeah.
NB: I think Jolie is a great actress and am not calling her a douche bag. It was just safer to Google "Angelina Jolie Tattoo" in images than the simply Google "Tattoo" in the same category...Trust me.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Things I'm Loving Right Now:
I really could blog separately about these three topics, and maybe I should, but I can't decide which to go with first, and really, where's the schizophrenic fun in that?? So...BAM! here's three things I'm loving, all at once.
Number 1: It's approaching summer time here in Texas, and while a Cherry Limeade (I like mine diet) or an Ocean Water are fabulous all year round, when it's hot outside, almost nothing is better.
(Photo source)
See also: frozen treats! Om, nom nom! :)
Number 2: Fun, new, unique bands. Here's a sampling from Broken Bells. I know I've blogged about them before, but they're just superb. I LOVE this song:
Their musicality is fantastic, and their new self-titled album does NOT have a bad song on it. It's simply awesome. I love the obvious influences they've acquired in their tracks: they're reminiscent at times of The Bee Gees and The Beatles. LOVING it!!
And here's a song from The XX.
Just listen to the syncopation of the bass line and the vocal canon near the end that ends in the perfect ritardando. Aaaaaah!!!! So great!! And now that I've astounded you with my musical geekiness, I'll move on...
Seriously, how old are these kids? They may not be of legal drinking age (IDK, I'm just blogging in the hypothetical here), but they are A-MAZING!!!
Number 3: Celebrity crushes. You may take your Justin Bieber (yuck), your R-Patz (okay, he is fine, but who's counting?), your Channing Tatum, your Chase Crawford, etc...
I'll take Jackson Rathbone, 'kaythanxbye!
Sure he's an actor. But, he's also a musician, kinda wacky, wears fun hats and geek-chic glasses while making highly-improv music. AND, the piece de resistance?? He's a Texas boy. SQEEEEEEEEEAL!!! Be still, my beating heart.
Here's another one:
(Photo source)
Aaaaah!!!!! The fact that he happens to play my favorite Cullen in the Twilight movies is just a very happy coincidence. (I'm Team Jasper, 100%, but do have lots of love for Edward) Nice. Also to his credit, he got slimed on Nick's Kids Choice Awards, although not to the extent and hilarity of the Katy Perry slime attack.
So, I'm thinking summer is gonna rock (no pun intended) for me, with Sonic, all the new music coming out, and some Jackson on the big screen.
:)
Number 1: It's approaching summer time here in Texas, and while a Cherry Limeade (I like mine diet) or an Ocean Water are fabulous all year round, when it's hot outside, almost nothing is better.
(Photo source)
See also: frozen treats! Om, nom nom! :)
Number 2: Fun, new, unique bands. Here's a sampling from Broken Bells. I know I've blogged about them before, but they're just superb. I LOVE this song:
Their musicality is fantastic, and their new self-titled album does NOT have a bad song on it. It's simply awesome. I love the obvious influences they've acquired in their tracks: they're reminiscent at times of The Bee Gees and The Beatles. LOVING it!!
And here's a song from The XX.
Just listen to the syncopation of the bass line and the vocal canon near the end that ends in the perfect ritardando. Aaaaaah!!!! So great!! And now that I've astounded you with my musical geekiness, I'll move on...
Seriously, how old are these kids? They may not be of legal drinking age (IDK, I'm just blogging in the hypothetical here), but they are A-MAZING!!!
Number 3: Celebrity crushes. You may take your Justin Bieber (yuck), your R-Patz (okay, he is fine, but who's counting?), your Channing Tatum, your Chase Crawford, etc...
I'll take Jackson Rathbone, 'kaythanxbye!
Sure he's an actor. But, he's also a musician, kinda wacky, wears fun hats and geek-chic glasses while making highly-improv music. AND, the piece de resistance?? He's a Texas boy. SQEEEEEEEEEAL!!! Be still, my beating heart.
Here's another one:
(Photo source)
Aaaaah!!!!! The fact that he happens to play my favorite Cullen in the Twilight movies is just a very happy coincidence. (I'm Team Jasper, 100%, but do have lots of love for Edward) Nice. Also to his credit, he got slimed on Nick's Kids Choice Awards, although not to the extent and hilarity of the Katy Perry slime attack.
So, I'm thinking summer is gonna rock (no pun intended) for me, with Sonic, all the new music coming out, and some Jackson on the big screen.
:)
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Uh...um...er...Yeah. Wow.
Oh, geez...
Y' know the times that your mother, sister, father, grandparent, teacher, etc. told you to go change out of the skanky clothes you tried to leave the house in, or clued you into the secret that what you were presenting might give people the wrong impression??? Just maybe?
Well, I walked out of a store this afternoon and was presented...nay, assaulted...with this:
Yes, ladies, gents, and hobbits, that is not just a blinged out Hummer, but a HOT PEPTO PINK Hummer. Wait. It gets better. And, I think this chica has no qualms about what she's presenting...
Notice, first, that it is parked in a handicap spot. Um...did someone go all Heidi Montag and now can't walk for long distances?? [Ahem. Moving on.]
It gets better. I promise.
There's also a sticker on the back that says something to the effect of Carolina girls are more fun. I'll take her word for it.
But seriously, that's not even the BEST (worst?) part.
Are you ready?
Wait for it...
BAM! You cannot make this crap up, I swear.
Okay, so if you're missing the punch line, I refer you--once again--to urbandictionary.com.
Yep. NOW you're groaning, right? A "YUMMER" Hummer.
Ew. [shivers]
Y' know the times that your mother, sister, father, grandparent, teacher, etc. told you to go change out of the skanky clothes you tried to leave the house in, or clued you into the secret that what you were presenting might give people the wrong impression??? Just maybe?
Well, I walked out of a store this afternoon and was presented...nay, assaulted...with this:
Yes, ladies, gents, and hobbits, that is not just a blinged out Hummer, but a HOT PEPTO PINK Hummer. Wait. It gets better. And, I think this chica has no qualms about what she's presenting...
Notice, first, that it is parked in a handicap spot. Um...did someone go all Heidi Montag and now can't walk for long distances?? [Ahem. Moving on.]
It gets better. I promise.
There's also a sticker on the back that says something to the effect of Carolina girls are more fun. I'll take her word for it.
But seriously, that's not even the BEST (worst?) part.
Are you ready?
Wait for it...
BAM! You cannot make this crap up, I swear.
Okay, so if you're missing the punch line, I refer you--once again--to urbandictionary.com.
Yep. NOW you're groaning, right? A "YUMMER" Hummer.
Ew. [shivers]
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Willy Wonka and Purple Stuff
Ah ha ha ha ha ha!! Oh, ahem. Sorry.
What do these two have in common, you ask? Illicit drug use. Or, bizarre creativity. I'm not sure which. How 'bout I report, you decide?? Cool?!? Cool! :)
Disclaimer: I don't condone the consumption of "purple stuff," or the abuse of prescription drugs for that matter.
Phew! Now that that's over, enjoy these videos. The first is a clip from the remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. I love this version even though the first, starring Gene Wilder (comic genius) is totally great. The Burton/Depp team just add a weird, warped, trippy spin to the children's story that makes it fantastic, in my opinion.
I also love how the Depp Wonka says everything that you've ever wanted to say to that annoying, spoiled, bratty, sometimes rich but always entitled child, but which you never really had the guts to.
The second clip is something a friend sent along to me when I was having a really bad day and I just have to re-post it here, it cheered me up in its bizarre silliness. The beat is great. The oompa loompas are...well...um...
Anyway...Have fun w/ this!
For those of you who don't know exactly what "purple stuff" is, I refer you to urbandictionary.com for the definition:
"a highly effective cough syrup containing antibiotics and is always purple in color also know as the slang sizzerb, sizzerb is a mixture of this cough medicine added to a light colored soda and a piece of candy normally jolly rancher" (yes, I edited the spelling...people on urbandictionary, I swear...)
And, I've come to the conclusion that when you're having a bad day, just jump on YouTube and search for something stupid. It works!
What do these two have in common, you ask? Illicit drug use. Or, bizarre creativity. I'm not sure which. How 'bout I report, you decide?? Cool?!? Cool! :)
Disclaimer: I don't condone the consumption of "purple stuff," or the abuse of prescription drugs for that matter.
Phew! Now that that's over, enjoy these videos. The first is a clip from the remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. I love this version even though the first, starring Gene Wilder (comic genius) is totally great. The Burton/Depp team just add a weird, warped, trippy spin to the children's story that makes it fantastic, in my opinion.
I also love how the Depp Wonka says everything that you've ever wanted to say to that annoying, spoiled, bratty, sometimes rich but always entitled child, but which you never really had the guts to.
The second clip is something a friend sent along to me when I was having a really bad day and I just have to re-post it here, it cheered me up in its bizarre silliness. The beat is great. The oompa loompas are...well...um...
Anyway...Have fun w/ this!
For those of you who don't know exactly what "purple stuff" is, I refer you to urbandictionary.com for the definition:
"a highly effective cough syrup containing antibiotics and is always purple in color also know as the slang sizzerb, sizzerb is a mixture of this cough medicine added to a light colored soda and a piece of candy normally jolly rancher" (yes, I edited the spelling...people on urbandictionary, I swear...)
And, I've come to the conclusion that when you're having a bad day, just jump on YouTube and search for something stupid. It works!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Theory Proves to be Plausible
The theory that Heathcliff of Wuthering Heights is a psychological vampire?? (Scroll down to see previous post) I'm thinkin' they're on to something! Click here to read.
(Photo source)
So, I'm through with the novel and am glad to have re-read it; it's been a while for sure and I'd forgotten a lot of what happened in the story. And, it ends on a good note, so that's nice. It's as if once Heathcliff is out of the picture, the sun comes out. I am left wondering what happened to the next generation, but seeing as how they were happy in the end, they probably just raised fat babies and didn't have many conflicts that a few leeches or medicinal bleeding couldn't solve.
(Haha! Vampires. Bleeding. Nice...but I digress.)
Anywho...
So, taken out of context, some of the desperately romantic quotes uttered by Heathcliff and Cathy are the stuff of Hallmark greeting cards or proclamations of love:
"[Heathcliff] 'shall never know how I love him...because he's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same, and Linton's [the dude she does marry] is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire.'" (pg. 80)
Catherine "Cathy" goes on:
"'Who is to separate us, pray? They'll meet the fate of Milo! Not as long as I live, Ellen--for no mortal creature. Every Linton [again, the dude she marries instead of Heathcliff...poor Linton...] on the face of the earth might melt into nothing, before I could consent to forsake Heathcliff.'" (pg. 82)
***Sigh*** Right? Er...no.
Heathcliff runs away after she says that it would be degrading to marry him and Catherine marries Linton anyway, even though the best she can do at the time is to greatly esteem him [Elinor Dashwood reference, a little shout-out for those Austen fans! :)].
Whatever. Blah, blah, blah!
Pretty much every other social convention is ignored by Cathy at one point or another in the story, and they live out in the boonies of England (aka Wuthering Heights), so it's not like they run into anyone who would care if she "degraded" herself by marrying Heathcliff and leaving the poor Lintons in peace. But, apparently, it was easier/better(?) to take advantage of naive Linton while remaining desperately in love with, and emotionally dependent on, someone else...to the point of literal madness.
Not that Heathcliff demands our sympathies as the novel progresses. Near the story's end,
"[Heathcliff] solicited the society of no one more. At dusk, he went into his chamber--through the whole night, and far into the morning, we heard him groaning, and murmuring to himself. Hareton [Heathcliff's nephew, basically] was anxious to enter, but I bid him fetch Mr. Kenneth [the doctor], and he should go in, and see him.
"When he came, and I requested admittance and tried to open the door, I found it locked; and Heathcliff bid us be damned." (pg. 331) Surely if Heathcliff had the power to actually send souls the direction of his bidding, Hell would be filled to the brim! He "damns" people left and right! He was full of hate and revenge, wishing ill of his enemies and exuming human remains just for morbid, romantic curiosity. Blech.
What the...? [Shaking head] When you understand that there's more hate than love in the story, such pretty quotes by Catherine--and others from Heathcliff, for there are a lot of them--don't really hold the same significance as they do when taken alone.
Sure, I can sympathize with the dude; it's unfortunate that the love of one person altered him so completely and turned him into the hate-filled wretch he became, but COME ON!!
The strange symbiotic relationship of Heathcliff and Cathy, where the one alternately feeds off of and is feed from the other, is unique and makes me wonder how dark Emily Bronte must have been in real life, and what made her that way.
Wuthering Heights, whether Heathcliff be a psychological vampire or not, is rife with the paranormal. Near the end, our narrarator Nelly states:
"I was going to the Grange one evening--a dark eveing threathening thunder--and, just at the turn of the Heights, I encountered a little boy with a sheep and two lambs before him, he was crying terribly, and I supposed the lambs were skittish, and would not be guided.
"'What is the matter, my little man?' I asked.
"'They's Heathcliff and a woman, yonder, under t' Nab,' he blubbered, 'un' Aw darnut pass 'em.'
"I saw nothing; but neither the sheep nor he would go on, so I bid him take the road lower down.
"He probably raised the phantoms from thinking, as he traversed the moors alone, on the nonsense he had heard his parents and companions repeat--yet, still, I don't like being out in the dark, now--and I don't like being left by myself in this grim house--I can't help it, I shall be glad when they leave it." (pg. 333)
Dun dun, DUN!! [Smirks]
Quotes from Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Penguin Books, 1995.
(Photo source)
So, I'm through with the novel and am glad to have re-read it; it's been a while for sure and I'd forgotten a lot of what happened in the story. And, it ends on a good note, so that's nice. It's as if once Heathcliff is out of the picture, the sun comes out. I am left wondering what happened to the next generation, but seeing as how they were happy in the end, they probably just raised fat babies and didn't have many conflicts that a few leeches or medicinal bleeding couldn't solve.
(Haha! Vampires. Bleeding. Nice...but I digress.)
Anywho...
So, taken out of context, some of the desperately romantic quotes uttered by Heathcliff and Cathy are the stuff of Hallmark greeting cards or proclamations of love:
"[Heathcliff] 'shall never know how I love him...because he's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same, and Linton's [the dude she does marry] is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire.'" (pg. 80)
Catherine "Cathy" goes on:
"'Who is to separate us, pray? They'll meet the fate of Milo! Not as long as I live, Ellen--for no mortal creature. Every Linton [again, the dude she marries instead of Heathcliff...poor Linton...] on the face of the earth might melt into nothing, before I could consent to forsake Heathcliff.'" (pg. 82)
***Sigh*** Right? Er...no.
Heathcliff runs away after she says that it would be degrading to marry him and Catherine marries Linton anyway, even though the best she can do at the time is to greatly esteem him [Elinor Dashwood reference, a little shout-out for those Austen fans! :)].
Whatever. Blah, blah, blah!
Pretty much every other social convention is ignored by Cathy at one point or another in the story, and they live out in the boonies of England (aka Wuthering Heights), so it's not like they run into anyone who would care if she "degraded" herself by marrying Heathcliff and leaving the poor Lintons in peace. But, apparently, it was easier/better(?) to take advantage of naive Linton while remaining desperately in love with, and emotionally dependent on, someone else...to the point of literal madness.
Not that Heathcliff demands our sympathies as the novel progresses. Near the story's end,
"[Heathcliff] solicited the society of no one more. At dusk, he went into his chamber--through the whole night, and far into the morning, we heard him groaning, and murmuring to himself. Hareton [Heathcliff's nephew, basically] was anxious to enter, but I bid him fetch Mr. Kenneth [the doctor], and he should go in, and see him.
"When he came, and I requested admittance and tried to open the door, I found it locked; and Heathcliff bid us be damned." (pg. 331) Surely if Heathcliff had the power to actually send souls the direction of his bidding, Hell would be filled to the brim! He "damns" people left and right! He was full of hate and revenge, wishing ill of his enemies and exuming human remains just for morbid, romantic curiosity. Blech.
What the...? [Shaking head] When you understand that there's more hate than love in the story, such pretty quotes by Catherine--and others from Heathcliff, for there are a lot of them--don't really hold the same significance as they do when taken alone.
Sure, I can sympathize with the dude; it's unfortunate that the love of one person altered him so completely and turned him into the hate-filled wretch he became, but COME ON!!
The strange symbiotic relationship of Heathcliff and Cathy, where the one alternately feeds off of and is feed from the other, is unique and makes me wonder how dark Emily Bronte must have been in real life, and what made her that way.
Wuthering Heights, whether Heathcliff be a psychological vampire or not, is rife with the paranormal. Near the end, our narrarator Nelly states:
"I was going to the Grange one evening--a dark eveing threathening thunder--and, just at the turn of the Heights, I encountered a little boy with a sheep and two lambs before him, he was crying terribly, and I supposed the lambs were skittish, and would not be guided.
"'What is the matter, my little man?' I asked.
"'They's Heathcliff and a woman, yonder, under t' Nab,' he blubbered, 'un' Aw darnut pass 'em.'
"I saw nothing; but neither the sheep nor he would go on, so I bid him take the road lower down.
"He probably raised the phantoms from thinking, as he traversed the moors alone, on the nonsense he had heard his parents and companions repeat--yet, still, I don't like being out in the dark, now--and I don't like being left by myself in this grim house--I can't help it, I shall be glad when they leave it." (pg. 333)
Dun dun, DUN!! [Smirks]
Quotes from Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Penguin Books, 1995.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
NB: Nota Bene
Note to self: Do NOT name a child "Cathy," especially a pretty, blond little daughter. It could be setting her up for failure.
I'm currently reading Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte...well, re-reading it, anyway. Note in the previous post that I've recently finished reading East of Eden (Steinbeck). What do these two have in common?? That's right: blond, beautiful sociopaths named Cathy. Did Steinbeck do this on purpose? I mean, the Heathcliff/Cathy story is one of the [horrible] greats in literature.
Wuthering Heights is an interesting study into the psychology of abuse and neglect, and a story of love and terrible loss. I must admit, though, that I'm feeling rather ambivalent about Heathcliff at this point (I'm approx. 1/2 way through). I mean, he loves Cathy desperately--like, to the point of being completely insane--and I think if she'd chosen him, he would have turned out completely different.
He would surely have overcome what is probably some horribly dark, deep-seated depression. She probably would have convinced him to give up the revenge he had against Hindley for childhood wrongs as a waste of time, and he certainly wouldn't have ruined Isabella Linton's life; he wouldn't have cared in the slightest for the Linton family. Ah, but then, it wouldn't be such a famous story, would it? It's like Romeo and Juliet: no one would really care that much if Juliet and Romeo had both lived happily ever after...or lived at all, for that matter. No one would remember the evils of Heathcliff, or really of Cathy either if it hadn't been for the evils of the other. Wow. Convoluted, yes?
I can say, however, that once I've finished the re-read of W.H., I'm going to re-read something like Bridget Jones' Diary, or peruse the fiction shelves at Half-Price Books for a light read. Too many more tomes like this and I'll be slitting some figurative wrists.
Oh! And whilst searching for a post picture, I came across some interesting articles about Heathcliff's potential to be a psychological vampire. Why do so many things in my life eventually get around to that subject? Haha! I'll let you know what I think, and post the links to the articles if I think there's something there worth debating. Until then...
Photo Source
I'm currently reading Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte...well, re-reading it, anyway. Note in the previous post that I've recently finished reading East of Eden (Steinbeck). What do these two have in common?? That's right: blond, beautiful sociopaths named Cathy. Did Steinbeck do this on purpose? I mean, the Heathcliff/Cathy story is one of the [horrible] greats in literature.
Wuthering Heights is an interesting study into the psychology of abuse and neglect, and a story of love and terrible loss. I must admit, though, that I'm feeling rather ambivalent about Heathcliff at this point (I'm approx. 1/2 way through). I mean, he loves Cathy desperately--like, to the point of being completely insane--and I think if she'd chosen him, he would have turned out completely different.
He would surely have overcome what is probably some horribly dark, deep-seated depression. She probably would have convinced him to give up the revenge he had against Hindley for childhood wrongs as a waste of time, and he certainly wouldn't have ruined Isabella Linton's life; he wouldn't have cared in the slightest for the Linton family. Ah, but then, it wouldn't be such a famous story, would it? It's like Romeo and Juliet: no one would really care that much if Juliet and Romeo had both lived happily ever after...or lived at all, for that matter. No one would remember the evils of Heathcliff, or really of Cathy either if it hadn't been for the evils of the other. Wow. Convoluted, yes?I can say, however, that once I've finished the re-read of W.H., I'm going to re-read something like Bridget Jones' Diary, or peruse the fiction shelves at Half-Price Books for a light read. Too many more tomes like this and I'll be slitting some figurative wrists.
Oh! And whilst searching for a post picture, I came across some interesting articles about Heathcliff's potential to be a psychological vampire. Why do so many things in my life eventually get around to that subject? Haha! I'll let you know what I think, and post the links to the articles if I think there's something there worth debating. Until then...
Photo Source
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