Riff by Writers at Large
CONTRIBUTE
Riff by Writers at Large
CONTRIBUTE
(Call Me) Robin

(Call Me) Robin

by | Nov 30, 2020 | Let There Be Light, The Super Power of Language | 0 comments

NCTE blogger, Millie Davis, recently invited writers to explore the topic: “Writers Riffing on Why Books Save Lives,” https://ncte.org/blog/2017/11/authors-riffing-books-save-lives/ and this essay is my response.

Enjoy life

Dear Ishmael, 

Let me begin this letter by confessing that I’ve read Moby Dick at least seven times. The first few times, I had to read it as an assignment for school. My education took longer than expected, 23 years if I’m forced to count. If you are thinking that’s absurd, you are correct. I just got stuck in an educational rut and found myself collecting degrees to attach to the end of my name. Call me “Doctor Robin,” if you want. No, actually, please don’t!

Over-schooling only explains the first few times I read this tome on whaling. I’d like the explain why I keep coming back. Moby Dick is considered one of those way-too-long books, like Middlemarch or Finnegan’s Wake. Although considered excellent by those who specialize, let me tell you that I have stayed until the end of cocktail parties, when most of the guests have left, and I’ve heard any number of noted professors admit they actually never read them. These books get labeled classics or great books, often, I imagine, by old dudes with beards and elbow patch jackets. But the world has changed, and I must admit I’m usually drawn to the new and the now, the recent Booker Prize nominees or the latest from Wave Books. But there’s an ineffable something about Moby Dick that always draws me back.

I’m thinking of you lately, Ishmael, because these pandemic days are hard and long, even though I’ve avoided this virus so far. The isolation from friends and loved ones takes its toll. The suffering and inequity and unpredictability causes me pain and sadness each day. In an early passage in the novel, you explain why to are drawn to go to sea as a sailor: 

Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people’s hats off–then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship.

Today has definitely been one of those “damp, drizzly November in my soul” days, Ishmael. I feel you. And today is not my first of such days. But instead of going on a whaling voyage, I guess I’ve taken to reading long books instead.

I suppose that the loneliness of the quarantine has operated on each of us differently. Nine long months of limited interaction with other people has changed my reading habits. I hit my annual reading challenge goal on Goodreads months ago, and I had to ask myself, now what?

Lately I read mostly by listening to audiobooks, perhaps because of the comfort of being read to by another human, even if it is transmitted to me by phone. The experience of hearing a story in another person’s voice feels warm and personal. It reminds me childhood or the way we read to our children at bedtime. Reading aloud to one another person is a powerful and authentically human ritual.  It’s comforting. For me, it suggests an innocent kind of love. 

The other thing I’ve done is that I’ve returned to reading long novels, which is, perhaps, akin to taking a voyage. I am drawn to strong narrators like you with an understanding of sadness that comes from experience. You and your dreamy afternoons, Ishmael, you, “lulled into such an opium-like listlessness of vacant, unconscious reverie,” as you stand at the highest point on the ship watching for whales, you touch me deeply, I have to admit. At this very particular moment, because I am in between jobs, in between lives, I can understand the appeal of the signing up for the regimented tour of duty on board a ship. I relate to you, Ishmael, as a fellow yearner. 

The other thing I’ve done is that I’ve returned to reading long novels, which is, perhaps, akin to taking a voyage. I am drawn to strong narrators like you with an understanding of sadness that comes from experience. You and your dreamy afternoons, Ishmael, you, “lulled into such an opium-like listlessness of vacant, unconscious reverie,” as you stand at the highest point on the ship watching for whales, you touch me deeply, I have to admit. At this very particular moment, because I am in between jobs, in between lives, I can understand the appeal of the signing up for the regimented tour of duty on board a ship. I relate to you, Ishmael, as a fellow yearner.

The yearning, finally, has nothing to do with whales, does it? That is the quest of Ahab in Moby Dick and yet that is not the point at all. Ahab did not understand that, but you did, Ishmael. You understood that the community of men working together was the highest achievement possible on the Pequod. And as you looked out onto the watery world surrounding you, your imagination took over. That was the real story.

The yearning, finally, has nothing to do with whales, does it? That is the quest of Ahab in Moby Dick and yet that is not the point at all. Ahab did not understand that, but you did, Ishmael. You understood that the community of men working together was the highest achievement possible on the Pequod. And as you looked out onto the watery world surrounding you, your imagination took over. That was the real story.

I, too, find solace in water. Doesn’t almost everyone? For me the hour-long drive to Galveston Island is always time spent well. When my kids were young, I’d take them to play in the sand; there are no temper tantrums on the beach. Now that they are older, I take my dog and my self in search of that “enchanted mood,” and so far it has never failed me.

Your friend at the Mast-Head,

(Call me) Robin

You may read Millie Davis’ expansion of her November 25th post here. 

We welcome additional “riffing” on her piece. Have any books (or all books) saved your life or the life of someone you know? Inspire / challenge us with your story of how and why. 

CHAUCER, The Torch Bearer of Literature

CHAUCER, The Torch Bearer of Literature

by | Nov 15, 2020 | Let There Be Light | 0 comments

Books about Geoffrey Chaucer are on the rise, and Chaucer’s tales are enjoying a “global” renaissance.

Chaucer’s Tale: 1386 and the Road to Canterbury   

Chaucer’s People: Everyday Lives in Medieval England

 

Perhaps this is because as the world shrinks, the average person can feel overwhelmed by culture wars, international economics, the languages of science and math, rapid advances in technology, and too much mutually-contradictory information. There’s a comfort in pursuing the past, reflecting on the simplicity of a Royalty-Church dual-rule system; or, maybe we can see just how far we’ve come, distancing ourselves not just by centuries but by our sociological superiority. Equally, we could see a kind of immortality in heritage by looking back and recognizing ourselves in characters who may be chronologically removed, yet feel familiar in their desires, foibles, and humor.

In Chaucer’s day in England, some 400 years after the Norman Invasion, French had become the language of the aristocracy and elite landowners. Latin still dominated The Church, which had not yet splintered into Protestantism. English was the hybrid common tongue, sometimes seen as vulgar with its Anglo-Saxon and Celtic influences seeping through.

Chaucer himself, likely a courtier, wrote for royalty, but his  greatest work, The Canterbury Tales, shrugged off pretensions of class and portrayed common folks, talking among themselves, in English.

Written in the vernacular, which, in retrospect is now called “Middle English,” these stories could circulate orally as well as in manuscript form, still decades away from the educational revolution of the printing press. Aside from the vivid characters, strong voices, and dramatic literary presentation, the tales lent themselves to oral recital, which allowed them to be popular even among the illiterate; yet, the fact that they were written down kept them stable and immutable, even in retelling. 

Personally, wish I’d had these resources back In the late eighties. I was teaching “Major British Writers: Beowulf Through Chaucer for Non-Majors,” a course that most faculty avoided like the Bubonic Plague. Since I was only at the “Instructor level,” the honor fell on me, and I spent many a night wracking my brain, wondering how I might capture the imaginations of Math, Engineering, Physical Education, and Biology majors. In every case, I had to translate by way of analogy, using television shows to convey the relevance and appeal of various tales, characters, and interactions.

We discussed similarities between the “framing device” of the pilgrimage and the bar in Cheers, which permitted a steady flow of characters with vivid personalities, familiar backgrounds, and recognizable voices. The Bawdy “Wife of Bath” might favor, imperfectly, Carla. “The Miller’s’ Tale” might draw comparisons with many of Sam’s exploits. While Chaucer gave voice to nuns and monks, a knight, squire, miller, merchant, lawyer, and doctor, to name a few, Cheers featured baseball and hockey players, drunks, a postman, psychiatrist, coach, student, bartenders, waiters, and others. In both cases, the story-tellers and protagonists were not heroes, not famous leaders, not unobtainable figureheads. Above all else, both sets of characters resembled acquaintances, friends, and family: people who might know your name.

Here we are happy to present a reprinted excerpt from AmidstBooks, a blog site for literature aficionados, ranked in Feedspot as one of the world’s top 100 literary blogs. They are self-described as “a unique blog here for you to explore the world of books.” Currently, the blog features explorations into Christopher Marlow, the Elizabethan Age, Moby Dick, Dystopian Novels, and more.  

–Thea Temple, Editor-in-Chief, RIFF

We hope that you will check out AmidstBooks and learn more about Chaucer, other literary figures, classics, and ideas of import.
The period from 1343 AD to 1450 AD approximately marked a significant development in the area of literature. The first star of literature was Geoffrey Chaucer after which an entire era or age is named “ Age of Chaucer.” This happened mainly because there was no earlier recorded works which could have been more significant. However, undoubtedly, he was one of the gems of English literature, or, rather in a way, a pioneer.

He impressed the then ruler of England, Charles III so much so that he supplied a gallon of wine daily to him due to his unbeatable work. Let’s get a view at the historical significance of this period as history is the aspect which always affects literature. They go hand-in-hand. So, there were basically three major events that took place.

100 Years War

There was a state of constant war between England and France which took place with changing France taking over always. However, finally England was able to gain its power using the long bow technique in the war. The war was basically from the period of 1337 AD to 1453 AD. Chaucer participated in the war.

Black Death

Black Death was a pandemic which took place from 1346 AD to 1353 AD and swiped away almost one-third population of Europe. It also laid a big stress economically.

Peasant’s Revolt

This can be said to be an outburst of the earlier two incidents. Due to great economic pressure and reduced population, the most effected class was of Peasants. They were almost over-stressed to pay the taxes anyhow. Hence, they revolted against the aristocrats led by Wat Tyler.

So, we see that all these events along with the extensive travel of Chaucer in Europe, affected his writing and gave an inspiration to write some commendable works. There are many significant works he wrote, but three most notable ones are as following:

Parliament of Fowls

It is a 700 lines poem which has a description of birds choosing their mates with nature as its theme.

Troilus and Criseyde

It is an epic poem about the love story of Troilus and Criseyde with the backdrop of a war. Shakespeare later wrote a retelling of this.

Canterbury Tales

This is the magnum opus of Chaucer telling the stories narrated by different pilgrims during their journey to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket. Chaucer was able to complete only 24 stories before he died. Chaucer influenced many literary writers who wrote after him and imitated him so much so that they were called “Chaucerians.” He was one of the first significant writers of literature. However, there are many more to be discussed later. So, stay tuned for the wonderful experience that takes you back in time and makes you adore literature.