Absolutely brilliant, illuminating and very useful guide as always , for students to know, how to go about analysis and what is being expected of the aspiring students . It was nice to know the origin of the words LEFT and Right used in political discourse. Thank you sir
For those of you with the BBC Proms guide for this year, on page 43 there's an interesting article all about the originality of composers. The opening question is 'is there such a thing as a truly original work? Hope this is can build on the concepts raised in the lecture. Thank you again for a wonderful video, your lectures are getting me through a tough time of having covid 19 and being in isolation.
I don't think that originality exists in the sense that it is purely out of nothing. Everything has been created for or from something, whatever the reason is. However the term of originality in humanity would most likely reflect a concept that has been least thought of or highly rare.
Good point. There's a bit of a narrative that individual geniuses come up with astonishingly original ideas, but they almost always rely on huge numbers of other geniuses (uncredited) to propel their ideas forward.
Coleridge and Wordsworth invented the organic metaphor of seeing and hearing -my favourite example being in Keats who cannot see what perfumed flowers lie at his feet. All individual things are pervaded by the One; hence Coleridge writes: "a Symbol is characterized by a translucence of the Special in the Individual or of the General in the Especial or of the Universal in the General. . . . It always partakes of the Reality which it renders intelligible; and while it enunciates the whole, abides itself as a living part in that Unity, of which it is the representative." As children experience is undifferentiated insofar as by regaining this amalgamating confusion poets can creatively recapture the wonder of childhood for the object world. As a child Wordsworth felt closer to God. Drugs cut Coleridge off from his feelings for nature.
Originality happens when two cultures clash or perhaps two geniuses. A recursive example would be Jewish Deity meeting Greek Zeus, or Genesis versus Timaeus. Because this example led to the philosophy of Plotinian Neo-Platonism. When Wordsworth met Coleridge he appropriated his friend's reading of Iamblichus and Proclus and the aforesaid, together with the rest of Coleridge's damaged archangel reading and abstruse musings. The result was "Tintern Abbey" and "The Prelude", etc. Not that Wordsworth wasn't a strong reader for himself, but Coleridge's greatest creation was in fact his brother poet William.
Another intriguing example would seem the Kabbalah of Isaac Luria, which drew heavily upon his reading of Proclus. You might think the description of God's throne in the Bible as being sapphire blue as relating to a precious stone called sapphire. But it is actually a poor English translation of lapis lazuli. And hence Lurianic sephirah or the stages of God's emanatory presence derives in the same mineral Renaissance painters employed to depict a translucent nitrogenous magnitude.
I've never met an "original" thinker from Oxford. Your interviewees come gift-wrapped. If not carefully dressed, then you won't strike. And if they progress up the academic ladder they won't get published unless they parrot what everyone else is a generally saying but from within their own suitably detailed research niche. Genius is always slightly beyond us. Derrida's differing deferring idea nicely captures our attempts to define Shakespeare; library shelves keep filling on the topic. The main problem are limiting beliefs. I would propose that Darwin and Marx constitute severely limiting blocks on contemporary thought. On a good day, I would throw in Nietzsche as well. Meditate on Coleridge's maxim on the symbol; there is wisdom there. It's just unfortunate the idea of organic unity he borrowed from German contemporaries leads in a craniometric direction. Weirdly, Shakespeare and Coleridge are used by you chaps to instil a sense of national unity. My own thoughts take us in an entirely different direction. Can't put it better than Walt, whose poems are not organic per se: Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged, Missing me one place search another, I stop somewhere waiting for you.
love the flamingo shirt!!! great video as always thank you!
Thanks! Who doesn't love flamingoes?! One of nature's one-offs
Absolutely brilliant, illuminating and very useful guide as always , for students to know, how to go about analysis and what is being expected of the aspiring students .
It was nice to know the origin of the words LEFT and Right used in political discourse.
Thank you sir
Pleasure! Thank you for your kind message
Your videos are so insightful, thank you
That’s very kind. Thank you!
I can't stop listening to you.. you could talk about rubbish for 10 hours and I'll be there listening happily
That's very kind, thank you! Hope you're well
For those of you with the BBC Proms guide for this year, on page 43 there's an interesting article all about the originality of composers. The opening question is 'is there such a thing as a truly original work? Hope this is can build on the concepts raised in the lecture. Thank you again for a wonderful video, your lectures are getting me through a tough time of having covid 19 and being in isolation.
Thank you for the suggestion, and your kind remarks. I wish you a speedy recovery.
Very cool lecture! Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
I don't think that originality exists in the sense that it is purely out of nothing. Everything has been created for or from something, whatever the reason is. However the term of originality in humanity would most likely reflect a concept that has been least thought of or highly rare.
Good point. There's a bit of a narrative that individual geniuses come up with astonishingly original ideas, but they almost always rely on huge numbers of other geniuses (uncredited) to propel their ideas forward.
Coleridge and Wordsworth invented the organic metaphor of seeing and hearing -my favourite example being in Keats who cannot see what perfumed flowers lie at his feet. All individual things are pervaded by the One; hence Coleridge writes: "a Symbol is characterized by a translucence of the Special in the Individual or of the General in the Especial or of the Universal in the General. . . . It always partakes of the Reality which it renders intelligible; and while it enunciates the whole, abides itself as a living part in that Unity, of which it is the representative." As children experience is undifferentiated insofar as by regaining this amalgamating confusion poets can creatively recapture the wonder of childhood for the object world. As a child Wordsworth felt closer to God. Drugs cut Coleridge off from his feelings for nature.
Originality happens when two cultures clash or perhaps two geniuses. A recursive example would be Jewish Deity meeting Greek Zeus, or Genesis versus Timaeus. Because this example led to the philosophy of Plotinian Neo-Platonism. When Wordsworth met Coleridge he appropriated his friend's reading of Iamblichus and Proclus and the aforesaid, together with the rest of Coleridge's damaged archangel reading and abstruse musings. The result was "Tintern Abbey" and "The Prelude", etc. Not that Wordsworth wasn't a strong reader for himself, but Coleridge's greatest creation was in fact his brother poet William.
you should read my book: "The Anatomy of Bloom" Bloomsbury 2014
Brilliant presentation. thought provoking, engaging. You also managed to say "sustained cleavages." Thanks.
Thank you!
Hello. Could we personally email you about essay structure and advice?
Sure, it's matthew.williams@jesus.ox.ac.uk
Another intriguing example would seem the Kabbalah of Isaac Luria, which drew heavily upon his reading of Proclus. You might think the description of God's throne in the Bible as being sapphire blue as relating to a precious stone called sapphire. But it is actually a poor English translation of lapis lazuli. And hence Lurianic sephirah or the stages of God's emanatory presence derives in the same mineral Renaissance painters employed to depict a translucent nitrogenous magnitude.
all words toil to weariness...
I've never met an "original" thinker from Oxford. Your interviewees come gift-wrapped. If not carefully dressed, then you won't strike. And if they progress up the academic ladder they won't get published unless they parrot what everyone else is a generally saying but from within their own suitably detailed research niche. Genius is always slightly beyond us. Derrida's differing deferring idea nicely captures our attempts to define Shakespeare; library shelves keep filling on the topic. The main problem are limiting beliefs. I would propose that Darwin and Marx constitute severely limiting blocks on contemporary thought. On a good day, I would throw in Nietzsche as well. Meditate on Coleridge's maxim on the symbol; there is wisdom there. It's just unfortunate the idea of organic unity he borrowed from German contemporaries leads in a craniometric direction. Weirdly, Shakespeare and Coleridge are used by you chaps to instil a sense of national unity. My own thoughts take us in an entirely different direction. Can't put it better than Walt, whose poems are not organic per se:
Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop somewhere waiting for you.