I think that I shall never see a thing as lovely as...the wretched orgy of violent intent that permeates the abyss of my soul. Not the way you remember the famed poem "Trees" by Joyce Kilmer?
I think it's common that many of us like to envision that the authors of great literary works cast their words of beauty from a place deep inside just as radiant and poetic as the words that splash across the page. It's as if they are able to steal glimpses of heaven and to share these glimpses with us.
Unfortunately, I think our over-romanticized view of the wellspring of such authors is its own fantasy. More often than not, the majesty of classic tales springs not from great ecstasy but from the dark turmoil of troubled lives.
This point was again reinforced with me tonight as I watched the delightful movie, Finding Neverland. The movie concerns the creative impetus that spurred author J. M. Barrie to write the oft-loved classic "Peter Pan".
While I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, I know it pales in comparison to the real life of Barrie. As portrayed by Johnny Depp, Barrie finds inspiration in his playful relationship with the four boys of a widowed woman. It's the innocence of this relationship that causes Barrie to formulate Neverland and The Lost Boys.
How glorious this all would be if it were true! Alas, as is typical of Hollywood's treatment of historic figures, the story is purposely softened and blurred to remove its darker aspects.
You see, the real life Barrie concurrently was tortured and inspired by the tragic death of his older brother, David. His own personal writings show that, at age 9 when his brother's death occurred, Barrie's childhood stopped. In both real life and through his written works, he spent the rest of his lifetime trying to recapture the childhood he felt was ripped out from under him.
Barrie also seemed to have a problem with women, probably owing to the quixotic relationship he developed with his mother after David's death. Though he married once, there are strong indications he was never able to consummate his relationship with his wife nor any other later love, for that matter.
As can be readily seen from this brief glimpse of Barrie's life, he lived and fought with many demons. And this same kind of dark description describes the lives of a great many other renowned authors.
The point is that beauty often springs forth as the bastard child of agony, self-doubt, misery, nightmares and insanity. It offers the author a cathartic release from their life of uncertain anguish. The wellspring is the very opposite of the final product.
And this makes a work of beauty more beautiful than words.
I think it's common that many of us like to envision that the authors of great literary works cast their words of beauty from a place deep inside just as radiant and poetic as the words that splash across the page. It's as if they are able to steal glimpses of heaven and to share these glimpses with us.
Unfortunately, I think our over-romanticized view of the wellspring of such authors is its own fantasy. More often than not, the majesty of classic tales springs not from great ecstasy but from the dark turmoil of troubled lives.
This point was again reinforced with me tonight as I watched the delightful movie, Finding Neverland. The movie concerns the creative impetus that spurred author J. M. Barrie to write the oft-loved classic "Peter Pan".
While I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, I know it pales in comparison to the real life of Barrie. As portrayed by Johnny Depp, Barrie finds inspiration in his playful relationship with the four boys of a widowed woman. It's the innocence of this relationship that causes Barrie to formulate Neverland and The Lost Boys.
How glorious this all would be if it were true! Alas, as is typical of Hollywood's treatment of historic figures, the story is purposely softened and blurred to remove its darker aspects.
You see, the real life Barrie concurrently was tortured and inspired by the tragic death of his older brother, David. His own personal writings show that, at age 9 when his brother's death occurred, Barrie's childhood stopped. In both real life and through his written works, he spent the rest of his lifetime trying to recapture the childhood he felt was ripped out from under him.
Barrie also seemed to have a problem with women, probably owing to the quixotic relationship he developed with his mother after David's death. Though he married once, there are strong indications he was never able to consummate his relationship with his wife nor any other later love, for that matter.
As can be readily seen from this brief glimpse of Barrie's life, he lived and fought with many demons. And this same kind of dark description describes the lives of a great many other renowned authors.
The point is that beauty often springs forth as the bastard child of agony, self-doubt, misery, nightmares and insanity. It offers the author a cathartic release from their life of uncertain anguish. The wellspring is the very opposite of the final product.
And this makes a work of beauty more beautiful than words.
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