This was such a lovely read/listen. I was interested to read that Melville might have been prone to "punctuation anxiety". I myself am terrified of the comma, ever since my old German teacher, who was a shouter, told someone off in class for using too many. As a result I see her frown every time I edit one of my posts, take them all out, then put half of them back again.
So much to absorb. I love the connection between art and literature.
Billy Budd, a short story by Melville. I saw the film with Peter Ustinov as the Captain, and Terence Stamp as Billy Budd. Being in Grade 6 at the time (eleven years old) I cried at the decision made at the end. I liked things simple then. For me, as a young teenager, watching the film of 'Moby Dick' with Gregory Peck, I knew why he had to to kill that whale. There is a purity in it. The shot where the whale, sickly white, emerges with Ahab roped to his back, was horrible and thrilling. They were finally together.
I realised when I finally read the novel, it is far more complex than that; and people tell me it is more about Ishmael's journey.
Thanks so much for this personal reflection and interpretation, Jennifer. I wonder if the film and book can simply be two ‘worthy’ artistic texts with slightly different messages? It’s been ages since I saw this film, but Peck is a magician on screen.
This was such a lovely read/listen. I was interested to read that Melville might have been prone to "punctuation anxiety". I myself am terrified of the comma, ever since my old German teacher, who was a shouter, told someone off in class for using too many. As a result I see her frown every time I edit one of my posts, take them all out, then put half of them back again.
I really enjoyed this. Thanks!
Punctuation has rules but also so much room for interpretation!! Ok, maybe not in German 😂
Yep, strict rules in German!
So much to absorb. I love the connection between art and literature.
Billy Budd, a short story by Melville. I saw the film with Peter Ustinov as the Captain, and Terence Stamp as Billy Budd. Being in Grade 6 at the time (eleven years old) I cried at the decision made at the end. I liked things simple then. For me, as a young teenager, watching the film of 'Moby Dick' with Gregory Peck, I knew why he had to to kill that whale. There is a purity in it. The shot where the whale, sickly white, emerges with Ahab roped to his back, was horrible and thrilling. They were finally together.
I realised when I finally read the novel, it is far more complex than that; and people tell me it is more about Ishmael's journey.
Thanks so much for this personal reflection and interpretation, Jennifer. I wonder if the film and book can simply be two ‘worthy’ artistic texts with slightly different messages? It’s been ages since I saw this film, but Peck is a magician on screen.