Re. Warped and Distilled? (fwd)

[CLAY JONATHAN D]

> Date:          Fri, 15 Jan 1999 04:20:20 -0500 (EST)
> From:          Derek Barker <dwbarker at eden.rutgers.edu>
> To:            pynchon-l at waste.org
> Subject:       RE: Re. Warped and Distilled? (fwd)

> 
> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1999 21:50:04 -0500
> From: Don Corathers <crawdad at one.net>
> To: 'p-list' <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> Subject: RE: Re. Warped and Distilled?
> 
> > So the whole thing becomes Oedipa(L). Intergenerational battle to the
> > death--which fits the sixties all right
> 
> 
> > Then there's John Barth's take on this question--in Letters, I think,
> but all that post-Sotweed Barth runs together for me--that history is the
> consequence of each generation's rejection of its parents' values.
> 
> No need to get lit-critty on us...Aristotle makes
> the same argument, probably a lot better than Barth,
> and certainly a hell of a lot earlier.  So come on,
> give credit where it's due -- it's all about political
> theory.  Check out the final chapter of Euben's
> "Tragedy of Political Theory," which puts Lot 49
> squarely in the Greek traditions of tragedy and
> political theory.
> 
> I'm new to this list, forgive me if Euben is old hat
> for you guys,
> 
> D.B.

I don't know anything about Euban, but surely Barth, as a novelist, 
is lit. rather than lit. crit.? Or are you confusing him with 
Barthes? In either case, I'm not sure that comparing either of them 
with Aristotle is relevant - hardly like with like. And what do you 
have against criticism anyway?
Yours

"Bewildering spring, and by the Auvezere
Poppies and day's eyes in the green email
Rose over us"      
              "Near Perigord", Ezra Pound

Jon Clay - [cj833 at greenwich.ac.uk]