Fw: Groupbath of groupthink: VN & Pyncheon

[Thomas Eckhardt]

Doug,

I am certainly not among the "theoretical heavyweights" on this list and I know
next to nothing about the "social construction" of literature, but my two
Pfennig would be: Yes, the word "genius" is outmoded. This is mainly due to the
fact that the Romantics glorified   "poetical genius" to a sometimes rather
ridiculous extent (the concept has probably found its definitive expression in
English literature in Shelley's "An Apology for Poetry", which, far from
providing an "apology", essentially substitutes poetry for religion; the idea
appears not wholly unsympathetic to me, but I find the consequences (e.g. Jim
Morrison) questionable). In other words, the notion of the poet as an outcast,
visionary, prophet, anarchist etc. is a stereotype. Which is not to say that
there might not be some truth in it.

Personally, I have no problem with referring to the creator of a work of art
which expresses an highly original vision as "genius". I am using the word very
rarely, though, and I am wary of people who do use it often. The author is not
dead, but he/she certainly smells funny.

Thomas

P.S. In Germany the word "genial" (which in English denotes something like
"friendly" or "nice", if I am not mistaken, and in German used to mean
"pertaining to or characteristic of genius" (I'll leave out "genialisch" for
the moment, different ball game)) is nowadays being used as a general positive
response among the youngsters. "Das ist genial." could be translated into
US-American English as "This is just like, wow!", I assume. In earlier times
the translation would have been "A work of genius."