Gaddis and Pynchon

[Doug Millison]

Malign:
>I'm wholly subjective, totally opinionated,
>and don't think I've ever
>presented myself as otherwise.  Further, I don't think all opinions are of
>equal value.


...but

>Considered opinions should be valued, over opinions
>formed ... I value educated opinions over the opinions of ...


All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.
Or something like that.



>It may be true that there is, finally, no objective standard, that art isn't
>a competition.

"may be"?  That's funny.

>At the same time, I feel no hesitation in saying that Bach is
>a greater composer than Buxtehude, Faulkner a greater writer than Erskine
>Caldwell.

All very fine opinions, indeed. Very fine.


>
>One shouldn't be afraid of one's opinions; one should embrace them and argue
>them with passion, even if only for the sake of hearing better opinions.  Art
>is passion available to the intellect.

As mudflinging is a passion available to the gut.


And art is not for education.  Or, perhaps better, art--great art--educates
only about itself.  Art is an ongoing conversation on the topic What is art?.
 Art offers itself as an example of what art can be.  And I think that's
about it.  If one learns factual things, historical things, from GR or M&D,
well good, I guess.  Pynchon's a very good historian.  But if that's why you
value the books, I pity you.  All this niddling around with M&D, the ideas,
the research, what Pynchon's trying to tell us ...    That's all there;
Pynchon's an intelligent man.  But the book, as art?  Greatness in art is
moving the conversation significantly forward.  GR was a kick in the pants.
M&D not.

And there are, after all, great historians.

What do you think, Mackin?  Smug?  Sanctimonious?  Pompous?
Or, are you, as I am, dazzled by this display of erudition and deep insight?

Those would just be opinions, of course.


>But if that's why you
>value the books, I pity you.

Sombody stealin yo dialogue, Mr T...



HAMLET
Words, words, words.
LORD POLONIUS
What is the matter, my lord?
HAMLET
Between who?
LORD POLONIUS
I mean, the matter that you read, my lord.
HAMLET
Slanders, sir: for the satirical rogue says here
that old men have grey beards, that their faces are
wrinkled, their eyes purging thick amber and
plum-tree gum and that they have a plentiful lack of
wit, together with most weak hams: all which, sir,
though I most powerfully and potently believe, yet
I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down, for
yourself, sir, should be old as I am, if like a crab
you could go backward.
LORD POLONIUS
[Aside] Though this be madness, yet there is method
in 't. Will you walk out of the air, my lord?
HAMLET
Into my grave.
LORD POLONIUS
Indeed, that is out o' the air.
Aside
How pregnant sometimes his replies are! a happiness
that often madness hits on, which reason and sanity
could not so prosperously be delivered of. I will
leave him, and suddenly contrive the means of
meeting between him and my daughter.--My honourable
lord, I will most humbly take my leave of you.
HAMLET
You cannot, sir, take from me any thing that I will
more willingly part withal: except my life, except
my life, except my life.
LORD POLONIUS
Fare you well, my lord.
HAMLET
These tedious old fools!  [...]

LORD POLONIUS
The best actors in the world, either for tragedy,
comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical,
historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-
comical-historical-pastoral, scene individable, or
poem unlimited: Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor
Plautus too light. For the law of writ and the
liberty, these are the only men. [...]

LORD POLONIUS
'Fore God, my lord, well spoken, with good accent and
good discretion. [...]

LORD POLONIUS
That's good; 'mobled queen' is good. [...]

HAMLET
Do you see yonder cloud that's almost in shape of a camel?
LORD POLONIUS
By the mass, and 'tis like a camel, indeed.
HAMLET
Methinks it is like a weasel.
LORD POLONIUS
It is backed like a weasel.
HAMLET
Or like a whale?
LORD POLONIUS
Very like a whale.  [...]