On the grotesque--in Gaddis?, in Pynchon...Post the 2nd

[Richard Ryan]

And this is from which work?

On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 10:48 AM, Mark Kohut <markekohut at yahoo.com> wrote:
> "The modern age questions the validity of the anthropological
> and the relevance of the scientific concepts underlying the syntheses
> of the 19th century. The various forms of the grotesque are the most obvious
> and pronounced contradictions of any kind of rationalism and any systematic
> use of thought. It was absurd in itself when the Surrealists sought to make absurdity
> the basis of their system."   ----Wolfgang Kayser
>
> Cites Goethe on rationalism.
>
> Reminded of Gaddis massive dissing of rationality and Pynchon discovering surrealism..
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Mark Kohut <markekohut at yahoo.com>
> To: pynchon -l <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> Cc:
> Sent: Tuesday, August 9, 2011 9:41 AM
> Subject: On the grotesque--in Gaddis?, in Pynchon...
>
> I browse-read an old classic I found called The Grotesque in
> Art & Literature by Wolfgang Kayser. (1957---English 1963.) Fun, insightful historical 'criticism'
>
> but for our purposes the simplistic takeaway is this: the author finds
> the 'grotesque'---irreal exaggeration for thematic effect; thematic NECESSITY even---
> in three major periods in history AND related to the artists' having to
>
> "INVOKE AND SUBDUE THE DEMONIC ASPECTS OF THE WORLD". (his caps)
>
> One period is, of course, the 20th Century.. ..perhaps 'consciously opposed to the
> rationalistic world view developed during the Enlightenment; ...even questioning the
> legitimacy of the rationale for such a world view."
>
>
>



-- 
Richard Ryan
New York and the World
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the conditions that surround
him. The unreasonable man adapts surrounding conditions to himself.
All progress depends on the unreasonable man." - Shaw