Post by snacky on Dec 15, 2014 9:52:41 GMT
Under the William Murdoch section I mentioned that the Journals of the Brothers Goncourt removed Catholicism as a strong "virginity cause". Here are some other random notes I've taken concerning the 1890s (unfortunately the Journals only go through 1895).
- Interest in symbolism/dreams/mysticism was in part a reaction to extreme literary Realism/Naturalism (ex. Flaubert's Madame Bovary). Literary Naturalism can be related to extreme scientific and political-economic materialism (Comte's positivism, Marx's scientific materialism). Also interest in the miracle of Lourdes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes) as a spur to revival of faith is specifically mentioned. With the turn of the millennium coming up, people were probably getting "millennial jitters" as well. Referred to as "dematerialization" of the novel, lol.
- Russian novels and Ibsen were so intellectually the thing that the the supposed language of pretension, French, had been reduced to being used for the more vulgar/popular works. LOL! BTW, Strindberg's Miss Julie is also mentioned - there seemed to be quite a wave of writing plays with empowering (or corrupting) female leads at the time. There seems to be some social dialogue going on about the meaning of strong women. As Julia would say: Fascinating.
- Opera producers bribed critics reviewers with backstage keys and a promise that the chorus girls would be "kind" to them. Throughout the journals, minor actresses are taken to be prostitutes and invariably end up in hook ups with the various well-known artists and writers that populate the journals. Wonder if this influenced the Trilby novel that was so popular in America. Gives a whole new spin on Inspector B's interests.
- Zola is revealed to have longstanding political ambitions, and a habit of getting his way by being oppositional (re: he got into the Academy by attacking it). He cynically noted other great writers like Hugo benefited from political careers/connections. This puts a very disappointing spin on J'Accuse. I mention this because I always wanted this story to cross with MM somehow (perhaps on Parisian honeymoon).
- Newpapers revealed as scandal sheets where you could get gossip about society people about town.
- Homosexuality casually mentioned from time to time.
- Not related to MM, but of general interest: shortly before Paris fell to the Prussians (Franco-Prussian War) in 1870, the Journal complains of the "americanization" of Paris. I was just glancing through that section, but I take that to means the replacement of "tasteful" aristocratic fashions with "gaudy" and "vulgar" bourgeous tastes. I'm not sure if this was an ongoing influence from Toqueville's "Democracy in America" or there were other influential events going on.
I've only read between 1890 and some of 1893. More notes to come when I have time.
- Interest in symbolism/dreams/mysticism was in part a reaction to extreme literary Realism/Naturalism (ex. Flaubert's Madame Bovary). Literary Naturalism can be related to extreme scientific and political-economic materialism (Comte's positivism, Marx's scientific materialism). Also interest in the miracle of Lourdes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes) as a spur to revival of faith is specifically mentioned. With the turn of the millennium coming up, people were probably getting "millennial jitters" as well. Referred to as "dematerialization" of the novel, lol.
- Russian novels and Ibsen were so intellectually the thing that the the supposed language of pretension, French, had been reduced to being used for the more vulgar/popular works. LOL! BTW, Strindberg's Miss Julie is also mentioned - there seemed to be quite a wave of writing plays with empowering (or corrupting) female leads at the time. There seems to be some social dialogue going on about the meaning of strong women. As Julia would say: Fascinating.
- Opera producers bribed critics reviewers with backstage keys and a promise that the chorus girls would be "kind" to them. Throughout the journals, minor actresses are taken to be prostitutes and invariably end up in hook ups with the various well-known artists and writers that populate the journals. Wonder if this influenced the Trilby novel that was so popular in America. Gives a whole new spin on Inspector B's interests.
- Zola is revealed to have longstanding political ambitions, and a habit of getting his way by being oppositional (re: he got into the Academy by attacking it). He cynically noted other great writers like Hugo benefited from political careers/connections. This puts a very disappointing spin on J'Accuse. I mention this because I always wanted this story to cross with MM somehow (perhaps on Parisian honeymoon).
- Newpapers revealed as scandal sheets where you could get gossip about society people about town.
- Homosexuality casually mentioned from time to time.
- Not related to MM, but of general interest: shortly before Paris fell to the Prussians (Franco-Prussian War) in 1870, the Journal complains of the "americanization" of Paris. I was just glancing through that section, but I take that to means the replacement of "tasteful" aristocratic fashions with "gaudy" and "vulgar" bourgeous tastes. I'm not sure if this was an ongoing influence from Toqueville's "Democracy in America" or there were other influential events going on.
I've only read between 1890 and some of 1893. More notes to come when I have time.
