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General Discussion / Re: Is there a (real) place for mythology in slam?
« on: February 16, 2008, 09:09:24 PM »
myth is always relevant.that's one of the things that distinguishes it from other literary forms-it persists across time because it is woven from the collective unconscious with archetypes.
while it's true that dropping the name Icarus in a poem in front of a crowd that isn't familiar with the charachter -by that name-or his story will get you a bunch of looks that say"this is all greek to me"(pun intended).
However my Tom Thompson poem-published in the Page to Stage and Back Again anthology of the 2003 NPS is an example of the Icarus myth.Tom Thompson was a canadian landscape painter who vanished into the North Woods of Alqonquin Park. All they found was his canoe.All he left behind was a few possessions-and 5 years worth of work now hailed as masterpieces.He inspired the Group of Seven and had no formal training.
there is an indigenous canadian legend that says that The Northern Lights can and do sweep people up into the heavens.
the poem suggests and infers that Tom Thompson stepped from his canoe to "dip his brush in the heavens" when he saw the Aurora Borealis-It's Icarus.
that's the thing about myth -it happens around us all the time.Most people familiar with my work can point to a variety of examples of mythic archetypes in the poems i write.it's not the only aspect of my work but it's certainly an influence and definitely there.
related to myth are legends-tom thompson is a bit of both. The Grey Fox is a famous train robber from where i grew up-he's become a legend.I have a poem about him that brushes up against myth.
the challenge for the writer who wishes to incoroporate myth and it's elements into their work is to do the translation.
you have to grasp the essence of the story and it's elements and then look for them going on in the world around you and tell the story afresh for a new audience. telling the story of Christ walking into the desert to meditate for 40 days and nights doesn't work so well when the people you are talking to have never seen a desert.So when the tale of the hero going into the wilderness is told in the India sub continent it's Buddha going into the jungle,and in today's cities in the western world it's Luke Skywalker on Hoth or Dagoba ;)and before y'all laugh at the star wars reference itr's relevant.
the original trilogy was better than the prequel because it was mythic-and it's best installment-The Empire Strikes Back is the most mythic of the three.
Shakespeares work is a good example of writing that takes on mythic tones and qualities-Hamlet is more than a little Oedipal.and the majority of his body of work persists constantly because you can adapt it and the archetypes still resonate today.
consider Richard 3. Sir Ian McKellen made an amazing adaptation of this work.He set's it in 1930's England and it becomes a parable about the rise of Fascism-and a chilling reminder that fascism can take root anywhere.Richard carries what Jungians call The Shadow of a lot of powerful folks.They win their war usiusng Richard to do the dirty work.the peace comes and they don't want the moster around.they want to look upon themselves as having no blood on their hands.So Richard knowing full well where all their weaknesses lie because he carries their secrets sets about taking them down and setting himself up.When he looks at an audieinec and boasts of the evil he's about to do you find yourself cheering for him-because the's the only honest person in the play-no matter how ugly he is as a person.Lear is aboua man trying to cheat his karma-this is a theme of many myths-where the attempt to cheat the fates only secures that the prophecy comes to pass.It's Lear's attempt to avoid ownership of his bloody past and to have a quiet retirement that unleashes his daughters conspiarcies to ruin him-except for Cordelia who he banishes for the crime of telling him the truth.and it is she who stands by him when his world crumbles.we see these stories around us and in the news everyday in some form or another.sure, a peot can drop pop culture references in an attempt to share an "in joke" with some judges and boost their scores.
but a poet who blends the lessons and archetypes of myth into their work playing out the timeless stories against modern backdrops-that poet will produce art that will stand the test of time long after the scores are forgotten.
much love
metaphors be with you
ms spelt
while it's true that dropping the name Icarus in a poem in front of a crowd that isn't familiar with the charachter -by that name-or his story will get you a bunch of looks that say"this is all greek to me"(pun intended).
However my Tom Thompson poem-published in the Page to Stage and Back Again anthology of the 2003 NPS is an example of the Icarus myth.Tom Thompson was a canadian landscape painter who vanished into the North Woods of Alqonquin Park. All they found was his canoe.All he left behind was a few possessions-and 5 years worth of work now hailed as masterpieces.He inspired the Group of Seven and had no formal training.
there is an indigenous canadian legend that says that The Northern Lights can and do sweep people up into the heavens.
the poem suggests and infers that Tom Thompson stepped from his canoe to "dip his brush in the heavens" when he saw the Aurora Borealis-It's Icarus.
that's the thing about myth -it happens around us all the time.Most people familiar with my work can point to a variety of examples of mythic archetypes in the poems i write.it's not the only aspect of my work but it's certainly an influence and definitely there.
related to myth are legends-tom thompson is a bit of both. The Grey Fox is a famous train robber from where i grew up-he's become a legend.I have a poem about him that brushes up against myth.
the challenge for the writer who wishes to incoroporate myth and it's elements into their work is to do the translation.
you have to grasp the essence of the story and it's elements and then look for them going on in the world around you and tell the story afresh for a new audience. telling the story of Christ walking into the desert to meditate for 40 days and nights doesn't work so well when the people you are talking to have never seen a desert.So when the tale of the hero going into the wilderness is told in the India sub continent it's Buddha going into the jungle,and in today's cities in the western world it's Luke Skywalker on Hoth or Dagoba ;)and before y'all laugh at the star wars reference itr's relevant.
the original trilogy was better than the prequel because it was mythic-and it's best installment-The Empire Strikes Back is the most mythic of the three.
Shakespeares work is a good example of writing that takes on mythic tones and qualities-Hamlet is more than a little Oedipal.and the majority of his body of work persists constantly because you can adapt it and the archetypes still resonate today.
consider Richard 3. Sir Ian McKellen made an amazing adaptation of this work.He set's it in 1930's England and it becomes a parable about the rise of Fascism-and a chilling reminder that fascism can take root anywhere.Richard carries what Jungians call The Shadow of a lot of powerful folks.They win their war usiusng Richard to do the dirty work.the peace comes and they don't want the moster around.they want to look upon themselves as having no blood on their hands.So Richard knowing full well where all their weaknesses lie because he carries their secrets sets about taking them down and setting himself up.When he looks at an audieinec and boasts of the evil he's about to do you find yourself cheering for him-because the's the only honest person in the play-no matter how ugly he is as a person.Lear is aboua man trying to cheat his karma-this is a theme of many myths-where the attempt to cheat the fates only secures that the prophecy comes to pass.It's Lear's attempt to avoid ownership of his bloody past and to have a quiet retirement that unleashes his daughters conspiarcies to ruin him-except for Cordelia who he banishes for the crime of telling him the truth.and it is she who stands by him when his world crumbles.we see these stories around us and in the news everyday in some form or another.sure, a peot can drop pop culture references in an attempt to share an "in joke" with some judges and boost their scores.
but a poet who blends the lessons and archetypes of myth into their work playing out the timeless stories against modern backdrops-that poet will produce art that will stand the test of time long after the scores are forgotten.
much love
metaphors be with you
ms spelt
