Final thoughts, final thoughts....my mind is blank. I'll ask Lillith what she has to say...ah inspiration. I convinced my sister to name her cat after the succubus Lillith. I think names directly affect attitudes--she is a total demon.
Little Gidding: Fire
Now the hedgerow
Is blanched for an hour with transitory blossom
Of snow, a bloom more sudden
Than that of summer, neither budding nor fading,
Not in the scheme of generation.
Where is the summer, the unimaginable
Zero summer?
When snow falls on barren trees, it does not change the anatomy or composition of the plant. The chemical makeup of the tree or bush or flower doesn't shift. The plant remains dormant, seemingly unaffected by the fallen snow. It doesn't change. Right? I guess that could be similar to what I thought at the beginning of the semester last year, before Emergent Literature. Then we read T.S. Eliot....and James Joyce....and Cees Nooteboom. Then, this semester, I took Mythologies alongside Bible as Literature. Perception change much? I have gone through so many stages of apocalypse I feel like a whirlwind.....Snow changes trees. I see a white blossom upon every plant in the field. It falls but is replenished. It melts but it remains in vapor or water or ice upon trodden paths. It changes states but is still snow, water, ice and vapor, all at the same time. Temperature changes alter its state just like life changes alter mine. I have gone from Winifred to Miles City to Bozeman. I have gone from a reader to obsessor to making a career out of my obsession. My states have changed, my perception has been altered. Just like the trees. Their chemical composition remains just as I am still made of water, organs and skin but their states change. In winter they are white; in summer they are full of color and life. In the unimaginable zero summer they are clean or white with leprousy, depending on how you view them and what state you are in. It is a time of transition. For the tree and for the one looking upon its white, barren new lifelessness. Transition, rebirth, renewal, begin again, end again. Finnegan.
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Myrrah, Daphne, Dryope, Heliades and many more....here's to your snow covered branches and your zero summer.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Shall we talk about car accidents?
Well, well, well, Sally. I can't believe the audacity. Should we recount all of the times you wrecked Christine (same car) or perhaps the red pickup? Ok, I think we will. For the sake of the class, we will, from this point, refer to Sally as Phaethon.
#1: First day of school. Phaethon 14 (bad driver), Sarah 13 (young and innocent and-soon-to-be terrified). It was a very exciting day and, in fact, I'm almost positive there's a picture of us in our first-day-of-school dresses (yes, we wore dresses for the first day of school) in front of our fairly unblemished cadillac (shortlived, of course). There are five miles of gravel roads between our house and our bus stop and you will soon find out that nearly every one of these miles has experienced a wreck at the hands of Phaethon the marauder of fences and occupant of ditches. This was the first time our parents had let Phaethon drive the caddi and she was very excited. Too excited. She hit the corner by our mailbox, which is about a 90, at, hmmm, 40 miles per hour, hit loose gravel, made some pretty distinct tracks for awhile, then corked us in the ditch. No fence marauding this time.
#2: The fence marauding begins. Phaethon, me and Jordan, the neighbor boy in the back seat and, of course, Christine. We were driving to school that day, not riding the bus. Now, I don't know if any of you have had to drive on 23 miles of gravel roads every day to make it to school, but we have. There are these things called "pot holes". Pot holes=Phaethon's enemy. We had made it about three miles. A pot hole loomed ahead and I was certain that Phaethon would dodge but, alas, she did not. I think, at one point we were completely sideways skidding down the road--it was very much like the power slides people try to make their cars perform but it wasn't intentional. Then out of sideways skid, through the fence, into the freshly worked field. Oh, and it had rained the night before so the field was VERY muddy. Somehow Christine managed to work her way out of it though and we didn't get stuck. I had to get out and open the gate while Phaethon sat there with an astonished look. I grew about three inches with all the mud stuck to the bottom of my shoes. So, through the fence, into the field, back out through the gate and we had completely forgotten about poor Jordan in the back. We turned around and looked at him and he was frozen with a half-petrified, half-awed look on his face. Phaethon threatened him: "Don't tell anyone or I'll be in so much trouble." He nodded. Phaethon can be very intimidating.
#3: Can Phaethon find a hole the size of a 1990 Caddilac? Yes she can. We were driving away from Winifred this time and it was snowing like crazy. It was New Year's Eve and we were missing a huge party because we were in basketball so, blah. Rounding a corner, or trying to round a corner, Phaethon lost control of the chariot and we slid into a fairly unobtrusive ditch. Since she was very familiar with ditches in general, she wasn't phased in the least. Pulling out of her minor plunder, she headed for the road but Damn!! A coulvert hole...foiled again. She corked Christine in that coulvert hole like the thing had been dug especially for our car. Phaethon was freaking out and I, younger but very used to being the passenger in such situations, was pretty calm. We opened the trunk and put to use our "just in case you crash and it's cold outside" kit (good thing our parents anticipated Phaethon's driving ability). We walked to the nearest neighbors, Jack and Lorainne Bergum, and knocked at their door (at 2:00 in the morning). They took us in and fed us hot chocolate and cookies until we could contact our parents (who were at the bar in Winifred so this whole issue of contacting them was a real test of human persistence). The next day we had to drag Christine out of the ditch with our feed pickup, Old Blue. This resulted in a dislodged bumper and some other, minor, damage.
#4 and #5: Phaethon has something against the red pickup. So, the red pickup my sister mentioned in her blog? Yeah, she wrecked it.....twice. The first time she was following my dad through a huge field. He was in the semi and he was going to leave it in the field, catch a ride back from Phaethon, then take the tractor out so he could pick up hay bales. I repeat, a huge field. Probably somewhere around 600 acres, plenty of places to drive in and not crash. Evidently she lost concentration for a bit. This resulted in a piece of angle iron, which is attached to the back of the semi trailer, screeching its way up the hood and through the windshield of the pickup. Yes, a hole in the windshield and a trench up the middle of the hood. Dad was angry. He was even angrier when, a week later, Phaethon backed into the same semi with the same pickup, completely destroying the tale-gate. We like to call this one killing two birds with one stone since she hit a vehicle with another vehicle. Note: the semi is gynourmous and bright yellow-hard to miss.
I don't even want to begin writing about poor Stella, Phaethon's new car.
I feel like I forgot about a wreck but I suppose I can close this one out. Now, what have we learned?
Don't let Phaethon drive the chariot.
#1: First day of school. Phaethon 14 (bad driver), Sarah 13 (young and innocent and-soon-to-be terrified). It was a very exciting day and, in fact, I'm almost positive there's a picture of us in our first-day-of-school dresses (yes, we wore dresses for the first day of school) in front of our fairly unblemished cadillac (shortlived, of course). There are five miles of gravel roads between our house and our bus stop and you will soon find out that nearly every one of these miles has experienced a wreck at the hands of Phaethon the marauder of fences and occupant of ditches. This was the first time our parents had let Phaethon drive the caddi and she was very excited. Too excited. She hit the corner by our mailbox, which is about a 90, at, hmmm, 40 miles per hour, hit loose gravel, made some pretty distinct tracks for awhile, then corked us in the ditch. No fence marauding this time.
#2: The fence marauding begins. Phaethon, me and Jordan, the neighbor boy in the back seat and, of course, Christine. We were driving to school that day, not riding the bus. Now, I don't know if any of you have had to drive on 23 miles of gravel roads every day to make it to school, but we have. There are these things called "pot holes". Pot holes=Phaethon's enemy. We had made it about three miles. A pot hole loomed ahead and I was certain that Phaethon would dodge but, alas, she did not. I think, at one point we were completely sideways skidding down the road--it was very much like the power slides people try to make their cars perform but it wasn't intentional. Then out of sideways skid, through the fence, into the freshly worked field. Oh, and it had rained the night before so the field was VERY muddy. Somehow Christine managed to work her way out of it though and we didn't get stuck. I had to get out and open the gate while Phaethon sat there with an astonished look. I grew about three inches with all the mud stuck to the bottom of my shoes. So, through the fence, into the field, back out through the gate and we had completely forgotten about poor Jordan in the back. We turned around and looked at him and he was frozen with a half-petrified, half-awed look on his face. Phaethon threatened him: "Don't tell anyone or I'll be in so much trouble." He nodded. Phaethon can be very intimidating.
#3: Can Phaethon find a hole the size of a 1990 Caddilac? Yes she can. We were driving away from Winifred this time and it was snowing like crazy. It was New Year's Eve and we were missing a huge party because we were in basketball so, blah. Rounding a corner, or trying to round a corner, Phaethon lost control of the chariot and we slid into a fairly unobtrusive ditch. Since she was very familiar with ditches in general, she wasn't phased in the least. Pulling out of her minor plunder, she headed for the road but Damn!! A coulvert hole...foiled again. She corked Christine in that coulvert hole like the thing had been dug especially for our car. Phaethon was freaking out and I, younger but very used to being the passenger in such situations, was pretty calm. We opened the trunk and put to use our "just in case you crash and it's cold outside" kit (good thing our parents anticipated Phaethon's driving ability). We walked to the nearest neighbors, Jack and Lorainne Bergum, and knocked at their door (at 2:00 in the morning). They took us in and fed us hot chocolate and cookies until we could contact our parents (who were at the bar in Winifred so this whole issue of contacting them was a real test of human persistence). The next day we had to drag Christine out of the ditch with our feed pickup, Old Blue. This resulted in a dislodged bumper and some other, minor, damage.
#4 and #5: Phaethon has something against the red pickup. So, the red pickup my sister mentioned in her blog? Yeah, she wrecked it.....twice. The first time she was following my dad through a huge field. He was in the semi and he was going to leave it in the field, catch a ride back from Phaethon, then take the tractor out so he could pick up hay bales. I repeat, a huge field. Probably somewhere around 600 acres, plenty of places to drive in and not crash. Evidently she lost concentration for a bit. This resulted in a piece of angle iron, which is attached to the back of the semi trailer, screeching its way up the hood and through the windshield of the pickup. Yes, a hole in the windshield and a trench up the middle of the hood. Dad was angry. He was even angrier when, a week later, Phaethon backed into the same semi with the same pickup, completely destroying the tale-gate. We like to call this one killing two birds with one stone since she hit a vehicle with another vehicle. Note: the semi is gynourmous and bright yellow-hard to miss.
I don't even want to begin writing about poor Stella, Phaethon's new car.
I feel like I forgot about a wreck but I suppose I can close this one out. Now, what have we learned?
Don't let Phaethon drive the chariot.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The Whitness of the Bull
The hue of white...what to make of it. Jove manifests himself as a bull of the purest white, Ahab is obsessed with a whale who radiates with whiteness, Ahab, king of Israel, lives within a castle made of ivory, kings and queens and noble warriors ride upon white horses, white is the color of a dove, the bird to be sacrificed to the God of the Old Testament, angels are depicted as being shrouded in white...this could go on forever. White is purity. It is the return to innocence, the plundering of all darkness or evil.Whiteness is also oblivion...when I think of death, I don't think of a black abyss, I think of endless white nothing. White everywhere; all color blotted out. Jove takes Europa into oblivion; he carries her into the endless expanse of sea, away from her family and country. It is almost as if she dies or is at least reborn. The whiteness of the bull seems to represent her passing from one state to another: from Europa, the daughter of Hesiod to Europa, queen of Crete. Her end may not have been terrible but the obliviated whiteness of the passage was undoubtedly petrifying.
Whiteness does not represent innocence in the story of Ahab, Naboth and Jezebel. In this Biblical tale, Ahab and Jezebel live within a castle made of ivory. Within those walls of unblemished whiteness, countless forms of corruption and evil reside. Jezebel, who later, in the book of Revelation, is considered the whore of Babylon, commits countless crimes of homicide. She slaughters 500 prophets and has Naboth put to death. She worships the false idol, Baal. These walls of ivory do not protect thier inhabitants from corruption just as a garment of white will not redeem the person beneath the folds.
Whiteness is not only innocence and redemption. The Bible is not only stories of good people performing good deeds. Things are not what they seem until you look into them further; don't judge a book by what others have taken it to be; don't consider something to be holy if you haven't questioned what lies beneath its cover of whiteness.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Bible as Lit. Paper
We have talked about story telling alot in this class. I wrote a story, or at least finished a story, for my Bible as Literature final paper. In 1 Kings there is a story about King Ahab of the Israelites, Naboth, a man who owns a vineyard, and Jezebel. We learned a word: lacuna and this means the parts of the story that are left out. When you read the Bible you will find that it is half lacuna, half story so you can imagine the possibilities when filling in the gaps. Here is my paper:
Ahab, king of Israel, was a very greedy man. He did not walk in the ways of the Lord. Rather, he chose to worship the false idol Baal; this idol was considered one of the demons of hell. Now, Ahab decided that he wanted to own the vineyard of a certain man named Naboth. This man was holy and he walked in the ways of the Lord; he was an altogether good man. This is the story of Naboth, Jezebel, and Ahab and this is the version wherein the lacuna is revealed.
One day Ahab was strolling through his kingdom, surrounded by fifty servants and numerous guards. He was walking, enjoying the scenery and the prosperity of his kingdom when he came upon an especially attractive vineyard. He stood in awe of its great abundance of fruit and admired its broad expanse of flourishing beauty. “Eden”, he thought to himself; “I must meet the man responsible for this.”
Menagerie in tow, Ahab proceeded to the house of Naboth, the owner of the vineyard. Immediately he began conversation with this man, asking him of his methods.
Naboth replied, “I am but a humble man, I ask of the Lord and he giveth.”
Ahab snickered at this and upon first instinct decided to tease the pious man.
“Who is your Lord compared to Baal? I have worshipped Baal-zebub through years of prosperity and kingship and look at me today. I rule over the land of Israel and reside within a castle constructed of the finest ivory. I own hundreds of vineyards compared to your one. Ask me, where has the Lord taken thee? I will answer, ‘Nowhere for I am under the watchful eye of Baal and he has served me well.’”
Naboth took no offense; he simply stood by his convictions and believed in the Lord he knew to be just. His prosperity for one single man was great and he did not wish to reside in an ivory castle or to rule over thousands of people. He had found the needful thing; to live under the laws of the Lord and to worship accordingly. This was enough and the prosperity he found was within the joy of his family and the care of his vineyard. For Ahab, though, this answer, these convictions, were simply not enough.
Confounded he said, “Naboth, I will make thee an exceeding wealthy man if you agree to sell me this vineyard. I will pay you tenfold what it is worth or I will give you a larger vineyard in return and you will have no more earthly concerns for the rest of your days.”
Naboth smiled and politely refused. The Lord had forbidden him to sell the land of his ancestors and he intended to follow this command. He would not forsake the Lord; he would not sell his vineyard. Ahab was furious. He stormed home to his castle and threw a tantrum of epic proportions. The castle of ivory shook with his rage until he gave into sullen fasting and laid upon his bed in despair. He would not eat nor did drink and every servant that came unto him would soon exit his chamber in fear.
He lay still thinking. His thoughts reeled through his greedy mind, the center of their monomania a flourishing vineyard on the outskirts of his ivory castle enclosure. Why can this not be mine? Everything within the kingdom is mine. I am lord over these lands and my god has not refused me this luxury. Lord…who is this lord but a peasant’s idol? Absurd, I want this vineyard; I own this kingdom; I should be certain to have what I want.
Lying in his bed, these pestilential thoughts reeling around the lofty room of his despair, Ahab festered. Anger, indignation, overcame him and he wept as a child would weep for the loss of a favorite toy. Absurd he may say to his inability to procure this piece of land but absurd his servants say to his reaction to so small a disallowance. They wondered in awe without his chamber, believing that their master had truly crossed the threshold into insanity. Never having been wealthy or with an abundance of material possessions, these servants were unable to understand the grief stricken moans emitted from the casement of their lord’s tortured being. Finally, unable to stand the tension consuming the house, a servant called upon Jezebel, the wife of Ahab. She loved him, it is true, but behind her love one could see the lingering corruption of ages and wealth. Her love was for his kingdom; for his way of life and for this she appreciated her husband.
Alas, the appreciation was mutual; the love of the corrupt and black of heart was shared between the two and now her love was in need of her assistance; she would go to him. She pondered the situation and alighted upon a decision with ease. She knew that her husband was the weakest of the pair as the kingdom had always been run to her accordance. Now, Jezebel sought her husband within his bed chamber and inquired as to his ailment.
“I am wrought with despair. Such impertinence I have endured and now my mind lets me not beyond the thoughts of Naboth.”
“Please, my love, what is it that has caused you such torment?” she said with false ignorance.
“A garden of herbs is all I wished to attain, for you, my lovely wife and now Naboth has refused me this request. His vineyard for ample recompense and he denies me access.”
As indignation flooded the face of Ahab, Jezebel remained eerily calm. Her plan had already been decided upon; she simply needed to convey it to her husband in such a way that would appeal to his vanity. This would not be difficult; her husband’s vanity was her puppet master’s tool of choice and she had, after all, ran a kingdom under cover of matrimony.
“Listen to me,” Jezebel whispered, “Your are the king and sole master of this land, are you not? None other rules above you, so why is it that this simple wish is unattainable? Leave this problem to me and you will have your vineyard; your garden of herbs, before the week has ended.”
How could this plea not appeal to a tormented mind? His greedy lust for what he could not possess drove him to the edges of frustrated agony and now a solution presented itself. Of course, he consented, thinking only of the vineyard of which he had been refused ownership. Such an obsession he had endured. The time of endurance may have been short but the time within his chamber, spent in torment, had felt like ages tossed upon a stormy sea. Ahab’s fingers longed to touch the earth of this vineyard; his feet longed to walk upon its soft, fertile soil. This land, this land, he thought, must not be withheld from my grasp; it is now mine, my Jezebel will see to this.
Meanwhile, Naboth tended to his vineyard. Disturbed by the occurrence the previous day, he kept a watchful eye on the castle. His wife and children were inside his small home, preparing for the evening meal. The rows of grapes instilled a quiet upon the land; a quiet that only allowed the noises of nature to penetrate. He loved his vineyard and appreciated the gifts the Lord had given him but he knew, somehow, that these gifts weren’t likely to last. The king had expressed his desire to purchase this land and upon Naboth’s refusal had become wrought with rage. He sighed. The Lord will make all things right, he thought to himself as he snipped a wilting vine from an otherwise healthy bush.
Entering his home, Naboth felt a heightened sense and noticed all of the details he had before taken for granted. He saw his wife and the familiar curve of her face. He saw his children but they were somehow different, somehow new. The low ceiling of his cottage, which before seemed restrictive now seemed safe and encompassing. He knew that he had to protect his family, his cottage and his vineyard but he knew not how. Naboth felt that his fate was sealed. He could not forsake the Lord and sell his land so he sat down next to his wife and children and let their presence fill him. This is the last, he thought, this is everything.
Naboth was correct in his convictions for Jezebel was busy, within her house of ivory, scheming against the innocent peasant. Letters were sent to elders across the town and they were instructed to gather for a meeting concerning Naboth. Two servants had attested to his blasphemy of God and the king. Under rancor, Jezebel had waxed false and presented these two men with the words they were to speak. They, in fear for their lives, consented without option. Naboth was to be tried.
The next day saw the elders of the town and the king and queen of Israel present in the city square. Naboth’s wife and children were within their cottage; the mother knowing of her husband’s fate; the children inquiring as to their father’s whereabouts. No answer was to be spoken for the mother was sunk in fearful despair. The trial began and the men spoke against Naboth, falsely accusing him of blasphemy. He who the king had taunted and teased and who had held firmly to his belief in the Lord. However, he did not curse God at this point nearing the end of his existence. He was filled with emotion unlike any other he had ever felt. Aware of his fate; aware of the inevitability of his untimely death, Naboth felt only serenity and a sureness of spirit. He was to find the kingdom of heaven. His wife and children were his only concern.
As Naboth’s sentence was secured he pleaded upon his knees, begging for mercy not for himself but for his family he was to leave behind. With a disdainful brow, Ahab reluctantly agreed.
“Now, remove him from the town and carry out his sentence,” said Ahab from atop the planks of his throne.
Stones in hand, the executioners prepared themselves. Naboth watched with wonder as he saw amusement and anticipation flit across the brows of the gathering crowd. One man was smiling, toothless, tossing his stone to and fro between deft hands.
One word: “Proceed.”
One thought: “My family.”
One stone to begin the barrage. Naboth could see the blood behind his eyes but he still managed to stand erect. Stone after stone was hurled and the frenzy built; crowd members joining with disgusting glee. A stone to the knee, Naboth fell. A stone to the back, Naboth moved no more. A stone to the temple, his spirit fled. Blood crashed against the stones like the rising tide and the crowd jeered.
After the end, the king of Israel immediately seized upon the vineyard. At the one last request of Naboth, the wife and children were given lodging within the city. This was the only act of decency Jezebel and Ahab would incur upon the doomed family. They were otherwise left to fend for themselves.
God spoke unto Elijah. “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. And thou shalt speak unto him saying, ‘Thus saith the Lord, ‘In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine’”’ (1 Kings 21 18-19).
Ahab, king of Israel, was a very greedy man. He did not walk in the ways of the Lord. Rather, he chose to worship the false idol Baal; this idol was considered one of the demons of hell. Now, Ahab decided that he wanted to own the vineyard of a certain man named Naboth. This man was holy and he walked in the ways of the Lord; he was an altogether good man. This is the story of Naboth, Jezebel, and Ahab and this is the version wherein the lacuna is revealed.
One day Ahab was strolling through his kingdom, surrounded by fifty servants and numerous guards. He was walking, enjoying the scenery and the prosperity of his kingdom when he came upon an especially attractive vineyard. He stood in awe of its great abundance of fruit and admired its broad expanse of flourishing beauty. “Eden”, he thought to himself; “I must meet the man responsible for this.”
Menagerie in tow, Ahab proceeded to the house of Naboth, the owner of the vineyard. Immediately he began conversation with this man, asking him of his methods.
Naboth replied, “I am but a humble man, I ask of the Lord and he giveth.”
Ahab snickered at this and upon first instinct decided to tease the pious man.
“Who is your Lord compared to Baal? I have worshipped Baal-zebub through years of prosperity and kingship and look at me today. I rule over the land of Israel and reside within a castle constructed of the finest ivory. I own hundreds of vineyards compared to your one. Ask me, where has the Lord taken thee? I will answer, ‘Nowhere for I am under the watchful eye of Baal and he has served me well.’”
Naboth took no offense; he simply stood by his convictions and believed in the Lord he knew to be just. His prosperity for one single man was great and he did not wish to reside in an ivory castle or to rule over thousands of people. He had found the needful thing; to live under the laws of the Lord and to worship accordingly. This was enough and the prosperity he found was within the joy of his family and the care of his vineyard. For Ahab, though, this answer, these convictions, were simply not enough.
Confounded he said, “Naboth, I will make thee an exceeding wealthy man if you agree to sell me this vineyard. I will pay you tenfold what it is worth or I will give you a larger vineyard in return and you will have no more earthly concerns for the rest of your days.”
Naboth smiled and politely refused. The Lord had forbidden him to sell the land of his ancestors and he intended to follow this command. He would not forsake the Lord; he would not sell his vineyard. Ahab was furious. He stormed home to his castle and threw a tantrum of epic proportions. The castle of ivory shook with his rage until he gave into sullen fasting and laid upon his bed in despair. He would not eat nor did drink and every servant that came unto him would soon exit his chamber in fear.
He lay still thinking. His thoughts reeled through his greedy mind, the center of their monomania a flourishing vineyard on the outskirts of his ivory castle enclosure. Why can this not be mine? Everything within the kingdom is mine. I am lord over these lands and my god has not refused me this luxury. Lord…who is this lord but a peasant’s idol? Absurd, I want this vineyard; I own this kingdom; I should be certain to have what I want.
Lying in his bed, these pestilential thoughts reeling around the lofty room of his despair, Ahab festered. Anger, indignation, overcame him and he wept as a child would weep for the loss of a favorite toy. Absurd he may say to his inability to procure this piece of land but absurd his servants say to his reaction to so small a disallowance. They wondered in awe without his chamber, believing that their master had truly crossed the threshold into insanity. Never having been wealthy or with an abundance of material possessions, these servants were unable to understand the grief stricken moans emitted from the casement of their lord’s tortured being. Finally, unable to stand the tension consuming the house, a servant called upon Jezebel, the wife of Ahab. She loved him, it is true, but behind her love one could see the lingering corruption of ages and wealth. Her love was for his kingdom; for his way of life and for this she appreciated her husband.
Alas, the appreciation was mutual; the love of the corrupt and black of heart was shared between the two and now her love was in need of her assistance; she would go to him. She pondered the situation and alighted upon a decision with ease. She knew that her husband was the weakest of the pair as the kingdom had always been run to her accordance. Now, Jezebel sought her husband within his bed chamber and inquired as to his ailment.
“I am wrought with despair. Such impertinence I have endured and now my mind lets me not beyond the thoughts of Naboth.”
“Please, my love, what is it that has caused you such torment?” she said with false ignorance.
“A garden of herbs is all I wished to attain, for you, my lovely wife and now Naboth has refused me this request. His vineyard for ample recompense and he denies me access.”
As indignation flooded the face of Ahab, Jezebel remained eerily calm. Her plan had already been decided upon; she simply needed to convey it to her husband in such a way that would appeal to his vanity. This would not be difficult; her husband’s vanity was her puppet master’s tool of choice and she had, after all, ran a kingdom under cover of matrimony.
“Listen to me,” Jezebel whispered, “Your are the king and sole master of this land, are you not? None other rules above you, so why is it that this simple wish is unattainable? Leave this problem to me and you will have your vineyard; your garden of herbs, before the week has ended.”
How could this plea not appeal to a tormented mind? His greedy lust for what he could not possess drove him to the edges of frustrated agony and now a solution presented itself. Of course, he consented, thinking only of the vineyard of which he had been refused ownership. Such an obsession he had endured. The time of endurance may have been short but the time within his chamber, spent in torment, had felt like ages tossed upon a stormy sea. Ahab’s fingers longed to touch the earth of this vineyard; his feet longed to walk upon its soft, fertile soil. This land, this land, he thought, must not be withheld from my grasp; it is now mine, my Jezebel will see to this.
Meanwhile, Naboth tended to his vineyard. Disturbed by the occurrence the previous day, he kept a watchful eye on the castle. His wife and children were inside his small home, preparing for the evening meal. The rows of grapes instilled a quiet upon the land; a quiet that only allowed the noises of nature to penetrate. He loved his vineyard and appreciated the gifts the Lord had given him but he knew, somehow, that these gifts weren’t likely to last. The king had expressed his desire to purchase this land and upon Naboth’s refusal had become wrought with rage. He sighed. The Lord will make all things right, he thought to himself as he snipped a wilting vine from an otherwise healthy bush.
Entering his home, Naboth felt a heightened sense and noticed all of the details he had before taken for granted. He saw his wife and the familiar curve of her face. He saw his children but they were somehow different, somehow new. The low ceiling of his cottage, which before seemed restrictive now seemed safe and encompassing. He knew that he had to protect his family, his cottage and his vineyard but he knew not how. Naboth felt that his fate was sealed. He could not forsake the Lord and sell his land so he sat down next to his wife and children and let their presence fill him. This is the last, he thought, this is everything.
Naboth was correct in his convictions for Jezebel was busy, within her house of ivory, scheming against the innocent peasant. Letters were sent to elders across the town and they were instructed to gather for a meeting concerning Naboth. Two servants had attested to his blasphemy of God and the king. Under rancor, Jezebel had waxed false and presented these two men with the words they were to speak. They, in fear for their lives, consented without option. Naboth was to be tried.
The next day saw the elders of the town and the king and queen of Israel present in the city square. Naboth’s wife and children were within their cottage; the mother knowing of her husband’s fate; the children inquiring as to their father’s whereabouts. No answer was to be spoken for the mother was sunk in fearful despair. The trial began and the men spoke against Naboth, falsely accusing him of blasphemy. He who the king had taunted and teased and who had held firmly to his belief in the Lord. However, he did not curse God at this point nearing the end of his existence. He was filled with emotion unlike any other he had ever felt. Aware of his fate; aware of the inevitability of his untimely death, Naboth felt only serenity and a sureness of spirit. He was to find the kingdom of heaven. His wife and children were his only concern.
As Naboth’s sentence was secured he pleaded upon his knees, begging for mercy not for himself but for his family he was to leave behind. With a disdainful brow, Ahab reluctantly agreed.
“Now, remove him from the town and carry out his sentence,” said Ahab from atop the planks of his throne.
Stones in hand, the executioners prepared themselves. Naboth watched with wonder as he saw amusement and anticipation flit across the brows of the gathering crowd. One man was smiling, toothless, tossing his stone to and fro between deft hands.
One word: “Proceed.”
One thought: “My family.”
One stone to begin the barrage. Naboth could see the blood behind his eyes but he still managed to stand erect. Stone after stone was hurled and the frenzy built; crowd members joining with disgusting glee. A stone to the knee, Naboth fell. A stone to the back, Naboth moved no more. A stone to the temple, his spirit fled. Blood crashed against the stones like the rising tide and the crowd jeered.
After the end, the king of Israel immediately seized upon the vineyard. At the one last request of Naboth, the wife and children were given lodging within the city. This was the only act of decency Jezebel and Ahab would incur upon the doomed family. They were otherwise left to fend for themselves.
God spoke unto Elijah. “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. And thou shalt speak unto him saying, ‘Thus saith the Lord, ‘In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine’”’ (1 Kings 21 18-19).
Final Paper
Henderson the Rain King is about a man in search of fulfillment. The main character, Henderson, constantly hears “I want, I want” and finds no cure for this ailment while in the United States. His journey to Africa enlightens him, showing him the path he must follow. This is taught to him, indirectly, by Dafhu, the king of the Wariri tribe. Although he says, near the end of the book “He [Dahfu] thought he could change me. But I met him too late in life, Romilayu. I was too gross. Too far gone”, it is apparent that he is changed (Bellow 314). This change is apocalyptic; a change that he fails to see at first, but is manifest through his actions. Through travelling to Africa, encountering the Arnewi then the Wariri tribes, meeting new, intensely interesting and revealing people, Henderson’s perception of the world is unveiled.
After leaving his friend, choosing to sojourn solely with Romilayu his guide, Henderson is first guided to the Arnewi tribe, wherein he meets Itelo, the prince of the tribe and Willatale, the queen of the tribe. These people greet him with a great sadness: their cattle are dying of thirst. When Henderson realizes the reason for these deaths, he is compelled to fix the problem or rid the cistern of frogs. He wants to fix these people’s problems through what he knows; the use of explosives. This instance is the very first step of his personal change. While in the village, he begins his journey towards enlightenment. Willatale finds Henderson to be very interesting and decides to instill in him the knowledge of the grun-tu-molani: a man’s want to live. This begins to answer his nagging inner voice saying I want, I want. He realizes that yes, he does want to live, he just hasn’t found the proper way to do so; he hasn’t found the proper path to follow. He says, “Yes, yes, yes! Molani. Me molani…God will reward her, tell her, for saying that to me. I’ll reward her myself” (Bellow 85). At this point, Henderson realizes he wants to live; wants to make a difference in the world but he doesn’t see that he must realize himself before being able to do this.
After growing close to these people Henderson destroys their sole means of water and his spirit is completely pillaged. Never before feeling such remorse, he says, “‘Stab me, don’t ask me. Stab, I say. Use my knife if you haven’t got your own. It’s all the same and don’t forgive me. I couldn’t stand it. I’d rather be dead’” (Bellow 109). Saying that he would rather die than face their forgiveness, Henderson is showing absolute repentance. He wants Itelo to kill him; he wants Itelo to take his life into his hands. Although it would seem that he is transformed at this point, major changes are yet to be made. It is obvious that he feels terrible and that he is at the lowest point in his life but he still doesn’t quite understand the significance of his actions. Not only has he caused upheaval in the community, he has disappointed a people that trusted him entirely. In asking them to kill him though, he is asking them to take responsibility for what he has done. He must suffer and he must find in himself the reason for his suffering. Henderson will not find the answers through Willatale’s wisdom and he will not find happiness when desperately trying to fix other’s problems. He must fix himself before he can fix others and after his soul is crushed from the immensity of his remorse, he is primed for Dahfu.
After losing himself in the depths of the African desert landscape, wandering feverishly behind his Moses-like guide, Romilayu, Henderson finds himself in the hands of a violent tribe called the Wariri. At first, he is repelled by their actions and considers them barbaric and uncivilized. This initial perception is changed upon Henderson’s introduction to the king of the tribe, Dahfu. He finds himself fascinated by the king’s intelligence and wisdom, and once again tries to glean wisdom directly from Dahfu’s conversation. He wants to know what the king knows, but does not realize that wisdom is procured through personal experience, not through rhetoric. Soon, Dahfu leads Henderson to the basement of the castle and introduces him to the lioness, Atti. He is utterly terrified. This terror he feels represents Henderson’s fear of change; his fear of something that may lead him to actual realization. He does not want to experience the lioness in the flesh but he wants Dahfu to tell him why the lion is so important. Once again, he tries to procure wisdom through simply asking the king; he does not want to take the risk and try to experience something personal. He does not want to go “by a way wherein there is no ecstasy” (Eliot EC 137).
The path Henderson must follow to gain wisdom is not a simple one and T.S. Eliot describes this path best in The Four Quartets. He says, “In order to arrive at what you do not know/ You must go by a way which is the way of ignorance./ In order to possess what you do not possess/ You must go by the way of dispossession./ In order to arrive at what you are not/ You must go through the way in which you are not./ And what you do not know is the only thing you know/ And what own is what you do not own/ And where you are is where you are not” (Eliot EC 139-146). Henderson is ignorant to Dahfu’s intentions but his thinking is flawed in that he believes that the wisdom he seeks may be gained easily. There is no ecstasy on his path and this is why he has suffered so much throughout his lifetime. He does not possess the faculties to deal with this suffering and the voice saying “I want, I want” has pushed him to seek answers or at least solace. Although he is constantly fumbling and making colossal mistakes, he manages to find answers through sheer ignorance; through going by a way in which he knows nothing. He is unfamiliar with the landscape and the people of Africa, he is unfamiliar with the landscape of his soul, but through going “through a way in which he is not”, Henderson discovers himself.
Dahfu encourages him to take on properties of the lioness, to become acquainted with her on a deeply personal level. When the king first introduces Henderson to Atti he demonstrates his connection with her: “As he hung from her, smiling upside down into my face, with his high-swelled lips, I realized I had never even had a clue” (Bellow 227). At this point, Henderson recognizes his ignorance and in doing so, reveals to himself the truth. He does not know, and this is the ultimate realization. Once he has accepted his ignorance, Dahfu then begins to encourage him to accept the lion and allow her to change him. During one of their visits to the lioness’s den, an understanding is reached: “‘You ask, what can she do for you? Many things. First she is unavoidable. […] And this is what you need, as you are an avoider. […] She has many things to teach you.’ ‘Teach? You really mean that she might change me.’ ‘Excellent. Precisely. Change. […] Oh do not be surprised by such a recognition’” (Bellow 260). When Henderson realizes that Dahfu intends to change him through the medium of the lion, he is genuinely surprised. Once again, he is ignorant to the path he must follow and through a revelation he is able to go by a way in which he is unfamiliar; through a way in which he is not. He is not a lion; he even claims that he is a pig but the only way he can change is to tread upon an unfamiliar path. Since he believes that he possesses no properties of the lion, he must “go by a way of dispossession”.
Henderson’s enlightenment is slow and painful but he does eventually realize his journey’s significance. After Dahfu dies, he flees with the lion cub that is supposed to intercept the soul of the dead king. This is significant because the cub represents Henderson’s new perception of the world; it represents his unveiled reality. The cub is new and young, just as its new owner’s reality is new and young. Lying in the hut, waiting to die, Henderson has an epiphany. Suddenly he realizes how badly he wants to live, how he must honor the king that had taught him so much and changed him so significantly. The voice saying “I want, I want” is gone and he must carry his new beginning to his old life. He must live abundantly and “arrive where he started and know the place for the first time” (Eliot LG 241-242).
After leaving his friend, choosing to sojourn solely with Romilayu his guide, Henderson is first guided to the Arnewi tribe, wherein he meets Itelo, the prince of the tribe and Willatale, the queen of the tribe. These people greet him with a great sadness: their cattle are dying of thirst. When Henderson realizes the reason for these deaths, he is compelled to fix the problem or rid the cistern of frogs. He wants to fix these people’s problems through what he knows; the use of explosives. This instance is the very first step of his personal change. While in the village, he begins his journey towards enlightenment. Willatale finds Henderson to be very interesting and decides to instill in him the knowledge of the grun-tu-molani: a man’s want to live. This begins to answer his nagging inner voice saying I want, I want. He realizes that yes, he does want to live, he just hasn’t found the proper way to do so; he hasn’t found the proper path to follow. He says, “Yes, yes, yes! Molani. Me molani…God will reward her, tell her, for saying that to me. I’ll reward her myself” (Bellow 85). At this point, Henderson realizes he wants to live; wants to make a difference in the world but he doesn’t see that he must realize himself before being able to do this.
After growing close to these people Henderson destroys their sole means of water and his spirit is completely pillaged. Never before feeling such remorse, he says, “‘Stab me, don’t ask me. Stab, I say. Use my knife if you haven’t got your own. It’s all the same and don’t forgive me. I couldn’t stand it. I’d rather be dead’” (Bellow 109). Saying that he would rather die than face their forgiveness, Henderson is showing absolute repentance. He wants Itelo to kill him; he wants Itelo to take his life into his hands. Although it would seem that he is transformed at this point, major changes are yet to be made. It is obvious that he feels terrible and that he is at the lowest point in his life but he still doesn’t quite understand the significance of his actions. Not only has he caused upheaval in the community, he has disappointed a people that trusted him entirely. In asking them to kill him though, he is asking them to take responsibility for what he has done. He must suffer and he must find in himself the reason for his suffering. Henderson will not find the answers through Willatale’s wisdom and he will not find happiness when desperately trying to fix other’s problems. He must fix himself before he can fix others and after his soul is crushed from the immensity of his remorse, he is primed for Dahfu.
After losing himself in the depths of the African desert landscape, wandering feverishly behind his Moses-like guide, Romilayu, Henderson finds himself in the hands of a violent tribe called the Wariri. At first, he is repelled by their actions and considers them barbaric and uncivilized. This initial perception is changed upon Henderson’s introduction to the king of the tribe, Dahfu. He finds himself fascinated by the king’s intelligence and wisdom, and once again tries to glean wisdom directly from Dahfu’s conversation. He wants to know what the king knows, but does not realize that wisdom is procured through personal experience, not through rhetoric. Soon, Dahfu leads Henderson to the basement of the castle and introduces him to the lioness, Atti. He is utterly terrified. This terror he feels represents Henderson’s fear of change; his fear of something that may lead him to actual realization. He does not want to experience the lioness in the flesh but he wants Dahfu to tell him why the lion is so important. Once again, he tries to procure wisdom through simply asking the king; he does not want to take the risk and try to experience something personal. He does not want to go “by a way wherein there is no ecstasy” (Eliot EC 137).
The path Henderson must follow to gain wisdom is not a simple one and T.S. Eliot describes this path best in The Four Quartets. He says, “In order to arrive at what you do not know/ You must go by a way which is the way of ignorance./ In order to possess what you do not possess/ You must go by the way of dispossession./ In order to arrive at what you are not/ You must go through the way in which you are not./ And what you do not know is the only thing you know/ And what own is what you do not own/ And where you are is where you are not” (Eliot EC 139-146). Henderson is ignorant to Dahfu’s intentions but his thinking is flawed in that he believes that the wisdom he seeks may be gained easily. There is no ecstasy on his path and this is why he has suffered so much throughout his lifetime. He does not possess the faculties to deal with this suffering and the voice saying “I want, I want” has pushed him to seek answers or at least solace. Although he is constantly fumbling and making colossal mistakes, he manages to find answers through sheer ignorance; through going by a way in which he knows nothing. He is unfamiliar with the landscape and the people of Africa, he is unfamiliar with the landscape of his soul, but through going “through a way in which he is not”, Henderson discovers himself.
Dahfu encourages him to take on properties of the lioness, to become acquainted with her on a deeply personal level. When the king first introduces Henderson to Atti he demonstrates his connection with her: “As he hung from her, smiling upside down into my face, with his high-swelled lips, I realized I had never even had a clue” (Bellow 227). At this point, Henderson recognizes his ignorance and in doing so, reveals to himself the truth. He does not know, and this is the ultimate realization. Once he has accepted his ignorance, Dahfu then begins to encourage him to accept the lion and allow her to change him. During one of their visits to the lioness’s den, an understanding is reached: “‘You ask, what can she do for you? Many things. First she is unavoidable. […] And this is what you need, as you are an avoider. […] She has many things to teach you.’ ‘Teach? You really mean that she might change me.’ ‘Excellent. Precisely. Change. […] Oh do not be surprised by such a recognition’” (Bellow 260). When Henderson realizes that Dahfu intends to change him through the medium of the lion, he is genuinely surprised. Once again, he is ignorant to the path he must follow and through a revelation he is able to go by a way in which he is unfamiliar; through a way in which he is not. He is not a lion; he even claims that he is a pig but the only way he can change is to tread upon an unfamiliar path. Since he believes that he possesses no properties of the lion, he must “go by a way of dispossession”.
Henderson’s enlightenment is slow and painful but he does eventually realize his journey’s significance. After Dahfu dies, he flees with the lion cub that is supposed to intercept the soul of the dead king. This is significant because the cub represents Henderson’s new perception of the world; it represents his unveiled reality. The cub is new and young, just as its new owner’s reality is new and young. Lying in the hut, waiting to die, Henderson has an epiphany. Suddenly he realizes how badly he wants to live, how he must honor the king that had taught him so much and changed him so significantly. The voice saying “I want, I want” is gone and he must carry his new beginning to his old life. He must live abundantly and “arrive where he started and know the place for the first time” (Eliot LG 241-242).
Monday, December 6, 2010
Mythological Happenings
So I went to a wedding this weekend. Interesting. I know this is a pretty basic observance but haven't people always married, in some sense, eaten food in celebration, then drank copious amounts of alcohol in accompaniment to dancing and general merriment? I know for sure that the dancing portion is very traditional, especially the ceremonial dancing (dollar dance, bride and her father dance, bride and groom, the hoky poky). People have danced around in circles in celebration of a wedded couple since the beginning and I think it's really telling that this is something people still do. I mean, it is a really good time. Actually, now that I think about it, the key traditions that have hung around are the ones that are really, really fun. Examples: weddings, dancing, telling stories, banquets, bonfires, baby showers, etc. I digress, there are some traditions that have withheld that are perhaps less fun, but several happenings from in illo tempore that are still being practiced are a seriously good time. There is definitely a reason for this just as there is a reason for people not sacrificially slaughtering animals anymore. Some things are just easier to keep around than others. I don't know about you, but I definitely don't find it difficult to celebrate a friend's wedding while drinking free alcohol and dancing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)