Comments on: He and His Man

He and His Man

_sirmissalot_ — Tue, 09 Dec 2003 12:39:09 -0800

J.M. Coetzee's Nobel Speech. It seemed to him, coming from his island, where until Friday arrived he lived a silent life, that there was too much speech in the world. Coetzee, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, delivers his lecture from the perspective of Robinson Crusoe.

By: ZenMasterThis

ZenMasterThis — Tue, 09 Dec 2003 12:58:15 -0800

Dilbert: Ever notice how there's too much communication in the world? Dogbert: Yes. Every day about this time.

By: themadjuggler

themadjuggler — Tue, 09 Dec 2003 13:09:31 -0800

I remember The Life and Times of Michael K to be a very overtly modernized version of Robinson Cruesoe, does this theme run through the rest of his works as well?

By: _sirmissalot_

_sirmissalot_ — Tue, 09 Dec 2003 13:17:33 -0800

It does seem to be a subject he's fond of. "Foe" was a small novel explicitly about Crusoe. . . I think he enjoys all of the allegorical potential in a character stranded, separated from society--and also the enigmatic meta-angle of the "who really wrote it" question.

By: Postroad

Postroad — Tue, 09 Dec 2003 14:11:13 -0800

"trust the art and not the artist"-- but this guy is fantastic, and I have just finished his latest book.

By: .kobayashi.

.kobayashi. — Tue, 09 Dec 2003 17:47:01 -0800

I'd been hoping to run across this, but never really had the time to search, and then forgot about it. Thanks so much for bringing it to our attention, _sirmissalot_!

By: Mo Nickels

Mo Nickels — Wed, 10 Dec 2003 06:12:40 -0800

This is great. I'm encouraged by it. But I imagine other, earlier winners of the Nobel Prize for literature are blushing, because they often talked about themselves, or their work, or their methods, or delivered pompous generalities, or said, in so many words, "Finally! I am recognized" or, if they were more generous, "Finally! My kind are recognized."

By: languagehat

languagehat — Wed, 10 Dec 2003 08:29:05 -0800

Great indeed. Caterina, along with her own appreciation, has put online the Elizabeth Bishop poem "Crusoe in England," which makes an interesting companion piece.

By: milovoo

milovoo — Wed, 10 Dec 2003 12:43:53 -0800

Whew!! Coetzee, I thought you said Goatse. (you can see how this might be alarming, with the nobel prize and all - and no I will not link to it) I hearby promise not to skim the FPPs ever again.