Do repressive systems produce greater literature? George Steiner, Joseph Brodsky, Mary McCarthy 1982
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- Опубліковано 2 чер 2021
- Extract of a discussion chaired by the poet and critic, Al Alvarez. Entitled ‘Art - Repression and Freedom’.
Professor George Steiner argues that a greater literature is forged in the shadow of censorship, repression and persecution than in the freedom of the West, insisting that our libertarian, commercial world in fact corrupts writers and inhibits the writing of great literature. His views are countered by poet Joseph Brodsky and novelist Mary McCarthy. First 20 minutes of a 50 minute programme. The opening graphics make for a nice period piece.
Directed by David Crossman.
Thanks for posting...This is a Jewel...The intelligence of all Four.
Such a pleasure to bask in their erudition.
These programs were on Channel 4 in its first years. Look at the state of it now and Steiner's diagnosis of the trivialisation of culture was clearly correct. - It would be a good thing for C4 to post these Voices discussions online.
Amazing! Thank you so much for putting this document to our disposal.
I love the way McCarthy is directly in his face about his huge assumptions.
Brodsky: "A poet is, in a sense, like a bird. Starts to chirp on no matter what kind of branch he alights. Literature is much older and more inevitable a phenomenon than any state and it's going to be that way".
Plato said already that poet is a Winged thing
Fantastic! And heartbreaking that it cut when it was really heating up. Nevertheless, thank you for uploading what you had.
My God! I was building up at that point and then it got all cut out in a second!
It's on the Channel 4 website, but I can't figure out how to download it. Maybe someone from UK can, or with a proxy.
damn this was so good
where can one find the rest? I love Steiner's voice even when he gets carried away
"a great writer, in fact, doesn't need History", Brodsky (19:58)
Well, that's too woo woo for me... even if it is Brodsky.
well, he might be right that a great writer does not need history eventually, but making a great writer requires quite a material.
If only they would let Brodsky speak more. He comes off as deeper and more interesting than Steiner who sounds pretentious and self-important.
His hypothesis betrays his pseudo-intellectualism lol
Steiner is too constrained and formalistic in his argument. You can't generalize about the quality of Eastern vs Western art especially when those categories themselves aren't essential or even well defined. Wish the artists had spoken more in this conversation.
He's inexact, actually. It's a long list of hasty generalities wedded to questionable heroic straw figures
way too formalistic!
Great fragment. Too bad the remainder is missing.
Hey major what year mate.
Great debate. Incomplete. Alas.
Mc Carthy and Brodsky have the advantage of being artists as well as intellectuals who have been actively engaged in the arts and politics of their time; Steiner, who, face it was less gifted than either has the disadvantages of having had a relatively cloistered life with a captive audience of students.
As a note to your comment: in one of his last interviews, Steiner declared that the work of the smallest artist will always be far more important than that of the best critic.
@@juantorres90 I think Hero of a Thousand Faces is more important than Rebel Moon.
7:21 anyone know who this philosopher was?
A.J. Ayer?
@@freeri87 yeah, could be. Men with differing tolerances of profundity, it must be said...
4 very interesting people talking. Terrrific. Is the rest of the show lost?
I’m afraid this is all I have of it.
There is definitely an elephant in the room that everyone (all 4 of them) tries to ignore while still keeping the conversation flowing. Did anyone feel this?
George Steiner telling Brodsky and Mary McCarthy that they largely exaggerate the mysteries of writing - the nerve!!