The speculative Emerson

The Character and the human life of Ralph Emerson(1803-1882) is a speculative examination of the human life and description of behaviour that we have, fro example: “The indifference of childs, that, sure of launch, resufe as the king say of make something for the consens of somebody; this is the healty attitude of human nature. The child is the patron of society; indipendent, irresponsable, he looks about him the men and mades of society, he judges them…he calls them good, wicked, interesting, loquace, useless, nuisance…”; it is the description of childhood that veverybody has past. Other description regard the humankind is the following: “The man is prisoner of his conscience that he has of herself. If he has made or spooken cloud, he is a compromissed person, supervised from the sympathy and for hate of a thousand of persons that he hasn’t considered. There isn’t Letes fro him!”; the Letes is the river of forgetfulness, and it is the speculative way that decsribes the habit of high society but also of down society; he certainly describes the society the he can see, the American society, that was equal to every high societies. But Emerson was contemporary of Jean Jacques Rousseau(1712-1778), that evidently has influenced Emerson, and it is shows from this step: “(human gender)if it again take tha primary indipendence, in the its neutrality! The man that so have lost the ancient calm, and he continues to behave without finctions, without prejudges, without the fair, incorruptible…”; it is the theory of good wild od Rousseau, the has seen to the wild the human genuinity. But after Rousseau also Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) manifests his presence in this essay, the following step is the retake of think of german philosopher: “These are the voices that we hear in the solitude, but they become very weak when we enter to the word. Everywhere the society plots agaionst the virility of everybody. The society is as company of assicuration, whose members agree amongs them so that they have food, but through the cession of owner liberty. The virtus that it requests id conformity…”; it is Nietzsche, certainly that has taught and worked in Germany but the influence has come to Emerson, also because they were almost contemporary; and continuing: “(the society) doesn’t loves the realities and the creators, but alone the usances and the customs.”, and other step: “Who want be a man, he don’t be conformist. Who want conquer the immortal palm he not enables from the name of good, but search where the good is”; it is the Nietzsche, that with superman has thought to a man that is superior to convention, but Nietzsche has took example from Europen society, during his time; same reaction that Emerson has had but in American society.

Alessandro Lusana

 

 

   

 

  

 

     

     

 

 

 The name of author

John was a writer of theatre that have to write a script for a comedy, he has written also tragedies and he has had also success, but now he lacks of ideas or inspiration; he was in his home and he was searching something that was fit for a comedy, it was the usual creative crisis, he was seated on the table, and suddenly he got up and decided of go out, he dressed his jacket and gone out; he entered to a theatre , where were the personages of his comedies and tragedies, he seated on the chair and heard the dialogues of his personages, until one spoken  to him and he presented to John as Jordan.

Jordan: Do you  remember of me?

John: Certainly you are Alfred

Jordan: No! I am Jordan of tragedy Modern Hamlet

John: But in that tragedy isn’t somebody that has name Jordan

Jordan: In fact I am in other comedy

John: The Modern Hamlet was a tragedy, not a comedy. It is may  that the author of this script that somebody has reading now may remember this comedy, but certainly I no.

Jordan: Hamlet, What the name of author of this script?

Hamlet: Alexander, I think, but I am not sure about it, you should  aske it to  Bartholomew , he remember everything, also the clues of this comedy

Jordan(cloud): Bartholomew, where is he?

Bartholomew (from a side of scene): There I am here what is so important? That you call me through this way? If you want rob me you can’t because I haven’t money, but if you want…

Jordan(looking him) Silence , because you are the pain on the neck

Bartholomew: You must say to him, this is John, because he is the author of my comedy or tragedy, I don’t remember, John where am I?

John: In the tragedy Modern Hamlet and in the First Catilinaria

Bartholomew: Yes now I remember there  I was Cicero, and when I begun “Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patient nostra. I has been very realistic.

Jordan: What the name of this script?

Bartholomew: I don’t remember! You can ask to Elisabeth.

Jordan: Elisabeth do you remember the name of author…?

Elisabeth: (blocking him) Albert or Alfred or…Andrew.

Jordan(open a door and askes to the author): What is your name?

Author: I don’t know, you must decide it, thank you. 

Alessandro Lusana  

 Γνωθι σαυτόν trough others

The Socratic words this is the know yourself, is a motto that Socrates(b.Ch.469-399) has took from the temple of Apollo in Delphi, and he has been the first in history of philosophy, that used this advise for a knowledge of owner wit, because  you can educate yourself and know yourself that the first person that you must know, this is yourself because the first and closer person is youself that not know but the importance of Socrates is, above all, in the way that he has used this is the confront, that he has made directly to his “pupils” trough the questions that he given to everybody, because the sake was it, the knowledge of themselves, for this the questions were alone so logic, because the contradiction was the solicitation to auto knowledge, why it is important? Simple because the confront to others is fundamental to know  other and above all herself, because has Socrates the questions are necessary to know owner limit and to get over it for  to grow, it is the growth, but trough the confront is the experience for to know ourselves, why?  Because  our limit we not know, but trough the experience, h3ence the practical and external exercise, is the motive for to know until we can make something that seems difficult; we can try of overcome this difficult and solve the problems, thence we can know ourselves trough the difficult and the method that we are using that can be difficult, and in those occasions that we can know ourselves, because we can know the our reactions in front of difficult, hence we study our soul and our limits but, as Socrates, we must consider the single case that has thought to us something around our wit, and above all if we want overcome these difficult, that is the moment when we can know ourselves and above all the difficult that we must face and solve, in this occasion we can consider our interior strong and our will; thence in this moment we are studying ourselves, although unconsciously, in fact the reflection about the our reactions is always after, reflections about our courage, our intelligence and our capacity to face the difficult, hence also the capacity of our wit for to face the difficult; whereby the object of our study is ourselves, and these are the moments when we know ourselves, directly and practically, because the circumstance is real not alone theoretical and we can know also the reaction of our wit above all, thereupon the reactions that can be fair or courage. Hence Socrates has had right, and he has used other experience, that was dialogue, instead the true knowledge of ourselves occurs alone to direct experience.

Alessandro Lusana    

 

 Environment on the literature: Boccaccio

Giovanni Boccaccio(1313-1375), author of Decameron has took from the common people and other social classes in the Florence of 14^th century; in short the Decameron is a portrait of Florentine society in 14^th century; Boccaccio has took true personages, that after he has  tied to framework, but he has took the human typology or personages really existed ; the first that we can consider is the novella of Calandrino, who was he? He was a modest painter whose the name  Giovannozzo of Pierino that in this novella with others two painters, Bruno di Giovanni and Bonamico Cristofani, called Buffalmacco, truly existed, the first clue that shows the inspiration from the reality of Boccaccio, but he has took also the wit of Florence, both the liking and the joke that in Florence was present, but the wit  of then is in the following words: “Was then in Florence a young very charming and fro everything he was very cunning, called Maso del Saggio, that heard  about ingenuity of Calandrino, he proposed of amuse oneself trough some joke; this wit is typical of Florence and the cue during the meeting and everywhere is typical, hence Boccaccio have to invent very short for these novellas; also because some datum we can read on the Vasari, in the his book The life of painters, sculptors and architects where Vasari about Calandrino says: “Buonamico di Cristofano, called Buffalmacco, Florentine painter, that was pupil of Andrea Tafi and he was also burlesque, celebrated from mister Giovanni Boccaccio…”; it can be believed from the readers as the reality, but Vasari remembered one alone painting work, because in the life of Buffalmacco isn’t others, and he has said to beginning of life of Buffalmacco that his painting are in much town of Tuscany, but he told alone one painting cycle, that was deleted already during the 16^th century; hence this painter has been fitted on the guilt of doctors in year 1320, but other there isn’t, why? Because this painter lived certainly in Florence, but he not has been famous, but Boccaccio has took this character that about him, he has known in Florence; furthermore a Bruno of Jolin is mentioned in a contract in year 1301, and the other information hat Vasari has took as Boccaccio from the common knowledge but that are, regard to art, very untrustworthy ; anyway  the way that Boccaccio has followed was followed also from Vasari; hence the environment of Florentine city was an archive. A literary critic Mario Baratto has said about the Decameron: “…the historic nature of Decameron, regard to social condition of the Florentine people in the century 1300…”, he has described the people and his wit during the 14^th century.

Alessandro Lusana           

 

 The pagan wit in the Christian fields

A historical man, Carlo Ginzburg(1939-2026) has found much documents around a use very anomalous in a Italian region, Veneto, precisely around the city of Cividale, where in some far villages were uses very strange for the Christian religion, he has took the testimonies of some member of these company, called the Benandanti, this is the well walking, that were considered witchcrafts, and a father for the to save his son, because he thought has the possessed from the evil, he has searched Paul Gasparutto, because he has the fame that he follows these witchcraft, and he has fame of to be a Well walking; but the note  of principal oddness is that these rites, also violent, occurred during the night, beyond the usual tell about the dragon wings necessary to come to meeting. Some rite is described from a witness, regard a question given to a citizen: “Are you of those witchcraft?, And he said that he was a wellwalking, and every Thursday he came to a wood and there they danced, eat and drink, and when go back the wickedwalk they come to basin  drink and urine in the barrel and the wine is poured…and similar things that I don’t believe”; we tie it to framework that is agriculture, hence the protagonist are rural that confesses that they are wellwalking; inasmuch the heresy was very limited and short. Important difference from these meeting and the witchcraft meeting is the absence, as the Ginzburg has stressed, of evil, that isn’t neither mentioned, but the description of these meeting Ginzburg described: “The dark rite, witchcraft men and women that fight among them with sorgum plants and Wellwalking have fennel plant, and the antiquity or origin of this rite is attested from the valor of fennel, why? Simple because in ancient time the fennel was considered a holy plant, drugs and fortifying, and after the Marathon battle, in year 490 b.Ch., the Greek used this plant as symbol of victory; in the Christin context the beneficent effects of this plant could guarantee and rich harvest. Ginzburg describes the Wellwalking: “The Wellwalking said that they are contrapposto to witchcraft both men and woman, that they cured the victims of wicked actions of these, and they say also that they meet them in mysterious night meeting, but they can’t tell it because they are going to beat, they ride cats, hares and other animals”; it is alone a fantasy of a member of these Wellwalking, that evidently thought to be save because he said that he contrasts the witchcraft, but the condemn, if it has been, and I don’t think, because the inquisitors were culture men and intelligent, would be for their Pagan meaning; because the fight between Wellwalking and Wickedwolking, was the heritage that in ancient people was for defense of owner fields, hence owner harvest, and the meeting in the wood and the dance, drink and eat, was the celebration after a victory, that was consequently; thence these rites are is heritage from ancient customs, that then were vital, as the defense of land, but during the 16^th century was suspect, although alone partially, because I think that the inquisitor have laughed for these meeting.

Alessandro Lusana               

 

 

 Portrait of a weak: Casanova

We have herd at last one time the name of James Casanova(1725-1798) more know a lovers than other, but he has been also a writer, that written also The my life; in the first page is underlining of his catholic faithful, it is the exit of a fair of the lovers that has had a son in Venice, Lorenz,  but that has betrayed his wife alone trough the wit, because in his life never we can read about  betrayal, anyway he says: “The desperation kills; the prayer dissolves it; and after the man retake the trust and he works. The inquiry about the way that supreme being uses for to remove the imminent disgrace that has asked his aid, it is up the human intellect…”it and other lines are alone a exaltation  of God; the age advanced,  and it is fair of a old, because he written this autobiography in age of 65 old age, and the average  life during the 18^th century was among 60 and 70 years old; hence this faithful of Casanova was alone the fair; and the proof of this think is in this step: “Although the man is free he doesn’t think that he can make everything. When he is convinced to make  from a passion he becomes a slave”; it is a reproach that he given to herself  because he has loved alone trough the sentiment much women, because during the 18^th century the custom aren’t so free as today. Other step is other reproach to herself because he  writers: “The sage man is who that has the interior strong of to hold his actions until the calm…”; it is other quality that he certainly hasn’t had , as we can understand it ?Simple because he describes this type of being, and usually who speaks about some human type has envy or admiration, this case is admiration, hence Casanova shows  his weakness typical of his century, and this weakness  is reaffirmed  in these words: “…the unique method that I have used is to leave me bring where the wind has brought me”; it is the confession of a weak that followed everything without conviction, as was the his century, and the confession, now autobiographical is now: “… I has been victim of my senses…”; it likes  me always degenerate and I have lived continuously  in the error…”; it is the pure confession of a old that  very weak confesses his weakness trough these words. Regard the women the confession is very clear: “Regard the women, it has treated of reciprocal deception to not consider…”; it is a portrait of a weak man certainly, but it is also a portrait of a century that lived on the superficiality, and the French Revolution has proofed it; a century of image and safeguard of his image, that after, for the Revolution, has lost totally, because the life was other; Casanova has deceived oneself that this customs were again present, but the confessions that he has said, and that we have read are sign that he has lost every hope that his century was again that he has lived; he finally has given end to a century, of better his century. Other clue of weakness of Casanova is the following: “On the my choose of give  my life to the public that I don’t know? No. I know that I am making a folly…”; it is the evident sign that Casanova was again tied to the customs that by now were alone a memory, the morality was changed, and the century is changing; but this read  is interesting, although becomes very boring, because it given a portrait of Casanova but above all of his 18^th century.

Alessandro Lusana   

 Medieval heritage: Ulisse Aldovrandi

Ulisse Aldovrandi(1522-1605) certainly is unknown both in Italy and to abroad, he has been a doctor and naturalist man, hence a scientist; we can consider him so, but not certainly trough the rationality  that we can ascertain to scientist men and women, and this judge has determined from his book Monstrorum historya, the history of monsters; a collection of medieval fantasies, that today are laughable  but then, year 1642, were worth trust from the readers; anyway this book is a catalog of engravers of Cristoforo Coriolano(1540-?) that have followed the description of Aldovrandi, that in this book has used the Medieval sources, and it is certified from the fantasy  that he used from the authors, in this book he has also took from the ancient authors, naturally others fantasies, as Plinius(a.Ch.20-73) and his Naturalis historya, anyway Plinius tells around the black men that have the inferior lip until the thorax and these peoples are high and very black; we must consider that then the blacks were very anomalous; anyway other authors is van Wesel(1514-1564) a medical man that, in conformity to that custom has described, as Aldovrandi mentioned it,  some anatomic particular as the huge ears that from the head until the legs, some resident in Ethiopia, that have four eyes; the fantasy of Aldovrandi and others authors before to him is very conspicuous , because other step says the in island of Taprobana, the name of ancient for the actual Sri Lanka these are men that have alone eyes in head; and some other Roman author as Filvius Torquatus consul, that tells that he has seen the men that have  one eyes ; but Aoldovrandi didn’t exclude the neck, because the Tartarian people has very long neck, but also the tail is considered, because saint peter has seen men with long tails; but among much fantasies something of true can occur; this is the men that have the hirsutism, this the downy on the face, that in engravers of Coriolano are very exaggerated , that Aldovrandi calls: “Homines silvestres”, this the wild men; but Aldovrandi isn’t ce4rtainly impolite, because he mentioned  a name of woman that has hirsutism in his city this is Bologna, Italy, he says: “In this city the downy  in Bologna and it is  a race, and he has married very noble Sorani marquise…”, naturally in this step is the formal respect of nobility of man, and he didn’t leave also the hirsutism of teen , because a description  of teen  is motive for curiosity. Finally this book is alone a catalog of strange descriptions that have took from Medieval and ancient sources, that Aldovrandi has considered very reliable, naturally we must consider that the science  was developed from some side instead others was again merely medieval.

Alessandro Lusana