Journal 1 - Anecdotes of Destiny

6/22/2000

Anecdotes of Destiny  by Isak Dinesen   [Note – this edition brought at Karen Blixen Museum in Denmark]

 

“The Diver”

               Seems to say so much.

               Story does not only deal with gender issues but society and philosophy as well.  Why does she [Dinesen] sometimes have tellers for her tales?  So that we can put a distrustful lawyer between us and the work?  But the narrator never seems to be untrustworthy.

               Love what Thsumu says, “You men,’ she said ‘love laws and argument and have great faith in the words that come out though your beards.  But I am going to convince you that we have a mouth sweeter debates, and a sweeter mouth for debates.  I am going to teach you how angels and men arrive at perfect understanding without argument in the heavenly”

               What would Lawrence [Note – I believe I meant DH Lawrence]  say about this passage?  Interesting how it comes out of a mouth of a woman disguised as an angel.  Sacredness in sex.  He seeks the angels above him but in a way finds them below him in the sea.

 

“Babette’s Feast”

               Shows that art comes in more than one form.  And yet, to a degree, the artist is not recognized.  General was never told Babette’s name while he was in France, was only informed that the cook was a women, surprisingly  so.  And yet isn’t cooking the dominion of women.  Is Dinesen trying to show the difference between cook and chef?  Or how food, prepared correctly, can be an enchantment?  How cooking is related to magic, imagery is like that in describing prep for a meal.  In fact, even ordinary food tastes better upon her [Babette’s] arrival.

               Interesting how Achilles want to “create” his progeny as an extension of himself.  Sees her as a voice but not as a human being.

 

“Tempests”

               Seems to deal with the idea of art as life in terms of the female.  Like Tennyson’s “Lady of Shalott” in this regard, but Malli choses her art.  Common element in some literature women can never seem to have both art and a personal life.  Possibly of expectations in regards to raising children in Victorian era. But Dinesen does not just means in terms of the female.  The example is that Malli’s teacher/employer/friend, Sorensen also experienced the same dilemma and chose his art.  Dinesen speaks in terms of the protégé learning what her mentor already knows.  Perhaps if either  must  question had been a fellow actor or an artist of any kind?

               Also deals with Malli’s turning into a woman and her dealing with fantasy v. reality.  Malli saw The Tempest as the tempest.  Learns that life is not a story or play.  Ferdinand cause the realization which leads her to break with Arrolt.

               Of the course the questions arises how biographical is the story?  If any part of the story is partly autobiographical it is the beginning with eh scenes with the mother.  But is it autobiographical?  Blixen seemed to get along well enough with her mother, e.g. the trips to Africa.  But that is always the question in regards to any work, by any author.  Take Donne’s “Canonization”.  Considering the circumstances surrounding his marriage, the poem could be a defense of it.  But no one can really know.  One can only guess.

               But back to the female and art.  Dinesen shows us that such a question is universal for both sexes, something that earlier (and some contemporary) writers never did.  It is always taken for granted that a man can have both, but a woman must always choose between life and art.  Perhaps it use to be true. (but look at Mrs. Trollope etc.) but not anymore.  Dinesen seems to be making a plea for understanding the artist in general.  The problem with both Sorensen’s and Malli’s relationships is they are with people who have no sense of the artist’s calling.  It is clear from the text and he reader realizes this before Malli, that if she marries Arrolt, she will not be able to act (in a public, presuming she would be able to act for family).  Sorenson’s wife doesn’t truly understand (or maybe she does) by her statement, “everything you’ve is for my happiness”  Hamlet does show use actors married  but married to each other (if you see women as being in the troop, KB [Kenneth Branagh]’s  version), perhaps an artist must marry someone who will understand their calling and therefore their actions.

 

“The Immortal Story”

               Contains mixture of reality and story from the last tale.  The two characters, Clay and Elishama, can’t foresee the sailor’s reaction because they don’t understand fiction.  The fact that it can’t be fulfilled negates the negative feeling.  The sailors can focus on the story without ramifications.  Elishama and Clay do not see people as people especially Clay.  The story becomes different when being played for real.

               Dinesen likes to pair/juxtapose young men with older men.

 

“The Ring”

               Shows how change can occur very quickly in a short period of time.  In the span of the story, she has aged 100 years.

 

General remarks

               In the collection as a whole, Dinesen connects the stories.

               Diver – deals with creation, change in attitude and religion

               B. Feast – creation, art, religion, human nature

               Tempests – art in terms of acting, creation, art vs life

               Immortal Story – creating, controlling more reality vs life vs art

               The Ring – fantasy vs reality.  Must leave childhood illusions behind.

 

Clay and Sorensen both seek to create in different ways.  Clay sees Virginie and Paul as his dolls but Sorensen sees Malli as a fellow actor, lacking experience.  He seeks to create her in a sense, but also lets her grow herself  In “The Tempests” and “Immortal Story” creation occurs.  Sorensen adds and refines it as it blooms in Malli, he becomes her guide, friend, and counselor.  He lets her reach her own decision.  Wants her to be his Ariel but willing to let her go if she wants.  Clays see Virginie and Paul as his playthings.  Places himself in a god-like image.  Dinesen shows us the two types of creators.

               “Diver” and “Immortal Story” both have connection with birds.  “Diver” and “Ring” deal with place in society.  “Babette” too is an creator like Sorensen, for her own as well as other people’s.  Sorenson and Babette are like every though they practice different types of art.