4 ms·

I find literary discussion interesting, and I like to see articles like this occasionally appear on Hacker News. see: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=465230

by pclark 14y ago

I find literary discussion interesting, and I like to see articles like this occasionally appear on Hacker News. see: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4652309 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4652309 & http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5049352 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5049352 Also, reading Wodehouse will improve your life. Or make you smile. He's just so brilliant. I'll happily be flamed for submitting articles about such matters.

gnufied 14y ago
It is odd you call it "literary". Throughout his life I think Wodehouse was acutely aware that - his work will not be nearly as respectable as say Dostoevsky. Having read almost everything Wodehouse ever wrote (and foreword, preface whatever) - My assumption is Wodehouse will be probably amused to be considered in same league as Dostoevsky or Jane Austin. I find it sad that, comedy is not considered nearly as respectable. Jeeves would certainly do his typical cough - if an Author of comedy is considered for Nobel prize in literature.
- Evbn 14y ago
  Why is comedy unworthy?
  - gruseom 14y ago
    It's not, but it was traditionally regarded as a lower form than tragedy. For example, that's why Dante called his poem the "Comedy of Dante Alighieri" – he was doing something radical by taking the highest subject matter and putting it into the lowest form, vernacular comedy. (It didn't get called the "Divine" comedy until after he died.)
- gruseom 14y ago
  Dostoevsky wasn't particularly respectable when he got started, and Shakespeare was regarded as pop culture until the 19th century. These standards change over time. In fact, great art as often as not starts out as low and only gets deemed high culture once the prejudices of its time have worn off.
  - gnufied 14y ago
    Interesting. But have times changed though? You will have to pardon my ignorance little bit because I am a non-native speaker of English (and hence uneducated in history of English literature), but even today you rarely see a comedy getting the Pulitzer. Of course, these awards don't mean much at the end of day but I get distinct feeling that even today - Comedy is considered low brow stuff even behind Fantasy. (Both are my favourite genres btw).
  - pclark 14y ago
    Moby Dick was utterly ignored for many decades. heart breaking.
gruseom 14y ago
Hear, hear!

by pclark 14y ago

gnufied 14y ago

It is odd you call it "literary". Throughout his life I think Wodehouse was acutely aware that - his work will not be nearly as respectable as say Dostoevsky. Having read almost everything Wodehouse ever wrote (and foreword, preface whatever) - My assumption is Wodehouse will be probably amused to be considered in same league as Dostoevsky or Jane Austin. I find it sad that, comedy is not considered nearly as respectable. Jeeves would certainly do his typical cough - if an Author of comedy is considered for Nobel prize in literature.

Evbn 14y ago
Why is comedy unworthy?
- gruseom 14y ago
  It's not, but it was traditionally regarded as a lower form than tragedy. For example, that's why Dante called his poem the "Comedy of Dante Alighieri" – he was doing something radical by taking the highest subject matter and putting it into the lowest form, vernacular comedy. (It didn't get called the "Divine" comedy until after he died.)
gruseom 14y ago
Dostoevsky wasn't particularly respectable when he got started, and Shakespeare was regarded as pop culture until the 19th century. These standards change over time. In fact, great art as often as not starts out as low and only gets deemed high culture once the prejudices of its time have worn off.
- gnufied 14y ago
  Interesting. But have times changed though? You will have to pardon my ignorance little bit because I am a non-native speaker of English (and hence uneducated in history of English literature), but even today you rarely see a comedy getting the Pulitzer. Of course, these awards don't mean much at the end of day but I get distinct feeling that even today - Comedy is considered low brow stuff even behind Fantasy. (Both are my favourite genres btw).
- pclark 14y ago
  Moby Dick was utterly ignored for many decades. heart breaking.

gruseom 14y ago

Hear, hear!