The Allegory of the Poem

Evidently, I am expected to post on a regular basis, though I still would rather the time spent blogging be applied to realistic, life-oriented goals (the main reason I rarely watch TV). How likely it is that I will put off blogging is pretty low considering (a) after 10-11 hours of work a day, 3-4 days a week, (plus another day or two of 5-6 hour shifts) I'm pooped - so I look to the computer (aside from books) for an outlet i.e. escape and rest, plus (b) most of the work is mindless, mind-numbing, and consumes the mind - an unfortunately necessary evil - so I need a place to express inner anguish, frustration, &c. after a hard day of work (in other words: whine, whine, whine...), and last of all (c) it becomes a place to post reminders of why I'm going through university (to avoid working at these types of the jobs in the future): to mature by studying sophisticated thought(s). For now I'll dream (at least until they crush them in grad school, right?)

For today I thought I'd provide the lengthy, but rich opening to Torquato Tasso's addendum to his great epic poem Jerusalem Delivered called "The Allegory of the Poem."

Heroic Poetry, like a living creature in which two natures are combined, is compounded of Imitation and of Allegory. With the former it attracts men’s minds and their ears, and marvellously delights them; with the latter it gives them instruction in virtue or in knowledge, or in both. And as Epic Imitation is never anything but an image and similitude of human action, so the Allegory of epics is customarily a figuring of human life. Imitation looks to those actions of man that are subject to the exterior senses; and principally busying itself about these, it seeks to represent them with words that are effective and expressive and suitable for placing clearly before our corporeal eyes the things that it represents. It does not consider the manners or passions or discourses of the mind insofar as these are intrinsic, but onlyinsofar as they issue in externals, and accompany action, manifesting themselves in speeches and gestures and deeds. Allegory, on the other hand, observes passions and opinions and manners, not merely as they are in appearance, but principally in the intrinsic sense, and expresses them more obscurely through signs that are mysterious (so to speak), and only to be understood fully by those who comprehend the nature of things. Leaving Imitation aside for the present, I shall speak of Allegory, which is our subject.

And so he goes on...explaining how his reader ought to interpret the allegory of his poem by explaining allegory. I just wish I could get my hands on a copy of Tasso's Discourses on the Heroic Poem. From what I've read and understood, this documents essentially sums up the Renaissance interpretation, and re-vision of Epic and Romance. But it'll have to wait for the future - no more money to blow on books, gotta keep priorities straight.

Heading off to bed - get to work 12:30 to 9:00 later today. Joy. Another twisted, weird day of work: oh come on, the highlight of my workday is working on the "skinning" machine. If only I could flay...well, never mind...good night.