total eclipse
Total Eclipse
Watched Total Eclipse.
In the movie, Verlaine's wife was very, very beautiful and young. The film dealt with the image of her body in a very aestheic manner. Though the movie is mostly fiction and I have no idea if this is true or not, the confession that Verlaine loved only her body and not her soul was uncomfortable, though it served as something as a buffer for the confession he made when Rimbaud asked him to choose between his(Rimbaud's) soul and his body. Verlaine chose Rimbaud's body. The deterioration of their relationship as depicted in the movie is the fault of both sides. Whilst Verlaine started to abuse his wife and child after beginning beginning his affair with Rimbaud, he did it as the man of the marriage and as a coward. He came to Rimbaud already attached - with responsibilities and what he claimed as 'love' - physical attraction for his young wife. He was discontent with how he had to depend on his wife's family for financial support when he very well knew that he would be living a far more impoverished life without that support. He took part of this out on his wife. But mostly as an excuse to hide his possessiveness and insecurity.
Rimbaud saw weaknesses in Verlaine that he disliked - excessive drinking, weakness and clinginess. In the movie, Rimbaud openly dispised Verlaine's display of brutality towards his wife. When Verlaine said that if brutality is what is meant to be strong, then he would cared not to be strong. Rimbaud retorted that Verlaine was brutal even in his weaknesses. Rimbaud was evidently the man of the relationship, though Verlaine provided the financial aspects of their living, Rimbaud was still the focus. Verlaine did not retort when Rimbaud made jabs at his personality, nor did he rebuke Rimbaud or in any way attempt to change Rimbaud's character or outlook on life. I have a feeling that Rimbaud wanted someone that was a least a little stronger and able to be his equal.
This reminds me of my relationship with a friend during junior high. I saw her as my best friend and we were together constantly. She was (in my eyes) wild and independent natured, with a strong resolution that I longed for. I was very devoted to her and she always strove to shock me with what she would say. We became so that we could nearly anticipate what the other would say. This was when the relationship started to deteriorate. When she could no longer make me feel shock. I was always yielding and compliant to whatever she did and perhaps what she really needed was a better influence. When she grew tired of me and my reliance on her she started to insult me even more. At first I was pained by this. Later I detached myself from her, which the desired effect of her onslaught. After this she got into a nursing vocational school which she did not like and then dropped out. She would have multiple boyfriends at once. I also once saw her with another girl who seemed to be an attachement as I was as well. The girl would laugh at her jokes and seem to be her shadow. I reasoned that perhaps that was the way she was - strong and confident enough to attract these shadows. I found myself with values that were vastly different from hers, and after being detached discovered that I had not really quite agreed with everything she said. Perhaps the relationship had gone stale because I was starting to see the weaknesses in her impulsive behavior and the insecurity it implied as well. I was also not quite able to take an interest or truly support her dreams, because as a leach it was my interests that had to be satified. In the movie the relationship between Verlaine and Rimbaud was also like that in this aspect - With Verlaine unable to take an active interest in Rimbaud's dreams or in truly understanding what Rimbaud needed unless it benefitted him in his writing and in his experiencing the passion that (in Verlaine's eyes) was what Rimbaud was composed of.
Their difference in age and mentality also led them to conduct different lives after their parting. Verlaine seemed to continue mostly as he was with no vast change of character nor lessening in his love for Rimbaud. Rimbaud on the other hand seemed to 'grow up' suddenly and stopped writing, putting his hand to more profitable pursuits like starting a trading post in Africa. Verlaine lived in the past whilst Rimbaud pursued his dream of experiencing the world.
My brother hated the movie. He said it was meaningless and boring. I found it very insightful in several aspects.
Can someone tell me how to teach my brother to love to read? I would so much like my brother to enjoy the books that I do. He has hope, I believe, for when he was in fifth or sixth grade he read a great deal for the summer, but that was when I was not with him. But now he likes internet gaming. His grades are horrible. I'm worried that he'll regret it later on when he is unable to find satisfaction in school.
words of interest: Absinthe, New Caledonia
Watched Total Eclipse.
In the movie, Verlaine's wife was very, very beautiful and young. The film dealt with the image of her body in a very aestheic manner. Though the movie is mostly fiction and I have no idea if this is true or not, the confession that Verlaine loved only her body and not her soul was uncomfortable, though it served as something as a buffer for the confession he made when Rimbaud asked him to choose between his(Rimbaud's) soul and his body. Verlaine chose Rimbaud's body. The deterioration of their relationship as depicted in the movie is the fault of both sides. Whilst Verlaine started to abuse his wife and child after beginning beginning his affair with Rimbaud, he did it as the man of the marriage and as a coward. He came to Rimbaud already attached - with responsibilities and what he claimed as 'love' - physical attraction for his young wife. He was discontent with how he had to depend on his wife's family for financial support when he very well knew that he would be living a far more impoverished life without that support. He took part of this out on his wife. But mostly as an excuse to hide his possessiveness and insecurity.
Rimbaud saw weaknesses in Verlaine that he disliked - excessive drinking, weakness and clinginess. In the movie, Rimbaud openly dispised Verlaine's display of brutality towards his wife. When Verlaine said that if brutality is what is meant to be strong, then he would cared not to be strong. Rimbaud retorted that Verlaine was brutal even in his weaknesses. Rimbaud was evidently the man of the relationship, though Verlaine provided the financial aspects of their living, Rimbaud was still the focus. Verlaine did not retort when Rimbaud made jabs at his personality, nor did he rebuke Rimbaud or in any way attempt to change Rimbaud's character or outlook on life. I have a feeling that Rimbaud wanted someone that was a least a little stronger and able to be his equal.
This reminds me of my relationship with a friend during junior high. I saw her as my best friend and we were together constantly. She was (in my eyes) wild and independent natured, with a strong resolution that I longed for. I was very devoted to her and she always strove to shock me with what she would say. We became so that we could nearly anticipate what the other would say. This was when the relationship started to deteriorate. When she could no longer make me feel shock. I was always yielding and compliant to whatever she did and perhaps what she really needed was a better influence. When she grew tired of me and my reliance on her she started to insult me even more. At first I was pained by this. Later I detached myself from her, which the desired effect of her onslaught. After this she got into a nursing vocational school which she did not like and then dropped out. She would have multiple boyfriends at once. I also once saw her with another girl who seemed to be an attachement as I was as well. The girl would laugh at her jokes and seem to be her shadow. I reasoned that perhaps that was the way she was - strong and confident enough to attract these shadows. I found myself with values that were vastly different from hers, and after being detached discovered that I had not really quite agreed with everything she said. Perhaps the relationship had gone stale because I was starting to see the weaknesses in her impulsive behavior and the insecurity it implied as well. I was also not quite able to take an interest or truly support her dreams, because as a leach it was my interests that had to be satified. In the movie the relationship between Verlaine and Rimbaud was also like that in this aspect - With Verlaine unable to take an active interest in Rimbaud's dreams or in truly understanding what Rimbaud needed unless it benefitted him in his writing and in his experiencing the passion that (in Verlaine's eyes) was what Rimbaud was composed of.
Their difference in age and mentality also led them to conduct different lives after their parting. Verlaine seemed to continue mostly as he was with no vast change of character nor lessening in his love for Rimbaud. Rimbaud on the other hand seemed to 'grow up' suddenly and stopped writing, putting his hand to more profitable pursuits like starting a trading post in Africa. Verlaine lived in the past whilst Rimbaud pursued his dream of experiencing the world.
My brother hated the movie. He said it was meaningless and boring. I found it very insightful in several aspects.
Can someone tell me how to teach my brother to love to read? I would so much like my brother to enjoy the books that I do. He has hope, I believe, for when he was in fifth or sixth grade he read a great deal for the summer, but that was when I was not with him. But now he likes internet gaming. His grades are horrible. I'm worried that he'll regret it later on when he is unable to find satisfaction in school.
words of interest: Absinthe, New Caledonia
posted by Mignon Chang at 9:14 AM
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