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/lit/ - Literature

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13204111 No.13204111 [Reply] [Original]

Explain the Anxiety of Influence

>> No.13204737

>>13204111
Though not a difficult conceptual reality it does occur in phases and so would be impossible to detail here. But consider:
One grows up loving music has a decent voice eventually learns guitar then starts a band. One then is going TO BEGIN by covering those bands or songs or genres one loves; and further on when one begins writing and composing ones own ditties they are going to sound alot like far lesser versions of songs one's grown up loving..
And then comes the moment of self realization or 'awareness'. --I'm me, I'm different, I don't want my guitar playing to sound like a lesser version of Johnny Marr's or Sterling Morrison's! And THIS is where the phases of combating influence begins, or The Anxiety of Influence. It obtains in all of the fine arts (Bloom's book of course deals exclusively with poetry) fwiw. And though it may not occur in quite the way Bloom imagines it occurring, he was definitely on to something.
Two great antecedent texts are Montaigne's Essais and Goethe's Coversations with Eckermann (which Nietzsche thought the best book written in German). Both have lots to say about this topic.

>> No.13204843

>>13204737
Does this mean that the more art is created the more derivative it becomes? Does it mean that more extreme, avant-grade approaches are necessary to create original art? Or am I off here?

>> No.13204974

>>13204843
Yes and no. In a weird way I think it's inportant to love many things, i.e. to have many influences to mix match and combine by way of imaginary conversation with one another, etc. This requires time, patience, study WHILE AT THE SAME TIME actually living a life. Nothing fails so miserably as an avant garde movement that begins in ignorance; on the other hand, square off with your influences directly (and successfully- tall order) and youll inevitably become avant garde, like it or not! Trying to be in advance isn't necessarily being in advance. At a premium's being honest with yourself. It's not easy but it can be done because it has been done

>> No.13205026

>>13204843
Though art is derivative this period in history is like no other which is why it's important to know one's times (and live one's life). That THIS is the time youll be addressing it is what potentially makes your art distinctly different DESPITE its being derivative etc.

>> No.13205056

>>13205026
Exactly, "Pierre Menard, author of Don Quixote" deals with this

>> No.13205097

>>13205056
Damn. That Borges? Will check it out. Thanks!

>> No.13205179

>>13205026
So new art can be UNIQUE, this is all well and good, but can new art be BETTER than old art? What dismays me about Bloom is that he claims Shakespeare is the best writer and will never be surpassed. The idea that no greater literature will ever be written saddens me. What’s the point then? I feel myself caught under Bloom’s spell, but I can’t seem to find a flaw in his reasoning.

>> No.13205267

And still:

O poeta é um fingidor
Finge tão completamente
Que chega a fingir que é dor
A dor que deveras sente.

E os que lêem o que escreve,
Na dor lida sentem bem,
Não as duas que ele teve,
Mas só a que eles não têm.

E assim nas calhas de roda
Gira, a entreter a razão,
Esse comboio de corda
Que se chama coração.

>> No.13205467

>>13204111
goddamn I'm going to be so gutted when he leaves this Earth

>> No.13205507

>>13204111
People aspire to be like their idols.
But, at the same time, they want to set themselves apart from those same idols.
To do so, they struggle to achieve something greater.
Usually, they fail; but even in failure, one can be great.

>> No.13205512

>>13205179
Are (you) a playwright in verse? If not I wouldn't worry so much about this, anon. There are many other forms ripe for the surpassing; and other, newer forms just coming into existence. What will the future read, watch, become inspired by,listen to? These are the things to be intuiting now, I think.