A BOUQUET O F MOTION:
THE P R A C T I C A L S C I E N C E OF CHARLES OLSON
S u n n S h e l l e y Wong
B . A . H o n s . , S i m o n F r a s e r U n i v e r s i t y , 1981
A T H E S I S SUBMITTED I N P A R T I A L FULFILLMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE O F
MASTER O F A R T S
i n the Department
of
English
SIMON F R A S E R U N I V E R S I T Y
A u g u s t 1986
A l l r i g h t s reserved.
T h i s work may n o t be
reproduced i n whole o r i n p a r t , by photocopy
o r -other means, w i t h o u t p e r m i s s i o n of t h e a u t h o r .
APPROVAL
NAME :
Sunn Shelley Wong
DEGREE:
M.A.
TITLE OF THESIS:
A Bouquet of Motion:
English
The Practical Science of Charles Olson
Exami n i ng Commit tee:
Chai man:
Dr. C h i n Banerjee
-
Dr. Robin Blaser
Senior Supervi sor
Dr. Roy M i ki
Dr. Peter Quartermai n
External Exami ner
Assoc,iate Professor of Engl i sh , UBC
ii
I
.
Date Approved:
August 11 , 1986
I twr.ct,y gr'anl
Ic,
Simon
f ~ . i l . ; e iU n i v e r s i t y
the right t o lend
my thc-ii!,, ptoJcct or cxtcrrdcd essay ( t h e title of which i s shown below)
to u w r s
of
tho Simon F r a s o r U n i v c r s i ty L i b r a r y , and to make p a r t i a l or
Abstract
Throughout
his
writing
life,
Charles
II
Olson
repeatedly
to Heraclitus's statement that
that
which he is most familiarw--the "familiar,"
with
7I
came
back
man is estranged from
in
case, being the practice of ourselves in the world.
In an effort
to
establish
counter
discipline
and,
this
that
estrangement, Olson
would allow us
from there,
and
sought
to
to be reborn inside
the
a
world
to take up once again the formal possibilities
responsibilities
of
a
human
life.
What
he
I
this
I
f
l
1
to !
hoped
accomplish was, in fact, a science of human being
Three
ject
of the operative terms of that science form the
of this thesis.
terms
are
taken
knowledge but,
Olson's
"human
suggest
that
respectively,
not
They are topos,
as static
tropos and typos.
or
rather, as tensors and vectors of the physis
of
these
the
terms
At the
can
risk
initially
coherence of space,
of
be
hypostatizing,
understood
I
as,
the motions of the self,
--
and the expression of the human.
of
These
experience
universe. "
categories
sub-
/
/-
Viewed as a single concrescent
- .
action, these three terms are, in Olson's work,
the will to live--"will" being,
for Olson,
"the innate volunta-
rism of to live . . . the infinitive of being."
tive science,
the flowering of
No mere descrip-
this "practical" science offers not only a way
of
understanding human process, but also a way of enacting it.
The
operations
aesthetic.
An
of this science also form the basis
examination
of the first volume of
iii
of
an
The Maximus
Poems
reveals how those operations are translated into a
practice.
poetics
the
I n outlining the relation between the science and the
and poetry,
I draw on Olson's lectures and essays
period 1950-1968.
active
restate
poetic
I n recognizing and in making use of
from
the
dimensions of these three words, Olson has been able
the problem of man's estrangement in terms that actually
map a way back into the world.
I
I
d
Table of Contents
Title Page
.
Approval Page
-
Abstract .
Key to Abbreviations .
Introduction: A Science of Human Business .
Notes
.
Chapter One: T h e Architectonics of Hunger
Notes
.
.
Chapter Two: T h e Physics of Responsibility
Notes
.
Chapter Three: T h e Archaeology of Expression
Notes
.
Conclusion
.
Notes
.
Bibliography
.
Key to Abbreviations of Works Cited
Works by Charles Olson:
AP
-
Additional Prose
HU
-
Human Universe and Other Essays
LFO Letters for Origin
MP
-
The Maximus Poems
(Ed. George Butterick)
0
Olson: The Journal of the Charles Olson Archives
PT
-
"Poetry and Truth" in Muthologos I1
"SD" "A Syllabary for a Dancer" in Maps No.4
SVH
The Special View of History
TMP The Maximus Poems
-
Secondary Works:
BPF Between Past and Future - Hannah Arendt
Guide
Key
A Guide to the Maximus Poems of Charles Olson
But terick
A Key to Whitehead's
Sherburne
Themis
Process
and
Reality
-
George
- Ed.
Donald
Themis: A Study of the Social Origins of Greek Religion Jane Ellen Harrison
Introduction:
A Science of Human Business
/ Can one restate man in any way to repossess him of
[ his dynamic?
Charles Olson - Human Universe
In
the
Spring of 1953 at Black Mountain
Olson delivered a series of lectures
of the New Sciences of Man.
the
College,
u'v
Charles
that launched the Institute
Through his choice of epigraph
Institute lectures, he pointed up his sense of what was
stake in these lectures.
is
1
The quotation is from Heraclitus,
for
at
and
one that came to be well-used by Olson throughout his writing
life:
("Man is estranged from that with which he is most
1
familiar.',!
The lectures set out to challenge "the present state
of knowledge" which had given rise to that estrangement, and
put
forward some working terms for a new science that would
to
re-
admit the familiar:
It is . . . [no] longer any gain to pose the
Socrates injunction. Another one is in order
if you are to begin to know: it is this one,
"Admit yourself . "
~ n with
d
that I turn scientist. (0
- 10, 71)
In a later lecture called "THE AREA,
and the DISCIPLINE of,
TOTALITY," Olson elaborates on his task:
My present purpose is to attack estrangement, to
suggest an alternative, to declare another field.
I mean, a distinguishable and definable area of
experience which has to be called totality, I
suggest, simply because it is all of everything
there is to know and to feel; and that to inhabit
it and to act from and by it takes a discipline as
describable and as useful as the area itself.
(0
- 10, 95)
This
discipline
of
totality stands in opposition
to
received
notions
of
scientific
nineteenth-century
method,
positivism
particularly
which
viewed
the
the
legacy
of
function
of
science as primarily that of ascertaining facts and framing laws.
Olson's criticisms of this reductive me'thod can be heard in
following
comments
the
Alfred North Whitehead (one of Olson'sself-acknowledged companions in thought 2 )--Whitehead is speaking
here
of one
science'I3.
of
of
the
II
general
danger[s]
inherent
in modern
[Science's] methodological procedure is exclusive
and intolerant . . . It fixes attention on a definite
group of abstractions, neglects everything else, and
elicits every scrap of information aed theory which
is relevant to what it has retained.
4
For Olson, this exclusivity was a desertion of the real, and this""
mode
of
abstracting
"celibacy
was
the only expression
available
of the intellect which is divorced from
contemplation
of
complete
facts."5
His own
the
to
a
concrete
unders-tanding of
science had put down other roots:
My joy of science is such, I am apt to forget
most people have a double-trouble: they are
either captive of its mechanisms (unable to see
.how Heisenberg restored science to man) or they
are full of the old religion-art suspicion of i t
as the robber of the lustre of the day-dreams of
- 10, 21)
man . . . (0
In
the
project to locate and to determine the inclusiveness
the familiar, Olson would be a scientist as Heisenberg was.
particular,
t1
it
was
Werner
~eisenberg's discovery
of
of
In
the
Uncertainty Principle" which was of seminal importance to Olson,
and to many other writers and thinkers of the twentieth
In his research, as noted by Hannah Arendt:
century.
Heisenberg showed conclusively that there is a
definite and final limit to the accuracy of all
measurements obtainable by man-devised instruments
for those "mysterious messengers from the real
world." The uncertainty principle "asserts that
there are certain pairs of quantities, like the
position and velocity of a particle, that are
related in such a way that determining one of
them with increased precision necessarily entailg
determining the other one with reduced precision.
For Olson, i t must have seemed as if his own human processes were
being
named
messengers.
and
to
human
in
' 1
- the
name,
II
[their] life.
lt7
of
I
and
the
the
observe
Or, as Olson
fundamental
noted
error
of
In
the background,
as
plainly,.
descriptive
necessary
one
can
hear
"Give me a place to stand and I can move
In another context,
the
in an essay called "The Conquest of
Stature of Man," Hannah Arendt
Kafka's comments
home
The
observation.
Archimedes saying:
Space
to
lies in its need to postulate a stoppage as a
condition
world.I
"those mysterious
you [fail] to get what you are after--so far
stop." 8
can' t
science
of
In attempting to stop things in order
beings go,
"[y]ou
unceasing activity
draws
on
Franz
on the Archimedean project in order
to
drive
despair and the horror of cleaving to
such
arbitrary
"givens" as the necessity of "objective" distance:
Man, he said "found the Archimedean point but
he used i t against himself; it seems that he
was permitted to find it only under this condition. (BPF 278)
Space
travel was but the climactic movement of a
estrangement
questioning
Against
that
of
had
the
been earlier authorized
truth-revealing capacity of
trajectory
by
of
Descartes's
man's
this impulse which would move us "off the earth
senses.
to
the
universe"(0
storing
earth.
10,
16),
O l s o n p e r c e i v e d h i s p r o j e c t a s one of r e -
the familiar,
of r e s t o r i n g t h e p r a c t i c e of man
on
the
I n o r d e r t o r e t u r n t o t h e w o r l d , one had t o a p p r e h e n d t h e
dynamic
character
process
itself:
o f l i f e i n a way t h a t would n o t a l i e n a t e
the
hence O l s o n ' s r e c o g n i t i o n t h a t " [ t l h e r e ' s
only
9
one t h i n g you c a n do a b o u t k i n e t i c , r e - e n a c t
use
In
the third Institute lecture,
of
such
consequences
it.
Olson b e g i n s t o d e f i n e h i s
words a s " k i n e t i c , " a n d t o draw
of
the
II
changed a t t e n t i o n s o f t h e
out
further
recent
the
physics
where t h e f o c a l p o i n t i s
. . [ n l o t a n y l o n g e r s o much t h e c o n s t i t u e n t s
o f t h i n g s a s t h e i r g e h a v i o r s : e g . t r o p i s m s , any
f o r c e s , whether i n n a t e t o t h e organism o r i n n a t e
t o i t s - e x p e r i e n c e ( t h u s f o r c e s from t h e o u t s i d e on
i t ) t h u s d n a m i c s , e s p e c i a l l y t h a t b r a n c h of i t
which i s +
c a l ed r
k i n et i c s ( f r dynasthai = to be able)
( e v e n a u n i t o f f o r c e i n p h y s i c s c a l l [ e d ] dyne)
-
-
The p h y s i c s o f m o t i o n h a s had some u n r e c o g n i z e d
o r u n a d m i t t e d human c o n s e q u e n c e s . . .
What I am s a y i n g i s t h a t t h e p h y s i - c a l laws
have come home t o man--& d e c i s i v e l y , & h a v e del i b e r a t e l y i n v o l v e d him i n d i s c o v e r i n g t h e p h y s i c s
of h i s own m o t i o n s .
(0 1 0 , 17)
In
b
t r y i n g t o f i n d a l a n g u a g e e q u a l t o t h e demands of a
new
r"
s c i e n c e o f man, O l s o n r e c o g n i z e d t h a t " [ n l o o l d v o c a b u l a r i e s w i l l
do"
(0 10,
appropriates
1 9 ) .j
Confronted w i t h t h e need t o b e g i n
certain
t e r m s from p h y s i c s a n d b i o l o g y
again,
but
t h a t , f o r t h e moment, t h e y t o o must r e m a i n t e n t a t i v e :
And my r e a s o n i s a c a r e f u l o n e - - t h a t j u s t e x a c t l y
t h e a n i m a t i o n o f t h e human t h i n g , t h e p r e d i c a m e n t
t h a t we a r e t h e l i v i n g o r g a n i s m we o u r s e l v e s a r e
d e f i n i n g , t r y i n g t o g e t a t t h e t r u t h o f t h e motion
o f , makes n e c e s s a r y a complimentary [ s i c ] p r i n c i p l e t o t h a t u n c e r t a i n t y one of Werner Heisenb e r g ' s ( a s of n a t u r a l science)--what I have e l s e -
he
notes
#
?$
where c a l l e d t h e c a l l e d - f o r p r i n c i p l e of c o n j e c t ure--that allowance t h a t b e p r a c t i c e of t h e
s c i e n c e o f man i s t o o new t o y e t b e s u r e o u r
nouns f o r i t s s t a t e s a r e a d e q u a t e , t h e s t a t e s
t h e m s e l v e s a r e s o v e r b a l ! (0 10, 18)
L a t e r on i n t h e l e c t u r e , h e n o t e s t h a t
The s t a t e m e n t o r l a n g u a g e problem i s a d e v i l i s h
one, & . . . I t a k e i t i t i s t h e c r u c i a l one:
w e ' l l n o t be e n g a g i n g o u r s e l v e s w i t h t h e t o t a l i t y
o f t h e problem o f t h e phenomenon o f man ( & be
moving toward a s c i e n c e of same) i f we d o n ' t a d m i t ,
from t h e s t a r t , t h a t t h e l a n g u a g e p r o p e r t o same
i s y e t t o be d i s c o v e r e d .
(0 10, 19)
T h i s s e a r c h f o r a u s a b l e v o c a b u l a r y a l w a y s remained a c r u c i a l one
f o r Olson,
terms
I
1
I
and t h r o u g h o u t h i s w r i t i n g ,
repeatedly,
strawberries,
"pick[ing
I
I
t h e m ] . over
k e e p a l l r o t o u t o f t h e s h o r t c a k e " (0 10, 19).
w i l l b e working w i t h t h r e e s u c h t e r m s .
trinity,
the
they
thinking.
-This
not
in
they a r e topos
of
-
continue
to
"the
inseparable
, t r o p o s ,* a n d t y p o s .
figure
1959 " L e t t e r t o
prominently
in
From
~laine
Olson's
i s n o t t o s a y t h a t t h e f o r c e of t h e s e terms
the
those
earlier writing.
terms
i s an
The
writer's
ability to get
implicit
instance
d e s c r i b e d on a n o t h e r o c c a s i o n a s t h a t
is
as
In this thesis, I
Taken a s a n
t h e y f i r s t a p p e a r i n t h e May,
Feinstein,"
presence
careful
t h e s e t e r m s s e t o u t t h e dynamics of t h e p r o c e s s a n d t h e
time
felt
as
new
t o g e t a n y o l d h u l l s o f a t t a c h m e n t o f f 'em, and t o
s c i e n c e o f human b e i n g :
I
we f i n d him t e s t i n g
11
of
what
and
was
active
Olson
has
m a r v e l o u s maneuver," which
will
ass-backwards--in
that
wonderful
s e n s e t h a t one d o e s what one knows b e f o r e one knows
10
One i s l e d by words a s much a s one l e a d s them.
what one d o e s . I I
I
In
the "Feinstein" l e t t e r ,
Olson s u g g e s t s t h a t t h e y c a n be
5
taken
simply
II
as
- 98).
know" (HU
can
connection,
the
"is
the
As well,
"built in" t o t h i s t r i o
t o Cosmos" (HU
- 98).
t o cosmos o r w o r l d ,
that
It i s t h e r e , i n
i n t h e achievement
of
the
t h e s e t e r m s c a n b e t a k e n most u s e f u l l y and
most
I n t h i s s t u d y , they w i l l be taken n o t a s monolithic
fruitfully.
markers
one
i n each of u s ,
connection
familiar,
P l a c e ( t o p o s p l u s o n e ' s own b e n t p l u s w h a t
of t h e b o u n d a r i e s of O l s o n ' s system of t h o u g h t ,
c o n s t i t u t i v e moments o f a d v a n c e i n t o a w o r l d o f f o r m .
but
as
That i s t o
say, I take t h e s e terms n o t a s cornerstones of systematic thought
but a s t h e l i f e of s t r u c t u r e i t s e l f .
Because t h e s e terms do n o t
reveal themselves a s d i s c r e t e f u n c t i o n s ,
up
individually
prove
w i t h i n t h e framework o f a n a c a d e m i c
troublesome.
perhaps,
even
comments
by
t h e t a s k o f t a k i n g them
Some
desirable.
Olson
overlaps
will
I n any c a s e ,
a s a reminder of
be
can
unavoidable
I offer the
their
study
desired
and,
following
unity--the
p a s s a g e i s t a k e n from t h e 1968 l e c t u r e " P o e t r y and Truth":
. . . t h e r e h a s b e e n now f o r n i n e y e a r s , t h r e e
w o r d s t h a t h a v e c o n s t a n t l y f o r c e d me down, o r
k e p t me i n , o r p o s s i b l y s t e a d i e d me . . . I g e t
i n t h a t marvelous problem of which, l i k e a n
assortment of c a n d i e s , which one I w i l l t a k e
f i r s t . And I d o n ' t r e a l l y c a r e , b e c a u s e I c a n ' t
g e t away f r o m a n y o f t h e m . [ll]
In
topos.
the
As
f i r s t chapter,
other
agreement h e r e ) ,
then,
I w i l l take up t h e i s s u e
c r i t i c s h a v e n o t e d ( a n d I am
The
in
12
topos can be taken a s s p a c e , p l a c e o r ground.
Where I b e g i n t o d i f f e r w i t h t h i s c o r r e l a t i o n
orientation.
essentially
of
i s i n t h e angle of
i s s u e goes back t o O l s o n ' s u n c e r t a i n t y
about
t h e a d e q u a c y o f o u r n o u n s f o r t h e many s t a t e s a n d s t a n c e s a n y
of
us i s .
that
Because
topos
be
It
t h e s t a t e s themselves a r e s o v e r b a l , " I sugges
taken
primarily a s
a
principle
of
d i r e c t e d toward a n a c t i v e p o s s i b i l i t y o f c o h e r e n c e .
say,
place,
extension
That i s
to
s p a c e and ground a r e a l w a y s i n t h e p r o c e s s o f b e i n g
achieved.
I w i l l b e examining how t o p o s c a n b e made a n d unmade.
The
section
first
Patter,
o f C h a p t e r One w i l l d e a l
particularly,
objectively
given
the
world
way
and
in
our
largely
which
the
concomitant
culturally
sanctioned
erase
v e r y image o f t o p o s from human memory.
the
forms o f s u b j e c t i v i s m
with
loss
the
of
descent
work
an
into
together
to
Living i n
t i m e when " d i s t r a c t i o n h-ad become a t t r a c t i v e t o s o many,
.-- _ _ t o o k on t h e work o f r e s i s t i n g a n d o f c o u n t e r i n g t h e
a
-+-
--a
/
i
d i s p e r s i o n of a l a n g u a g e ,
engagement
a p o l i t i c s and a n
growing
His
epistemology.
w i t h t o p o s was u l t i m a t e l y a m a t t e r of l a y i n g b a r e f o r
h i s f e l l o w c i t i z e n s t h e n e c e s s i t y of t h e i r c o n n e c t e d n e s s , t o each
\other
-
-
and t o t h e e a r t h .
_.---
--we-"
-4
The s e c o n d c h a p t e r w i l l f o c u s on t r o p o s a n d ,
on
i n particular,
how i t r e v e a l s i t s e l f a s a method o f c o m p o s i t i o n i n t h e
11
Tyrian
II
turning. II
Businesses.. I I
In r e l a t i o n t o topos,
extension.
Tropos
respond
to
and
attention
subsequent
into
would
Tropos d e r i v e s from t h e Greek
to
the
points
act.
demand
intention,
t h e world.
formulate
or,
poetry,
of world i s
the
as
need
desire
for
to
maximal
fundamental
as
the
method a n d d i r e c t i o n o f o n e ' s a c t i n g
The s u b j e c t - o b j e c t r e l a t i o n s h i p
as
means
i t becomes t h e m o t i v e f o r c e o f
t o t h e c a p a c i t y and t h e
In the
and
poem
object-object)
7
is
conceived
(which
as
Olson
one
of
iI
reciprocity:
Responding to the environment, being able to answer
it, is life itself. Whatever engenders a particular
response of the organism in a specific situation
. . . is the center of its life. This is what at
a higher level of complexity, in human beings, is
called the self. Conceived in this way, self is
less a metaphysical abstract than the basic fact
of life. Self also has no meaning "in itself,I I
for without the environment to engage and test its
capacity
respond, it would have no living existence.
The
notion
forward
of
answerability suggested by
this
passage
draws
another dimension of tropos--that of the morality of our
intent ions :
What man is (as against nature's) is his own ordering of his motion--and is there any truer way of
stating the present beauty of morality? For the
lovely human thing is the presence of the will in
- 10, 17)
us to form (0
The will,
in attending to its formal responsibilities, can never
forget that there is a world 'to answer to.
For Olson, the issue
of imperatives--"There are these.necessities / are bigger than we
are"15--and our obedience to them, underlies all three of
these
terms,
In typos,
the subject of the third chapter,
is a will to expression.
that
typos
registering
art is
can
be
In Olson's Push, Sherman Paul suggests
taken as
one's force."16
to "express
the imperative
the
act
For Olson,
of
"imprinting, [or,]
one of the purposes
- 10,
the thing felt" (0
58).
of
"Don't be to4
quick to forget," Olson cautions,
how much our reporting of what we do, say, hear, feel
is the action of our love & life, at least is the act
of i t so far as we can get i t anywhere where we can
deal with i t as a thing in existence & experienced--
t h a t e x p r e s s i o n , i n whatever form, t h a t d e s i r e : t o
communicate, i s more t h a n j u s t s o m e t h i n g a f t e r w a r d s
i s i t s e l f s o embedded i n what we d o , s a y , h e a r , s e e ,
f e e l t h a t compulsion, t o t e l l . (0 1 0 , 64-65)
--
In
suggesting t h a t expression i s
afterwards,"
ontological
Olson
puts
function;
forward
that
is,
analysis,
what is s a i d " (0 10,
Olson
led
is
mythology,
into
two
forms
o p e r a t i n g on t h e
of H i s t o r y ,
of
b a s i s of
more t h a n j u s t
idea
of
Holding t o t h i s
engagement
experience
expression
is, in the
- -i s
"what
65).
something
final
belief,
with
history
and
he
perceived
as
which
"what i s s a i d . "
as
In
"History i s s t o r y .
The S p e c i a l View
I t means n o t h i n g
H e r o d o t u s was t h e f i r s t t o u s e t h e word .
he used i t a s a verb:
- 26).
t e l l " (SVH
one
lifelong
Olson w r i t e s :
e l s e a s a noun.
and
a
the
II
t o find out f o r yourself.
Then
you
And t h e n you a r e t o l d ; o r , s i m p l y , you a r e .
of t h e I n s t i t u t e l e c t u r e s ,
In
O l s o n s p e a k s o f t h e etymology o f
t h e word "mythology" :
I t i s a c u r i o u s word, was, even w i t h t h e Greeks.
For i t i s e s s e n t i a l l y made up of two nouns r e s t i n g
on two v e r b s & b o t h o f t h e same meaning, e x c e p t
t h a t one i s i n t h e a c t i v e & t h e o t h e r i n t h e p a s s i v e
v o i c e . Muthos & Logos. And t h e s t r a i g h t e s t &
s i m p l e s t translation t u r n s o u t t o b e t h e most u s e f u l of a l l :
TO SPEAK ( l e g e i n ) of WHAT I S SAID (mythos)
- _@ - l o 3 62)
/-
" n a r r a t i v e i t s e l f i s t h e r e a l i t y " (0 10,64),
\
t h e n h i s t o r y and
\
mythology become o f u s e t o O l s o n a s p r a c t i c a l o n t o l o g i e s , a s ways
of
simultaneously
p e r f o r m i n g a n d knowing o n e ' s b e i n g .
moment
one t e l l s o n e ' s t a l e ,
typos,
"the
one a c h i e v e s i n O l s o n ' s
s t a n d i n g c o n d i t i o n of .
.
sense
i
[the] substantiv
\
k j e c t
.-
t'he
At
o r m a n i f e s t o r s o l i d o r m a t e r i a l " (PT
- 34) o f o n e ' s
'
of
or
o b j e c t o f o n e ' s l i f e i s now o u t t h e r e ,
The
taken
up
by
others
i n t h e process
of
t o be
their
used,
own
to
be
historical
f u n c t i o n i n g ; i t h a s b e e n made a v a i l a b l e f o r d e s i r e .
In
p u t t i n g forward t h e s e terms,
Olson's
thinking
reading
of
can be s o r e a d i l y
packaged.
suggesting
Even
t h e w r i t i n g s w i l l r e v e a l t h a t t h e thought
develop i n any r e c t i l i n e a r ,
such
I am n o t
hypostatization.
labile for that.
As
single
does
not
s y s t e m a t i c f a s h i o n t h a t would p e r m i t
well,
t h e terms themselves a r e
The p r i n c i p l e o f g r o w t h ,
of q u i t e a n o t h e r o r d e r .
a
that
too
i n t h i s instance, i s
For Olson,
c o n f u s i o n i s o n l y t h e most impeccable o r d e r i n g o f
g r o w i n g t h i n g s s o t h a t e a c h won' t b e a t o u t t h e
o t h e r , s o t h a t p e s t s o f one w i l l be p r e v e n t e d from
c r o s s i n g o v e r t h e t a n g l e a n d g e t t i n g a t o t h e r rows
o f t h e s a m e , s o t h a t t h e s o i l w i l l b e renewed a n d
renewed f r o m t h e i r r e g u l a r i t y o f t h e p l a n t i n g , s o
t h a t t h e r e w i l l b e o n e h u g e r o o t c a n come o u t l i k e
t h e moon t o r e o u t o f t h e e a r t h .
(0 1 0 , 71)
The
e f f o r t of t h i s s t u d y ,
planting.
then,
w i l l be t o c u l t i v a t e one
such
Notes t o I n t r o d u c t i o n
5
C h a r l e s O l s o n , " ~ e g i n n i n go f 3 r d ~ n s t , O~l s ~o n , N o . 1 0 ,
( F a l l 1978), p.
19.
T h i s i s s u e of t h e Olson J o u r n a l w i l l
h e r e a f t e r be c i t e d i n t h e t e x t a s 0 10.
.
'
R o b i n B l a s e r , i n h i s a r t i c l e "The V i o l e t s : C h a r l e s 0 l s o n .
a n d A l f r e d N o r t h W h i t e h e a d . " n o t e s t h a t O l s o n names W h i t e h e a d
Im
I
y g r e a t m a s t e r a n d t h e c o m p a n i o n o f my poems." L i n e No.2
-,
( F a l l l983), p . 71.
A l f r e d North Whitehead,
S c i e n c e a n d t h e Modern W o r l d ,
( 1 9 2 5 ; r p t . New York: The F r e e P r e s s , 1 9 6 / ) , p . 2 0 0 .
'
Whitehead, S c i e n c e , p . 200.
Whitehead, Science, p . 197.
Hannah A r e n d t ,
Between P a s t a n d F u t u r e ,
(1954; r p t .
Harmondsworth: P e n g u i n Books, 1 9 7 7 ) , p . 2 7 6 . H e r e a f t e r c i t e d i n
the text a s BPF.
C h a r l e s O l s o n , "Human U n i v e r s e , " i n Human U n i v e r s e a n d
o t h e r e s s a y s , (New York: G r o v e P r e s s , l 9 6 7 ) , p . 1 0 . The e n t i r e
=me
of e s s a y s w i l l h e r e a f t e r be c i t e d i n t h e t e x t a s HU.
C h a r l e s O l s o n , The S p e c i a l View of H i s t o r y ,
(Berkeley:
Oyez, 1 9 7 0 ) , p . 4 2 . H e r e a f t e r c l t e d l n t h e t e x t a s SVH.
C h a r l e s O l s o n , " P o e t r y a n d T r u t h , 11
(Bolinas:
Four Seasons F o u n d a t i o n , l 9 7 9 ) ,
w i l l h e r e a f t e r be c i t e d i n t h e t e x t a s PT.
i n M u t h o l o g o s , I1
p . 34. This l e c t u r e
.
l o C h a r l e s O l s o n , i n Ann C h a r t e r s , O l s o n / M e l v i l l e : A S t u d y
i n Af f i n i t y , ( B e r k e l e y : O y e z , 1 9 6 8 ) , p . 8 6 .
l1 C h a r l e s
( B o l i n a s : Four
in the text a s
O l s o n , " P o e t r y and T r u t h , " i n Mutholo o s
S e a s o n s F o u n d a t i o n , 1 9 7 9 ) -, p- . t
P
T.
-
cited
n
T h i s p a r t i c u l a r c o r r e l a t i o n h a s b e e n p u t f o r w a r d by Don
Byrd i n C h a r l e s O l s o n ' s Maximus,
(Urbana: U n i v e r s i t y of I l l i n o i s
P r e s s , 1 9 8 0 ) , p . 1 6 8 ; a n d by Sherman P a u l i n O l s o n ' s P u s h , (Ba-ton
Rouge: L o u i s i a n a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 7 8 ) , p . 3 3 .
lL
l 3 C h a r l e s O l s o n , "Maximus t u r n s , I I i n O l s o n , No.6 ( F a l l
l976), p. 57. This i s s u e of t h e Olson J o u r n a l w i l l h e r e a f t e r be
0 6.
cited i n the text as l4 Katerina Clark,
Michael Holquist ,
Mikhail Bakhtin,
(Cambridge: Harvard U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 8 4 ) , p . 6 6 .
l5 Charles
Olson,
The Maximus Poems,
(New
York:
J a r g o n I C o r i n t h Books, l96O), p . 4 1 . H e r e a f t e r c i t e d i n t h e t e x t
as TMP.
l 6 P a u l , O l s o n ' s push, p . 34.
C h a p t e r One:
The A r c h i t e c t o n i c s o f Hunger
. . . i n necessity, fellow c i t s ?
necessity?
TMP 6 4
what i s y o u r
/
. .
a n y o f u s who s t a y i g n o r a n t o f how we a r e
what we a r e i n a n d by o u r b o d i e s i s n o t s u f f i 0 1 0 , 70
ciently alive. /
p-
. . . COMPANY, what we a l l k e e p r i g h t now (why
d o we, b o t h e r a b o u t a n y o t h e r human b e i n g , why do
we s e e k o u r f e l l o w s ' company, what good i s i t - a g a i n : what makes u s want t o ?
T h a t we d o w i t h what t h e y d i d w i t h , a n d d o i n &
for--or a t l e a s t g i v e t o , our f e l l o w s : i s t h e r e
a n y more t h a n t h e s e two t h i n g s w h i c h m o t i v a t e
anything behind t h i s i n s t a n t , o r ahead o r i t ,
a n y t h i n g- ?
hungry a f t e r
my own k i n d , h e s d . T h a t ' s a l l , t h a t w i l l . And
t h e best--and h a r d e s t t h i n g i s - - t o admit i t a s a
w i l l , a h u n g e r w h i c h we a r e . And l e t i t b e t h a t ,
and n o t c a u s e , o r e n d , n o t a n y m e t a p h y s i c s . L e t
i t b e what i t i s a s s u f f i c i e n t e v i d e n c e , s u f f i cient motivation.
0 1 0 , 25
-
f
-.
0 , t h e y were h o t f o r t h e world they l i v e d i n ,
t h e s e Maya, h o t t o g e t i t down t h e way i t was-t h e way i t i s , my f e l l o w c i t i z e n s .
HU 1 5
-
I n "The P r e s e n t i s P r o l o g u e , " a n a u t o b i o g r a p h i c a l
first
published
in
1955,
statement
Olson w r i t e s o p t i m i s t i c a l l y
of
a b i l i t y of t h e p r e s e n t t o c o u n t e r t h e estrangements of t h e
his
past:
a f t e r t h e d i s p e r s i o n " and " [ t l h e w i l l t o
1
. i s what I s e e i n u s , i n now. 11
Four y e a r s l a t e r i n
i s t h e morning,
cohere .
II
the
Letter,
.
May
2,1959,"
the
optimism h a s
been
tempered:
"the
present / is worse give nothing
ver
(E
150).
however,
to
Olson's
now your credence / start all o-
belief in the
had its own resilience.
Elaine
Feinstein,"
he
possibility of coherence,
That same month in the "Letter
took steps to "start
all
over"
by
introducing a new set of terms with which to re-engage the world:
topos,
typos,
and
tropos.
The
first of those
terms,
topos
(first, that is, only by order of discussion, not by way of any
- 33) .
hierarchy of value) means, in one sense, I's i-rrlp.1~-+Lace"(PT
--
given
- __-
by
one's relation to amground.
-
-
-
(.
But
_--- -place_-itself is not so easily known
For Olson, place
And that
is
relation
will I
toward
the \I
I
either
be
familiar
or
estranged.
The
drive
!
i
achievement of a familiar ground, whether it be physical, social
1
/
or epistemological, stems from hunger as our first condition. iI
f
When
\
\
that
complete.
\
condition itself is
/
obscured,
the
estrangement
is/i
/--
Topos,
then, mo?~~t-h~-~SimP_lY.
p lace," is a shared
fc-'
condk Ion that is made, not found.
In
/
the context of man's present estrangements,
of that hunger is clear:
L
related
Hannah
such
context,
Arendt
a loss,
quote
it is a world that has been lost.
--
--- - -
in an essay called "The Concept
of
including what has been offered in its
at some length here because I believe Arendt's
elsewhere
examination
Olson's work:
of
In a
History,"
ably outlines the extent and the implications
of our relation to both nature and history,
and
the object.
in
her essay,
helps to set
place.
of
I
discussion
both in this passage
the
the historical and philosophical
stage
for
an
dimensions
of
\
The modern a g e , w i t h i t s growing worlda l i e n a t i o n , h a s l e d t o a s i t u a t i o n where man,
wherever h e g o e s , e n c o u n t e r s o n l y h i m s e l f . A l l
t h e p r o c e s s e s o f t h e e a r t h a n d t h e u n i v e r s e have
r e v e a l e d t h e m s e l v e s e i t h e r a s man-made o r a s
p o t e n t i a l l y man-made.
These p r o c e s s e s , a f t e r h a v i n g
devoured, a s i t were, t h e s o l i d o b j e c t i v i t y of t h e
g i v e n , ended by r e n d e r i n g m e a n i n g l e s s t h e one o v e r a l l p r o c e s s which o r i g i n a l l y was c o n c e i v e d i n o r d e r
t o g i v e meaning t o them, and t o a c t , s o t o s p e a k ,
a s t h e e t e r n a l t i m e - s p a c e i n t o which t h e y c o u l d a l l
f l o w a n d t h u s b e r i d o f t h e i r m u t u a l c o n f l i c t s and
e x c l u s i v e n e s s . T h i s i s what happened t o o u r c o n c e p t
o f h i s t o r y , a s i t happened t o o u r c o n c e p t o f n a t u r e .
I n t h e s i t u a t i o n of r a d i c a l w o r l d - a l i e n a t i o n , n e i t h e r
h i s t o r y n o r n a t u r e i s a t a l l c o n c e i v a b l e . T h i s twof o l d l o s s of t h e world . . . has l e f t behind i t a
s o c i e t y o f men who, w i t h o u t a common w o r l d which
would a t o n c e r e l a t e a n d s e p a r a t e them, e i t h e r
l i v e i n desperate lonely separation o r a r e pressed
t o g e t h e r i n t o a m a s s . For a m a s s - s o c i e t y i s n o t h i n g
more t h a n t h a t k i n d o f o r g a n i z e d l i v i n g which
a u t o m a t i c a l l y e s t a b l i s h e s i t s e l f among human b e i n g s
who a r e s t i l l r e l a t e d t o one a n o t h e r b u t h a v e l o s t
t h e w o r l d o n c e common t o a l l o f them.
(BPF 89-90)
In
this
light,
The Maximus Poems c a n be s e e n a s
g e s t u r e s toward a w o r l d common t o a l l ,
/
final
volume
of
t h e poem,
a
series
of
toward what O l s o n , i n t h e
identifies as
II
an asctual
earth
of
2
value. II
O l s o n r e c o g n i z e d , however,
b
t h a t we grow up many
And t h e s i n g l e
i s not easily
known
52)
(E
\\
p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t h e f a c e of c u l t u r a l c o n f u s i o n s about t h e
of t h a t common w o r l d ,
confusions,
nature
i n f a c t , a b o u t t h e r e a l i t y of
t h a t w o r l d a n d o u r a b i l i t y t o know i t .
Arendt
traces
t h e h i s t o r y of our p r e s e n t
-
estrangement
-
to
what s h e r e g a r d s a s t h e . " s h o r t e s t a n d most f u n d a m e n t a l e x p r e s s i o n
[of o u r ] world-alienation":
omnibus
~ e s c a r t e s ' swell-known a s s e r t i o n "de
-
dubitandum -e s t " (BPF
- 54).
T h i s a s s e r t i o n of
doubt
was
forged
in
the
c o n t e x t of r a d i c a l d i s c o v e r i e s
s c i e n c e s of h i s t i m e .
to
the
would
apparati
were
knowledge
longer
concerning
natural
t h e e a r t h i n f a c t r o t a t e s around
have c o n v i n c e d many t h i n k e r s t h a t
no
the
Amongst them, t h e d i s c o v e r y t h a t , c o n t r a r y
t h e e v i d e n c e of o u r s e n s e s ,
sun,
in
the
trustworthy
phenomenal
bearers
world.
of
The
our
sensory
truth
and
"school
of
s ~ s ~ i c i b n t, h"e~n ,
began when man, w i t h t h e h e l p of t h e t e l e s c o p e ,
t u r n e d h i s b o d i l y e y e s toward t h e u n i v e r s e . . .
- - s e e i n g w i t h t h e e y e s of t h e mind, l i s t e n i n g w i t h
t h e e a r s of t h e h e a r t , a n d g u i d e d by t h e i n n e r l i g h t
of reason--and l e a r n e d t h a t h i s s e n s e s were n o t
f i t t e d f o r t h e u n i v e r s e , t h a t h i s everyday e x p e r i e n c e ,
f a r from b e i n g a b l e t o c o n s t i t u t e t h e model f o r t h e
r e c e p t i o n of t r u t h a n d t h e a c q u i s i t i o n of knowledge,
was a c o n s t a n t s o u r c e of e r r o r a n d d e l u s i o n . (BPF 55)
No l ~ o n g e r f i t t e d t o r e c e i v e t h e w o r l d , man was c a s t i n t o a d e s e r t
of
sub.jectivity,
confronted with,
i n e a c h g r a i n of
f a l s e l i m i t s of h i s a t o m i s t i c c o n d i t i o n .
w o r l d c o u l d "no l o n g e r
kind
intimacy. " 4
of
Nathan
arising
Scott
has
.
sand, . t h e
I n t h i s situation, the
. [ b e ] a v a i l a b l e on t h e t e r m s o f any
In another context,
the
w r i t t e n a b o u t e x t r e m e forms
o u t of t h e a l i e n a t i n g e x p e r i e n c e of
literary
of
criticb
subjectivity
contemporary
urban
existence:
One m i g h t borrow a f i n e f i g u r e of N o r t h r o p F r y e ' s
and s a y t h a t . . . t h e u r b a n e x p e r i e n c e seems o f t e n
t o be l i k e a n i n t e r m i n a b l e r a i l w a y j o u r n e y i n t h e
c o u r s e of w h i c h , a s t w i l i g h t a n d e v e n i n g g r a d u a l l y
d a r k e n t h e s w i f t l y p a s s i n g l a n d s c a p e , "many o f t h e
o b j e c t s t h a t a p p e a r t o be o u t s i d e [ t h e window pane
p r o v e , on r e - e x a m i n a t i o n , t o b e ] . . . a c t u a l l y
r e f l e c t i o n s o f what i s i n t h e c a r r i a g e , " s o t h a t ,
once d a r k n e s s f u l l y s e t t l e s down, 11 one e n t e r s a
n a r c i s s i s t i c w o r l d , w h e r e , e x c e p t f o r a few l i g h t s
h e r e a n d t h e r e j we c a n s e e o n l y t h e r e f l e c t i o n of
where we a r e . "
Early
on,
narcissism
would
Olson
had recognized the stifling effects that
such
and the subsequent abandonment of the objective world
have for the creative energies.
In
Verse,1 1
"Projective
Olson wrote that:
. the use of a man, by himself and thus by
others, lies in how he conceives his rel.ation to
nature, that force to which he owes his somewhat
small existence. If he sprawl, he shall find little
to sing but himself, and shall sing, nature has such
paradoxical ways, by way of artificial forms outside
- 59)
himself. (HU
The
-.
----_
/
has been occasioned by two forms of
"loss of nature," then,
first, the
loss
the
confidence
truth-
II
world outside us through our withdrawal into the mere sensing
1
sensation.
revealing
capacity of the senses;
-
jdcrording
to Arendt,
and secondly, the loss of
of
I
/1
of
I
--
.-
the "loss of history" was also partly 1
attributable to another manifestation of subjectivism.
unreliability
a
While the
our senses prevents us from knawing the
world
given to us objectively, we are still capable of at least knowing.,
what
we
ourselves
eighteenth-century
attack
have made.
historian
This
recognition
Giambattista Vico
on the Cartesian theory of knowledge.
to
allowed
the
launch
his
In his discussion
of Vico's historiography in The Idea of History, R.G. Collingwood
notes
that
Vico
knowledge, but
disputed
the
validity
of
mathematical
o n l y the Cartesian idea that no other
knowle,dge was possible . 6
issue
not
Vico contended that the more
lay in identifying a principle with which
to
kind
of
pressing
distinguish
between what could and could not be known. He subsequently found
that principle
in the doctrine that verum et factum convertuntur:
that is. the condition of b z n m to know
anything truly, to understand It as opposed to
merely perceiving i t 7 is that the knower himself
should have made it.
Vicois reason
(because
man
invalidated
nuclear
"make
nature")
has
now
the technology that arose from the
of
been
nature
largely
technology,
discoveries
of
From the moment that man learned how to split
he was then able to start new processes in nature.
extent that we can act into nature,
chains
study
major advances in twentieth-century
physics.
the atom,
the
cannot
by
particularly
for turning away from the
of
setting in
motion
actions whose ends we cannot determine, we can
"makei'nature.
To
new
also
After Vico, "history" became a man-made process.
Prior to that, in the classical Greek conception of history, only
those
deeds
or actions which were inherently
which
revealed
their
greatness
in
committed to the historical record.
history
was
actions;
and
of
great,
In themodern age, however,,
singular
through our Hegelian legacy, it was conceived
as an all-encompassing process which lent intelligibility to
otherwise
this
is,
themselves, were
no longer conceived as the record of such
instead,
that
"melancholy haphazardnessii8of individual
formulation, mere
time-sequence itself
importance previously unknown to it.
was
events.
In
accorded
an
But if the process is man-
made, an element of arbitrariness is inescapable.
has drawn the objective into itself.
the
The subjective
In discussing the signifi-
cance of this realization for physics, Heisenberg comments that
,
[ t l h e most i m p o r t a n t new r e s u l t o f n u c l e a r
p h y s i c s was t h e r e c o g n i t i o n o f t h e p o s s i b i l i t y
of a p p l y i n g q u i t e d i f f e r e n t t y p e s o f n a t u r a l l a w s ,
w i t h o u t c o n t r a d i c t i o n , t o one and t h e same p h y s i c a l
event.
(BPF 48-49)
Once
again,
a s man t r i e s t o i n q u i r e i n t o " t h i n g s which
a r e h i m s e l f n o r owe t h e i r e x i s t e n c e t o him,
encounter
nothing but himself,
patterns
element
of
[he] w i l l ultimately
h i s own c o n s t r ~ c t i o n s , a n d
h i s a c t i o n s M ( B P F8 6 ) .
Arendt p o i n t s o u t t h a t
of a r b i t r a r i n e s s t h r e a t e n s t h e v e r y p o s s i b i l i t y
meaningfulness
history
neither
of
history.
a s process and,
I n holding t o both t h e
on t h e o t h e r h a n d ,
the
this
of
the
notion
of
t o t h e i d e a t h a t we
know o n l y what we h a v e made, we r u n t h e r i s k of
m e a n i n g l e s s n e s s i n e v i t a b l y r e s u l t i n g from t h e
i n s i g h t t h a t [we] c a n c h o o s e t o do w h a t e v e r [we]-.
want a n d some k i n d o f meaning w i l l a l w a y s b e t h e
consequence. I n both i n s t a n c e s t h e p e r p l e x i t y i s
t h a t t h e p a r t i c u l a r i n c i d e n t , t h e observable f a c t
o r s i n g l e o c c u r r e n c e of n a t u r e , o r t h e r e p o r t e d
deed a n d e v e n t o f h i s t o r y , h a v e c e a s e d t o make
s e n s e w i t h o u t a u n i v e r s a l p r o c e s s i n which t h e y
a r e s u p p o s e d l y embedded; y e t t h e moment-man
approaches t h i s process i n order t o escape the
haphazard c h a r a c t e r of t h e p a r t i c u l a r , i n o r d e r t o
f i n d meaning--order a n d n e c e s s i t y - - h i s e f f o r t i s
r e b u t t e d by t h e answer from a l l s i d e s : Anv o r d e r .
a n y n e c e s s ~ t y ,a n y meaning you w i s h t o impose w i i l do
(BPF 88-89)
The
result
is
a c o n d i t i o n of
co.mprehensive
alienation
which
e s t r a n g e s u s from o u r s e l v e s , o u r f e l l o w s , a n d t h e r e a l .
-_-------
ong r t h m e b r i s o f Cb-rn-on ~ e a I t l i i ~ ~1 3( 2E) , O l s o n w i l l
p r o p e r r e l a t i o n s , t o re-member
will
rapid
and
n o t be e a s y ,
a w o r l d . But i t
f o r t h e d i s i n t e g r a t i o n of a world i n v i t e s t h e
e n t r y o f " t h e f a k e / which c o v e r s t h e e m p t i n e s s " (MP
which
greases
and l u l l s t h e a t t e n t i o n s s o
that
the
599)
very
I
Ii
/
\\
\
I
; b r o k e n n e s s of t h e human c o n d i t i o n g o e s u n n o t i c e d .
I n "The Songs
I
I
(of
in
Maximus," Olson p o i n t s o u t t h a t one o f t h e d i f f i c u l t i e s
trying
to
r e - a d m i t h u n g e r t o a company a l r e a d y
lies
glutted
on
I
m e r e t r i c i o u s n e s s , on
colored pictures
of a l l t h i n g s t o e a t : d i r t y
postcards
And w o r d s , w o r d s , words
a l l o v e r e v e r y t h i n g (TMP 1 3 )
C-.
--
Simulacra
I
/'
,
- --
replace substance;
p o s t c a r d s d e b a s e and s t a n d i n
for
l i v e d e x p e r i e n c e ; and w o r d s , a s u n d i f f e r e n t i a t e d m a s s , a r e m e r e l y
used t o cover over t h e r e a l ,
not t o discover i t .
t h e machinations of t h i s masquerade,
t h e r e can be " [ n l o eyes
e a r s l e f t / t o do t h e i r own d o i n g s " (TMP 1 3 ) .
"invaded,
mind,
appropriated,
that
worker
on
outraged,
wretched,
lul1ed1l
what i s " (TMP 1 3 ) l o s e
When a l l h a s been
the
13). p
a
sense"
t
II
the
o t h e r s e n s e 1 ' i s what we i n h e r i t
to
most
from
It i s
which d e t a c h e s u s from t h e w o r l d r a t h e r t h a n drawing
II
into
ability
wretched, / t h a t consolation (greased
Greek p h i l o s o p h y a n d t h e w e s t e r n s c i e n t i f i c t r a d i t i o n .
11
the
What we a r e o f f e r e d a s
i s " t h a t o t h e r s e n s e / made t o g i v e e v e n
o r any of u s ,
(IMP
or
a l l ' senses / including
p e r f o r m t h e i r "own l i v e s 1 a c t s " (TMP 3 4 ) .
compensation
Thus c a u g h t i n
c l o s e r proximity with i t ;
I n "Human U n i v e r s e ,
II
i t i s t h e " g u r r y " of
a
us
discourse./
Olson w r i t e s :
t h e G r e e k s went on t o d e c l a r e a "UNIVERSE o f
d i s c o u r s e " . . . a s t h o u g h l a n g u a g e was a n a b s o l u t e ,
i n s t e a d o f ( a s , e v e n m a e s ) i n s t r u m e n t , and n o t t o
b e e x t e n d e d . . . t o c o v e r what e a c h , man a n d l a n g u a g e , i s i n t h e h a n d s o f : what we s h a r e , a n d which
1 s enough, o f power a n d b e a u t y , n o t t o need a n
e x a g g e r a t i o n o f words e s p e c i a l l y t h a t s p r e a d i n g o n e ,
II
. . we s t a y unaware
two means of
\I
d i s c o u r s e t h e Greeks appear t o have invented hugely
i n t e r m i t o u r p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n our e x p e r i e n c e , and s o
p r e v e n t d i s c o v e r y . . . W i t h A r i s t o t l e , t h e two g r e a t
means a p p e a r : l o g i c a n d c l a s s i f i c a t i o n . And i t i s
they t h a t have s o f a s t e n e d themselves on h a b i t s o f
thought t h a t a c t i o n i s i n t e r f e r e d w i t h , a b s o l u t e l y
. . ( la--3-4)
-- -i n t e r f e r e d w i k l+f
-.
I
~ 6 F t i v i s s tc i e n t i f i c t r a d i t i o n h a s l u l l e d u s i n t o t h e b h i e f
/
I
/,
\~
that
knowledge,
/
/--
by t h e s e meaGs.
.
gained
mind,
i f i t i s t o be considered l e g i t i m a t e ,
not
There i s a g a i n ,
,
t o t h e s e n s i n g body.
must ' b e
'
-
b u t i t b e l o n g s t o <he
Our s c i e n t i f i c
dys
knowledge
\
invaded t h e p l a n e t ,
----__-
The
-
and i t i s a voyage n o t of d i s c o v e r y ,
b u t of\
-
-
s i t u a t i o n i s c l e a r l y " a l l / wrong" (TMP 1 3 ) .
And
,/
the
q u e s t i o n now, when we a r e a l l " c o v e r e d w i t h t h e g u r r y o f i t " (TMP
where
s h a l l we g o f r o m h e r e , what c a n we do
when e v e n t h e p u b l i c c o n v e y a n c e s
sing?
how c a n we g o a n y w h e r e , . .
even cross-town
how g e t o u t o f a n y w h e r e ( t h e b o d i e s
a l l buried
i n shallow graves.
In
II
the next song,
in
*
Song 4 , " O l s o n p r o t e s t s t h i s u s u r p a t i o n
o f human c a p a b i l i t i e s by c e l e b r a t i n g t h e r e t u r n o f
for
\ '
t h o s e d i f f i c u l t i e s one i s f o r c e d t o
difficulties,
confront
necessity
once a g a i n :
T h i s morning - o f t h e s m a l l snow
I count t h e b l e s s i n g s , t h e l e a k i n t h e faucet
which makes o f t h e s i n k t i m e . - .
~
.
~
~
o
~
~
~
O r t h e plumbing,
.
t h a t i t doesn' t work, t h i s I l i k e , have even used paper
clips
a s w e l l a s s t r i n g t o h o l d t h e b a l l up And f l u s h i t
o
with my hand
. . . - . . * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Holes
in my shoes, that's all right, my fly
gaping, me out
at the elbows, the blessing
that difficulties are once more
(TMP
- 14)
Guide to The Maximus Poems,
his
further
gloss
on the poem.
George Butterick
offers
The reference is to a letter
from
Olson to Robert Creeley where Olson writes:
Funny, th,e way, I like the odds against: even
the plumbing . . . Work with how i t comes,
don't fix--or rather DON'T BUY . . . what they've
got to offer . . . geat em. Beat em by,not needing them. The WAY.
The
1
way back to the practice of the familiar is
our own
1'
f
necessity,
'
to
acknowledge
not the necessity of the marketplace.
When
the odds are against us, we
are called upon to pay attention, to
- \--_
-
act.
It
is
sake but,
not a matter of self-reliance for
rather,
that we remain capable of responding when the
world demands it of us.
the present,
self-reliance's
Ironically, however, it seems that, in
the demand itself is suffering diminishment;/
In an
,~
interview with fellow Gloucester resident Herbert Kenny in August
1969, Olson notes regretfully that modern developments in fishing
technology--"radar
check
the
sonar
radio telephones good engines
/
seaplanes goodness over and under us" (=154)--have
effect
of
removing
the element o f . danger
from
none of that sense of, of that ~ o u ' r eup against the
"lo
/
of nature.
The conversation keeps to this point for a
.-
.
had
fishing:
"there's
whole-
bed-
few more minutes and it is worth noting here:
CO:
My father's job was to replace brick chimneys
w i t h t h e new i r o n c h i m n e y s . But t h a t meant
h e h a d t o g o up o n s t a g i n g s a n d t h a t meant
d a n g e r . . . i t ' s t h a t k i n d o f a t h i n g . I mean
s o m e t h i n g I b e l i e v e we p o s s e s s c r u c i a l l y . I
t h i n k o u r body i s o u r s o u l . And i f you d o n ' t
h a v e y o u r body a s a f a c t o r o f c r e a t i o n , you
d o n ' t have a s o u l .
Though
HK:
You mean you t h i n k t h a t we n e e d t h a t e l e m e n t
of danger f o r our b e s t c h a r a c t e r ?
CO:
Well, I wouldn't say i t ' s t h e n a t u r e of danger
but i t i s t h e n a t u r e of p e r c e p t i o n , of a t t e n t i o n , y e s . Which i s a s p i r i t u a l c o n d i t i o n .
You c o u l d p u t i t , i n t e n s i t y . I mean, t h e
amount o f s l a c k n e s s t o d a y , t h e l a c k n e s s , t h e
l i m p n e s s , i s a l l i n t h e f a c t t h a t you d o n ' t
n e e d a t t e n t i o n a n y m o r e , you d o n ' t n e e d y o u r
p e r c e p t i o n s any more. I t ' s a l l t a k e n c a r e of
f o r you by t h e e n v i r o n m e n t o f y o u r a u t o m o b i l e ,
y o u r h o u s e , o f t h e economy, o f t h e money s y s t e m .
I n f a c t t h e r e i s n ' t a n y money, t h e r e ' s c r e d i t .
I n f a c t , i t ' s w o r s e . I mean t h i s i s a c r a z y
s o r t of a post-nature, p o s t - n a t u r a l t h i n g t h a t
t h e s p e c i e s h a s g o t t e n i n t o . . . And I t h o u g h t ,
and I s t i l l t h i n k , c r e a t i o n i s c r u c i a l ; and i f
you d o n ' t s t a y c l o s e t o i t , you l o s e e v e r y t h i n g .
0 1 , 30-31)
T h a t ' s a l l , j u s t e v e r y t h i n g . (o b j e c t s o f o n e ' s a t t e n t i o n may
the
necessity
of
man,
now
exactness, precision"
ensure
ease but,
&
whenever,
(0 10, 104).
i n buying,
change,
is
[still]
"the
first
sharpness
J
Buying i n s t e a d o f d o i n g w i l l
"you buy s o m e t h i n g a l l r i g h t ,
but
what g e t s f o r g o t t e n i s , t h a t you s e l l , i n t h a t moment o f buying-you s e l l a w h o l e d i s p o s i t i o n o f s e l f .
. " (Guide 2 8 ) .
t h e " a g o r a " t h a t America h a s become,
I n t h e land of p l e n t y , have
n o t h i n g t o do w i t h i t
t a k e t h e way o f
the lowest,
including
y o u r l e g s , go
contrary, go
sing
(TMP 1 5 )
So i n
,
In
the
f i n a l song o f t h i s
you / who a l s o / w a n t s " ;
series,
Olson
writes:
"you
sing,
who can want.
one m i g h t a l s o add--you,
I f t o a f f i r m , b e t o expand o n e ' s i s o l a t e d s e l f ;
a n d i f t o d e n y , be t o c o n t r a c t o n e ' s i s o l a t e d s e l f ;
t h e n t o respond i s a s u s p e n s i o n of a l l i s o l a t i o n .
Herman M e l v i l l e - P i e r r e , o r t h e A m b i g u i t i e s
I b e l i e v e t h a t t h e r e i s t r u t h . To be a c c u r a t e , I
b e l i e v e t h e r e i s a t r u t h . And i t i s j u s t h e r e , a s
of what I h a v e c a i l e d p e r s o n a g e , t h a t i t b e a r s : I
b e l i e v e e a f u s i s more t h a n a p h y s i o l o g y o r a
will.
I b e l i e v e we a r e a l s o a n o b e d i e n c e . And
what we obey--have t o obey--is s o m e t h i n g we a r e
i n t h e hands o f , n o t i t i n o u r hands a l o n e . I
refer to, the l i f e in us.
(0 1.0, 105)
I
-
Only
i f man h a s h i s body a s a " f a c t o r o f c r e a t i o n , " c a n
U 22).
t h e n b e "EXTENSIBLEi n human d i r e c t i o n s " ( H-
Topos i s t o be
a c h i e v e d through t h e j o i n t a c t i o n of a t t e n t i o n and e x t e n s i o n .
.-
Olson's
work,
topos
is
t o be f o u g h t f o r
continually
s t r u g g l e between two o p p o s i n g modes o f a c t i o n :
the shrinking.
itself.
The
t h a t which i s a l i v e ,
turns
whether
while
A t e v e r y moment i n
t h e f o r m a l c h o i c e i s between a n s w e r i n g
o r attempting t o enslave i t .
Implicit
b i n a r y s i t u a t i o n i s a n e t h i c a l q u e s t i o n which,
on
the
t h e e.xtensive and
one o f f e r s a way o f l i v i n g up t o t h e w o r l d ,
l i f e o r i n a poem,
this
in
In.
The o b j e c t o f t h e i r a c t i o n s i s t h e l i f e o f s p a c e
t h e o t h e r p r o p o s e s a way o f c l o s i n g i t down.
a
he
one comes down on t h e s i d e of
the
for
to
in
Olson,
"will
of
power"
from
or
t h e " w i l l of achievement."
a an
K e a t s ' s f o r m u l a t i o n of t h e
(E
41).
Achievement"
Olson t a k e s h i s cue
here
a an
of Power" a n d t h e
-of
The f o r m e r r e f e r s t o t h o s e men who "have
a 'proper s e l f , ' t h e ' E g o t i s t i c a l Sublime.'
Against t h i s [Keats]
posed
individuality,
the
man
who
has,
quote,
'not
any
d e t e r m i n e d C h a r a c t e r , ' h i s man o f N e g a t i v e
Man o f Achievement"
-41).
(SVH
Capability,
any
or,
the
I n a s e c t i o n o f The S p e c i a l View
of H i s t o r y c a l l e d " E t h i c s , " O l s o n w r i t e s
. . . one g e t s two s o r t s o f w i l l , a w i l l o f power
o r a w i l l o f a c h i e v e m e n t . The f i r s t one i s t h e
one i n which t h e w i l l c o l l a p s e s back t o s u b j e c t i v e
u n d e r s t a n d i n g - - t r i e s t o make i t by a s s e r t i n g t h e
s e l f a s c h a r a c t e r . The s e c o n d makes i t by nona s s e r t i n g t h e s e l f a s s e l f . I n o t h e r words t h e
riddle i s t h a t the t r u e s e l f i s not the asserting
f u n c t i o n but an obeying one, t h a t t h e a c t i o n a b l e
i s l a r g e r t h a n t h e i n d i v i d u a l and s o can be
obeyed t o (SVH 45)
To
this
way
single,
of t h i n k i n g ,
t h e s e l f i s conceived
f i x e d e n t i t y s o much a s a c a p a c i t y ,
"not
[as]
11
a n e-nergy. I I
a
The
man who h a s " n o t a n y i n d i v i d u a l i t y , any d e t e r m i n e d c h a r a c t e r , " i s
a
self
in
his
environment.
ability
to
respond
to
the
demands
of
And though t h i s s e l f i s a n " o b e y i n g " f u n c t i o n ,
his
it
i s by n o means p a s s i v e o r q u i e s c e n t .
has
This
i s s u e of t h e p a r a l l e l p r o c e d u r e o f w i l l and
been
t a k e n up i n a n o t h e r c o n t e x t by t h e b i o g r a p h e r s of
l i t e r a r y c r i t i c Mikhail Bakhtin.
recently
his
Bakhtin,
a c h i e v e d posthumous p r o m i n e n c e ,
whose work h a s
f o r m u l a t i o n o f " d i a l o g i s m , " a p h i l o s o p h y which c o n c e i v e s
their
biography
entitled
"The
the
only
i s p r e s e n t l y known f o r
t h e w o r l d i n t e r m s o f communication a n d e x c h a n g e .
from
obedience
In a
of
chapter
Architectonics
of
Answerability,"
that
Katerina
f o r Bakhtin,
tI
and t h a t
point
act,
t o simply a c c e p t t h e v a l u e s of [ o n e ' s ] p a r t i c u l a r
time
i s a n avoidance of a c t i v i t y t h a t h a s t h e e f f e c t
making
[one's]
r e f l e x . II
axiglogical
life
a
subfunction
of
a
self-imposed
12
For Olson,
t h e avoidance
of
activity
-
\
would mean t h e d e a t h o f s p a c e i t s e l f .
/"
/
The
the
;'
i
/
out
t h e w o r l d i s a l w a y s c a l l i n g upon one t o
and p l a c e .
of
C l a r k and Michael H o l q u i s t
'.
l i f e o f s p a c e d e p e n d s on e x t e n s i o n a n d
tensor
of
obedience.
relations,
and
will
and
t h a t l i f e i s t h e double procedure
of
This formulation a l s o has c l e a r implications f o r the
i
I
realm of p o l i t i c s .
the
political
Polis,
conceived a s a public coherence,
expression of topos.
The Greek i d e a l
p o l is
is
of
:
$
o f f e r e d a n image o f men t r e a t i n g e a c h o t h e r a s e q u a l s i n a p u b l i c
\
realm
of d i s c o u r s e .
came
t o be viewed a s synonymous.
conceived
\
\
Imaged i n t h i s way,
power,
of
freedom,
but r a t h e r ,
not
p o l i t i c s and
freedom
1
T h i s view was p o s s i b l e i f one
a s freedom from t h e * i m p o s i t i o n
a s t h e m u t u a l e x e r c i s e of power.
of
When t h a t b
i
/
freedom i s t h r e a t e n e d by t o t a l i t a r i a n i s m .
.-- -- ---. t h e s i n g l e , unchecked e x e r c i s e - of
-___
I power
results
I
i n human e n s l a v e m e n t .
Those who
exercise
/
!
this
1
power a r e named i n O l s o n ' s v o c a b u l a r y a s t h e " s h r i n k e r s " ( T M P 4 6 ) ;
,
1
( t h a t i s , t h o s e who would c o l l a p s e s p a c e i n t o o w n e r s h i p , t h o s e who 1
Jexercise
Ito
I
H-ins
the
cohere. II
John
11
violate
\
13
The
, whose
space
I
t h e " w i l l t o l i m i t which [ i s ] a f a l s e form o f t h e
"shrinkers"
immoral
are
slave-traders
a c t i v i t i e s misappropriate
of human r e l a t i o n s ,
whose name
It
in i t s
like
and
French
form
I
/
Haquin,
o r i n Spanish Aquines," i n f a c t ,
human
possibility,
seas"
.(TMP 6 4 ) .
11
i n any language
a sound o f t e r r o r / i n
became
the
of
narrow
T h i s v i o l a t i o n o f s p a c e becomes a s h r i n k i n g of
the earth i t s e l f .
There
lacking
are
for
/-collapse
others.
figures
-
The r e c o r d o f American h i s t o r y i s
-- - _
o f f i E d i r e c t i o n of e n e r g i e s a n d
---
- -
the)
_CI
__
I n " L e t t e r 1 0 , " Olson p o i n t s o u t t h e
of s p a c e . /
not
"first
John E n d e c o t t , t h e f i r s t g o v e r n o r of
of t h e s h r i n k e r s " (TMP 46) :
t h e M a s s a c h u s e t t s Bay Colony, who r e g i s t e r e d h i s contempt f o r h i s
p r e d e c e s s o r Roger Conant a n d t h e D o r c h e s t e r Company S e t t l e m e n t by
removing C o n a n t ' s " b i g house" from i t s o r i g i n a l l o c a t i o n i n
Ann t o Naumkeag f o r h i s own u s e .
of
contempt
for
place;
the
Cape
The removal was a l s o a g e s t u r e
"newness"
Endecott
represented
e n t e r t a i n e d n o compunctions r e g a r d i n g t h e d i s m a n t l i n g o f t h e " o l d
c a r p e n t r y , " t h e s u n d e r i n g o f a n o l d e r way o f hewing t o g e t h e r ,
of
hewing
an
to
isolated
place.
instance
beginning
which
connectedness--to
hesitate
removal
of
t h i s g e s t u r e e x t e n d e d beyond
personal
It
animosity.
signaled
the
place.
The
o f ways o f t h i n k i n g w i t h o u t r e f e r e n c e t o
consciousness
not
For O l s o n ,
of
p e r m i t t e d - s p a c e t o be
estranged,
s e l f , t o others, t o earth--to
later,
entire
i n the Jacksonian
and
all
b e f l o u t e d , would
period,
to
p o p u l a t i o n s o f N a t i v e Americans
force
from
the
their
14
t r a d i t i o n a l homelands.
In
11
"Letter
1 6 , 11
Olson
offers
yet
another
s h r i n k e r " i n t h e form o f N a t h a n i e l Bowditch who
founded i n s u r a n c e c o m p a n i e s ,
from h i s knack f o r f i g u r e s ,
variety
of
and h i s y e a r s o f t r a d i n g f o r Mass. merchants
a s s u p e r c a r g o on Salem v o y a g e s
He r e p r e s e n t s . . . t h a t movement o f NE monies
away from p r i m a r y p r o d u c t i o n & t r a d e
t o t h e s e v e r a l cankers of profit-making
which h a v e , l i k e A g y a s t a , made America g r e a t .
Meantime, o f c o u r s e , s w a l l o w i n g u p
t h e l a n d a n d l a b o r . And now,
- 72)
the world.
(TMP
"Agyasta,"
Butterick
t e l l s u s i n t h e Guide,
is a
mythological
f i g u r e who i s c a p a b l e o f s w a l l o w i n g t h e e n t i r e o c e a n :
The s t o r y g o e s , t h a t t h e r e h a d b e e n a g r o u p o f
demons a n n o y i n g c e r t a i n Brahmin h e r m i t s by constantly disturbing t h e i r sacred ascetic routines.
They would b e c h a s e d i n t o t h e o c e a n , b u t by n i g h t
would e m e r g e , a s f r e s h a s e v e r , a n d h a r a s s t h e h o l y
men. The l a t t e r , i n d e s p e r a t i o n , a p p e a l e d t o t h e
c e l e b r a t e d s a i n t . Agyasta s o l v e d t h e problem a t
a s t r o k e by s i m p l y s w a l l o w i n g t h e s e a . But now
t h e e a r t h was l e f t w i t h o u t i t s w a t e r , a n d a l l i t s
c r e a t u r e s were brought t o t h e p o i n t of p e r i s h i n g .
When a p e r s o n t r i e s t o be p a r t i c u l a r l y h e l p f u l ,
h e sometimes c a u s e s more t r o u b l e t h a n h e r e s o l v e s .
So i t w a s , a t a n y r a t e , i n t h e c a s e o f A g y a s t a
w i t h h i s b o u n d l e s s d i g e s t i v e f i r e . (Gui-de 110)
T M P5 9 ) r e v e a l s
O l s o n ' s i n q u i r y i n t o "how men d o u s e t h e i r l i v e s M ( a h i s t o r y o f misconceived a c t i o n s , a c t i o n s seldom undertaken w i t h
/
Agyas t a t s b e n e f i c e n t m o t i v e s .
',
The d e a t h l y c o n s e q u e n c e s o f
such\
i
excesses
i n a c t i o n t h r e a t e n t h e g r o u n d o f b e i n g o f t h o s e a t whom
',
The " d i g e s t i v e f i r e " o f a B o w d i t c h , w h i c h i s
\
they a r e d i r e c t e d .
kpable
o f " s w a l l o w i n g u p t h e l a n d a n d l a b o r , " makes
of
1
pols,
I
Hunger i t s e l f i s i n d a n g e r of '
\
I
being,swallowed up by t h e c a n k e r s o f a new m a r k e t s y s t e m .
I
i
--.----- y
h
- ~ a > l ~ e n g u l f e d a s it-was
rapacious
" f i r e , tt
an\
of t o p o s ,
an impossibility.
-
America
was
unable
t o p e r c e i v e another kind of f i r e
a r r i v e d a t i t s s h o r e s even e a r l i e r .
that
had
T h i s o t h e r f i r e was t y p i f i e d
I
by
Captain
England
John Smith,
an e a r l y English explorer
of
the
New
c o a s t whom O l s o n was t o h o l d up a s a n e x-e m p l a r o f p r o p e r
1
--
attention:
The C a p t e y n e
h e w a s , t h e e y e h e had
f o r what New E n g l a n d o f f e r e d ,
. . . how we a r e
o x y a c e t y l e n e , we come i n t h a t c l o s e
when we d o come i n (TMP 50-51)
Oxyacetylene
is
combination
which
a
f u e l made up
produces
of
oxygen
the hottest
c u t t i n g and welding of s t e e l .
and
flame
acetylene,
known
for
a
the
S m i t h ' s v i s i o n , s h a r p and p r e c i s e ,
likewise
burned w i t h e q u a l i n t e n s i t y ,
burning.
The " f i r e " o f a S m i t h i s e s s e n t i a l l y t r a n s f o r m a t i v e and
generative,
and i t s s o u r c e i s t h e body.
o f what O l s o n i n " E q u a l ,
as
call
of
Smith's "repossession"
t o t h e Real I t s e l f ,
"a c h a r a c t e r o f b e i n g ,
.
a s we t o o a r e c a p a b l e
-.\
That I s " r e f e r s t o
a t h i n g among t h i n g s ,
which I
shall
. . p h y s i c a l i t y " ( HU '118), e n a b l e s Smith t o be " t h e s t a t e r
of / q u a n t i t y a n d / p r e c i s i o n " ( T M P 1 2 2 ) .
It i s t h a t physicality,
L
that
II
oxyacetylene"
of
a
proper
relation
between
physical
o r g a n i s m a n d e a r t h , w h i c h a l l o w s Smith " t o come i n t h a t c l o s e " t o
a v i s i o n of t h e formal p o s s i b i l i t i e s of a p l a c e .
I n "Apollonius
o f Tyana, 1 1 O l s o n w r i t e s :
S t . Augustine s a i d of h i s experience of r e c o g n i t i o n ,
" I t was a c o n f l a g r a t i o n o f m y s e l f ," b u t w i t h A p o l l o n i u s t h e t e r m s s t a y p h y s i c a l i n a n o t h e r way, a n d i n
t h a t way a r e n e i t h e r l i g h t n o r f i r e - - w i t h him i t i s
a b u r n i n g s u r e l y , b u t w i t h n o t h i n g consumed, o n t h e
c o n t r a r y , i t i s a s t h e a c t i o n o f t h e sun on u s and
on t h i n g s , i n c r e a s e i s t h e i s s u e , more g r o w t h , more
- 39)
l i f e , l e a v e s , men.
(HU
Smith's
i s a similar action,
b u t d e s p i t e h i s a b i l i t y t o forward
I
I
/
t h e r e a l , Smith was
too e a r l y yet
t o be u n d e r s t o o d
t o be t h e s i g n
of p r e s e n t
paternities
.
.
.
O
.
D
P
e
Smith
was f u t i l e
u n t i l the place
and t i m e b u r n e d
w i t h t h e same h e a t a s
t h e man ( i t i s n ' t
f o r us t o say
what a p r o p e r f i r e
i s , i t ' s what
l i k e Corinth
b u r n i n g down
p r o d u c e s b r o n z e -The
(TMP 122-23)
g e n e r a t i v e c a p a b i l i t y of t h i s k i n d of f i r e i s c o n t i n g e n t
t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f r e a l i t y a t any g i v e n moment.
C o n s e q u e n t l y , one
c a n n o t s p e c i f y a t i m e o r a form t o i t s a c t i v i t y .
In the
~ u t t e r i c k ' s note
a
on
this
on
passage r e f e r s us t o
Guide,
comment
by
. .
M e l v i l l e which O l s o n q u o t e s i n C a l l Me I s h m a e l :
I somehow c l i n g t o t h e s t r a n g e f a n c y , t h a t , i n a l l
men h i d d e n l y r e s i d e c e r t a i n wondrous o c c u l t p r o p e r t i e s
. . which by some happy b u t v e r y r a r e a c c i d e n t
( a s b r o n z e was d i s c o v e r e d by t h e m e l t i n g o f t h e
i r o n a n d b r a s s a t t h e b u r n i n g o f C o r i n t h ) may c h a n c e
t o b e c a l l e d f o r t h h e r e on e a r t h . (Guide 182)
The o p e r a t i o n o f c o n t i n g e n c y i s p r i m a r y i n O l s o n ' s
The S p e c i a l View of H i s t o r y ,
Olson
poetics.
In
points out i t s c e n t r a l i t y t o
t h e m a t t e r of composition:
Coincidence and p r o x i m i t y , because t h e space-time
continuum i s known, become t h e d e t e r m i n a n t s o f
c h a n c e a n d a c c i d e n t ' a n d make p o s s i b l e c r e a t i v e
success . . . purpose i s seen t o be contingent,
not primordial . - .
(SVH 4 9 )
S m i t h c o u l d n o t w i l l a c o n f l a g r a t i o n a n y more t h a n o n e c o u l d
o u t t o perform a "meaningful" a c t i o n .
meaning
15
w i l l emerge from t h e a c t i o n ; i t c a n n o t b e s p e c i f i e d a s g o a l .
This
That i s t o
set
n o t i o n of "coincidence" and
' proximity" has a
I
e x t e n d i n g beyond t h e t w e n t i e . t h c e n t u r y .
Vico's
His
say,
I t can a l s o be found i n
d i s c u s s i o n s of t h e development o f t h e o r i e s o f
own
thinking
had
l e d him t o
p r o p a g a t e d , n o t by ' d i f f u s i o n , '
history
recognize
that
knowledge.
"ideas
are
l i k e a r t i c l e s o f commerce, b u t by
the
i n d e p e n d e n t d i s c o v e r y o f e a c h n a t i o n o f what i t n e e d s a t a n y
16
g i v e n s t a g e o f i t s d e v e l o p m e n t . II
Examples o f s u c h i n d e p e n d e n t
discovery
thought
and
r a n g e from t h e d i s c e r n i b l e p a r a l l e l s i n t h e a n a l y t i c a l
of such a p p a r e n t l y d i s s i m i l a r f i g u r e s a s William
Karl
Marx,
to
(closer t o Olson's
concerns)
the
Morris
roughly
c o n t e m p o r a n e o u s a p p e a r a n c e o f C h r i s t a n d A p o l l o n i u s o f Tyana .
On
t h i s p o i n t , O l s o n w r i t e s : " I w i s h you o n l y t o n o t e how men s p r i n g
up,
when t h e y a r e n e e d e d ,
like violets,
on a l l s i d e s ,
S p r i n g-, when w i n t e r h a s b e e n t o o l o n g " (HU
- 27)
,/--
,
'
This
in
the
.
i d e a o f a n s w e r i n g t o t h e n e c e s s i t i e s o f o n e ' s own time)
1
/
;
~
1
1
i
1
and
place
is
subverted
by t h e " s h r i n k e r s "
who
only
act
inf
/
r e f e r e n c e t o t h e i r own p e r s o n a l n e c e s s i t y .
But t h e e x p l o i t a t i v
F
f i r e which t h e y b r i n g t o b e a r on t h e i r environment poses
\
themselves:
_
ha/ds
c--
1
1
'
---
I f man c h o o s e s t o t r e a t e x t e r n a l r e a l i t y a n y
d i f f e r e n t t h a n a s p a r t o f h i s own p r o c e s s , i n
o t h e r words a s a n y t h i n g o t h e r t h a n r e l e v a n t t o
h i s own i n n e r l i f e , t h e n h e w i l l ( b e i n g s u c h a
f r o w a r d t h i n g , a n d bound t o u s e h i s e n e r g y w i l l y nilPy, nature i s s o subtle) use i t otherwise.
He w i l l u s e i t j u s t e x a c t l y a s h e h a s u s e d i t now
f o r t o o l o n g , f o r a r b i t r a r y and w i l l f u l purposes
w h i c h , i n t h e i r e f f e c t s , n o t o n l y change t h e f a c e
of n a t u r e b u t a c t u a l l y a r r e s t and d i v e r t h e r
f o r c e u n t i l man t u r n s i t e v e n a g a i n s t h e r s e l f ,
he i s s o powerful, t h i s l i t t l e thing.
But what
l i t t l e w i l l f u l modern man w i l l n o t r e c o g n i z e i s ,
t h a t when h e t u r n s i t a g a i n s t h e r h e t u r n s i t
a g a i n s t h i m s e l f , h e l d i n t h e hand o f n a t u r e a s
man f o r e v e r i s , t o h i s u s e o f h i m s e l f i f h e c h o o s e ,
( HU 11)
t o h i s d i s u s e , a s he h a s .
Given t h e r e s u l t s o f h i s d i s u s e o f h i m s e l f a n d n a t u r e :
.
one's forced
c o n s i d e r i n g America,
t o a s i n g l e t r u t h : t h e newness
.
t h e f i r s t men knew was a l m o s t
from t h e s t a r t d i r t i e d
by s e c o n d c o m e r s . About s e v e n y e a r s
and you c a n c a r r y c i n d e r s
i n y o u r hand f o r what
America was w o r t h . May s h e b e damned
f o r what s h e d i d s o soon
t o what was s u c h a newing (TMP 134-35)
Olson
saw
America's
itself,
extension
that
the
"dirty
r e s t l e s s n e s s " ( MP
r e l a t i o n s h i p t o h e r own g r o u n d ,
consuming, i n
the
and c o h e r e n c e .
process, her
498)
was t o t u r n
own
. we
who l i v e a t t h i s p o o r end
of g o o d s , & t h i n g , & men,
when m a t e r i a l s , o f e a c h ,
a r e s u c h a man c a n ' t e a t
s l e e p walk move g o
a p a r t from h i s own d w e l l i n g ,
t h e d i r t i n e s s of goodness
cheapness s h i t i s
upon t h e w o r l d . W e ' l l t u r n
t o keep our house, t u r n t o
h o u s e s where o u r k i n d ,
and h u n g r y a f t e r them,
back
possibilities
What r e m a i n e d was a " f i l t h y
'.
498) o f a s h e s a n d d r o s s , a b a r r e n n e s s where
that
was
on
of',
land"(MPb
-
/
i
/-
n o t w i l l i n g t o b e a r one s h o r t walk
more o u t i n t o e v e n what t h e y ' v e done
to earth i t s e l f , find
company (TMP 1 3 4 )
Those
"whc come from a h o u s e k e e p i n g / / which o l d m o t h e r Smith
started"
(TMP 1 2 6 ) w i l l t u r n ,
instead,
t o f i n d company i n
/
the
f i r e of f l o w e r s . .
. . . we a r e s t i l l i n t h e b u s i n e s s o f f i n d i n g o u t
how a 1 1 a c t i o n , a n d t h o u g h t , have t o b e r e f o u n d e d .
(HU
- 119)
And how, now, t o f o u n d , w i t h t h e s a c r e d & t h e p r o f a n e - b o t h o f them-wore o u t
The b e a k ' s
t h e r e . And t h e p e c t o r a l .
The f i n s
f o r forwarding.
But t o do i t anew,
Now
now t h a t e v e n f i s h i n g . .
(TMP 4 5 )
t h a t American p r i m a r y i n d u s t r i e s had been bought o u t by
t h e " m e r c h a n d i s e m e n " ( T ~5~4 ) , a new f o u n d i n g was i n o r d e r i f t h e ,
1
topological
was t o b e s o u g h t o n c e a g a i n .
However d i f f i c u l t
it
was t o b e i n t h e f a c e o f i n c r e a s i n g p e j o r o c r a c y , Olson m a i n t a i n e d
t h a t t h e a b i l i t y t o b e g i n a g a i n remained l a t e n t .
b e a k ' s therew--the instrument of d i r e c t i o n .
the
pectoral
A•’t e r a l l , " t h e
"And t h e p e c t o r a l H - -
f i n s f u n c t i o n p r i m a r i l y t o b a l a n c e and
to
steer.
But " p e c t o r a l " a l s o r e f e r s t o t h e h e a r t , a c e n t e r i n g p o s s i b i l i t y .
And t h e r e a r e " f i n s ,
The
primary
f o r f o r w a r d i n g M - - m o t i o n i s t o b e once more.
elements of a c t i o n have n o t
r e m a i n , a p r e p a r a t o r y coherence--a
been
dispersed;
they
dancer awaiting t h e dance.
I n The Maximus Poems, t h e d a n c e b e g i n s t o f i n d a form i n t h e
o p e n i n g poem
11
I , Maximus o f G l o u c e s r e r , t o You":
O f f - s h o r e , by i s l a n d s h i d d e n i n t h e b l o o d
j e w e l s & m i r a c l e s , I , Maximus
a m e t a l h o t from b o i l i n g w a t e r , t e l l you
what i s a l a n c e , who o b e y s t h e f i g u r e s of
t h e p r e s e n t d a n c e (TMP 1)
II
Maximus, 11 t h e f i g u r e o f maximal a t t e n t i o n a n d e x t e n s i o n i n t h e s e
poems,
enters
t h e scene t o i n s t r u c t h i s fellow c i t i z e n s i n
the
a r t o f t h e i r own f o r m a l p o s s i b i l i t i e s ,
t h e i r dances.
by n o t i n g h i s own a t t a i n m e n t t o f o r m .
Maximus i s a " m e t a l " ( a n d
" m e t t l e " ) newly tempered i n t h e f o u n d r y o f a
sea,
He
itself.
speaks
from " o f f - s h o r e , "
But h e i s a l s o i n s i d e c r e a t i o n ,
thus
t h e f i g u r e of t h e l i t t o r a l ,
contact with beginnings,
i n origin.
boiling" primordial
from t h e s o u r c e o f
i n t h e v i t a l f l u e n c y and n e c e s s i t y of' o u r
is
11
He b e g i n s
creation
"hidden i n t h e b l o o d , "
physicality.
who r e m a i n s
in
Maximusb
perpetual
w i t h one f o o t . i n c r e a t i o n a n d t h e o t h e r
The l i t t o r a l i s t h e s t a n c e o f c r e a t i v e a d v a n c e .
In a
1956 l e c t u r e on W h i t e h e a d , O l s o n w r i t e s :
We a r e d e a l i n g w i t h two
f l u e n c i e s e a c h t i m e we do a s i n g l e t h i n g , a p r i m o r d i a l
fluency
I n comes t h e r o a r i n g t i d e
and a c o n s e q u e n t o n e :
1
- - __-- -- - - - Fast f a l l s t h e e v e n [ 1 7 ]
\
,,Th-e i n s t r u m e n t o f h i s b e i n g i s a s h a r p n e s s and a p o i n t e d n e s s '
which
e n a b l e s him t o p e r f o r m w i t h p r e c i s i o n t h e v a r i o u s
figures
,of
the
dance.
pertinent
ii)
The
word
meanings h e r e :
numbers.
He
,
"figures"
maintains
at
i ) a s e r i e s o f movements i n a
-
p r o p e r l y engage s p e c i f i c i t y o f movement,
.
two'
dance;
n e e d s t o be s h a r p a n d a t t e n t i v e i f he
-
\
least
is
to
.
and q u a n t i t y .
Like h i s
f e l l o w d a n c e r A p o l l o n i u s o f T y a n a , h e w a n t s h i s d a n c e t o be a l i v e
i
II
to life,
t o s f a y on i t s p o i n t , t o h o l d a l l t h a t i t c o n t a i n s , n o t
d i s s i p a t e one ounce of i t by any .
1
32).
. g e n e r a l i z a t i o n s " (HU
- 31-'
Hence t h e n e c e s s i t y of o b e d i e n c e t o s p e c i f i c s of m o t i o n a n 4
,
I
quantity.
/
'
is
/1t
to
be remembered t h a t & ~ f i p g e m e n t
" p r e s e n t " o n e , and i s t o remain s o .
-
.
-
a
condition
business.
The
- -- --
-- -.--
origin--stands
to
begin--that
1
.
of p o s s i b i l i t y f o r b o t h human
ability
/
m u l t i p l e s of e x p e r i e n c e .
The l e s s o n t h a t Maximus o f f e r s i s n o t a s t a t i c p r e c e p t
rather,
,.
The d a n c e i s c o n t i n u a l l y r e -
c t a d e i n o r d e r t o accommodate t h e moving
- - --
-a
is
foot i n
and
the
but,
poetic
door
of
The n e x t l i n e
u s t o t h e t a s k of composing anew.
o f t h e poem t e l l s u s t h a t :
.
the thing you're a f t e r
may l i e a r o u n d t h e bend
of t h e n e s t ( s e c o n d , t i m e s l a i n , t h e b i r d ! t h e b i r d !
And t h e r e ! ( s t r o n g ) t h r u s t , t h e m a s t !
Composing i s a n a c t i v i t y i n s p a c e , a n d t h e t h i n g ~ a x i m u si s a f t e r
i s t h e c o h e r e n c e of t h e t h i n g s composed.
is
s p a t i a l r e l a t i o n s t h a t a r e t o be t a u g h t now.
thrust
of
dimension
which
the
the
of
m a s t ( b o t h upward
and
s p a c e " h a s b e e n opened u p .
series
And
downward),
of t h e Maximus Poems,
a
But i t i s
p r o v i d e s t h e image o f p r o p e r a t t e n t i o n .
entire
it
"Time [ i s ] s l a i n " ;
with
the
"vertical
the
bird
I n h i s study
Don Byrd
suggests
of
a
p a s s a g e from O l s o n ' s e s s a y "Human U n i v e r s e " a s a u s e f u l g l o s s
t h e appearance of t h e b i r d h e r e :
on
" I t was b e t t e r t o be a b i r d , a s
t h e s e [Mayans] seem t o have b e e n , t h e y k e p t moving t h e i r h e a d s s o
nervously
to
surrounded by, "
cut
through
constitute
stay
19
alive,
t o keep a l e r t e d t o
what
they
were
I t i s t h i s k i n d of a l e r t n e s s t h a t i s needed t o
the
miasma of
spectatorism
and
passivity
which
it i s a
t h e p r e s e n t c o n d i t i o n o f c u l t u r e i n America;
p r e c o n d i t i o n t o t h e a c c u m u l a t i o n o f m a t e r i a l f o r t h e composing of
a nest:
f e a t h e r t o f e a t h e r added
(and what i s m i n e r a l , what
i s curling hair, the string
you c a r r y i n y o u r n e r v o u s b e a k , t h e s e
make b u l k , t h e s e , i n t h e e n d , a r e
t h e sum. (TMP 1 )
Elsewhere i n h i s w r i t i n g ,
II
perception i s
carry
in
Out
.
.
Olson
had d e c l a r e d h i s
p r i m a r y " (AP
- 51).
Here,
belief
that
the attentions
the necessary s t r i n g t o r e t i e the r e a l .
of
the things that are carried i n ,
begins t o appear.
However,
a world
of
forms
t h e forms a r e n o t c r e a t e d by d i v i n e
o r human f i a t , b u t a r e , i n s t e a d
born of y o u r s e l f , born
of h a y a n d c o t t o n s t r u t s ,
o f s t r e e t - p i c k i n g s , w h a r v e s , weeds
you c a r r y i n , my b i r d
of
of
of
of
Olson's
insistence
[generative]
things"
on
man
as
(after a l l ,
"a
a bone of a f i s h
a straw, or w i l l
a c o l o r , of a b e l l
yourself, torn
- 3)
(TMP
[generative]
it's
not
'1
thing
eunuchic
among
object-
t h a t Olson i s i n t e r e s t e d i n ) ,
i v i t y "'O
forms p a r t o f t h e " s t a n c e
toward r e a l i t y " which " b r i n g s v e r s e " s u c h a s O l s o n ' s " i n t o b e i n g "
51).
H
(J
which
The
Olson
v e r s e i s grounded i n a p r a c t i c e
c a l l s "logography."
of
I n a prose piece
composition
called
"THE
ADVANTAGE OF LITERACY I S / THAT WORDS CAN BE ON THE PAGE,",
Olson
/
declares
are
t h a t l a n g u a g e d e r i v e s from t h e e a r t h ,
naming
physical
It
and
l o g o g r a p h y i s w r i t i n g a s though
and t h a t
a n d "words
each
o b j e c t s a r e o r i g i n a l l y motivating"
is'
word
(AP
-
51).
i s a mode of c o m p o s i t i o n which a l l o w s man t o be r e b o r n i n s i d e
(2
i t h e e a r t h f o r "place / i s no longer allowably / outside"
-
The
-.--
O l s o n a n d Whitehead i n
6,19-
-- //'
m e t a p h y s i c s of t h i s s i t u a t i o n c a n b e l o c a t e d i n
North W h i t e h e a d ' s " p h i l o s o p h y of o r g a n i s m . "
von
then
Alfred
I n h i s d i s c u s s i o n of
Robert
C h a r l e s O l s o n : The S c h o l a r ' s A r t ,
H a l l b e r g p o i n t s o u t some a s p e c t s of W h i t e h e a d ' s v i e w s on t h e
n a t u r e , ,of
objects
and
t h e i r modes
of
relations
which
have
p a r t i c u l a r relevance f o r Olson's poetics:
A t t h e c e n t e r o f t h e o b j e c t . . . i s n o n u c l e u s of
t a n g i b i l i t y b u t i n s t e a d a syst.em of r e l a t i o n s h i p s .
" T h i s means t h a t t h e e s s e n c e o f b e i n g i s t o be
i m p l i c a t e d i n c a u s a l a c t i o n on o t h e r b e i n g s . " - [Whitehead] The p o i n t of W h i t e h e a d ' s p r o c e s s i s
n o t j u s t t h e m u t a b i l i t y of a l l e n t i t i e s b u t a l s o
t h e i r u n i t y . R e l a t i o n s h i p s a r e n o t simply " e x t e r n a l "
between e n t i t i e s which a r e c o m p l e t e u n t o thems e l v e s ; r e l a t i o n s between e n t i t i e s , Whitehead c l a i m s ,
have t o 2 $ o w i t h t h e i n t e r n a l s t r u c t u r e o f e a c h
entity.
In
P r o c e s s and R e a l i t y ,
whitehead
himself e l a b o r a t e s
on
this
n o t i o n of i n t e r a c t i v e b e i n g :
The p o t e n t i a l i t y f o r b e i n g a n e l e m e n t i n a r e a l conc r e s c e n c e o f many e n t i t i e s i n t o one a c t u a l i t y , i s
,
the general metaphysical c h a r a c t e r a t t a c h i n g t o a l l
e n t i t i e s , a c t u a l and non-actual [ i . e . , t o a c t u a l
e n t i t i e s a n d e t e r n a l o b j e c t s ] . Every i t e m i n i t s
universe i s involved i n each concrescence.
In
o t h e r w o r d s , i t b e l o n g s t o t h e n a t u r e of a ' b e i n g '
This
t h a t i t i s a p o t e n t i a l f o r every 'becoming.'
i s t h e p r i n c i p l e of r e l a t i v i t y . . . The p h i l o s o p h y
of o r g a n i s m i s m a i n l y d e v o t e d t o t h e t a s k of m a k j ~ g
t h e n o t i o n of ' b e i n g p r e s e n t i n a n o t h e r e n t i t y . '
As
Robin B l a s e r h a s s o c a r e f u l l y b r o u g h t t o o u r a t t e n t i o n i n h i s
recent
article
Whitehead,"
h he V i o l e t s :
C h a r l e s Olson
and
Alfred
North
v i t a l . 23
O l s o n ' s u s e of Whitehead was e x t e n s i v e a n d
But e v e n b e f o r e Olson had begun h i s s t u d i e d r e a d i n g s of Whitehead
h e h a d , w r i t t e n two y e a r s p r e v i o u s l y - - a s
i f i n anticipa-
t i o n of t h e f r a g r a n c e o f t h e l a t e r t h i n k i n g - - " o n e
i s inhabited as
i n 1955,
w e l l a s i n h a b i t s " (0 10,
40).
To be w a s , u n a v o i d a b l y , t o b e i n
t h e company of o t h e r t h i n g s .
The mode o f r e l a t i o n s , . b o t h o n t o l o g i c a l a n d p o e t i c , had been
t r a c e d t o a n i n t e r n a l dynamic, a p e r p e t u a l p r e p a r e d n e s s f o r form
But how p o t - e n t i a l i t y was f i n a l l y drawn i n t o t h e phenomenal
While h u n g e r i s .
was a m a t t e r beyond s i m p l e h u n g e r o r a p p e t i t i o n .
acknowledged
cultures
more
to
be f i r s t n e e d ( b y O l s o n ,
and t i m e s ) - - t h a t
than
omnivore;
H e s i o d i c cosmogony,
opening
builder
dynamics
II
amorvore" (TMP
Maximus d e c l a r e s :
By t h i s r e c k o n i n g ,
t h e body,
i t i s lusimeles--"love
l i m b s a l l - f i r e " (Guide 699)--which
II
other
is
also
In
love. i s
Taken i n
which
the
And i n t h e
l o v e i s t h e l a b o u r of t h e
i n t h e w e l t e r o f m a t e r i a l phenomena.
of
by
96).
l o v e comes f o r w a r d a f t e r h u n g e r .
poem o f t h i s volume,
(TMP
- 1).
as well a s
which "makes u s want to"--man
he i s a l s o
world
form"
master
to
the
makes
the
i s t h e mode o f t h e a r t i c u l a t i o n
of
a
1I
human u n i v e r s e . I I
e x t e n s i o n and c o n c r e t i o n ,
The
where
man
estranged
I n t h i s sense,
'
topos,
a s embodiment o f
becomes t h e p l a c e o f l o v e made
known.
t h r u s t o f O l s o n ' s work i s t o l o c a t e a n d t o make a p l a c e
can
from
be f u l l y a l i v e t o t h e
them.
Olson
things
consistently
around
argues
him,
against
not
a
c u l t u r a l p r a c t i c e t h a t b r e e d s s p e c t a t o r i s m , t h a t d i v e r t s u s from
24
p e r f o r m i n g o u r I I own l i v e s ' a c t s . . I '
He i n s i s t s i n s t e a d t h a t we
step
o u t s i d e t h e " s h a l l o w g r a v e s " we w a l k i n d a i l y and b e g i n
"[dwell]
(HU
- 39).
on t h e e a r t h ,
n o t [ a s ] s l a v e s of i t ,
to
but [ a s ] lovers"
N o t e s t o C h a p t e r One
Charles
( B o l i n a s : Four
in the text a s
O l s o n , A d d i t i o n a l P r o s e , e d . George B u c t e f i c k ,
Seasons Foundation, l 9 7 4 ) , p . 40. H e r e a f t e r c i t e d
AP.
-
C h a r l e s O l s o n , The Maximus Poems, ' e d . G e o r g e B u t t e r i c k ,
( B e r k e l e y : U n i v e r s i t y o f California P r e s s , 1 9 8 3 ) , p . 5 8 4 . Herea f t e r c i t e d i n t h e t e x t a s MP t o d i s t i n g u i s h i t f r o m t h e f i r s t
volume o f t h e poems, a l s o c a l l e d The Maximus Poems. The f i r s t
volume w i l l b e c i t e d i n t h e t e x t a s TMP.
F r i e d r i c h N i e t z s c h e , i n Between P a s t a n d F u t u r e , p . 5 5 .
N a t h a n A . S c o t t , The W i l d P r a y e r of L o n g i n g : P o e t r y a n d t h e
S a c r e d , (New Haven: Y a l e U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 7 1 ) , p . 2 5 .
S c o t t , p. 47.
R . G . C o l l i n g w o o d , The I d e a of H i s t o r y , ( 1 9 4 6 ; r p t . London:
O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , l 9 7 O ) , p p . 63-71.
Collingwood, p . 65.
Immanuel K a n t , i n Between P a s t a n d F u t u r e , p . 8 2 .
C h a r l e s O l s o n , i n G e o r g e ~ u t t e r i c k , A G u i d e . t o The Maxi-.
mus Poems of C h a r l e s O l s o n ,
(Berkeley: U n i v e r s i t y of C a l i f o r n i a
P r e s s , 1980), p . 28. H e r e a f t e r c i t e d i n t h e t e x t a s Guide.
l o C h a r l e s O l s o n , "I know men f o r whom e v e r y t h i n g m a t t e r s , I
Olson No.1 ( S p r i n g l 9 7 4 ) , p . 30. T h i s i s s u e of t h e Olson J o u r n a l .
w i l l h e r e a f t e r be c i t e d i n t h e t e x t a s 0 1.
I
l1 C l a r k , H o l q u i s t , B a k h t i n , p . 8 8 .
l2 Clark, Holquist, Bakhtin, p . 88. Besides t h e quotation
c i t e d h e r e , I am i n d e b t e d t o ~ a k h t i n a n d h i s b i o g r a p h e r s f o r
having prompted t h e t i t l e of t h i s c h a p t e r , though t h e concerns of
t h i s s t u d y b e a r n o d i r e c t r e l a t i o n t o t h o s e of B a k h ' t i n ' s p r o p o s e d
work The A r c h i t e c t o n i c s of A n s w e r a b i l i t y .
l 3 C h a r l e s O l s o n , L e t t e r s f o r O r i g i n : 1950-1955, e d . A l b e r t
G l o v e r , ( L o n d o n : Cape G o l i a r d P r e s s , 1 9 6 9 ) , p . 1 0 5 .
l 4 Ronald T a k a k i ,
1 9 7 9 ) , p p . 80-107.
I r o n Cages,
(New York:
A l f r e d A. K n o p f ,
l 5 I am t h i n k i n g h e r e o f Hannah A r e n d t ' s
d i s c u s s i o n of
M a r x ' s c o n f u s i o n o f 1 1m e a n i n g " a n d " e n d . I I The d i s c u s s i o n b e g i n s
w i t h a d i s t i n c t i o n b e i n g made b e t w e e n t h e h i s t o r i o g r a p h i c a l
t h e o r i e s o f Vico a n d Marx.
The two t h e o r i e s b e a r a s u p e r f i c i a l
r e s e m b l a n c e t o e a c h o t h e r t h r o u h t h e i r common r e c o g n i t i o n t h a t
man "makes" h i s t o r y .
But Vico 5 s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o I I h i s t o r y " was
e s s e n t i a l l y c o n t e m p l a t i v e w h i l e Marx s o u g h t t o make h i s a c t i v e .
That i s , Vico f e l t t h a t h i s t o r i c a l t r u t h was r e v e a l e d t o t h e
b a c k w a r d - g l a n c i n g h i s t o r i a n who c o u l d o v e r s e e t h e e n t i r e p r o c e s s
of h i s t o r y , o v e r l o o k i n g t h e 11 n a r r o w aims" o f a c t i n g men i n o r d e r
t o a p p r e h e n d t h e " h i g h e r aims" w h i c h ,
l i k e H e g e l 1 s " c u n n i n g of
r e a s o n , 11 r e a l i z e t h e m s e l v e s b e h i n d t h e b a c k s of t h e h i s t o r i c a l
actors.
Marx added a t e l e o l o g i c a l e l e m e n t t o t h i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g
of h i s t o r y , and made t h e 11 h i g h e r aims" t h e " i n t e n d e d aims" of
political action.
But a s A r e n d t p o i n t s o u t : "The d a n g e r of
t r a n s f o r m i n g t h e unknown and unknowable ' h i g h e r a i m s
into
p l a n n e d a n d w i l l e d i n t e n t i o n s was t h a t meaning a n d m e a n i n g f u l n e s s
were t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o e n d s . " A r e n d t t h e n g o e s on t o a t t r i b u t e
much of t h e growing m e a n i n g l e s s n e s s o f t h e modern w o r l d t o t h i s
c o n f u s i o n o v e r meaning a n d e n d .
See " H i s t o r y a n d P o l i t i c s , I I i n
Between P a s t and F u t u r e , p p . 75-86.
l 6 Collingwood, p . 71.
l 7 C h a r l e s O l s o n , i n Ann C h a r t e r s , O l s o n / M e l v i l l e : A Study
i n A f f i n i t y , ( B e r k e l e y : Oyez, 1 9 6 8 ) , p . 9 0 .
l8 B y r d , p . 6 7 .
l 9 Byrd, p . 67.
20 J o h a n n e s G . D r o y s e n , i n Between P a s t and F u t u r e , p . 4 9 .
n .r
Ll
R o b e r t von H a l l b e r g , C h a r l e s O l s o n : The S c * h o l a r l s A r t ,
(Cambridge: Harvard U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , l 9 7 8 ) , p p . 96-97.
2 2 A l f r e d N o r t h W h i t e h e a d , i n A Key t o W h i t e h e a d ' s P r o c e s s '
and R e a l i t y , e d . Donald S h e r b u r n e , ( C h i c a g o : U n i v e r s i t y of
Chicago P r e s s , 1 9 8 1 ) , p p . 23-24.
Hereafter c i t e d i n the text a s
Key.
23 For a n e x t e n s i v e r e v i e w of t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between O l s o n
h he V i o l e t s :
and W h i t e h e a d , s e e t h e a r t i c l e by Robin B l a s e r ,
C h a r l e s O l s o n and A l f r e d N o r t h w h i t e h e a d , " L i n e
No.2 ( F a l l
l 9 8 3 ) , p p . 61-103.
- 9
2 4 O l s o n , i n L e t t e r s f o r O r i g i n , p p . 102-107.
C h a p t e r Two:
The P h y s i c s o f R e s p o n s i b i l i t y
. . . what i s p h y s i c s ? I t i s t h e s c i e n c e o f
r e l a t i o n s . . . Venus a s s e m b l e s t h e a t o m s , l i k e
t h e compounds. She i s n o t t r a n s c e n d e n t l i k e
t h e o t h e r g o d s , b u t immanent i n t h i s w o r l d , t h e
b e i n g o f r e l a t i o n . She i s i d e n t i c a l t o t h e
. she inspires inclination, she is
relation .
inclination.
M i c h e l S e r r e s - Hermes
In
opening a d i s c u s s i o n of t r o p o s d u r i n g one of t h e
l e c t u r e s , Olson s a i d :
of
the
lot
management,
[i.e.,
or
is
most
"Tropism, I t h i n k , i s a c t u a l l y t h e r i d d l e r
/
/ tropos
topos
i t ' s t h e maneuverer,
- 34).
o u r s e l v e s " (PT
Beloit
typos].
it's
Or
.
or i t ' s the
.
it's
I f there i s an actual "riddle" involved, it
l i k e l y t h e one t h a t Olson brought up i n a l e c t u r e
yearsearlier:
"Whatgoeson4,
Man" ( 0 10,
answered:
answer s e e m s ,
69).
on2,
on
3?
.
..
Oedipus
the
.
a t b e s t , o n l y h a l f a n answer because t h e n a t u r e o f
"WHAT YOU ARE (what
0 10, 69).
i s a man) a n d WHO YOU ARE ( w h a t i s y o u r name)" ( answer
five
But w i t h r e f e r e n c e - t o t r o p o s ,
o u r being involves u s i n a twofold q u e s t i o n :
would
the
by
s a y i n g t h a t h e was a t o n c e
"bdth
Olson
proper
and
common:
b o t h C h a r l e s O l s o n a t t h e same t i m e ' a man"'
(0 10, 82).
We
constantly "involved with f i l l i n g out
thing,
are
name" ( 0 10, 82).
not
II
remain
the
that
The a c t i v i t y i s u n c e a s i n g s i m p l y b e c a u s e we d o
same
from
i n d i v i d u a t e t h e common," a
day t o
'1
day.
In
its
efforts
to
p r o p e r noun" must r e m a i n a t t u n e d
to
t h e c h a n g e a b l e n e s s o f t h e t h i n g i t s e e k s t o name ( 0 10,
a
discussion
our
82).
of t h e a b i l i t y of language t o remain f r e s h i n
In
its
r e l a t i o n t o p a r t i c u l a r s , Whitehead w r i t e s :
/Language
a r o s e w i t h a dominating r e f e r e n c e t o an
immediate s i t u a t i o n . Whether i t was s i g n a l o r
e x p r e s s i o n , above a l l t h i n g s , i t was t h i s r e a c t i o n
. t o .t h a t s i t u a t i o n i n t h i s environment. I n t h e
o r l g l n o f l a n g u a g e t h e p a r t i c u l a r i t y of t h e immed i a t e p r e s e n t was a n o u t s t a n d i n g e l e m e n t i n t h e
meaning conveyed . . . Language h a s g r a d u a l l y
a c h i e v e d t h e a b s t r a c t i o n of i t s meanings from he
p r e s u p p o s i t i o n of a n y p a r t i c u l a r e n v i r o n m e n t
The
f a c t t h a t t h e French d i c t i o n a r y i s published i n
Paris, a t a definite date, i s irrelevant t o the
meaning o f t h e words a s e x p l a i n e d i n t h e d i c t i o n a r y . The F r e n c h e q u i v a l e n t t o t h e E n g l i s h word
g r e e n , means j u s t g r e e n , w h a t e v e r be t h e s t a t e of
Europe, o r of t h e p l a n e t a r y s y s t e m . Green i s g r e e n
and t h e r e i s t h e end o f i t . T h e r e i s n o t h i n g more
t o be s a i d , when you o n c e u n d e r s t a n d t h e word i n
r e f e r e n c e t o i t s meaning . . ./we a r e much more
c i v i l i z e d t h a n o u r a n c e s t o r s who c o u l d m e r e l y
t h i n k o f g r e e n j n r e f e r e n c e t o some p a r t i c u l a r
s p r i n g morning.
/L
/'
p a r t i c u l a r a l m o s t - S p r i n g morning
Olson d e l i v e r s a l e c t u r e c a l l e d "LANGUAGE,
76-84).
In
engaging
a
it,
North
Carolina,
and MYTHOLOGY" ( 0 10,
h e d i s c u s s e s t h e a d v a n t a g e s t o be g a i n e d
subject
that
has
not
yet
been
emptied
from
of.,.its
p a r t i c u l a r s by t h e p r o c e s s o f a b s t r a c t i o n :
L
We have t h i s p l e a s u r e , w i t h Cro-Magnon: t h a t e v e r y t h i n g h e l e f t comes a t u s a s e v e r y t h i n g w i l l come
a t u s tomorrow, new--that i s i t w i l l come o u t a t
u s new i f we d o n ' t p u t i t o f f by l e t t i n g t h e name
of i t make u s a l r e a d y f a m i l i a r w i t h i t when we a r e n ' t
f a m i l i a r w i t h i t a t a l l ( t h e s u n , e . g . , which,
tomorrow, i s a d i s t i n c t l y d i f f e r e n t s u n t h a n t h a t
o n e , t o d a y , p r o v a b l y d i f f e r e n t , j u s t , t h a t we, t h e
a i r , a n d t h e c l o u d s , p l u s c o n c e i v a b l y i t s own
f u r n a c e s , s h a l l h a v e v a r i e d j u s t enough t o make
t h a t m a j o r i t y i t i s which makes i t common uncommon,
s o t h a t tomorrow o n e c a n c a l l i t by a new p r o p e r
name t o i n d i c a t e t h a t d i f f e r e n c e , t h a t , tomorrow,
i t i s changed . . . ( 0 10, 82)
Names
are
n e v e r a b s o l u t e -;/---
7--
s and e v e n t s .
-
t h e ~ a r ec a l l e d up
.
-
-
in
I n t h e same manner,
there are
absolute actions; instead, there a r e t r o p i s t i c responses.
l e c t u r e c i t e d a b o v e , Olson
In the
e x t e n d s t h e d i s c u s s i o n by i n t r o d u c i n g
a word t h a t b e g i n s t o s u g g e s t t h e k i n d of t r o p i s m t h a t humans a r e
involved in--the
word i s " p h o t o - c o p i c " :
. . . t h i s word was s u d d e n l y t h e whole meaning of
a l l o u r e x p e r i e n c e w i t h photo--how c a n I s a y it-p h o t o - c o p i c : t h a t we a r e d a r k n e s s . T h a t o u r . . .
c o n d i t i o n i n s i d e i s d a r k . . . t h a t t h e unknown i s
. . . your s e l f ' s i n s i d e s . . . t h a t ' s e x a c t l y t h e
whole meaning: t h a t we become s u r e i n t h e d a r k ,
t h a t we move w h e r e v e r we w i s h i n t h e s i x d i r e c t i o n s
w i t h t h a t l i g h t . . . I mean, l i t e r a l l y , t h a t t o
l i g h t -t h a t d a r k i s t o have come t o w h a t e v e r i t i s I
think any of u s s e e k s . And t r o p i s m , t o my mind
[ r e t u r n s t o ] when I knew t h e r e was a s u n , I mean a
- 35)
h e l i o i n s i d e m y s e l f . . . (PT
In
A.
h i s etymological researches,
Havelock's
Preface t o Plato,
a n d i n h i s r e a d i n g of E r i c
Olson
finds another
f o r g o t t e n name, f o r t h e d a r k r e c e s s e s of t h e s e l f .
lecture,
he says:
name,
a
I n the Beloit
"I h a v e t o g o back t o a word which i s i n
our
whole
l i v e s b u t we d o n ' t g o back t o i t i n
means
- 41).
' c a v e o f y o u r i n n e r b e i n g " (PT
ethea
may o r i g i n a l l y "have s i g n i f i e d t h e ' l a i r ' o r ' h a u n t ' o f a n
Greek--ethos.
Which
Havelock n o t e s
that
L
a n i m a l , " a n d t h a t " i n l a t e r Greek i t d e v e l o p s i n t o t h e meaning of
personal
behaviour-pattern
o r even p e r s o n a l c h a r a c t e r and s o
A r i s t o t l e s u p p l i e d t h e b a s i s f o r t h e term ' e t h i c s ' . " 2
to
E t h e a seem
i n v o l v e t h e " p r i v a t e i n s t i n c t s and f a m i l y usage" r a t h e r
p u b l i c codes of behaviour:
in
than
" t h e word may o r i g i n a l l y h a v e d e n o t e d
t h e way a human b e i n g l i v e d i n h i s ' h a u n t s ' .
"' For O l s o n ,
t h e way one l i v e s i n o n e s e l f c o n s t i t u t e s a n e t h o s .
From
tying
up b o t h t h e e a r l i e r a n d t h e l a t e r s e n s e s of
ethea,
notes
t h a t t h e way t h e s e l f a c t s a n d moves i n v o l v e s a
then,
there,
Olson
"morality
of
(c
motion"
10,
97),
and t h a t t h e l a t t e r i n v o l v e s
man
in
something much l a r g e r t h a n h i m s e l f : a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r a w o r l d .
In
l e c t u r e t h a t opens w i t h ~ e r a c l i t u s ' s s t a t e m e n t
a
estrangement,
Olson
of
man's
proceeds t o d i s c u s s t h e d i s c i p l i n e r e q u i r e d
t o counter t h a t estrangement:
I was . . . f o r c e d . . . t o s a y i n what way I t o o k
i t man i s now r e q u i r e d t o b e r e s p o n s i b l e . And t h e
answer was o u t o f my mouth l i k e my s o u l : h e h a s t o
b e t o t a l l y r e s p o n s i b l e , h e h i m s e l f , e a c h one o f u s y
t h a t e a c h o f u s i s a m o r a l i t y - - o r t h e r e i s none a t
a l l ; t h a t i t was o b v i o u s l y n e v e r any d i f f e r e n t , b u t ,
somehow, t h e i n c i s i v e n e s s a n d overwhelmingness o f
t h e f a c t (and t h e r e q u i r e d a c t ) g o t obscured . . .
now o n l y a n engagement w i t h t h e t o t a l i t y o f e x p e r i e n c e can e q u i p u s t o be s o responsible---that t h e
m o t i o n o f any one man i s t h e mass a n d momentum o f
and
a l l o n l y a s h e i s a t once t h e a c t o f h i m s e l f t h e comprehension o f t h e m o t i o n t h a t a l l men a r e - t h a t t h e s i n g l e l i v i n g t r u t h i s , t h a t a man c a n s o
e n g a g e h i m s e l f , and by s o e n g a g i n g h i m s e l f , o f f e r
a p r i n c i p l e t o t h i s t i m e a s men h a v e o f f e r e d
principle t o theirs.
(0 10; 98)
I n t h i s formulation,
e t h e a , t h e ' l p r i v a t e " and "family u s a g e ,
also
t i e d t o a p u b l i c meaning.
H a v e l o c k ' s d i s c u s s i o n of
also
i n c l u d e s a s i m u l t a n e o u s d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e n o t i o n of
I1
is
ethea
nomos.
The d i s c u s s i o n c e n t r e s on H e s i o d ' s i n v o c a t i o n t o t h e Muses a t t h e
beginning
of t h e Theogony.
t h e Muses s i n g a s :
the
immortals.
4
II
" t h e custom-laws o f a l l a n d t h e folk-ways
The Greek words f o r "custom-ways"
ways" a r e n'omos and e t h e a .
later
strong
Greek,
sense
the
H e s i o d d e f i n e s t h e c o n t e n t o f ' what
11
l a w s , " though s t i l l
of t h e f o r c e o f usage and custom,
a r e a s of relevance:
"folk-
Havelock n o t e s t h a t nomoi becomes, i n
term f o r
l a t e r s e n s e of s t a t u t e .
and
of
maintaining
a s well a s
He g o e s on t o s u g g e s t t h e i r
a
the
respective
E t h e a a r e n o l e s s b i n d i n g t h a n nomoi b u t a r e more
p e r s o n a l . . . i t c o u l d be e a s i l v extended t o cover
t h e mores o f t h e human h a u n t whikh i s t h e h o u s e h o l d
and f a m i l y , whereas t h e nomoi, which may b e conn e c t e d w i t h t h e distribution o f p a s t u r e , would l o o k
a t custom a n d u s a g e from a r a t h e r l a r g e r and more
s o c i a l p o i n t of v i e w . Thus e t h o s would c o v e r a
m a n ' s p r o p e r f e e l i n g s and reactions t o i n t i m a t e s
and e n e m i e s . Nomos would d e s c r i b e , a s i t d o e s i n
H e s i o d , t h e universal law o f h a r d work o r t h e proh i b i t i o n i n s t i n c t i v e l y observed a g a i n s t cannibalism.
1
-
Hesiod's
nomoi
task,
as
and e t h e a .
-
c h a r g e d by t h e Muses,
was a l s o t o s i n g
the
O l s o n saw i n t h a t t a s k a n e f f o r t r e l e v a n t
t h e p r e s e n t s t a t e of c u l t u r e where " t h e p r i n c e a n d t h e p o e t
to
have
be a b l e t o p a s s t o o t h e r s t h e customs of men a n d t h e laws
g o d s U (PT 4 2 ) .
However,
O l s o n ' s u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f nomoi seems
h a v e p a r t e d company w i t h H a v e l o c k ' s .
to
of
to
Olson s a y s : " I r a n b o t h of
t h e s e [ w o r d s ] i n my machine some y e a r s e a r l i e r and was a s t o n i s h e d
to
T 42).
a r r i v e a t t h e f a c t t h a t ' l a w s ' mean c a n n i b a l i s m ". ( P-
He
d o e s n o t o f f e r h i s s o u r c e s on t h i s p o i n t , b u t g o e s on t o s a y t h a t
"
1aws"
means a p p e t i t e f o r y o u r own k i n d , I s u p p o s e t h a t ' s
what c a n n i b a l i s m means.
I t d o e s n o t mean e a t i n g
a n i m a l f o o d , i t means e a t i n g y o u r own. And t h a t ' s
l a w , l a w s ; o r t h e i m p o r t a n t - - I mean t h e most i m p o r t a n t t e a c h i n g s t h a t t h e Muses c a n c l a i m t h a t
a p r i n c e a n d a p o e t h a v e t o . . . p a s s on t o o t h e r
human b e i n g s from t h e i r i n s t r u c t i o n .
(PT
- 42)
Havelock
had
o f f e r e d t h e p r o h i b i t i o n a g a i n s t cannibalism a s
an
example o f t h e customs o r l a w s t h a t a r e p a s s e d on from g e n e r a t i o n
-
to
generation.
If
" l a w s " a r e t a k e n t o mean
i n s t e a d o f e n f o r c e d s t a t u t e ( t h i s i s how
S p e c i a l View of
can
be
ist tor^^),
"path"
Olson t a k e s
or
it i n
"way"
The
-
t h e n t h e " a p p e t i t e f o r y o u r own k i n d "
c o n s t r u e d a s s i m p l y t h e "way" o r c o n d i t i o n o f t h e
human
w o r l d , t h e " p a t h " of c o h e r e n c e one t a k e s i n l i v i n g w i t h o n e ' s own
kind.
The p r o h i b i t i o n a g a i n s t c a n n i b a l i s m i n i t s l i t e r a l
sense
i s , when s e e n i n t h e s e t e r m s , a l s o t h e n e c e s s a r y custom o r way o f
a
social
relation
meaning
existence.
to
of
Whether O l s o n s u f f e r e d a memory l a p s e
t h e Havelock p a s s a g e ,
"law"
in
some o t h e r
o r whether h e
source,
i m p o r t a n c e t o t h e t a s k h e was engaged i n .
are
is
located
not
of
Both s e n s e s o f
nomoi
parallel
procedure
discover
a c o r o l l a r y i n O l s o n ' s s e n s e of t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of
man's
ethea
and nomoi
in
Hesiod
and
m o t i o n t a k i n g on t h e "mass andmomentum" o f a l l
both
those terms,
that
primary
c o n c e r n e d w i t h ways of m a i n t a i n i n g a s o c i a l c o h e r e n c e .
of
in
The
Homer
one
In
men.
t h e morality has i t s source i n t h e procedures
of l i f e a n d t h e p a s s i n g on of l i f e .
In
inside
t h e l i g h t i n g of t h a t d a r k ,
himself,
selfishly so.
a
poetics.
man s p r a w l ,
man
can
t h e obedience t o
be " t o t a l l y
helio
the
responsible, II
not
just
T h i s " m o r a l i t y o f motion" a l s o p r o p o s e s t h e way of
"if a
To r e t u r n t o a n e a r l i e r p o i n t i n ' t h e t h e s i s ,
he s h a l l f i n d l i t t l e t o s i n g b u t h i m s e l f . "
But wbat
\
the concern with tropos o f f e r s i s t h a t
. . . i f h e s t a y s i n s i d e h i m s e l f , i f h e i s cont a i n e d w i t h i n h i s n a t u r e a s he i s p a r t i c i p a n t i n
t h e l a r g e r f o r c e , h e w i l l be a b l e t o l i s t e n , and
h i s h e a r i n g t h r o u g h h i m s e l f w i l l g i v e him s e c r e t s
o b j e c t s s h a r e . And by a n i n v e r s e law h i s s h a p e s
w i l l make t h e i r own way. I t i s i n t h i s s e n s e t h a t
t h e p r o j e c t i v e a c t , which i s t h e a r t i s t ' s a c t i n
t h e l a r g e r f i e l d of o b j e c t s , l e a d s t o dimensions
l a r g e r t h a n t h e man.
(HU
- 60)
The p r o j e c t i v e a c t i s n o t p o s s i b l e when man a t t e m p t s t o
external
reality;
i t i s o n l y a s a p a r t i c i p a n t aware o f
//
dominate
certain
limits,
including
creation.
'
his
Tropos,
own
then,
participation, or, a s
physiology,
can
be
seen
that
as
he
the
can
way
forward
of
that
t h e method o f a n o b e d i e n c e t h a t r e - o p e n s a
p a t h between p r i v a t e and p u b l i c i s s u e s .
To compose, a t l e a s t by p r o p e n s i t y , i s
t o ~ i v et o do . . .
Roland B a r t h e s
-
"Musica P r a c t i c a "
I n h i s e s s a y "Musica P r a c t i c a , " B a r t h e s o b s e r v e s t h a t " t h e r e
t h e music one - . l i s t e n s t o [and] t h e music one
a r e two m u s i c s . .
7
plays. "
The m u s i c o n e p l a y s i s
a m u s c u l a r m u s i c i n w h i c h t h e p a r t t a k e n by t h e
s e n s e o f h e a r i n g i s one o n l y o f r a t i f i c a t i o n , a s
t h o u g h t h e body w e r e h e a r i n g - - a n d n o t ' - t h e s o u l ' ;
a music which i s n o t p l a y e d ' b y h e a r t ' : s e a t e d a t
t h e k e y b o a r d o r t h e m u s i c s t a n d , t h e body c o n t r o l s ,
conducts, co-ordinates, having i t s e l f t o t r a n s c r i b e
what i t r e a d s , making s o u n d a n d m e a n i n g , t h e body a s
i n s c r i b e r and n o t j u s t t r a n s m i t t e r , simple r e c e i v e r .
(Barthes 149)
This
s e n s e o f t h e body a s t r a n s c r i b e r a n d i n s c r i b e r b e l o n g s t o a
t r a d i t i o n of
lost
p r a c t i c a l music" which,
t o us today.
praxis
man
II
Similarly,
according t o
f o r Olson,
is
Barthes,
the sense of a
lost
c o n t i n u a l l y draws forward t h e H e r a c l i t u s o b s e r v a t i o n t h a t
i s e s t r a n g e d from t h a t w i t h which h e i s most f a m i l i a r .
The S p e c i a l View o f H i s t o r y ,
clitus
word--to
"defined
function,
Olson remarks t h a t Keats and
In
Hera-
t h e whole problem o f t h e f a m i l i a r by t h a t .
o r t h e a c t u a l p r o c e s s " (SVH 3 3 ) .
a
.
I n t e r m s of
t h e "ACTUAL,"
Olson t e l l s u s t h a t t h e
word i s i n good u s a g e , a n d h a s a n e x a c t meaning:
' i n v o l v i n g a c t s a n d a c t i o n ' a n d ' o p p o s e d t o pot e n t i a l , v i r t u a l , theoretical, hypothetical, e t c . '
To a c t o r n o t t o a c t : c a n you d r i v e t h e f a m i l i a r
s i t u a t i o n o f b e i n g a human a n y f u r t h e r ? I t t u r n s
o u t i t i s n ' t you (why t h e u n i t o r t h e p e r s o n a l o r
t h e e g o t i s t i c a l , t h a t d i g i t n o m a t t e r how i t i s
a s s e r t i n g i t s e l f , i s s e c o n d a r y ) ; i t i s n ' t you which
i s t h e f i n a l b u t s o m e t h i n g q u i t e d i f f e r e n t : what
you do.
(SVH 33-34)
The
o p p o s i t i o n between t h e p o t e n t i a l a n d t h e a c t u a l i s a c e n t r a l
rallying
point
opposition
i n O l s o n l s thinking.
The
importance
of
this
i s p o i n t e d up i n h i s c h o i c e o f Maximus o f T y r e a s t h e
f i g u r e h e a d f o r t h i s s e q u e n c e o f poems.
century A.D.
The T y r i a n was a
second
Greek p h i l o s o p h e r who h a d i n i t i a l l y e s t a b l i s h e d h i s
p h i l o s o p h i c a l s t a n c e w i t h i n a P l a t o n i c s c h o o l o f t h o u g h t , b u t who
l a t e r a d o p t e d t h e t e a c h i n g s o f t h e C y n i c s , t e a c h i n g s which p l a c e d
8
" t h e end. o f l i f e i n p r a c t i c a l a n d n o t t h e o r e t i c v i r t u e . 1 1
Throughout
theoretic
The Maximus Poems,
it i s
11
the i
of
i
actual,
/
T y r i a n B u s i n e s s e s " which
d e l i v e r s t h e method f o r t h a t a c t i o n .
11
deadnesses
a r e made t o g i v e way t o t h e q u i c k e n i n g o f t h e
and i n t h i s f i r s t volume,
volume--
the
first
Up u n t i l t h i s p o i n t i n t h e
T y r i a n B u s i n e s s e s " i s i n f a c t L e t t e r 8--Maximus
h a s been
x
concerned
with
directing
~ l o u c e s t e r ' s attention
problems t h a t t h r e a t e n t o d i s s o l v e t h e
his
community;
toward
consequently,
e x h o r t a t i o n s have proclaimed t h e need f o r a t t e n t i o n and
need
"hands
to
act.
[can
The n e x t s t e p t h e n w i l l b e t o d i s c o v e r
b e ] p u t t o t h e e y e s ' commands" (TMP
the
32) .
how
Or,
the
the
as
O l s o n t h e s e l f - p r o f e s s e d " a r c h a e o l o g i s t o f morning" w r i t e s : " T h i s
i s t h e m o r n i n g , a f t e r t h e d i s p e r s i o n , a n d t h e work o f t h e morning
how t o u s e o n e s e l f a n d on what" (AP
- 40).
i s methodology:
primary
role
question
as
now i s "how t o u s e o n e s e l f , " t h e n
rhetorician
question a s well.
t h e s e " ~ e t t e r s " can
in
be
into
'1
f u n c t i o n of
p u r e " r h e t o r i c ) was t o
t h e s o u l of a n o t h e r i n o r d e r t h a t t h a t s o u l b e g i n
itself.
poet's
called
t h i s c a s e , t h e Platonic--the
t h e r h e t o r i c i a n (when h e was e x e r c i s i n g a
way
the
According t o t h e t e n e t s of a n o l d e r t r a d i t i o n
of r h e t o r i c a l t h e o r y - - i n
move
If the
to
move
O l s o n f o r m u l a t e s a n o t h e r c o n c e p t i o n o f t h i s f u n c t i o n by
of
yet
another
tradition--that
of
Herodotus,
"
the
l o g o g r a p h e r " ; i n t h e B e l o i t l e c t u r e m e n t i o n e d a b o v e , Olson s t a t e s
that
"he
Pike,
who
given
can t e l l t h e s t o r y r i g h t has a c t u a l l y
you
something,
PT 38).
n a r r a t i v e " (-
but
h a s moved
you
not
on
only,
your
own
It i s a k i n e t i c t h a t Olson i s a f t e r h e r e , a
t r a n s f e r e n c e of energy r a t h e r t h a n any s t o p p e d a r t i f a c t of speech
or
writing.
The
designation
II
Maximus"
the
role
of
fact
that
"Letter"
and
this
poem
without
appears
without
explicit
p r o p o s e s a s h i f t away from t h e p r e c e d i n g
of
This
shift
narrative:
now
yields
insistence
preparedness
narrative.
reference
to
emphasis
ofl
t h e o r a t o r and t h e o r a t i o n t o a n emphasis
s o c i a l p o s s i b i l i t i e s t o b e e n a c t e d by t h e c i t i z e n s ' s
is
the
also
accompanied by a change
of
take
by a d e s i r e from w i t h i n ,
up o n e ' s
II
busy-ness"
and
a
that
desire
to
the
activities.
h o r t a t o r y t o n e o f t h e e a r l i e r l e t t e r s and
measured
to
on
tone
t o a more s u b t l y measured i n s i s t e n c e ,
the
move
in
the
songs
is,
and
an
a
one's
I t i s t h e a c t u a l b u s i n e s s e s of a c i t y t h a t c o n s t i t u t e
t h e work o f t h e poem now.
In
a discussion of process,
- 8) ,
i s a s c i e n c e o f HOW"(AP
O l s o n s a y s t h a t " a METHODOLOGY
a n d i n " ~ ~ r i aB n
usinesses," t h e
HOW
i s met by a n e x e r c i s e :
The w a i s t o f a l i o n ,
f o r a man t o move p r o p e r l y
And f o r a woman,
who s h o u l d move l a z i l y ,
t h e weight of b r e a s t s
This i s t h e e x e r c i s e f o r t h i s morning
(TMP 3 5 )
The work o f t h e morning i n v o l v e s p r o p e r movement.
Taking h i s cue
from
meaning
the
etymology o f " p r o p e r " ( f r o m
proprius,
one's
own), O l s o n n o t e s t h a t " t h e f a m i l i a r t u r n s o u t t o b e s i m p l y t h a t ,
t h e r e i s a n a t u r a l , p r o p e r a n d c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a c t i o n o f man," a n d
t h a t " f u n c t i o n " s i m p l y means
characteristic
action
s e c t i o n o f t h e poem,
conditions
11
t o perform ' t h e n a t u r a l ,
of a n y t h i n g " '
- 33).
(SVH
In
and
this
we a r e t o work w i t h t h e g i v e n - - t h e
of our p h y s i c a l i t y t h a t simultaneously
possibility
proper o r
l i m i t f o r o u r movements.
first
specific
propose
The p o i n t
at
both
.
which
p o s s i b i l i t y a n d l i m i t i n t e r s e c t c o n s t i t u t e s a p i v o t w h i c h we must
pay a t t e n t i o n t o i f we a r e t o move p r o p e r l y .
The w a i s t , f o r t h e
man, i s a p i v o t p o i n t t h a t w i l l a l l o w him t o t u r n h i s t o r s o w h i l e
i n an upright position.
The c o n c e r n w i t h " t h e w e i g h t o f b r e a s t s "
d i r e c t s u s t o a c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f g r a v i t y , o r more s p e c i f i c a l l y , a
I
centre
the
o f g r a v i t y w h i c h h a s t o d o w i t h how we h o l d o u r s e l v e s
earth,
proposing
how we p r o c e e d i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e g r o u n d .
certain
r u l e s o r p r i n c i p l e s of
instrumentat ion,
e x e r c i s e s u g g e s t s n o t o n l y how o n e c a n move b u t ,
s h o u l d move,
Thus
also,
how
to
in
the
one
I
Already,
horizontal
section
in
have
"2,"
this
section,
the
vertical
been i m p l i c a t e d i n a f o r m u l a t i o n
the
established:
first
"To
relationship
of
verticality
and
the
use.
In
ground
is
of
to
d a n c e / s i t t i n g down," i n v o l v e s t a k i n g r o o t i n
t h e ground and a c h i e v i n g a p r o p e r v e r t i c a l growth.
is
But t h i s
p r e c i s e l y what t h e American p e o p l e seem t o b e i n c a p a b l e o f : "They
don't
even
down!
yet
know
how t o s i t down,
how
to
The problem s t e m s from t h e m i s u s e o f
dance
sitting
energies:
while
s e c t i o n s "1" a n d "2" announce a new m e t h o d o l o g y , s e c t i o n s "3" and
"4"
essay
pronounce t h e d e a d e n d e d n e s s of a n o l d m e t h o d o l o g y .
"The
Gate
& t h e C e n t e r , " Olson w r i t e s
larger thanman, but
. . .
that
II
In
his
is
energy
i f he t a p s i t a s i t i s i n h i m s e l f , h i s
u s e s o f h i m s e l f a r e EXTENSIBLE i n human d i r e c t i o n s a n d d e g r e e n o t
U 22).
r e c e n t l y granted" (H
make
The e m p h a s i s f a l l s on t h e a b i l i t y t o
u s e of i t " a s i t i s i n h i m s e l f " ;
attempting
to
subdue
i t i n t h e way
t h e misuse
that
derives
S t . *George
from
finally
triumphs over t h e dragon:
We h a v e a c u r i o u s way, h e r e i n t h e S t a t e s ,
f u r i o u s a b o u t t h e d o i n g o f a n y t h i n g , i f we
a l l . When we d a n c e f o r e x a m p l e . I t i s a s
we t h o u g h t t o s l a y t h e D r a g o ~ ~ whad
e t o be
l e n t and t h r a s h i n g a s h e i s .
of being
do i t a t
though
a s vio-
The m i s u s e g o e s back t o a c o n f u s e d u n d e r s t a n d i n g of t h e n a t u r e of
work,
and
i t s r o l e i n attacking chaos.
I n "A S y l l a b a r y f o r
a
Dancer" ( a n e x t r e m e l y u s e f u l companion p i e c e t o t h i s poem), Olson
t a k e s t h i s m a t t e r back t o t h e s t o r y s f T i a m a t ,
t h e p r i m a l mother
o f t h e B a b y l o n i a n c r e a t i o n myth a n d t h e embodiment o f c h a o s .
story
The
h a s i t t h a t s h e , h a l v e d , was t h e h e a v e n s a n d t h e
e a r t h , and t h a t t h e blood of h e r husband, a l s o
s l a i n , was t h e s o u r c e o f t h e b i r t h o f man. Man
s p r a n g up from t h e m i x t u r e of h i s blood and h a l f
h e r s u b s t a n c e , t h e e a r t h . Man t o o k i t h e h a d t o
a s s a i l t h i s p a r e n t h o o d - - a n d t h e o n l y weapon h e h a d
was h i s w o r k , t h a t i t i s work w h i c h b r i n g s r e a l i t y
i n t o e x i s t e n c e , r p f l i t y , which i s t h e f i r s t form
imposed o n c h a o s .
Yet a f t e r t h i s i n i t i a l i m p o s i t i o n o f f o r m ,
man i s s t i l l l e f t
contend with t h e chaos and t h e r e a l i t y i m p l i c i t i n himself.
the
American
that
the
earlier
And
people continue t o a t t a c k t h i s inner chaos l i k e
" f i r s t people," not r e a l i z i n g t h a t
11
and
a
t h e enemy i s [ a l r e a d y ] d e a d , "
g r o u n d h a s a l r e a d y b e e n c l e a r e d by t h e e f f o r t s
"frontierism,"
to
that the
present
now
of
an
yields
the
stance:
the
p o s s i b i l i t y of v e r t i c a l growth.
The
vertical
verticality
(HU
- 23).
a m a t t e r of
proper
o f t h e s e l f t h a t p r o c e e d s a c c o r d i n g t o i t s own
the "self-act"
capable
becomes
d i r e c t e d toward form.
of t a k i n g up " s t r a i g h t ,
With t h i s s t a n c e ,
nature' s ,
tropos,
man
is
1i v e * n a t u r e ls f o r c e "
Without i t , h e i s b u t one of t h e s e
L
a b o r t e d c r e a t u r e s i n t h e crowd l e f t o v e r f r o m t h e
p a s t who a r e s o i n c a p a b l e o f v e r t i c a l i t y t h e y
destroy h o r i z o n t a l i t y , they a r e s o anxious t o l i e
down i n t h e mud a n d d i e , t h e y s o w i s h t o g o b a c k t o
w h e r e man came f r o m , t h a t d i r t y m i x t u r e o f b l o o d a n d
T i a m a t ' s mud.
("SD" 1 4 )
I n "A S y l l a b a r y , " O l s o n r e m a r k s t h a t one s u c h "monster o f t h e o l d
w i l l " i s M a r t h a Graham, who i s
. . . s o f a r back s h e c r a v e s t o be s c a l p e d ,
and dragged over t h e ground
And b e c a u s e nobody h a s
dragged h e r
s h e h a s e v e r y b o d y d o i t . She d o e s i t . She w a n t s c l e a n
sheets
each n i g h t
35)
(E
I n h e r dance,
of
primal
she i s c a p a b l e o n l y of r e h e a r s i n g t h a t one
creation.
"She
d o e s i t ," e a c h n i g h t
a s s a i l t h e ground l i k e a f i r s t p e o p l e .
the
morning
primal
bed
performance.
down,
returning
F o r Graham,
preparation f o r a
repetition
of
to
t h e work o f
i s n o t h i n g more t h a n p u t t i n g c l e a n s h e e t s
in
moment
on
that
that
initial
Her d e s i r e t o b e d r a g g e d o v e r t h e g r o u n d , o r t o l i e
p r o m o t e s a n i n a c t i v i t y t h a t i s o p p o s e d by t h e more u p r i g h t
a c t i v i t i e s t h a t comprise
fact
II
Tyrian" businesses.
makes a n enemy o f d a n c e :
rather,
human
Such i n a c t i v i t y i n
space i s no longer f a m i l i a r
but,
e s t r a n g e d : t h e u s e s o f a man a r e n o l o n g e r e x t e n s i b l e i n
directions,
t h u s denying any t r o p o s .
Being s o f a r back,
s h e l o s e s t h e f i e l d o f " t h e c l o s e H - - u s e d by O l s o n i n t h e m e d i e v a l
i s n o t h i n g more a n d n o t h i n g e l s e / t h a n
12
f o r m you a r e t h e c o n t e n t o f . "
This
sense of quarter--"which
that
which
unborn
i n a c t i v i t y simply r e t u r n s t o a formlessness.
S e c t i o n s "3" a n d "4" p o i n t u p s e v e r a l i n s t a n c e s o f a d e b a s e d
a t t e n t i o n which t a k e s h o r i z o n t a l i t y a s i t s o b j e c t .
Butterick
doll"
notes
refer
that the lines
discussing
t o Madame C h i a n g K a i - S h e k ' s
the
(n6e
I n t h e Guide:
"international
Mei
Ling
Soong)
v i s i t s t o Washington i n 1 9 4 3 a n d i n 1 9 4 8 .
While t h e f i r s t v i s i t
was u n d e r t a k e n a s p a r t o f t h e war e f f o r t ,
t h e s e c o n d was p u r s u e d
" w i t h o u t o f f i c i a l i n v i t a t i o n o r welcome" ( G u i d e 5 8 ) .
She e n t e r s
t h e n a r r a t i v e h e r e f o r two r e a s o n s : t h e f i r s t r e a s o n r e s t a t e s and
f u r t h e r s Graham's o b s e s s i o n w i t h h o r i z o n t a l i t y .
as
it
equally
i s used h e r e ,
on
c a r r i e s two m e a n i n g s ,
t h e matter of tropos.
A
The word " d o l l
b o t h o f which
"doll" i s a
small
,"
bear
scale
figure
of
a
human b e i n g ,
plaything f o r children.
but
an object generally
As w e l l ,
idea
the
One n o t e s i n
evidence of a n i n c a p a c i t y f o r
(TMP
35),
and
occupation
with
surface
both
these
self-acts.
The
of
things,
suggests
a
i n t h i s poem w i l l r e m a i n c h i l d r e n ,
a
pre-
pre-occupation
d e t e r m i n e d by t h e i n a b i l i t y t o r o o t o n e s e l f i n t h e
"children"
are
who want t o l i e down / i n Tiamat"
t h e n o t i o n o f empty-headedness
the
a
i n section "4,"
o f a p l a y t h i n g s u g g e s t s c h i l d r e n who,
t h e o n e s who "want t o g o b a c k ,
as
"doll" suggests an a t t r a c t i v e
r a t h e r empty-headed young woman.
definitions
regarded
ground.
always
The
assailing
t h a t p a r e n t h o o d , a n d a l w a y s d e n y i n g t h e m s e l v e s t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of
v e r t i c a l growth.
The
q u e s t i o n "Why i s s h e p u t up w i t h ? " (TMP 35) l o c a t e s t h e
s e c o n d r e a s o n f o r Madame Chiang K a i - S h e k ' s
p.oem.
this
question:
continuing presence i n
One c a n h e a r i n t h i s q u e r y t h e e c h o o f y e t
"What
answer i s ,
b u s i n e s s does she have being
c l e a r l y , no
11
business."
here"?
another
And
the
The " b u s i n e s s " o f " t h e w h i t e
h o u s e " i s presumably t h e a c t i v i t y o f a d m i n i s t e r i n g t h e a f f a i r s of
t h e p u b l i c realm.
seems
to
Her b u s i n e s s - - e s p e c i a l l y
on t h e s e c o n d v i s i t - -
extend no f u r t h e r than a superf i c i a l concern w i t h
bed
sheets.
But s i n c e t h e p r i m a r y r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r d e t e r m i n i n g a n d
holding
t o t h e n a t u r e of t h e b u s i n e s s t o be conducted l i e s
with
"the white house," i t i s t h e very concerns of t h a t a d m i n i s t r a t i o n
which a r e b e i n g c a l l e d i n t o q u e s t i o n h e r e .
be
seen
as
The " w h i t e h o u s e " c a n
t h e c e n t r e of a p o s s i b l e coherence,
but
it
is
coherence t h a t w i l l s u f f e r d i s p e r s i o n once a p r o p e r a t t e n t i o n
a
to
p u b l i c "Tyrian" business f a i l s .
A
growing s e n s e o f s p e c i o u s p l a y i s s p r i n g i n g up a r o u n d t h e
i t i s a k i n d of p l a y i n g
words l s d o l l , l l " d i t t i e s , " a n d " c h i l d r e n " ;
which i n t e r f e r e s w i t h t h e work o f t h e m o r n i n g ,
by
the egocentric w i l l ,
exercise
in
apportion
movement.
only
a playing
driven
which imposes y e t a n o t h e r d r a g on
The f a l s e m e a s u r e s imposed by
this
ego
can
35).
" d i t t i e s " a n d t h e " e u p h o r i a " o f c h a o s (TMP
K i n e t i c i s dead-ended i n t h i s o l d m e t h o d o l o g y .
I n section "5," the
But t h e b l o c k a g e i s soon c l e a r e d away.
orator-pedagogue r e - e n t e r s
"middle
voice"
vertical
over
diapers
kinetics
/
(TMP
- 36).
the
the narrative i n full
1I
command" o f t h e
He now d e c l a r e s t h e t r i u m p h
horizontal:
/ put
a "land-spout's
up i n t h e t r e e s " (TMP 3 6 ) .
The
force
of
previously
towards
the
all
the
vertical
h a s f l u n g up a l l t h o s e r e c a l c i t r a n t c h i l d r e n who
o t h e r w i s e c r a w l back t o l i e w i t h t h e p r i m a l mother.
had
of
the
been
dance,
a s e a r c h f o r a method of
there
Where t h e r e
action
i s now a p r o p o s a l f o r
would
a
directed
method
of.
v e r b a l a c t i o n : i t i s t o p o s s e s s "what m u s i c i a n s c a l l / t h e m i d d l e
v o i c e , I I a n d " t o command i t / i s t o be i n b u s i n e s s " (TMP 3 6 ) .
In
t h i s c a s e , t h e b u s i n e s s a t hand i s t h e b u s i n e s s o f t h e e p i c p o e t ,
telling
the
"tale
Michael
Bernstein
of t h e
speaks
tribe."
of O l s o n ' s
In
The T a l e of t h e T r i b e ,
efforts
to
restore
f a m i l i a r t o u s by way o f t h e l e s s o n s o f h i s t o r y :
t h e unique o p p o r t u n i t y of t h e e p i c w r i t e r i s . . .I I
t o r e v e a l " h i s t o-----r y [ a s ] t h e f u n c t i o n o f any o f u s ,
i . e . , t o les e e w e - p o s s e s s t h e freedom t o det e r m i n e by what v a l u e s b o t h o u r i n d i v i d u a l 1i v e s
and o u r s o c i e t y a r e governed, . . . [ t o ] l e t u s
e x p e r i e n c e h i s t o r y a s a s e r i e s of c h o i c e s adopted
the
by l i v i n g men i n s p e c i f i c c i r c u m s t a n c e s , [ a n d t o
l e t u s s e e t h a t ] p r e v i o u s h i s t o r i c a l d e c i s i o n s have
c r e a t e d t h e s o c i a l framework i n t o which we a r e b o r n ,
b u t [ t h a t ] t h e y do n o t l i m i t o u r own c a p a c i t y t o
choose a g a i n , t o c o n t i n u e e a r l i e r p a t t e r n s o r t o
c h a n g e l g u r emphasis and c r e a t e new o n e s i n t h e i r
place.
The
object
choices,
of O l s o n ' s b u s i n e s s i s t o a l l o w u s t o t a k e up
to
restore
t o u s t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s of o u r
those
own
human
practices.
Here,
p r o p o s e two o t h e r c o n c e p t i o n s of c o m p o s i t i o n a s
I
a
way o f e n t r y i n t o O l s o n ' s p o e t i c p r a c t i c e : t h e f i r s t i s t r a c e d i n
the epigraph t o t h i s s e c t i o n :
11
t o compose .
.
is to give to
d o H ( B a r t h e s 1 5 3 ) ; t h e o t h e r i s bound up w i t h t h e Greek c o n c e p t i o n
of
rhapsoidia.
between
seek t o r e s o l v e a r e l a t i o n s h i p
t h e p r i v a t e a n d t h e p u b l i c which p r e s e n t l y e x i s t s
condition
of
alienation.
t h a t t h e poem
and,
Both t e c h n i q u e s
It
must,
I n " ~ r o j e c t i v eV e r s e
a t a l l points,
be a h i g h
all
points,
context,
"to
g i v e t o do" i s t o p a s s on
reader
will
available.
impetus;
take
an
away
Olson
,It
energy;
and u s e t h e e n e r g y t h e
states
In
that
is,
poem
has
The a c t i v i t y o f r e a d i n g i s t o b e f o r w a r d e d by a
the
t e x t i s t o be c o n s i d e r e d n o t a s a
a
energy-construct
e n e r g y d i s c h a r g e " (HJ52).
at
as
final,
this
the
made
new'
stopped
a r t i f a c t b u t r a t h e r a s a n ongoing t e x t u a l (and t e x t u r a l ) p r o c e s s .
The
reader
is
continually "crossing i t s writing with
inscription"(Barthes
153),
and
in
so
doing,
is
a
fresh
continually
c r o s s i n g o v e r i n t o h i s own n a r r a t i v e , c o n t i n u a l l y d r a w i n g i t i n t o
- 8).
t h e f i e l d o f " t h e c l o s e " (RB
To
have t h e u s e of t h e m i d d l e v o i c e i s t o be i n
possession
\
bl
of a method o f v e r b a l a c t i o n .
instrumentation
is
once
discovering the "natural,
of
more.
one
The p r o p e r u s e o f t h e
acknowledges
that
the "kinetic
life"("SD"
12)--is
right,
move o t h e r s on t h e i r own n a r r a t i v e ,
to
t o t r a n s f e r energy,
t a k e up t h e i r own h i s t o r i e s .
songs
stitched
together,
p o e t r y (Guide 1 0 2 ) .
a
middle
is
that i s ,
the
II
voice
act
of
by t e l l i n g
it
t o a l l o w them t o
and r e f e r s t o a t e c h n i q u e
also
of
The s o n g s t h a t a r e b e i n g s t i t c h e d
also,
oral
together
y o u r a n d my s o n g s ,
and
middle v o i c e can be s e e n t o f u n c t i o n h e r e a s t h e t h r e a d t h a t
sews them t o g e t h e r .
that
Thus we a r e o f f e r e d a p o e t i c p r a c t i c e
a d v a n c e s k i n e t i c a n d c o h e r e n c e , a n d which c l e a r l y * e s t a b l i s h e s t h e
f i g u r e of t h e p o e t a s a
the
dancer
must
body" ("SD" l o ) ,
more
be
"confidence
"it
But j u s t a s
of
s o must t h e p o e t pay a t t e n t i o n t o t h e
He must work w i t h t h e knowledge t h a t " T h e r e
-36).
t h a n t h e r e a r e a c t i o n s " (TMP
of
limit"
can h e proceed,
Only
be
with
o r obtain t o
a
i s s t i l l morning" b e c a u s e t h e e n a c t m e n t o f
11
newing.
11
kinetic
no
this
proper
T h i s i s t h e work o r t h e e x e r c i s e f o r t h i s m o r n i n g ,
one i n a p r a c t i c e o f
the
inhering
n o more names t h a n t h e r e a r e o b j e c t s / T h e r e c a n
verbs
tropos.
dancing t h i n k e r " ("SD" 9 ) .
pay a t t e n t i o n t o t h e " i n h e r i n g l i m i t s
l i m i t s of language.
may
II
-
i.e.,
Within t h i s k i n e t i c t h e r e i s
a r e n o t o n l y Maximus's s o n g s b u t ,
the
becomes
The Greek r h a p s z i d i a means l i t e r a l l y
t h e p u r s u i t of a coherence.
II
also
p r o p e r , o r c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a c t i o n " (SVH
o n e ' s own s p e e c h .
then--if
Tropos
i t i n v o l v e s f i n d i n g o n e ' s own . v o i c e ,
consideration here:
33)
As f o r t h e body, s o f o r t h e v o i c e :
and
locates
'
The
f i r s t p a r t o f t h i s poem h a s p r o p o s e d a method o f a c t i o n
t h a t re-enacts k i n e t i c ;
of
attention
and c o m p o s i t i o n t h a t draws i n
coherence
i s not t o
tive .
.
is
what
which,
be
taken a s
by
a
completed
contracting
not goal.
But
f o r m , f o r " t h e mo-
"a hollow
vigorously,
k e e p s up
And t h i s
muscular
organ
(m
the"
36)--
T h i s d e f i n i t i o n s t e m s from t h e f i f t h e d i t i o n
W e b s t e r ' s C o l l e g i a t e D i c t i o n a r y which d e f i n e s " h e a r t " a s :
hollow muscular organ which,
by c o n t r a c t i n g r h y t h m i c a l l y ,
up t h e c i r c u l a t i o n o f t h e b l o o d " ( G u i d e 6 0 ) .
object
left
coherence.
o f r e a l i t y i s p r o c e s s , n o t g o a l " (SVH 4 9 ) .
i s given i n the f i r s t l i n e :
process,
of
what we e n c o u n t e r i n p a r t I1 i s a method
of
t h a t action--the
out,
thus
itself.
To
f o c u s s i n g a t t e n t i o n on t h e
have t h e h e a r t " t o d i s t u r b f i n a l i t i e s ,
statements
applications
What
of
him
blood--has
gathering
been
momentum
t o render the
final
meaning
which
purport
definitive
t o . extend
their
O l s o n ' s c o n c e r n w i t h p a r t i c u l a r i t y , however,
t o " t h o s e t h i n g s which d o n o t c a r r y t h e i r
always t o be f r e e d f o r p r e s e n t u s e ,
"rhythmically,"
which
occurs i n the
/
end
are
any
The word
Words
f o r p r e s e n t l i f e ./
Webster's
definition,
replaced
h e r e by " v i g o r o u s l y , " a c h a n g e p e r h a p s prompted by
need
denote
recurrence.
are
beyond t h e l e x i c o l o g i c a l moment of t h e i r a p p e a r a n c e
f u r t h e r t h a n t h e i r r e a l i t y i n t h e m s e l v e s " ("SD" 1 0 ) .
to
"to
we meet i n d i c t i o n a r i e s a s " d e f i n i t i o n s "
i n a g i v e n volume.
directs
the
able t o maintain t h i s kind of a t t e n t i o n i s
be
transitive.
keeps
I n t h i s poem,
c i r c u l a t i o n of t h e
"A
In
an
i n t e n s i t y of a c t i o n r a t h e r
than
crossing t h e original definition with
a
is
the
simple
his
own
I
i n s c r i p t i o n , Olson h a s s u c c e s s f u l l y brought i t i n t o u s e .
However,
this
s t i l l l e a v e s unanswered t h e q u e s t i o n of
t h e s e t h i n g s a r e t o be p u t t o u s e .
how
A t f i r s t glance, the striking
c o l l e c , t i o n o f words and p h r a s e s i n t h i s p a r t o f t h e poem seems t o
comprise
little
language
events,
frustrate
more
more t h a n a random c o l l o c a t i o n o f
a s i t u a t i o n c e r t a i n t o discombobulate
e v e n t h e most n e g a t i v e l y c a p a b l e r e a d e r .
considered reading,
begin
to
emerge.
same
page
as
II
by
the entry f o r "heart"
. .
(Guide
60).
the
Heather
is
having a rose-colored calyx
However,
is
yet
i n i t s s i t u a t i o n here
i t maintains a double ( i f not t r i p l e ,
cod") r e f e r e n c e .
a
a whorl of g r e e n b r a c t s a t t h e
a whorl of g r e e n b r a c t s a t t h e b a s e , - l i n g M - - " l i n g H
i n t h e poem,
i.e.,
"ling
The word f u n c t i o n s l i k e a g a t e t h r o u g h which a h
t h e preceding l i n e a s s o c i a t e s i t with
variety
o f meanings p a s s :
heather
while t h e succeeding line--"she
i s known
t o a n a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h Mei Ling Soong.
as"-- t u r n s
"She i s known
" L i n g , " which i s t o s a y t h a t t h i s i s h e r f a m i l i a r name,
that
does
T h i s d e s c r i p t i o n o f h e a t h e r a p p e a r s i n W e b s t e r ' s on
a n o t h e r v a r i e t y of h e a t h p l a n t .
over
not
But a f t e r a
The d i s c u s s i o n o f " h e a r t " i s f o l l o w e d
d e f i n e d a s "A s p e c i e s o f h e a t h .
with
if
a s p e c i f i c p r i n c i p l e of ordering
p a r t i a l d e s c r i p t i o n of " h e a t h e r " :
base. "
disconnected
i s u s e d t o d i s t i n g u i s h h e r from h e r s i s t e r s ,
it
as"
t h e name
who a l s o b e a r
t h e c h a r a c t e r "Soong" ( t h e surname) a n d "Mei" i n t h e i r names.
It
i s t h e " b a s e " from which s h e p r o c e e d s .
is
customary
(though
to
carry
For t h e Chinese,
one c h a r a c t e r o v e r i n t o e a c h
t h i s i s b r o k e n down a l o n g g e n d e r l i n e s ) ,
child's
so t h a t
it
name
while
all
the children bear a common surname,
all the
females would
share a common second character--in this case, "Mei"-- and all the
males
yet
another, thus
leaving only the
last
character
to
function as a variable.
This
concern
with
naming
and
defining
points
"old
measure
of
care"
22)
(TMP
recognizing that waters are tides,
which
is
- -_-
the
of exercising
necessity of calling things by their proper names,
that
up
-__7
capable
-.
and are not gods.
of
In "Letter
5 ,I I
Olson castigates Vincent Ferrini for his inattention to the
- --_-.
reality of things in themselves:
. . winds, Ferrini,
which are never 4, which have their grave dangers (as
writing does)
just because weather
is very precise to
the quarter it comes from (as writing is,
if it is as good as
(TMP 25)
This
same
measure
/
"Weather
of care operates
in
the
recognition
comes generally / under the / metaphrast"
\
I
I
1
that
(E
36).
L
The poet must
II
from, where
it
II
know the quarters / of the weather, where i t comes
goes" (TMP 53),
just as he
must
metaphrasis"--the exact turn of phrase or speech.
to
turn one's attention to,
proper,
or
brings
"(When M is above G ,
us
to the
all's / well.
When M and G are coincident,
This
discussion
"the
of
the
Again, it is
characteristic action of anything" (SVH 33),
oneself--which
36).
and to make use of,
command
natural,
and of
"metacenter":
When below, there's / upset.
/ it is not very interesting)" (TMP
-
is a rephrasing of the definition of
II
metacenter"
in
Websterls, and, not surprisingly, it appears on the page before
the
entry
stability
11
for
of
"metaphrast.
a
body
in
"
The
issue
relation
to
here
a
involves
centre
of
the
gravity.
M e t a c e n t e r " i s d e f i n e d a s "The p o i n t o f i n t e r s e c t i o n (M) [ i n t h e
i l l u s t r a t i o n ] o f t h e v e r t i c a l t h r o u g h t h e c e n t e r o f buoyancy
of
a
is
above
(B)
f l o a t i n g body w i t h t h e v e r t i c a l t h r o u g h t h e new c e n t e r o f
1
buoyancy (B ) when t h e body i s d i s p l a c e d however l i t t l e .
When M
t h e c e n t e r o f g r a v i t y (G) o f t h e
p o s i t i o n o f t h e body i s s t a b l e ;
coincident
it,
with
floating
it,
when b e l o w
neutral"
(Guide 6 1 ) .
body,
the
unstable;
is
It
when
this
last
statement
which i s p a r t i c u l a r l y s u g g e s t i v e i n t h e c o n t e x t o f t h e
foregoing
concerns
coincident
with G,
with
same
II
it i s not very interesting."
thing,
is
or
as
It holds
no
of
t h a t same o l d c e n t r e o f g r a v i t y w h i c h
e v e r y t h i n g o v e r t h e ground--namely,
are
M
When
t h e p o e t because i t i s simply a n i n s t a n c e
for
old
tropos.
t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e body i s n e u t r a l ,
O l s o n would h a v e i t ,
interest
verticalityand
the
dragged
When M a n d G
horizontality.
i t means t h a t t h e i n t e r s e c t i n g a c t i v i t y o f
coincident,
the
v e r t i c a l s h a v e h a d n o t e l l i n g e f f e c t on t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e body.
there i s
The p r i n c i p l e o f o r d e r i n g b e g i n s t o r e v e a l i t s e l f :
a
d e f i n i t i o n o f h e a r t f o l l o w e d by a n i n s t a n c e o f i t s u s e i n
idiomatic
expression
definition
variety
of
of
Kai-Shek.
"heather1'
heather
heather,
homonymously
"to
have t h e
followed
heart";
by t h e naming
" 1i n g " ;
i.e.,
then
there
of
a
" 1i n g "
but
the
is
a
specific
functions
a n d r e f e r s a l s o t o t h e p r o p e r name o f Madame Chiang
This
into
punning
II
weather,"
i s followed by a
and
62
then
by
rhyme
way
of
which
a
pushes
rhyme
of
conceptual
1I
II
occasions,
w e a t h e r " t u r n s up u n d e r
11
metaphrast."
A
m e t s p h r a s t " i s one who t r a n s l a t e s , who e f f e c t s a change from one
o r d e r o f words t o a n o t h e r ;
comes
from"
and
thus,
h e i s one who knows "where
i t g o e s , " one who i s
"where
l i t e r a l t r a n s l a t i o n of e n e r g i e s .
capable
"metaphrast"
metacenters.
centers,
II
but
And
because changes i n
with
metacenter"
its
the
The d e f i n i t i o n o f " m e t a c e n t e r "
proximity
appears a t t h i s p o i n t n o t j u s t because of i t s physical
to
of
it
the
weather
generate
implications of a d j u s t i n g
to
new
r e t u r n s t o t h e c e n t e r i n g rhythms
of
the
heart .
The
kinship.
through
elusively
It
tangential
now s t a n d s
revealed
i s t h e l o g o g r a p h e r who p e r f o r m s t h e s e
t h e p r a c t i c e of
I1
word w r i t i n g " (AP
- 20);
as
actual
revelations
that i s t o say,
t h e l o g o g r a p h i c poem i s s u e s f o r t h by means of a n a t t e n t i o n t o a l l
p o s s i b l e f a c e t s and t e x t u r e s - - i . e . , v i s u a l , s e m a n t i c , sonoric--of
given words.
rather,
be
I n t h i s dance,
i t i s n o t t h e p o e t - who l e a d s
t h e m a t e r i a l s o r words t h a t l e a d h i m .
made by a n a g g r e s s i v e a c t o f w i l l ;
instead,
Poems a r e n o t t o
creation i s
o c c u r "by t h e s u c c e s s o f i t s own a c c i d e n t " (SVH 4 8 ) .
"Coincidence
known,
become
and p r o x i m i t y ,
Once a g a i n ,
t h e d e t e r m i n a n t s of chance and a c c i d e n t and
impositions.
to
b e c a u s e t h e s p a c e - t i m e continuum i s
p o s s i b l e c r e a t i v e s u c c e s s " (SVH 4 9 ) .
suffer
but,
make
Words o r o b j e c t s s h o u l d n o t
I n t h e l o g o g r a p h i c poem,
things
are
not
w i l l f u l l y c h a n g e d , "They o n l y s t a n d more r e v e a l e d " (TMP 5 ) .
The
n e c e s s i t y of a t t e n t i o n and c a r e i n t h e m a t t e r of
p o e t i c b u s i n e s s h a s now b e e n s t a t e d ,
one's
but an o r i e n t a t i o n f o r t h a t
I n s e c t i o n "1" t h e
p e r c e p t u a l commotion h a s y e t t o b e s p e c i f i e d .
"how we u s e o u r s e l v e s a n d on w h a t " o r how " e a c h o f u s /
question
c h o o s e s o u r own / k i n a n d / c o n c e n t r a t i o n " (TMP 2 8 ) ,
Both s e c t i o n s "1" a n d "2" p r o c e e d b y way
d e c l a r a t i o n of s t a n c e .
of
i s met b y a
S e c t i o n "1" i s composed o f
a s e r i e s o f puns o n t r o p o s .
two
e n t r i e s from W e b s t e r ' s : t h e f i r s t i s f o r " n a s t u r t i u m " :
[L. a c r e s s , p r o p . , nose-twist, i n a l l u s i o n t o i t s
pungency, f r . n a s u s n o s e + t o r q u e r e , t o t w i s t . ]
H o r t . Any o f a g e n u s ( T r o p a e o l u m , f a m i l y TropaeoG a e ) o f h e r b s b e a r i n g showy s p u r r e d r e d a n d
yellow f l o w e r s and having pungent s e e d s and flower
buds.
(Guide 61)
The s e c o n d
f o r "Tropaeolum" :
S e e TROPHY. So
[ . . . f r . Gk. t r o p a i o n t r o p h y .
named b e c a u s e 1i k e n e d t o a n c i e n t t r o p h i e s . ] .-Bot .
Any o f a g e n u s ( T r o p a e o l u m ) o f t r o p i c a l Amerlcan
d i f f u s e o r climbing pungent h e r b s . w i t h lobed o r
d i s s e c t e d p e l t a t e l e a v e s a n d showy, v a r i o u s l y c o l ored flowers; e s p . , a garden species .(T.majus), t h e
n a s t u r t i u m . (Gulde 61)
" P e l t a t e " means s h a p e d l i k e a s h i e l d ;
nasturtium
/
i s my s h i e l d . "
thus,
for
Maximus,
And w i t h t h i s armamentarium
"the
(both
"lance'' and " s h i e l d " ) , h e s t a n d s t o t h e t a s k of d e f e a t i n g Tiamat.
Maximus w i l l s l a y t h e d r a g o n a n d c o l l e c t h i s
George--he
w i l l c o n q u e r by d a n c i n g s i t t i n g down.
the base of the spine
'bike
trophy" f o r
flowers a r e ,
.
having
But h e i s n o f u r i o u s l y t h r a s h i n g
t u r n e d back t h a t h o r i z o n t a l i t y .
St.
II
" P o i s e d on
. g r o w i n g , a n d waving f r o m ' t h e s p i n e ,
o r branches,
on a t r e e " ("SD" 1 5 ) ,
like his
n a s t u r t i u m i s , Maximus w i l l d e m o n s t r a t e h i s own v e r t i c a l t r o p i s m .
He
is
moves
a self-rooted
outward
pungent"
to
because
" t r o p i c a l American," " d i f f u s e "
encounter
he
would
things
assert
in
because
he
space,
and
"climbing
verticality
and
sharpness
(defying
obeys
that old gravity),
the
turnings
figures
in
space,
t e l l i n g u s "what i s
/ t h e p r e s e n t dance."
of
person,
lance,
And
h i s own t r o p e s i n l a n g u a g e ,
himself " s o v a r i o u s l y colored," t h e
a
in
he
who
his
will
likewise,
own
show
standing
more r e v e a l e d .
The
last
expectantly
at
line
ends
with
a
definite
article,
poised
t h e e d g e o f t h e page a w a i t i n g t h e n e x t
turn
a t t e n t i o n which comes i n t h e d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e " t o c , I I a
bird.
"
II
of
tropic
The d e f i n i t i o n o f " t r o p i c b i r d " a p p e a r s on t h e same page
of W e b s t e r ' s a s t h e e n t r y f o r
several
birds
11
tropaeolum";
11
any o f
tropical
seas
this bird i s
(genus Phaethon) found c h i e f l y i n
(Guide 6 2 ) .
I n a l e t t e r t o Robert C r e e l e y , Olson had r e f e r r e d t o
14
t h e b i r d a s " t h a t t o c b i r d . II
I n t h e t u r n i n g , t h i n g s s t a n d more
revealed;
thus
the
t o c "plucks i t s t a i l t o f r e e
the
handsome
g r e e n e y e from / r e d u n d a n t f e a t h e r s Which, t h e n , i t s w i t c h e s / t o
a d m i r e i t s e l f " (TMP 3 7 ) .
of
beauty
instance
is
T h i s o r i e n t a t i o n toward t h e r e v e l a t i o n
a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a c t i o n of t h e
toc.
is
an
which
is
It
o f t h e s e l f b e i n g b r o u g h t t o b e a r on i t s e l f ,
what " r e f l e c t i o n " i s : t o bend b a c k o r r e t u r n , a s O l s o n r e t u r n s t o
t h e s t o r y of t h e farmer,
a n i n c i d e n t h e had . e a r l i e r r e c o u n t e d i n
t h a t l e t t e r t o Creeley.
So
but
a methodology o f u s e w i l l h a v e i t s s o u r c e i n
the
appropriate
exercise
locus.
of
II
one's
own
bent"
still
self-acts,
requires
To b e e x t e n s i b l e i n human d i r e c t i o n s i s
perform w i t h i n a n " a c t u a l e a r t h of v a l u e . "
-
an
to
Thus i f " t h e s e e d l i n g
/ o f morning" (TMP 3 7 ) i s t o p u t down r o o t s and grow,
then
some
ground
clearing i s i n order here.
The " f i r s t h o u r s o f " morning
c o n s t i t u t e t h e r e - e n t r y of l i g h t ,
t1
one i s
slows
11
t o move" a n d i f one i s t o remove
t h e t a s k w i l l n o t be e a s y :
But
a l i g h t which i s n e c e s s a r y
t h e n i g h t ' s p r e s e n c e s . 11
t h e comma a f t e r t h e word
down t h e a c t i o n m o m e n t a r i l y ,
if
"move"
pointing t o the d i f f i c u l t i e s
o f c l i m b i n g up o u t o f t h a t bed o f n i g h t .
The l i g h t a l l o w s f o r a
h e i g h t e n i n g o f a t t e n t i o n which i m m e d i a t e l y i n v o l v e s Maximus i n
further
perceptual
ourselves
on,
exist.
That
cotton
picks
we
must
I f we a r e t o know what
f i r s t learn t o see
what
i s what E l i Whitney d i d when h e
easiest"
p a r t i c u l a r way.
of
commotion.
11
to
use
possibilities
/
noticed,
(TMP 37) a t a p a r t i c u l a r t i m e a n d
the
in
However,
n o t a l l t h i n g s move s o e a s i l y
t h i s t i m e : f o r e x a m p l e , "when i t h a s r a i n e d
. . .
i s t o be remembered t h a t t h i s i s ,
b e g i n n i n g o f t h e work o f emergence--though,
emergence a d i g n i t y s t a n d s r e v e a l e d ,
rain,
w e a r s / s u c h diadem" (TMP
- 37).
after all,
12).
taken
of stepping;
before
it
only
the
already, within that
a s Maximus's f l o w e r
"after
In- t h i s section, the l i n e s
take p a r t i n a staggered descent a c r o s s t h e page,
motion
at
t h e muscles a r e
n o t a s g o o d , " t h e y l o s e "some e x a c t i t u d e o f r e s p o n s e " ("SD"
it
a
He t h e n p u t t h a t s e e i n g t o u s e i n t h e i n v e n t i o n
the cotton gin.
But
a
suggesting the
is
b u t i t i s a s t e p p i n g i n which e a c h s t e p
i s known where t h e f o o t w i l l
light.
Only
quickness
of a t t e n t i o n i n each i n s t a n c e w i l l save
falling.
Thus
headband,
worn b y h i s f l o w e r t o t h e image of a man whose h e a d i s
encircled
by
he
is
carried
forward
a "necklace" of t e e t h .
from
Maximus
a
the
In a section
diadem,
devoted
from
or
to
b e g i n n i n g s , we a r e s u d d e n l y c o n f r o n t e d by d e a t h .
to
the
"Caries" r e f e r s
p r o g r e s s i v e d e s t r u c t i o n o f bone o r t o o t h ( i n t h i s
meaning d e a t h .
t o o t h d e c a y ) , a n d d e r i v e s from t h e Greek word -3Ker
A t this point,
case,
t h e poem l i t e r a l l y s t e p s back m o m e n t a r i l y ;
i.e.,
t h e n e x t f o u r l i n e s a r e l i n e d up a t t h e l e f t hand m a r g i n .
It i s
a s i f t h e unexpected appearance of d e a t h i n t h e p e r c e p t u a l
field
has
forced
Olson t o a r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n of t h e s c e n e ( a n d
The
reconsideration
becomes
an
injunction
to
seen).
redirect
the
a t t e n t i o n s : "He s d : N o t i c e / t h e w h i t e n e s s , n o t / t h e o d o r o f t h e
dead
night"
(TMP 3 7 ) .
These l i n e s a l l u d e t o one
of
Christ's
s a y i n g s : "'What a s t e n c h , ' s a i d t h e d i s c i p l e s , / when p a s s i n g t h e
c a r r i o n o f a d o g . / 'How w h i t e t h e t e e t h a r e !
63).
The
lesson
' s a i d J e s u s " (Guide
o f f e r e d h e r e c o n c e r n s t h e need t o d i r e c t
our
a t t e n t i o n s t o t h a t which i s a l i v e r a t h e r t h a n t h a t which i s d e a d .
This
l a s t s t e p from I' c a r i e s " t o
departure
for
Deadness
II
carrion" serves a s a
a r a d i c a l re-visioning of a l l t h a t
and d a r k n e s s a r e n o t t o b e d w e l t upon;
point
came
of
before.
i t is
instead,
t h e whiteness and l i g h t i n h e r i n g i n t h e previous l i n e s - - i . e . , t h e
w h i t e c o t t o n and w h i t e t e e t h ,
more
revealed
suggestion
and a v a i l a b l e f o r
the
use.
c o t t o n g i n t a k e s on a
As
well,
further
now s t a n d
the
earlier
significance
A c o t t o n g i n i s a machine t h a t s e p a r a t e s t h e s e e d s , h u l l s ,
here.
and
of
t h e b r i g h t diadem--which
o t h e r f o r e i g n m a t e r i a l s from c o t t o n ,
central
thus leaving only
p o r t i o n of t h e c o t t o n p l a n t f o r use;
experience itself--per
se--is
u s a b l e " (SVH 3 0 ) .
so too,
II
not
the
all
The g r o u n d i s t o
b e c l e a r e d o f a n y d e a d n e s s e s , o r u n u s a b l e u n d e r g r o w t h , b e f o r e any
rooting can take place.
s e c t i o n " 4 , " t h e poem c o n t i n u e s t o t u r n back on
In
from " c a r r i o n " comes
II
carcass, II s p e c i f i c a l l y ,
t h e c a r c a s s of t h e
64).
l i o n i n t h e s t o r y o f Samson a n d t h e P h i l i s t i n e s (Guide
the
story,
Samson
slays a lion,
the
In
and when h e r e t u r n s some t i m e
l a t e r h e d i s c o v e r s a n abundance of honey i n t h e
even
itself;
Here,
carcass.
dead i s made t o y i e l d some s u s t e n a n c e f o r t h e
living.
By t h i s p o i n t i n t h e poem, t h e "How" of t h e o p e n i n g " e x e r c i s e " o f
p r o p e r movement h a s been p r a c t i c e d many t i m e s o v e r .
and
the
this
"woman" a p p e a r h e r e i n y e t a n o t h e r o r d e r
time
brought
into association
through
The
of
their
"lion"
relation,
respective
c a p a c i t i e s t o p r o v i d e a means o f n u r t u r e , i . e . , t h e "honey i n t h e
lion1'
circled
and
" t h e honey / i n woman" (TMP 3 8 ) .
back
The poem h a s
t o t h e b e g i n n i n g b u t o n l y t o draw
f o r w a r d i n t o a n o t h e r c o n • ’i g u r a t i o n of meaning,
suggestion
of
nurture,
affords
ever
that
thus
beginning
one w h i c h , i n i t s
more
relational
possibilities.
b
Such a p o s s i b i l i t y i s m a n i f e s t e d i n t h e l i n k between n u r t u r e
and
II
t h e d e f i n i t i o n of w e l l - b e i n g which opens s e c t i o n " 5 . "
eudaemonia" t h a t i s b e i n g d e f i n e d h e r e ;
a s "well-being;
happiness;
esp.,
It is
it appears i n Websterls
i n A r i s t o t l e l s use,
felicity
r e s u l t i n g from l i f e o f a c t i v i t y i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h r e a s o n " (Guide
64).
The
p o s s i b i l i t y of t h i s well-being
reference point i s not.
is
11
to
be
is
evident,
but
the
"Which i s t h e q u e s t i o n " : o n e ' s b u s i n e s s
conducted " i n accordance w i t h what?"
reason" i s no l o n g e r a v a i l a b l e a s a measure,
(TMP
38).
If
t h e n a new measure
and o r i e n t a t i o n must b e f o u n d .
And i t h a s been f o u n d .
Felicity
w i l l r e s u l t from a l i f e o f a c t i v i t y i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e t r o p i c
i.e.,
centre;
(returning
for
f u n c t i o n and t h e f a m i l i a r ) ,
the natural,
proper,
a
moment t o
Olson's
sense
t h e t r o p i c c e n t r e i s a t t h e h e a r t of
and c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a c t i o n o f a n y t h i n g ,
s p e c i -f i c a l l y o f t h e human.
of
or
Upset w i l l o c c u r when t h a t n a t u r a l o r
p r o p e r a c t i o n i s v i o l a t e d ; h e r e , p r o p e r a c t i o n b e g i n s t o assume a
moral dimension.
backward
The " n a t u r e o f t h e c a r g o " (TMP 38) m a i n t a i n s a
reference t o an incident f i r s t suggested i n "Letter
a s w e l l a s a forward r e f e r e n c e t o t h e s t o r y of "Moulton's
(E
39).
The " c a r g o " o f " L e t t e r 2" was s l a v e s :
b l a c k " (TMP 5 ) .
II
"they h i d ,
or
For M o u l t o n , p a r t o f t h e c a r g o was t o h a v e been
salvaged lumber.
and
folly"
t h e f a c t t h e c a r g o t h e i r s h i p s b r o u g h t b a c k / was
tried t o hide,
people
2"
I n both c a s e s ,
ships--that
is
at
i t i s a n i m p r o p e r use--of
issue.
Were
both
Gloucester's
b u s i n e s s e s " i n f a c t founded on s l a v e r y r a t h e r t h a n f i s h i n g ?
The
nature
of
disturbance
caused
by " t h e w i n d , " " a
II
or
of t h e c a r g o " a r e a l l r e s u l t s o f t h e s i m u l t a n e o u s
contrary
movement
instance,
o r opposing motions,
i .e . ,
a
natural
a
I'
thrust
or
proper
11
For
r i p " i s a body o f w a t e r t h a t h a s b e e n made r o u g h by
wind o r t h e r i p ,
case of t h i s
I n t h e case of
t h e disturbance i s elemental;
c a r g o , 11 t h e d i s t u r b a n c e i s m o r a l .
but i n
These
o f u s e a r e bound u p i n q u e s t i o n s o f m o t i o n a n d d i r e c t i o n ,
these
"the
i s t h r e a t e n e d o r t h w a r t e d by a c o n t r a r y movement.
t h e meeting of opposing t i d e s , c u r r e n t s o r winds.
the
rip,
f i n a l two s e c t i o n s o f t h e poem,
the
single,
the
problems
and i n
controlling
image
that
emerges
swastika.
to
focus t h e s e concerns
is
that
of
the
I n h e r s t u d y o f Greek r e l i g i o u s s o u r c e s , T h e m i s ,
Jane
H a r r i s o n d e s c r i b e s t h e s w a s t i k a a s a "symbol o f m o t i o n and
15
d i r e c t i o n . 11
The word " s w a s t i k a " i s d e r i v e d from t h e S a n s k r i t
Ellen
su
-9
meaning " w e l l " a n d a s t i , meaning " i t i s " : "When t h e d i r e c t i o n
of t h e croix-gamrnge i s t o t h e r i g h t i t i s s w a s t i k a ,
when,
a s muchmore r a r e l y ,
sauvastika,
the direction is t o the l e f t ,
and a l l i s e v i l " (Themis 5 2 5 ) .
r i g h t t r a c e s t h e course of t h e sun,
t h e sun i s of course worldwide.
magic,
ended
it
11
Section
in
and " t h e n o t i o n of f o l l o w i n g
S t a r t i n g no doubt i n
practical
(Themis
the
(SW
- 63),
and
" ~ n e r g yc a n b e l o s t "
- 63).
" f i l t h a n d lumber man i s l e d by" (SW
cross-wise"
water"
525).
5" d e p i c t s how m o t i o n c a n b e s t o p p e d a l t o g e t h e r i f
f a c t d o e s g e t l o s t when Moulton t u r n s h i s a t t e n t i o n
finally
it is
The movement t o t h e
a vague f e e l i n g o f ' luck"'
attentions a r e misdirected.
in
a l l i s well;
(TMP
chews
39),
up t h e
w i t h n o power.
t h a t d e a d n e s s and
II
to
that
I t i s t h e "dead s t i c k s
horizontality,
s c r e w s " l e a v i n g t h e Hawes
"dead
which
in
thP
The s e l f - a c t i s o v e r t a k e n by t h e s e l f i s h
a c t ; k i n e t i c i s t h w a r t e d by g r e e d .
Improper
use
is
destructive;
a r b i t r a r y o r w i l l f u l purposes,
i t so--his
11
when
energy
is
used
for
i t c a n t u r n upon t h e man who u s e s
luck" c a n t u r n on him.
Thus,
i n the final section,
t h e concern i s a g a i n w i t h proper u s e .
" D e f i n i t i o n " i s n o t a way
of f i x i n g u n i v e r s a l s b u t i s ,
a way o f m e a s u r i n g t h i n g s
instead,
according t o s p e c i f i c instances of use.
familiar
once
more:
Knowledge i s t o
become
I t h a s been t h e immense t a s k o f t h e l a s t c e n t u r y
and a h a l f t o g e t man b a c k t o what h e knows. I
r e p e a t t h a t ~ h r a s e : t o what h e knows. F o r i t t u r n s
out t o coincide e x a c n v wlth t h a t other ~ h r a s e :
( ~ ' 2 9 )
to what
e does.
-h-
--
Given
the choice of a d e f i n i t i o n a s
abstraction--as
entry--or
o f d e f i n i t i o n a s u s e , Maximus w i l l c h o o s e t h e o n e which
restores
man t o t h e p r a c t i c e o f i t i n h i s own l i f e :
we c a l l 'em" (TMP 4 0 ) .
on
this
method
dictionary
page
as
swastika
of
the
entry
composition,
Maximus
of
the
another
name
same
for
I f t h e n a s t u r t i u m i s Maximus's s h i e l d ,
s u g g e s t s a v i s u a l pun on
more
the
t h e " f y l f o t " was a l s o a f i g u r e t h a t was
11
o n e ' s own b e n t " ;
then
bearings.
g r e a t c r o s s w i t h arms c o n t i n u e d a t
from t h e s p i n e ,
one
" f y l f o t , " which a p p e a r s on t h e
f o r " f u t t o c k s , II i s
( G u i d e 64-65);
presses
the fylfot/swastika w i l l constitute h i s heraldic
image
"futtocks /
As i f d e t e r m i n e d t o b e a r down e v e n h a r d e r
e n t r y i n t o use:
used h e r a l d i c a l l y .
. .
dictionary
right
The
angles
l i k e t h e f l o w e r waving
energy
t h e b e n t arms propose t h e motio* and t h e
t h a t w i l l move o n e o u t i n t o o n e ' s own " l u c k " (TMP 4 0 ) .
While i C
i s we who g i v e a name t o t h i n g s l i k e " f u t t o c k s , " i t i s " s h e " (TMP
4 0 ) who names h e r s e l f b e c a u s e s h e i s t h e v e r y c o n d i t i o n o f
own b e n t , i . e . , t r o p o s w i l l a l w a y s name i t s e l f .
named i t s e l f ,
and
11
named i t s
11
morning
.
commotion
besides
Thus
the
11
newing."
signifying luck,
poem
of r e v e l a t i o n ,
The poem t o o h a s
b u s i n e s s , " w h i c h i s t o g i v e u s t h e work
t h e locus of a perpetual
s w a s t i k a , 11
one's
continually
I t should be noted
i s also
re-opens
f o r e v e r s t a n d i n g more
o n l y "end" i n t h e poem l i e s i n a n i n t e n t i o n :
71
associated
itself
revealed.
METHODOLOGY,
that
with
to
a
The
where
t h e a c t o f composing a poem a n d a l i f e i s a c o n t i n u o u s g e s t u r e o f
l o v e r e a c h i n g o u t i n t o t h e unformed w o r l d :
I t i s undone b u s i n e s s
I speak of t h i s morning,
with the sea
s t r e t c h i n g out
from my f e e t
N o t e s t o C h a p t e r Two
A l f r e d N o r t h W h i t e h e a d , Modes o f T h o u g h t , ( 1 9 3 8 ; r p t .
York: The F r e e P r e s s , 1 9 6 6 ) , p . 3 8 .
2
E r i c A . H a v e l o c k , P r e f a c e t o P l a t o , ( 1 9 6 3 ; r p t . New York:
Grosset & Dunlap, 1971), p . 63.
3
Havelock, p . 63.
4
Havelock, p . 63.
r;
J
Havelock, p . 63.
6
Olson, SVH, p p . 54-55.
7
R o l a n d B a r t h e s , I m a g e / M u s i c / T e x t , (New York: H i l l a n d
Wang, l 9 7 7 ) , p . 1 4 9 . H e r e a f t e r c i t e d i n t h e t e x t a s ( B a r t h e s ) .
8
Thomas T a y l o r , The D i s s e r t a t i o n s o f Maximus T y r i u s , ( 1 8 0 4 )
p p . i i i - i v y a s q u o t e d i n B u t t e r i c k ' s G u i d e , p . 6 . I am i n d e b t e d
t o M r . B u t t e r i c k f o r t h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f a number o f r e f e r e n c e s
a n d s o u r c e s w h i c h I h a v e made u s e o f i n t h i s c h a p t e r , a n d i n
o t h e r p a r t s o f t h e t h e s i s . The f o l l o w i n g r e f e r e n c e s , i n p a r t i c u l a r , were i n v a l u a b l e : t h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of t h e II i n t e r n a t i o n a l
d o l l " a s Madame C h i a n g Kai-Shek (ne'e Mei L i n g S o o n g ) ; o f t h e
f i f t h e d i t i o n of Webster's C o l l e g i a t e Dictionary a s t h e source
f o r O l s o n ' s d e f i n i t i o n s i n p a r t I1 o f t h e poem; o f t h e . B i b l i c a l
r e f e r e n c e t o Samson; o f t h e n o t e b o o k e n t r y c o n t a i n i n g one of
C h r i s t ' s s a y i n g s ; and of O l s o n ' s f a m i l i a r i t y w i t h J a n e H a r r i s o n ' s
work o n G r e e k r e l i g i o n , T h e m i s .
9
y No.4
C h a r l e s Olson, "A S y l l a b a r y f o r a Dancer," M
( l 9 7 l ) , p . 1 4 . H e r e a f t e r c i t e d i n t h e t e x t a s "SD.
10
Olson, "Syllabary," p . 13.
1 1
I1
Olson, "Syllabary,
11
p . 13.
1 3
Charles Olson, Reading a t Berkeley, (San Francisco:
RB.
Coyote, 1966), p . 8 . H e r e a f t e r c i t e d i n t h e t e x t a s -
-
fi
13
M i c h a e l B e r n s t e i n , The T a l e - o f t h e T r i b e , ( P r i n c e t o n :
P r i n c- e,t o n U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , l 9 8 O ) , p . 2 3 5 .
14
Charles Olson, S e l e c t e d Writings, e d . Robert Creeley,
(New York: New D i r e c t i o n s Books, 1 9 6 6 ) , p . 1 2 2 .
15
J a n e E l l e n H a r r i s o n , T h e m i s , (Cambridge: Cambridge
U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1927), p . 525. H e r e a f t e r c i t e d i n t h e t e x t a s
Themis.
Chapter Three:
The A r c h a e o l o g y o f E x p r e s s i o n
J u s t t o h a v e h e r body i n my mind ( t o o b j e c t i f y t h e
possibility, the
Heavenlv Flower of
One's o w p o s s i b i l i t y . . .
Charles Olson
-
The Maximus Poems
. . . e x p r e s s i o n i s t h e g i f t from t h e w o r l d a s
many t o t h e w o r l d a s o n e .
A l f r e d N o r t h Whitehead - Modes of Thought
You s e e , C i d , I am more a n d more p e r s u a d e d t h a t t h e
r e v o l u t i o n I am r e s p o n s i b l e f o r i s t h i s o n e , t h e
i d e n t i t y of a p e r s o n and t h e i r e x p r e s s i o n ( t h a t
these a r e not separable) . . .
C h a r l e s O l s o n - L e t t e r s For O r i g i n
Over
the
"tried t o build,
c o u r s e of t h r e e S p r i n g e v e n i n g s
in
1968,
Olson
i n one week, b o t h s t r u c t u r e a n d a c o r p u s , b u i l t
r e a l l y upon t h r e e words" (PT
- 43-44).
On t h i s t h i r d e v e n i n g ,
he
b e g i n s h i s l e c t u r e by o b s e r v i n g t h a t :
On Monday n i g h t I a t l e a s t t o o k a c r a c k a t a r g u i n g
a w o r l d which h a s v a l u e [ t o p o s l e c t u r e ] , a n d on
Wednesday I made a f u r t h e r , I mean a n o t h e r a t t e m p t
t o s e e i f I c o u l d a t l e a s t i d e n t i f y any one of u s
a s a f l o w e r , o r such a p o s s i b i l i t y [ t r o p o s l e c t u r e ] .
And t o n i g h t my j o b i s t o s e e i f I c a n c h a r a c t e r i z e
w h a t , i n u s i n g t h e word t y p e o r t y p o s , I mean by
e
w upon t h e w o r l d . A t s u c h a p o l n t , one e n t e r s
t h e a r e a o f , i n a r e a l s e n s e , f i n a l i t y - - w h i c h was
a t t h e b e g i n n i n g a n d i s n o t known u n t i l i t i s
f i n i s h e d . . . By. t y p e , a n d what I mean by i m p r i n t - I. t h i n k characterizes a l l c r e a t i o n . (PT
- 44)
Some
comments
made d u r i n g t h e p r e v i o u s l e c t u r e o f f e r a
g l o s s on O l s o n ' s s e n s e o f
II
further
imprint":
We g e t o u r word type--which
a s a writer--from [ t y p o s ] .
i n t e r e s t s me, I s u p p o s e ,
I f any of you have e v e r
s e e n a p i e c e of movable t y p e , a t t h e bottom i s t h e
l e t t e t and t h e b l o c k i s a b o v e . So t h a t i n o r d e r ,
r e a l l y , t o imagine a p r i n t e r doing i t . . . h e ' s
u n d e r y o u r words i n o r d e r t o make t h e l e t t e r s of
them . . . I n f a c t , l i t e r a l l y , I would g o s o f a r
. . . t o t h i n k t h a t you w r i t e t h a t way. T h a t you
w r i t e a s though you were u n d e r n e a t h t h e l e t t e r s .
(PT
- 34)
To
w r i t e a s though one were u n d e r n e a t h t h e l e t t e r s s u g g e s t s
action
of
it i s
believe
sense
the
_----
p u s h i n g words up o u t of t h e s e l f i n t o t h e
j u s t such
an
action that
of o u r o n t o x o g i c a l f u n c t i o n .
possibilities
-a-c t u a l i t y
the
world.
I
characterizes Olson's
To - g i v e
e c t i f i e d form
within oneself i s t o return t o the
world
t oas
-
n t e r c a i b a u - - -p o E n t i a 1 i t y .
- - - -
The v o c a b u l a r y h e r e i s borrowed from W h i t e h e a d , p a r t i c u l a r l y from
h i s d i s c u s s i o n s of t h e
II
ontological principle" :
The a c t u a l w o r l d i s b u i l t up o f a c t u a l o c c a s i o n s ;
a n d by t h e o n t o l o g i c a 1 p r i n c i p l e w h a t e v e r t h i n g s
t h e r e a r e i n any s e n s e o f ' e x i s t e n c e , ' a r e d e r i v e d
by a b s t r a c t i o n from a c t u a l o c c a s i o n s . . . The most
g e n e r a l t e r m ' t h i n g 1 - - o r , e q u i v a l e n t l y , ' e n t i t y ' -means n o t h i n g e l s e t h a n t o b e one o f t h e 'many'
which f i n d t h e i r n i c h e s i n e a c h i n s t a n c e of conc r e s c e n c e . . . ' A c t u a l i t y ' means n o t h i n g e l s e t h a n
t h i s ultimate entry into the concrete . . . the
o n t o l o g i c a l p r i n c i p l e i s t h e f i r s t s t a g e i n cons t i t u t i n g a t h e o r y embracing t h e n o t i o n s of ' a c t u a l
e n t i t y , 1 I g i v e n n e s s , ' and ' p r o c e s s . ' J u s t a s
' p o t e n t i a l i t y f o r p r o c e s s ' i s t h e meaning o f t h e
more g e n e r a l t e r m ' e n t i t y , ' o r ' t h i n g ' ; s o ' d e c i s i o n ' i s t h e a d d i t i o n a l meaning i m p o r t e d by t h e
word ' a c t u a l ' i n t o t h e p h r a s e a c t u a l e n t i t y . '
' A c t u a l i t y ' i s t h e d e c i s i o n amid ' p o t e n t i a l i t y . '
(Key 18-19)
Olson's
r e a d i n g s o f W h i t e h e a d ' s P r o c e s s and R e a l i t y
f a m i l i a r i z e d him w i t h t h e w o r k i n g s of t h i s p a r t i c u l a r
But f o r O l s o n ,
actuality,
would
.
have
principle.
a s the entry into the concrete,
only
s p e c i f i e s t h e f i r s t s t a g e o f t h e e n t r y i n t o a common w o r l d .
The
next
s t a g e i n v o l v e s communicating t h a t
concreteness.
In
"The
,,
P r a i s e s , " Olson p o i n t s o u t t h i s t w o f o l d p r o c e d u r e :
S*
I/
L ~ 'L
What i s n e c e s s a r y i s
containment,
t h a t t h a t which h a s been f o u n d o u t by work, may, by
work, be p a s s e d on
( w i t h o u t due l o s s of f o r c e )
f o r use
USE 1
Once
the
arrived
II
transmission i s accomplished,
at
nexus,"
t h e p r o c e s s would
have
a s t a g e which Whitehead c a l l s t h e a c h i e v e m e n t
of
which i s " a s e t of a c t u a l e n t i t i e s i n t h e u n i t y of
r e l a t e d n e s s c o n s t i t u t e d by t h e i r p r e h e n s i o n s o f e a c h o t h e r ,
what i s t h e same t h i n g c o n v e r s e l y e x p r e s s e d - - c o n s t i t u t e d
o b j e c t i f i c a t i o n s i n e a c h o t h e r " (Key 7 7 - 7 8 ) .
the poetics,
ploughs
can
it
Returning again t o
Only t h u s
-
have c o n s e q u e n c e . " 2
Only t h u s c a n one b e s a i d
to
It i s t h i s
-
an
early
Gloucester
have
argument'
a g a i n s t p a s s i v e p a r a s i t i s m t h a t prompts Olson t o h o l d up
Stevens,
art
h a v i n g become p r i v a t e a n d t h u s a c q u i r e d v i s i o n ,
t h e " d a i l y l a r c e n i e s o f t h e l u n g . "3
repaid
the
by t h e i r
t h e v i s i o n back by way o f p r i m o r d i a l t h i n g s .
-
a
or--
O l s o n o b s e r v e s t h a t "one c a n d e f i n e t h e a c t of
a s v e c t o r which,
r,
William
-
shipwright,
a s an
exemplar
of
a c t i v e production:
T h a t c a r p e n t e r i s much on my mind:
I t h i n k h e was t h e f i r s t Maximus
Anyhow, h e was t h e f i r s t t o make t h i n g s ,
not just l i v e off nature
(TMP 31)
In
such
t h e p r o c e s s o f i n t e r a c t i o n between o n e s e l f
acts
and
a s S t e v e n s ' s c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e vocabulary
11
givenness, II
of
being.
The " f i n a l i t y " which i s e v e n t u a l l y known i s n o t o n e s e l f , b u t what
one d o e s o r makes.
II
t o say:
I t i s some s u c h r e c o g n i t i o n t h a t l e a d s O l s o n
o n e m u s t a s k t h a t any a c t o f y o u r s o r m y l i f e o r a n y o n e
e l s e ' s , be not a c t u a l l y t h a t l i f e but i t s a c t o r production.
that
is
Each
act
(PT 3 6 ) .
s o m e t h i n g which i s e s s e n t i a l l y o u r l a n g u a g e "
or
production
( I am t h i n k i n g h e r e
of
Hart
Crane's
a s s e r t i o n t h a t e a c h new poem i s l i k e a new word which e n t e r s
language,
language of b e i n g ,
i n s t a n c e of
In
II
it
f o r a l l ) c o n s t i t u t e s a new "word" i n
expression can be seen a s
t h e method
t h e r e a r e two p r i m a r y grammars o f human
h i s t o r y and mythology.
L
they
a r e p r e s e n t l y misunderstood,
expression
Universe,"
world.
expression:
'
f o r " h i s t o r y " and "mythology, 1
were two s u c h grammars,
of
of
I t may b e more a c c u r a t e t o s a y t h a t t h e r e
once
kind
a
o u r l i f e t u r n [ i n g ] t o t a l e " (0 10, 65).
i s t h e mode o f r e g i s t e r i n g o n e ' s f o r c e i n t h e
Olson,
the
and t h e a r t i c u l a t i o n o f s u c h words becomes a n
t h i s context,
typos;
For
it
enriching
And
that
so
a r e no l o n g e r c a p a b l e of
interested
0lson.
O l s o n u p b r a i d s t h e h i s t o r i a n Arnold Toynbee
In
as
the
"Human
for
his
tendency t o
d i m i n i s h t h e e n e r g y o n c e h e r e expended i n t o t h e
s i e v e p h o n e t i c words h a v e become t o b e o f f e r e d l i k e
one o f n a t u r e ' s p a s t e s t h a t we c a l l j e w e l s t o be
hung a s a d e c o r a t i o n o f knowledge upon some C h r i s t i a n
and t h e r e f o r e e t e r n a l a n d h o l y n e c k . I t i s u n b e a r a b l e what knowledge o f t h e p a s t h a s been a l l o w e d t o
become, what f u n c t i o n o f human memory h a s b e e n
d r i b b l e d o u t t o i n t h e h a n d s o f t h e IsI e l e a r n e d mons t e r s whom p e o p l e a r e l e d t o t h i n k know." They
know n o t h i n g i n n o t knowing how t o r e i f y what t h e y
do know. What i s w o r s e , t h e y do n o t know how t o
p a s s o v e r t o u s t h e e n e r g y i m p l i c i t i n a n y h i g h work
of t h e p a s t b e c a u s e t h e y p u r p o s e l y d e s t r o y t h a t
e n e r g y a s d a n g e r o u s t o t h e s t a t e s f o r which t h e y
work--which i t i s , f o r any c o n c r e t e t h i n g i s a
danger t o r h e t o r i c i a n s and p o l i t i c i a n s .
(HU
- 12)
From
another
R.G.Collingwood
perspective,
the historian
and
s i m i l a r l y c r i t i c i z e s Toynbee f o r d e s t r o y i n g
energy of t h e p a s t .
Collingwood p o i n t s o u t t h a t T o y n b e e ' s
belongs w i t h i n a t r a d i t i o n of h i s t o r i c a l p o s i t i v i s m ,
historiography
11
science.
the
the
work
t h a t i s , an
which d e r i v e s i t s w o r k i n g p r i n c i p l e s from n a t u r a l
These p r i n c i p l e s , " Collingwood w r i t e s ,
conception
philosopher
of
external
relations,"
both
" a r e b a s e d on
between
themselves,
a n d be tween e v e n t s a n d o b s e r v e r s .
significant
l o s s f o r h i s t o r y ( a s Collingwood c o n c e i v e d
events
P e r h a p s t h e most
of
it),
l i e s i n t h e f a c t t h a t Toynbee
. . . m i s c o n c e i v e s t h e r e l a t i o n between t h e h i s t o r i c a l p r o c e s s a n d t h e h i s t o r i a n who knows i t . He r e g a r d s t h e h i s t o r i a n a s t h e i n t e l l i g e n t s p e c t a t o r of
h i s t o r y , i n t h e same way i n which t h e s c i e n t i s t i s
t h e i n t e l l i g e n t s p e c t a t o r of n a t u r e : he f a i l s t o
s e e t h a t t h e h i s t o r i a n i s a n i n t e g r a l element i n
t h e p r o c e s s of h i s t o r y i t s e l f , r e v i v i n g i n h i m s e l f
t h e e x p e r i e n c e s of which h e a c h i e v e s h i s t o r i c a l
knowledge. J u s t a s t h e v a r i o u s p a r t s of t h e p r o c e s s
a r e m i s c o n c e i v e d a s p l a c e d o u t s i d e one a n o t h e r ,
s o t h e p r o c e s s a s a whole a n d t h e h i s t o r i a n a r e
o u t s i d e one a n o t h e r . . . [ c o n s e q u e n t l y , ] h i s t o r y
i s converted i n t o n a t u r e , and t h e p a s t , i n s t e a d of
l i v i n g i n t h e p r e s e n t , a s i t does i n h i ~ t o r y , ~ i s
conceived a s a dead p a s t , a s i t i s i n n a t u r e .
The
k e y i s s u e h e r e f o r Collingwood ( a s I s u s p e c t i t would
L
have
been f o r O l s o n t o o had h e c h o s e n t o f o r m u l a t e t h e p r o b l e m i n t h i s
way)
is
spectator,
c h o o s i n g between
one
( O l s o n ' s word);
is
e x t e r n a l i t y " and
removed
from
"integrality.
the
II
going
"
As
reality"
f o r C o l l i n g w o o d , who f e l t t h a t h i s t o r y was " f o r "
human s e l f - k n o w l e d g e ,
own
always
II
T o y n b e e ' s Archimedean s t a n c e g u a r a n t e e d h i s
b a n i s h m e n t from a n y t r u e h i s t o r i c a l knowledge.
Through h i s
11
inability to
past events,
to exercise the "historical
, t h e e n e r g y of t h o s e
events
While C o l l i n g w o o d ' s h i s t o r i o g r a p h y would h a v e
struck
imagination"
was l o s t .
re-enact"
(Collingwood' s words)
some s y m p a t h e t i c c h o r d s i n O l s o n ( O l s o n , i n f a c t , owned a copy of
Collingwood's
break
with
gesture
The I d e a of H i s t o r y ) ,
"scientific
as
Olson
Collingwood's
the
c r i t i q u e of
h i s t o r y 1 ' was s t i l l n o t
wished
historiography
to
make
himself.
and
the
as
radical
In
the
s t i l l remained w i t h i n
the
a
end,
formal
c o n f i n e s o f t h e o r i e s of knowledge r a t h e r t h a n b r a n c h i n g o u t
into
t h e o r i e s of a c t i v e b e i n g .
This
i s n o t t o s a y t h a t Olson d i d n o t concern himself
epistemology--he
service
with
d i d , but he d e a l t with i t a s epistemology i n the
of t h e v i t a a c t i v a . 6
I n h i s s t u d y of O l s o n ' s
pedagogy,
R o b e r t von H a l l b e r g makes a s i m i l a r p o i n t :
The a l t e r a t i o n o f e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l p r i o r i t i e s i s
m e r e l y t h e f i r s t p h a s e of r e c o v e r y f r o m - w h a t Olson
d e s c r i b e s a s e s t r a n g e m e n t from t h e f a m i l i a r . I n
"ABCs 2" h e names t h e s t a g e s o f a p r o c e s s t h a t moves
from c o n c r e s c e n c e t o p e r c e p t i o n t o f o r m a l a c t i v i t y :
.
o f rhythm i s image
of image i s knowing
o f knowing t h e r e i s
a construct
. . t h e rhythm o f m o l e c u l e s , o f e n e r g y , p r e s e n t s
a n image, b u t o n l y t h a t , b e c a u s e t h e c l o s e r one
l o o k s a t " m a t t e r " t h e more i n s u b s t a n t i a l i t becomes.
The p e r c i p i e n t s u b j e c t c a n t h e n "know" t h i s image;
t h i s i s t h e e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l phase of O l s o n ' s t h o u g h t .
The l a s t p h a s e i s e t h i c a l : from h i s knowledge man
c o n s t r u c t s a f o r m , o r e l s e h e i s n o t f u l l y human.
( H a l l b e r g 90-91)
But
it
i s n o t s i m p l y t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f form
that
makes
human, f o r i t i s h a r d l y b e t t e r t o b e t h e "Iso1ato"-maker
one
than the
"1solato"-spectator.
withheld
Letter
In
a
from t h e Maximus
#34--Olson
poem i n t e n d e d f o r b u t
sequence--
makes
the
II
Maximus,
observation
subsequently
to
that
Gloucester-once
is
form
achieved, i t i s t o be passed on:
t h e s t r u g g l e of form.
.
s
*
o
*
- . . . - .
a
Get y o u r t e r m s s t r a i g h t . Then you c a n s a y what
anything i s .
T h a t w i l l b e what you mean. Then what i t i s - that's
f o r somebody e l s e .
( 2 6 , 55)
The
Itwhat" i s f o r o t h e r s ;
ness,
one
also
cornmunicative-
acknowledges t h e e s s e n t i a l human
plurality
and
of
within
value
i n acknowledging t h a t
the
corresponding need
it.
In
her
to
writing,
repeatedly t h a t ."in L a t i n ' t o l i v e '
condition
establish
Hannah
relations
Arendt
(BPI? 7 3 ) .
even
passing
fundamental,
the
human
world,
notes
. always coincided w i t h
homines e s s e ' t o b e i n t h e company o f men"'
.inter beyond
of
t h e c o n c e p t of
But
is
on
I n Modes of Thought, Whitehead w r i t e s :
Expression i s t h e d i f f u s i o n , i n t h e environment, of
s o m e t h i n g i n i t i a l l y e n t e r t a i n e d i n t h e e x p e r i e n c e of
t h e e x p r e s s o r . No c o n s c i o u s d e t e r m i n a t i o n i s n e c e s s a r i l y involved; only t h e impulse t o d i f f u s e . This
u r g e i s one o f t h e s i m p l e s t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f a n i I t i s t h e most f u n d a m e n t a l e v i d e n c e of
mal n a t u r e .
our p r e s u p p o s i t i o n of t h e world w i t h o u t . [ 7 ]
History,
as
i t s t o o d t o t h e l a t e n i n e t e e n t h and e a r l y t w e n t i e t h
centuries,
was l a r g e l y t h e dead-end o f mute c l a s s i f i c a t i o n , o f a
8
II
e u n u c h i c o b j e c t i v i t y " p o s i n g a s v i t a l knowledge.
I f O l s o n was
to
f i n d a h i s t o r y capable of expression,
elsewhere.
historian
In
as
"Letter
Herodotus
h e would have t o
23" O l s o n d e c l a r e s :
was,
looking
/ for
"I
would
oneself
look
be
for
an
the
evidence
1
of
what
is
said"
(TMP
100-101).
Always
l i t t o r a l i s t (and i n t h i s c a s e a l s o t h e l i t e r a l i s t )
,
to
the
beginnings
in
the
acknowledged
father
Toynbee
11
who
something
the
of
treats
information
In
is
one
Herodotus,
Olson r e t u r n s
generally
I n opposition
to
a
knowledge] a s i f
it
were
9
i n books, II Olson b r i n g s forward
[historical
notion
J.A.K.
of
of
western h i s t o r y .
h e f i n d s ready-made
Herodotean
146).
figure
the
the
of i s t o r i n .
Thomson's
Olson's
source
for
The A r t o f t h e Logos
I n s t i t u t e o f t h e New
Sciences
this
(Guide
of
Man
l e c t u r e s ( p r e p a r e d t h r e e y e a r s b e f o r e t h e l e c t u r e s w h i c h form t h e
b a s i s o f The S p e c i a l View o f H i s t o r y ) , O l s o n p r o v i d e s a g l o s s f o r
t h i s term:
Thomson s a y s : " i s t o r i n i n [ H e r o d o t u s ] a p p e a r s t o
mean " f i n d i n g o u t f o r o n e s e l f " ( w h a t we would mean
by d o c u m e n t a t i o n o r r e s e a r c h ) - - g o i n g t o s o u r c e s - n o t d e p e n d i n g o n h e a r s a y . I n o t h e r w o r d s , The
H i s t o r y of Herodotus, i s Herodotus' E v i d e n c e
of What i s S a i d . H i s t o r y , t h e n , i s r e s t o r e d t o i t s
p r o p e r f u n c t i o n o f a m e t h o d o l o g y , n o t a t a l l a cont e n t i t s e l f : i t i s only " t o f i n d out": i t i t s e l f
g o e s t o r o o t h i s t o r , meaning I 1 knowing, 1 1 a n d meani n g knowing .-t h e s t o r y : t h e f i r s t meaning o f h i s t o r y
i n o n e dictionary e v e n t o d a y i s : " A n a r r a t i v e o f
e v e n t s ; a t a l e ; a s t o r y . I I And a s you know, t h e word
s t o r y i t s e l f i s o n l y t h e same word s h o r t e n e d .
(0 1 0 , 63)
Unlike Toynbee,
Olson w i l l engage r a t h e r t h a n simply a r r a n g e t h e
elements o f t h e h i s t o r i c a l record.
m e t h o d o l o g y f o r coming t o
11
evidence"
presented,
Hannah
is
know t h e s t o r y . "
I m p l i c i t i n t h e word
t h e s e n s e t h a t t h e t r a c e s of something a r e t o
t o be t o l d .
Arendt
11
a
H i s t o r y i s t o be taken a s
I n h e r e s s a y "The C o n c e p t o f
History,
points out t h a t t h a t implicit suggestion
f a c t , a n e x p l i c i t a s p e c t o f t h e meaning o f i s t o r i n :
be
is,
11
in
Herodotus, t h e f i r s t h i s t o r i a n , d i d n o t y e t have a t
h i s d i s p o s a l a word f o r h i s t o r y . He u s e s t h e word
h o p L i v [ i s t o r e i n ] , b u t n o t i n t h e sense of "hist o r i c a l narrat,ive . " L i k e t l 6 ' v a ~ [ e i d e n a i ] t o know,
s t o~r i a~] i s d e r i v e d from
[id-]
t h e word i o ~ o [ i ~
t o s e e , a n d ' h a p [ i s t o r ] means o r i g i n a l l y "eyew i t n e s s , " t h e n t h e o n e who e x a m i n e s w i t n e s s e s a n d
o b t a i n s t r u t h t h r o u g h i n q u i r y . Hence ~ T O P ? L L Y
[ i s t o r e i n ] h a s a d o u b l e meaning: t o t e s t i f y a n d t o
i n q u i r e . (BPF 284-285)
is-,
In
this
context,
t h e methodology of h i s t o r y
would
explicitly
e n t a i l b o t h f i n d i n g o u t f o r o n e s e l f and t e s t i f y i n g p u b l i c l y about
what
one h a s f o u n d .
additional
inquiry
O l s o n would u n d o u b t e d l y h a v e welcomed
etymological
information
are built into istorin,
that
both
for it quietly
the
testimony
and
reinforces
his
own s e n s e o f t h e n e c e s s i t y o f t e l l i n g a t a l e .
Taken a s m e t h o d o l o g y , t h e p r a c t i c e o f h i s t o r y b e g i n s t o move
away f r o m i t s
externalizing
tendencies.
I n The S p e c i a l View of
History,
t h r e e y e a r s a f t e r Olson o f f e r e d t h e above d e f i n i t i o n of
history,
the
not iceably
understanding
changed.
and
9f
t h e language
I n s t e a d o f "methodology
" t h e f u n c t i o n o f a n y o n e o f u s " (SVH 1 7 ) .
,"
history
has
is
now
history
.
O l s o n g o e s on t o s a y :
L e t me t r y i t t h i s way: t h a t a l i f e i s t h e h i s t o r i c a l f u n c t i o n of t h e i n d i v i d u a l . H i s t o r y i s t h e
i n t e n s i t y o f t h e l i f e p r o c e s s - - i t s l i f e v a l u e . By
t h i s I d o n o t mean t o imply a n y i m p a r t e d v a l u e ,
whether m o r a l , a e s t h e t i c o r i n t e l l e c t u a l ; t h e l i f e
v a l u e i s s i m p l y c o n d i t i o n e d by i t s d e t e r m i n i n g power,
which i s m a n i f e s t e d i n d e f i n i t e h i s t o r i c a l . operations ("effects").
And o f c o u r s e t a k i n g i t t h i s way,
I d o n o t a t a l l mean t h a t h i s t o r y i s a f o r c e ( t h e
most w i c k e d p r e s e n t f a l l a c y o f a l l . . . ) .
(SVH
- 18)
Part
of t h e change i n emphasis can be a t t r i b u t e d t o h i s
of Whitehead i n t h e i n t e r v e n i n g y e a r s .
The S p e c i a l View of H i s t o r y ,
Olson
reading
I n t h e o p e n i n g s e c t i o n of
himself
acknowledges
the
p r e s e n c e o f Whitehead i n t h o s e l e c t u r e s :
"It w i l l be s e e n w i t h i n
how t h o r o u g h l y I t a k e i t Whitehead h a s w r i t t e n t h e m e t a p h y s i c
the
reality
we
h a v e a c q u i r e d " (SVH
- 16).
And i n
above,
leaven
h i s own t h i n k i n g w i t h W h i t e h e a d ' s work.
of
passage
i t i s p o s s i b l e t o d i s c e r n how Olson h a s begun
quoted
here
the
of
Whitehead's
to
I
am
thinking
t h e o r y of " o b j e c t i f i c a t i o n . "
In
A Key t o
W h i t e h e a d ' s P r o c e s s and R e a l i t y , Donald S h e r b u r n e o f f e r s a u s e f u l
explanation
of t h i s theory--he
i s quoting
Whitehead
throughout
t h e passage:
"The d i s c u s s i o n o f how t h e p a r t i c u l a r o c c a s i o n s
become o r i g i n a l e l e m e n t s f o r a new c r e a t i o n i s
termed t h e t h e o r y o f o b j e c t i f i c a t i o n . . . The f u n c t i o n i n g o f one a c t u a l e n t i t y i n t h e s e l f - c r e a t i o n
of a n o t h e r a c t u a l e n t i t y i s t h e ' o b j e c t i f i c a t i o n '
o f t h e f o r m e r f o r t h e l a t t e r a c t u a l e n t i t y . " (Key 231)
Sherburne
goes
on t o d i s c u s s t h e t h e o r y of
r e l a t i o n t o t h e " P r i n c i p l e of R e l a t i v i t y . "
objectification
This p r i n c i p l e ,
'
in
as I
n o t e d i n C h a p t e r One, s t a t e s t h a t
. .
t h e p o t e n t i a l i t y f o r b e i n g a n e l e m e n t i n a r e a l conc r e s c e n c e o f many e n t i t i e s i n t o one a c t u a l i t y i s t h e
one g e n e r a l m e t a p h y s i c a l c h a r a c t e r a t t a c h i n g t o a l l
e n t i t i e s , a c t u a l a n d n o n - a c t u a l . (Key 23-24)
S k e r b u r n e e l a b o r a t e s on t h i s n o t i o n s a y i n g :
T h i s means t h a t e a c h a c t u a l o c c a s i o n , o n c e i t h a s
become a n d r e a c h e d i t s s a t i s f a c t i o n , l o s e s i t s
s u b j e c t i v i t y , i t s own immediacy o f becoming, a n d
s e r v e s a s a datum f o r s u c c e e d i n g g e n e r a t i o n s of
a c t u a l e n t i t i e s , which i n c o r p o r a t e i t , i n some a s p e c t , i n t o t h e i r v e r y b e i n g by p r e h e n d i n g i t a s a
datum t o be a b s o r b e d i n t o t h e i r own c o n c r e s c e n c e s .
The s u b j e c t - p r e d i c a t e , s u b s t a n c e - q u a l i t y , p a r t i c u l a r u n i v e r s a l d i c h o t o m i e s , which s t e m from A r i s t o t l e . . .
a r e a l l r e p u d i a t e d by t h i s t h e o r y a f o b j e c t i f i c a t i o n .
(Key 232)
The
" c o n c r e s c e n c e " t h a t S h e r b u r n e b r i n g s up h e r e r e f e r s t o
"the
*
growing
together
of a many i n t o t h e u n i t y o f a one"
(3
212).
In
The S p e c i a l View of H i s t o r y ,
Olson t r a n s l a t e s i n t o t h e terms
of
t h e macroscopic world h i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g of t h e s t a g e s i n
the
p r o c e s s of t h a t c o n c r e s c e n c e :
I r e t u r n . . . t o t h e t h r e e s t a g e s o f f e e l i n g . The
f i r s t i s t h a t i n which t h e m u l t i p l e s o f a n y t h i n g
crowd i n on t h e i n d i v i d u a l ; t h e s e c o n d i s t h a t most
i n d i v i d u a l s t a g e when h e o r s h e s e e k s t o impose h i s
o r h e r own o r d e r o f o r d e r on t h e m u l t i p l e s ; a n d t h e
third stage i s the stage called satisfaction, i n
which t h e t r u e o r d e r i s s e e n t o be t h e c o n f r o n t a t i o n
of two i n t e r c h a n g i n g f o r c e s which c a n b e c a l l e d
God and t h e World.
(SVH 5 0 )
I n t h e e a r l i e r p a s s a g e from The S p e c i a l V i e w ,
II
determining
operations
"effects"
feeling
as
its
which i s m a n i f e s t e d i n d e f i n i t e
("effects")."
can
particular,
process
power,
be
likened
Olson
can
has
be
O l s o n s p e a k s of
The
"determining
t o t h e second and
presented
them.
The
power"
third
historical
and
the
w h i c h , h a v i n g r e a c h e d t h e s t a g e of s a t i s f a c t i o n ,
subjectivity"
and i s p a s s e d on a s a "datum
g e n e r a t i o n s " of h i s t o r i c a l a c t o r s .
for
the
stages
"effects,
viewed a s t h e o b j e c t i f i c a t i o n of
a
of
II
in
life
"loses
succeeding
I n a r e l a t e d c o n t e x t , Arendt
d i s c u s s e s t h e o r i g i n o f h i s t o r y i n r e f e r e n c e t o one s u c h i n s t a n c e
of o b j e c t i f i c a t i o n :
Not h i s t o r i c a l l y b u t p o e t i c a l l y s p e a k i n g , i t s b e g i n n i n g l i e s . . . i n t h e moment when U l y s s e s , a t t h e
c o u r t o f t h e P h a e a c i a n s , l i s t e n e d t o t h e s t o r y - of
h i s own d e e d s a n d s u f f e r i n g s , t o t h e s t o r y o f h i s
l i f e , now a t h i n g o u t s i d e h i m s e l f , a n " o b j e c t " f o r
a l l t o s e e a n d h e a r . What h a d been s h e e r o c c u r r e n c e
now b e c a m e " ' h i s t o r y . "
But t h e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f
s i n g l e e v e n t s a n d o c c u r r e n c e s i n t o h i s t o r y was
e s s e n t i a l l y t h e same 1 1 i m i t a t i o n o f a c t i o n " i n words
which was l a t e r employed i n Greek t r a g e d y . . . The
s c e n e where U l y s s e s l i s t e n s t o t h e s t o r y o f h i s own
l i f e i s p a r a d i g m a t i c f o r b o t h h i s t o r y and p o e t r y ; t h e
r e c o n c i l i a t i o n w i t h r e a l i t y " . . . came a b o u t
t h r o u g h t h e t e a r s of remembrance. The d e e p e s t human
m o t i v e f o r h i s t o r y and p o e t r y a p p e a r s h e r e i n unp a r a l l e l e d p u r i t y : s i n c e l i s t e n e r , a c t o r and s u f f e r e r
a r e t h e same p e r s o n , a l l m o t i v e s o f s h e e r c u r i o s i t y
and l u s t f o r new i n f o r m a t i o n , w h i c h , o f c o u r s e , have
always played a l a r g e r o l e i n b o t h h i s t o r i c a l i n q u i r y
and a e s t h e t i c p l e a s u r e , a r e n a t u r a l l y m i s s i n g i n
U l y s s e s h i m s e l f , who would h a v e been b o r e d r a t h e r
t h a n moved i f h i s t o r y were o n l y news a n d p o e t r y
o n l y e n t e r t a i n m e n t . (BPF 4 5 )
11
The
objectification
"'reconciliation
sense,
this
Olson's
that
with
method
thinking
r e a l i t y " through
of
II
remembrance.
reconciliation i s
though
remembrance
of U l y s s e s ' s l i f e o f f e r s t h e way t o
also
b o t h t h e n a t u r e of
h a v e changed r a d i c a l l y .
one
to
reality
and
objectification
s e r v e d a s a way t o remember U l y s s e s t o t h e w o r l d .
need t o b e remembered,
In
applicable
that
The
II
a
But t h e
very
t o be i m m o r t a l i z e d , i n v o l v e d p r e - P l a t o n i c
Greek c u l t u r e i n a t r o u b l i n g p a r a d o x :
The p a r a d o x i s t h a t , on t h e one h a n d , e v e r y t h i n g
was s e e n a n d measured a g a i n s t t h e background o f t h e
t h i n g s t h a t a r e f o r e v e r [ n a t u r e ] , w h i l e ; on t h e
o t h e r , t r u e human g r e a t n e s s was u n d e r s t o o d . . . t o
r e s i d e i n d e e d s a n d w o r d s , a n d was . . . r e p r e s e n t e d
by A c h i l l e s , " t h e d o e r o f g r e a t d e e d s a n d t h e speak(=
45-46)
e r o f g r e a t words" . . .
The i r o n y i s t h a t
11
should,
human m a n i f e s t a t i o n b e bound up w i t h
in
ephemeral
futile
its
a n d f u t i l e a c t i v i t i e s o f men.
simply
performance.
through
g r e a t n e s s , " which i s bound up w i t h permanence,
the
philosophical
the
They a r e e p h e m e r a l and
b e c a u s e t h e y do n o t o u t l i v e t h e moment
The e a r l y Greek s o l u t i o n was. t o o f f e r
words o f t h e p o e t s .
and
However,
of
their
immortality
a l a t e r and a
r a d i c a l l y d e c i s i v e s o l u t i o n appeared
work o f P l a t o a n d A r i s t o t l e .
most
more
in
the
Since they no longer regarded
man
as
for
they a l s o no longer believed i t
the highest being,
man
Plato
to
and
achieve immortality through h i s
words
possible
and
deeds.
A r i s t o t l e s u b s e q u e n t l y t u r n e d away f r o m t h e r e a l m
human a f f a i r s a s a p o s s i b l e t r a i n i n g g r o u n d f o r i m m o r t a l i t y
instead,
declared
of
and,
t h a t immortalizing could only be achieved
t h e realm of contemplation.
in
For them,
. . . t h e proper a t t i t u d e o f m o r t a l s , once t h e y had
r e a c h e d t h e n e i g h b o u r h o o d o f t h e i m m o r t a l , was
a c t i o n l e s s and s p e e c h l e s s contemplation: t h e A r i s t o t e l i a n -9nous t h e h i g h e s t a n d most human c a p a c i t y of p u r e v i s i o n , cannot t r a n s l a t e i n t o words
(BPF 4 7 )
what i t b e h o l d s .
The
same c o u l d b e s a i d o f t h e P l a t o n i c v i s i o n o f u l t i m a t e t r u t h ;
consequently,
. . . t h e o l d p a r a d o x was r e s o l v e d by t h e p h i l o sI I o p h e r s by d e n y i n g t o man n o t t h e c a p a c i t y t o
immortalize," but t h e c a p a b i l i t y of measuring
h i m s e l f a n d h i s own d e e d s a g a i n s t t h e e v e r l a s t i n g
g r e a t n e s s o f t h e cosmos, o f matching, a s i t . w e r e ,
t h e immortality of n a t u r e and t h e gods w i t h an
i m m o r t a l g r e a t n e s s o f h i s own. The s o l u t i o n c l e a r l y
comes a b o u t a t t h e e x p e n s e o f t h e " d o e r o f g r e a t
d e e d s a n d t h e s p e a k e r o f g r e a t words . " (BPF 4 7 )
b
On
this
this
l a t t e r point,
terms
s o l u t i o n e f f e c t i v e l y e s t r a n g e u s from t h e p r a c t i c e s o f
human b o d y .
is
O l s o n would l a r g e l y a g r e e - - t h e
not
I n The S p e c i a l View o f H i s t o r y ,
ideal,
and l i f e i s n o t a n i s o l a t i o n ,
estrangement of a l l ,
of
the
O l s o n w r i t e s : "Man
and
which s e t i n w i t h l o g i c and
the
falsest
classification
i n t h e 5 t h c e n t u r y , i s c o n t e m p l a t i o n " (-SVH 2 5 ) .
I n t h e c o n t e x t o f p r e - P l a t o n i c Greek s o c i e t y , t h e f a i l u r e t o
be
remembered
implies t h e i s o l a t i o n of t h e individual i n
I m m o r t a l i t y was c o n c e i v e d i n t e m p o r a l a n d s u b j e c t i v e t e r m s .
Olson,
time.
For
h o w e v e r , t h e remembrance i s o f a n o t h e r o r d e r ; t h a t i s , i t
operates
in
immortality
1I
s p a t i a l terms r a t h e r t h a n temporal
was
cast
i n t h e manner of
ones,
Whitehead's
and
the
notion
of
o b j e c t i v e immortality":
The a t t a i n m e n t o f a p e c u l i a r d e f i n i t e n e s s i s t h e
f i n a l c a u s e which a n i m a t e s a p a r t i c u l a r p r o c e s s ;
and i t s a t t a i n m e n t h a l t s i t s p r o c e s s , s o t h a t by
t r a n s c e n d e n c e i t p a s s e s i n t o i t s o b j e c t i v e immort a l i t y a s a new o b j e c t i v e c o n d i t i o n a d d e d t o t h e
r i c h e s o f d e f i n i t e n e s s a t t a i n a b l e , t h e ' r e a l po(Key 233)
t e n t i a l i t y ' of t h e u n i v e r s e .
The
action/event/word
subjective
objective
having
immediacy"
condition
and
in
S p e c i a l View of H i s t o r y ,
p r i n c i p l e of f a c t :
11
expressed
itself,
11
achieves t h e immortality
t h e world.
Olson
loses
of
its
a
I t h a s become f a c t .
new
I n The
speaks of t h e need t o r e s t o r e
a
I c a n n o t b e g i n t o i n d i c a t e what h i s t o r y i s i f
t h e dimension of f a c t a s t h e p l a c e of t h e c l u s t e r of b e l i e f i s n ' t
understood
are
t o be a t t h e h - e a r t o f i t " (SVH 3 0 ) .
known--that
sense,
is,
facts
known " i n t h e o n l y way t h a t knowledge makes
t h a t i s methodological,
s t o r y can be t o l d .
When t h e
i t c a n b e u s e d " (SVH
I t i s t h e n re-membered
p o t e n t i a l i t y , 1I an o b j e c t f o r o t h e r s t o u s e .
30)--one's
t o t h e world a s
11
real.
A s Olson p o i n t s o u t :
. . . a man i s h i m s e l f a n o b j e c t , w h a t e v e r h e may
t a k e t o b e h i s a d v a n t a g e s , t h e more l i k e l y t o r e cognize himself a s such t h e g r e a t e r h i s advantages,
p a r t i c u l a r l y a t t h a t moment t h a t h e a c h i e v e s a n
- 60)
h u m i l i t a s s u f f i c i e n t t o make him o f u s e .
(HU
The
o n l y a l l o w a b l e i m m o r t a l i t y f o r O l s o n i s t h e one t h a t i s made
w i t h e a c h new a c t ,
n o t t h e one t h a t h y p o s t a t i z e s s i n g l e
events.
Remembrance i s a way t o make s p a c e a l i v e i n e a c h i n s t a n t , t o f i l l
out
t h e e x t e n t of each i n s t a n t .
"History9" a f t e r a l l ,
p r a c t i c e o f s p a c e i n t i m e " (SVH 2 7 ) .
"is the
" t h e d e e p e s t human
Given t h e s e changed t e r m s of e x p e r i e n c e ,
11
motive" f o r h i s t o r y and p o e t r y c a n be s e e n a s a
into novelty."
The v o c a b u l a r y i s W h i t e h e a d ' s ,
i s Olson's l i t t o r a l i s t poetics.
c r e a t i v e advance
but t h e
occasion
I n " I , Maximus o f G l o u c e s t e r , t o
You," t h e p r i m o r d i a l s e a a n d t h e c r e a t e d l a n d s t a n d t o e a c h o t h e r
in
a
relation
corresponding
following
of
permanence
and
flux.
In
Whitehead,
m e t a p h y s i c a l t e r m s a r e "God" a n d " w o r l d . "
p a s s a g e from P r o c e s s and R e a l i t y ,
the
In
the
Olson's poetics a r e
t r a n s l a t e d i n t o cosmological terms:
Opposed e l e m e n t s s t a n d t o e a c h o t h e r i n m u t u a l r e quirement. I n t h e i r u n i t y , they i n h i b i t o r c o n t r a s t .
God a n d t h e World s t a n d t o e a c h o t h e r i n t h i s opposed r e q u i r e m e n t . God i s t h e i n f i n i t e ground of
a l l m e n t a l i t y , t h e u n i t y of v i s i o n s e e k i n g p h y s i c a l
m u l t i p l i c i t y . The w o r l d i s t h e m u l t i p l i c i t y of
f i n i t e s , a c t u a l i t i e s seeking a perfected unity.
N e i t h e r God, n o r t h e w o r l d , r e a c h e s s t a t i c comp l e t i o n . Both a r e i n t h e g r i p of t h e u l t i m a t e
m e t a p h y s i c a l ground, t h e c r e a t i v e advance i n t o
n o v e l t y . E i t h e r of them, God a n d t h e Wo$ld, i s
t h e i n s t r u m e n t of n o v e l t y f o r t h e o t h e r .
It
II
is
the
superject";
pass
back
responsibility
that i s ,
out.
of
the
"subject"
a s well a s taking i n ,
I n a n o t h e r of t h e
to
become
a
.
one i s r e q u i r e d t o
Institute
lectures,
Olson
begins t o limn t h e dimensions of t h a t n e c e s s i t y :
G e n e r a t i o n c a n b e s e e n l i t e r a l l y t o be t h e c l i m a t e
of o u r b e i n g a s d e c i s i v e l y a s t h e p l a c e o f i t i s
t h a t i n t e r n a l e n v i r o n m e n t we c a l l o u r s e l v e s , t h e
i n d i v i d u a l . . . Do I n e e d t o p r e s s on any o f you
t h e huge e x t e n t t o which we a r e c o m p e l l e d ? I f I
l e a v e i t t h a t l i f e i s g e n e r a t i o n n o m a t t e r how f a r
i t d o e s g o away from s e x & r e p r o d u c t i o n - - n o m a t t e r
how much s o much o f o u r t i m e i s f r e e f o r o t h e r
a c t i o n s t h a n t h a t s w i f t one--then why d e a t h i s of
s u c h moment o f t h i s m a t t e r may now b e s e e n : t h a t
d e a t h i s l a r g e n o t b e c a u s e i t i s m e r e l y t h e end of
any o f u s a s i n d i v i d u a l s ( t h a t m o r t a l i t y ) , b u t t h a t
we a r e thrown a t o r a g a i n s t death--we a r e p r o p e l l e d
t o f i g h t it--because i t r e p r e s e n t s t h e d e n i a l o f ,
n o t j u s t any one of u s , b u t t h e d e n i a l o f t h a t
which makes l i f e s o p o w e r f u l , a n d s o p r e c i o u s t o
u s i n a way a l s o d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e from j u s t t h a t
we, e a c h o f u s , h a s i t - - t h a t i s , g e n e r a t i o n i t s e l f ,
t h a t we t o o can--must g e n e r a t e - - i n w h a t e v e r we d o ,
n o t o n l y i n s u c h b i o l o g y a s t h a t we c a n , t h a t we d o ,
and t h a t we c e a s e , b u t g e n e r a t e i n e v e r y t h i n g we d o .
(0 1 0 , 36)
History,
t o o , i s a condition a s compelling a s g e n e r a t i o n , but i t
i s specifically
human g e n e r a t i o n :
The c o n d i t i o n of man i s a continuum we h e r e b y dec l a r e t o b e c a l l e d a s i t h a s a l w a y s been m e a n t ,
h i s t o r y . I t means I I knowing": H i s t e r . F i n d o u t
what i t ' s a b o u t . Can one o f f e r a d e t e r m i n a t i v e
more e x a c t t o t h a t which any o f u s i s i m p e l l e d t o
do w i t h o u t any c h o i c e i n t h e m a t t e r ? T h a t i s ,
o t h e r w i s e , one i s f o r c e d t o t a l k a b o u t " l i f e . " But
i t h a s n e v e r been a s a t i s f a c t o r y word b e c a u s e i t
means what n a t u r e o f f e r s , n o t what man DOES. One
c a n i n d e e d l i v e . But c u r i o u s i t y ? [ s i c ] I t i s o n l y
s a t i s f i e d by t h e c r e a t i o n o f t h e h i s t o r y o f o n e ' s
s e l f . What makes u s want t o , a Lady a s k e d me.
It
i s what I mean by n o c h o i c e . H i s t o r y , i s t o want
to. It i s the b u i l t - i n .
(SVH
- 28)
I
And
it
i s " t h e one way t o r e s t o r e t h e f a m i l i a r t o
treating
us
cheap"
(SVH 2 9 ) .
The " e u n u c h i c
us--to
objectivity"
stop
of
h i s t o r y , t h a t s e l f l e s s , l i f e l e s s academic a f f a i r , i s o v e r t a k e n by
the
generative
generative
objectivity
objectivity
of i s t o r i n .
a r e both
present
e n t a i l s b o t h a f i n d i n g o u t o f "what" one i s ,
of
and
The
tenses
and
future;
situates
"who" one i s ,
us
always
t e l l t h e t a l e of i t .
II
this
history
that i s , the extent
t h e human ( O l s o n ' s i n t e r e s t i n a r c h a e o l o g y ,
of
of
in
beginnings),
t h e " i n t e n s i t y of t h e l i f e p r o c e s s "
a t t h e p o i n t o f g e n e s i s , " 1 1 from
there
that
to
\
\
I
Alongside
history,
e n g a g e s t h e human:
life
as
mythology--or
s t o r y " (SVH 2 1 ) .
happen?",
of
story
that
" t h e " p r a c t i c e of
"mutho-logos,
I n tackling the question
n o t e s t h a t o n e i s f a c e d w i t h two
Olson
"make i t u p ;
i s a n o t h e r form
there
"What
did
alternatives:
Both a r e n e c e s s a r y " (SVH 2 0 ) .
or try t o find out.
I n a l e c t u r e c a l l e d "The L a n g u a g e , o f M y t h o l o g y , " O l s o n d i s c u s s e s
at
length
1I
a n i n s t a n c e of one p a r t i c u l a r a u t h o r
The
w r i t e r i s Homer a n d t h e "made-up"
his
reading
of
Victor
encountered
an
argument
composition
which
helped
BCrard's
text is
book
him
The O d y s s e y .
Did Homer L i v e ? ,
on t h e n a t u r e
of
t o hone h i s
u p . 11
making i t
Homer's
own
In
Olson
method
sense
of
of
the
mythological :
. . t h e Odysse h a s t h i s s e r i e s o f laces w h i c h
a r e s i g n i f i e d byys i n g l e f i g u r e s : c y c l b P s , C i r c e ,
C a l y p s o , e t c . And what B 6 r a r d h a s shown i s t h a t
t h e s e p r o p e r nouns were n o t i n t h e language ( a s
Agamemnon w a s , o r A c h i l l e s , s a y , o r O d y s s e u s h i m s e l f )
b e f o r e t h e poem was w r i t t e n . Where, t h e n , d i d t h e y
come f r o m . T h i s i s most B 6 r a r d 1 s c o n t r i b u t i o n . He
b a s a n a l y z e d t h e m , a n d shows t h a t b e h i n d e a c h i s a
S e m i t i c word w h i c h , i n e a c h c a s e , i s a d e s c r i p t i o n
of a c o a s t c o n d i t i o n o f v i t a l i m p o r t a s l a n d m a r k t o
seamen:
f o r e x a m p l e , C i r c e i s Sea-Hawk
Cyclops i s
Kalypso i s
(0 1 0 , 79)
What
is
of
composition.
it
begins
environment.
i n t e r e s t t o Olson h e r e i s w r i t i n g a s a
Where d o e s i t b e g i n ?
with
process
of
I n B g r a r d ' s r e a d i n g of Homer,
attention t o the objects
in
the
geographical
A f a i l u r e of a t t e n t i o n under t h e circumstances of a
91
sea
voyage c o u l d p r o v e d i s a s t r o u s .
Olson n o t e s t h a t a f t e r
that
i n i t i a l a c t of a t t e n t i o n ,
Homer t o o k t h e s e p r o p e r names--Rock L i k e a S h i p , a
She L i k e a Hawk, a Land o f One-Eyes . . . a n d d i d
t h e r o o t a c t o f a l l mythology: h e t o o k t h e s i m i l e ,
t h a t a c t o f r e c o g n i t i o n which i s i n i t s e l f a n a c t
of s h a p e s - - i s j u s t s u c h a n a c t a s t o s h a p e c l a y
i n t o a n Adam o r a b i s o n - - i s metamorphosis . . Homer t o o k t h a t n e c e s s i t y o f o u r s e l v e s t h a t we name
t h e new t h i n g by what i t i s most l i k e t h a t we know
. . . h e merely invoked t h a t motion of metamorphosis
which r e q u i r e s naming a s t e p f u r t h e r o u t : h e p r o j e c t e d t h a t m o t i o n i n t o s t o r y , a s a l l men c o n v e r t
t h e i r own i m p l i c i t b u s y n e s s e s i n t o a c t i o n s .
(0 1 0 , 83)
In
p r o j e c t i n g t h a t motion i n t o s t o r y ,
state
reality
what Homer h a s done i s t o
" i n e x a c t l y t h o s e t e r m s by which
experiences r e a l i t y :
personages,
events,
a
human
& things;
who, w h a t ,
how. I t d o e s n o t e x p l a i n o r compare . . . i t r e - e n a c t , s . .
10,
66).
The i m p u l s e t o t e l l i s a b u i l t - i n .
being
.
11
And t h e f a c t t h a t
e x p r e s s i o n . . . i s more t h a n j u s . t s o m e t h i n g a f t e r wards . . . & . . . t h a t a l l t h i s - - t h i s - t r o p i s m , I
b e l i e v e i t must p r o p e r l y b e c a l l e d , t h a t o u t o f t h e
o r g a n i s m of o u r l i f e , o u r l i f e t u r n s t o t a l e - - i s why
I . . . b e l i e v e t h e one t r u e word t o c o v e r r e a l i t y
i s t h i s one t h a t i t i s m t h o l o i c a l , t h a t i t i s ,
mind y o u , what
s s a i d .*
-i',
6 5)
On
this basis,
"ultimate
Olson f o r m u l a t e s h i s
science
II
(0
.
s c i e n c e of mythology," t h e
o f man b e c a u s e i t r e s t s i t s e l f on
a
content
w h i c h c a n b e s a i d t o b e t h e i n e x t r i c a b l e human c o n t e n t : -t h a t what
i s i2
s
-
in the final analysis,
-
what
s s a i d " (0 10, 65).
-i-
Unless
t h i s i s u n d e r s t o o d , one f a l l s i n t o
t h o s e predicaments o f s t a s i s which o v e r t a k e a l l
s o c i e t i e s which l o s e t h i s r e a l c r a z y s u b t l e t y of
myth a n d r i t e - - t h a t a n y t h i n g we s a y o r d o i s what
i s . You g e t t h e p r e d i c a m e n t o f b e i n g a s d e t e r m i n a b l e o r d e s c r i b a b l e , o r a l l mechanism; you g e t t h e
i n t e l l e c t u a l enjoyment o f t h e problem o f b e i n g , o r
m e t a p h y s i c s ; o r you g e t t h a t p o o r , c o n t e m p l a t i v e
s u b s t i t u t e f o r m y t h o l o g y - - r e l i g i o n , o r t h e contemp l a t i o n o f a b e i n g who i s p u r e b e i n g w i t h o u t t h e
u t t e r human n e c e s s i t y o f e x e r c i s i n g i t c a l l e d G 0 D
o r g o d . (0 1 0 , 65)
The
thrust
practice
o f O l s o n ' s " s c i e n c e " i s t o a l l o w man t o
of
himself t h a t h e had
f i f t h century B . C . .
ost to
regain
contemplation
the
in
the
He h a s .-r e g a i n e d/-t h e measure of h i s . w o r d s and
d e e d s , and w i t h t h a t r e s t o r a t i o n , t h e f a m i l i a r i s a l s o r e s t o r e d .
Olson
present"
notes,
on
one
occasion,
i s t h e f a m i l i a r (0 10,
the poet-scientist
1I
determines,
97).
away
the
"mythological
And w i t h t h a t a s s e r t i o n ,
and i s o l a t e s t h e f i e l d p r o p e r t o
t h e s t u d y " o f "who you a r e " ( 0 10,
clearing
that
71).
He b e g i n s h i s work
t h e o l d "pslopologies" and "pslychologies"
by
which
would a s s e r t e i t h e r
( 1 ) t h a t who you a r e i s a mechanism l i k e what you
a r e , y o u r b o d y , o r ( 2 ) , t h a t who you a r e i s s o
d i f f e r e n t from y o u r b o d y , a n d e a r t h , t h a t we must
h a v e a word t h e s o u l t o l e a v e u s t o n e g l e c t o u r s e l v e s
f o r e v e r , a n d t u r n t h e whole j o b o v e r tb a m a s t e r
o f s o u l s c a l l e d g o d , who d w e l l s i n a n e q u a l l y
0 1 0 , 71)
smudged p l a c e c a l l e d p a r a d i s e . , . ( Who
we a r e ,
Olson f i n a l l y o b s e r v e s ,
mythological"
unique
human
from
experience of
73).
. .
are,"
the
the
And t h e p s y c h e h a s "an
t o i t s e l f " which e n a b l e s i t t o engage
"What t h e a c t i o n .
dealt with,
II
" t o u s e t h e q u i c k word f o r who we
0 10,
o f t h e " p s y c h e H (-
experience
action
or,
i s the
.
the
real:
is, is t h ea ct o f image, one o f t h e l e a s t
a n d y e t one o f t h e g r e a t e s t commons, o f t h e f a m i l i a r
experience" (0 10,
73).
Olson t a k e s h i s s e n s e of
L i n n a e u s ' s d e f i n i t i o n o f imago:
R e s t r i c t e d t o e n t o m o l o g y , i t means " t h e f i n a l and
p e r f e c t s t a g e o r form o f a n i n s e c t a f t e r i t s meta-
image
morphoses" . . . I c a n ' t o f f e r you a n y g r e a t e r i n s i g h t i n t o t h e a c t o f image t h a n , t o f o r m , a f t e r
metamorphoses, t h e p e r f e c t i n s e c t . I t i s i t s e l f
t h e . p e r f e c t image of--image.
(0 1 0 , 74)
A
word o f e x p l a n a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g t h e word " p e r f e c t " m i g h t b e
order
here.
static
form.
perfection
than
II
By
p e r f e c t , " Olson d i d n o t
Rather,
he
would
mean
insist
completed
that
11
when
and
either
i t i s already imperfect o r l e s s
o r form i s a c h i e v e d ,
t h e n e c e s s a r y form by t h e v e r y f a c t o f i t s coming i n t o
own e x i s t e n c e :
achievement"
its
i t h a s pushed t h e l i m i t o f p o s s i b i l i t y by i t s own
29).
(SVH
objectification,
subsequently
in
It
is
again
another
instance
of
where " i t s a t t a i n m e n t h a l t s i t s p r o c e s s ' ' a n d i t
passes
i n t o t h e " r e a l p o t e n t i a l i t y " of t h e
world.
I t m i g h t b e added ( t h o u g h O l s o n d o e s n o t m e n t i o n t h i s e x p l i c i t l y )
that
imago
i s a l s o defined a s
sexually mature,
metamorphoses,
of i t s e l f .
II
an insect i n i t s final, adult,
12
a n d t y p i c a l l y winged s t a t e . I I
Thus a f t e r t h e
what
one h a s i s a form c a p a b l e o f g e n e r a t i n g o u t
And b e c a u s e t h e i m a g i n a l s t a t e i s a .winged s t a t e ,
.
it
i s never s t a t i c .
I f we t h e n t a k e t h i s a c t o f image a s t h e
II
crucial factor" i n
t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e m y t h o l o g i c a l , i t becomes c l e a r e r how mythology
the
o f f e r s a n o t h e r grammar o f e x p r e s s i o n .
tensor
present").
of t h e e x p e r i e n c e of t h e
I
return
psyche
The a c t o f image i s
(or
"mythological
f o r a moment t o t h e poem "ABCS
O l s o n o f f e r s t h o s e words d i c t a t e d t o him i n a dream:
of rhythm i s image
o f image i s knowing
of knowing t h e r e i s
a construct
2"
where
Out o f t h e rhythm o f metamorphoses,
imago.
the
That winged,
only
way
that
methodological,
1'
t h e r e emerges a n
image,
an
g e n e r a t i v e c r e a t u r e c a n t h e n b e known,
in
knowing makes
can
it
sense
be u s e d . "
to
Olson,
is
"that
The i m p l i c i t m o t i o n of
that
winged, imaginal s t a t e " (0 6 , 55) c a n t h e n b e p r o j e c t e d i n t o t h e
construct
tion,
of s t o r y .
As t h e p r i n c i p l e o f f a c t ,
constitutes a crucial factor i n the historian's
likewise,
the
mythologist's
of
origins
Jane
o r p o e t ' s work ( O l s o n c o n s i d e r s t h e s e t e r m s t o
be
Ellen Harrison,
offered
understanding
so
the
of Greek r e l i g i o n ,
particular,
work,
a c t o f image c o n s t i t u t e s a c r u c i a l f a c t o r i n
Some t i m e a f t e r h e made t h e s e comments,
work
or objectifica-
of
he encountered
specifically her
Themis.
study
Her a n a l y s i s o f
of
the
the
myth,
in
O l s o n a way o f c o n f i r m i n g a n d e x t e n d i n g h i s
the notion
of
mythology.
Her
.
etymological
r e s e a r c h e s y i e l d e d some r e s u l t s s i m i l a r t o t h o s e b f O l s o n ' s :
" A myth i s t o u s now-a-days, a ' p u r e l y f i c t i t i o u s
n a r r a t i v e . ' When we s a y a t h i n g i s ' m y t h i c a l , ' we
We h a v e t r a v e l l e d i n t h i s
mean i t i s n o n - e x i s t e n t .
m a t t e r f a r from a n c i e n t t h i n k i n g a n d f e e l i n g . A
mythos t o t h e Greek was p r i m a r i l y j u s t a t h i n g spok e n , u t t e r e d by t h e mouth [ t h e two words s h a r e t h e
Greek r o o t mu].
I t s antithesis o r r a t h e r c o r r e l a t i v e i s t h e t h i n g done, e n a c t e d , t h e e r g o n o r work.
Old P h o i n i x s a y s t o A c h i l l e s , ' T h y f a t h e r P e l e u s s e n t
me t o t e a c h .you t o b e b o t h
words t h e s ~ e a k e ra n d d e e d s t h e d o e r . '
"The p r i m a r y meaAing o f myth i n r e l i g i o n i s j u s t t h e
same [ O l s o n o m i t s ' I a s i n e a r l y l i t e r a t u r e " ] : i t i s
t h e spoken c o r r e l a t i v e of t h e a c t e d r i t e , t h e t h i n g
done; i t i s t o legomenonx a s c o n t r a s t e d w i t h o r
t o dromenon. (SVH 21-22)
rather related t o -
.
-
The
passage
capacities
makes
a s both
clear
'I
that
"myth"
once
addressed
a s p e a k i n g a s w e l l a s a motor
animal"
man's
(E
22).
The
However,
either-or"
"try
II
s p l i t o f s c i e n c e and f i c t i o n " which produced a n
situation--that
is,
t o f i n d o u t " (SVH 2 0 ) .
prevailed
in
appropriated
became
the
form
o n e c o u l d e i t h e r "make i t up" o r
The l a t t e r a l t e r n a t i v e
of
scientific
11
t h e t e r m l o g o s t o mean
entirely
discredited a s a
muthologists"
however,
as"
(SVH
20).
inquiry
reason"),
eventually
(which
and
truth-telling
It
is
t h a t Herodotus c a l l e d h i m s e l f ,
former
organ.
Plato
and c a l l e d
interesting
11
also
the
t o say i t l i e s ,
" u s e d t h e word ' m o u t h ' a s a n i n s u l t ,
poets
mouth.
t h e " t h i n g s s a i d " have f a l l e n i n t o s e r i o u s d i s r e p u t e a s
r e s u l t of t h e
a
II
"myths" w e r e s i m p l y t h e t h i n g s u t t e r e d by t h e
to
note,
and was t a k e n s e r i o u s l y
a " m y t h o l o g i s t , " a t e l l e r o f w h a t i s s a i d (SVH 2 1 ) .
Though
a s O l s o n o b s e r v e s , . " H e r o d o t u s may h a v e b e e n a w a r e o f a d i f f e r e n c e
h e was making when h e d i d a d d t h e word ' h i s t o r y " '
Further
along
a n a l y s i s of myth,
11
(SVH 2 0 ) .
i n t h e c h a p t e r where Olson f i n d s
the
above
H a r r i s o n n o t e s t h a t speech a n d a c t i o n were b u t
two d i f f e r e n t ways o f e x p r e s s i n g e m o t i o n , two f o r m s o f r e a c t i o n ' :
(Themis 3 2 8 ) .
no
I t seems t h a t , i n t e r m s o f r i t u a l v a l u e , t h e r e was
major h i e r a r c h i c a l d i s t i n c t i o n between t o legomenonx
dromenon.
how
after
They a r e b o t h f u n c t i o n s o f t h e human k i n e t i c .
O l s o n u n d e r s t a n d s t h e r e l a t i o n when h e
t h e q u o t e d p a s s a g e on myth:
- 22).
(SVH
This
is
writes,
and
to
This is
immediately
" t h i n g s s a i d a r e t h i n g s done"
t h e capping of statements h e
had
a n o t h e r l e c t u r e o f t h e same p e r i o d :
. . . t h e y a r e o n e a n d n o t two t h i n g s , t h a t one
c a n ' t do a n y t h i n g r i g h t w i t h o u t t h e r i g h t words
t o g o w i t h i t . And I mean g o w i t h i t . Go
with
made
in
it
Do i t . And s a y i t . Motor s p e e c h and motor movement. One s a n c t i o n a n d t h e same b i n d i n g f o r c e . [ l 3 ]
It
i s t h e same r e - e n a c t i v e k i n e t i c t h a t o p e r a t e s i n
a r e a s of a c t i v i t y .
essay
11
both
these
Five y e a r s e a r l i e r , Olson had w r i t t e n i n t h e
Human U n i v e r s e " :
. . . h e who p o s s e s s e s rhythm p o s s e s s e s t h e u n i v e r s e .
And .
. a r t i s t h e only twin l i f e has [because]
a r t d o e s n o t s e e k t o d e s c r i b e , b u t t o e n a c t . And i f
man i s once more t o p o s s e s s i n t e n t i n h i s l i f e , and
t o t a k e up t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y i m p l i c i t i n h i s l i f e ,
h e h a s t o comprehend h i s own p r o c e s s a s i n t a c t ,
from o u t s i d e , by way o f h i s s k i n , i n , a n d by h i s
- 10)
powers o f c o n v e r s i o n , o u t a g a i n .
(HU
I n t h i s a s s e s s m e n t o f t h e method by which one makes o n e s e l f , o r a
Olson s t a t e s t h e n e c e s s i t y of meeting l i f e w i t h l i f e ,
poem,
of meeting process with process.
to
live
up
t o the world,
i t s e l f " (HU
- 117).
or,
Only by d o i n g s o c a n one b e g i n
t o make o n e s e l f
II
equal t o
the
I
real(
1
Speech, o r a c t i o n ,
(when i t i s good) i s t h e e q u a l o f a l l i n t a k e p l u s
a l l trans.posing. I t d e s e r v e s t h i s word, t h a t i t i s
t h e e q u a l o f i t s c a u s e o n l y when i t p r o c e e d s u n b r o k e n from t h e t h r e s h o l d o f a man t h r o u g h him a n d back
out again, without l o s s of q u a l i t y , t o the external
w o r l d from which i t came, w h e t h e r t h a t e x t e r n a l
w o r l d t a k e t h e s h a p e o f a n o t h e r human b e i n g o r of
t h e s e v e r a l human b e i n g s h i d d e n by t h e g e n e r a l i z a t i o n II s o c i e t y " o r o f t h i n g s t h e m s e l v e s . I n o t h e r
w o r d s , t h e p r o p o s i t i o n h e r e i s t h a t man a t h i s p e r i l
b r e a k s t h e f u l l c i r c u i t o f o b j e c t , image, a c t i o n a t
any p o i n t . The m e e t i n g e d g e o f man a n d t h e w o r l d
i s a l s o h i s c u t t i n g e d g e . I f man i s a c t i v e , i t i s
e x a c t l y h e r e where e x p e r i e n c e comes i n t h a t i t i s
d e l i v e r e d b a c k , a n d i f h e s t a y s f r e s h a t t h e coming
i n h e w i l l be f r e s h a t h i s g o i n g o u t . I f h e d o e s
n o t , a l l t h a t he does i n s i d e , h i s house i s s t a l e . .
(HU
- 11)
As
mythology
methodologies
are
the
o r grammars o f
means
by which
expression,
one
uses
history
oneself
in
and
the
11
creative
advance
toward
As
novelty."
Olson
has
noted,
on
d i f f e r e n t occasions,
t h e y a r e b o t h means by which t o p o s s e s s man
of t h e f a m i l i a r - - t h a t
i s , h i s p r a c t i c e of h i m s e l f .
has
He
a l s o a s k e d on numerous o c c a s i o n s ,
was
to
answer
But, a s Olson
"what makes u s want
that with the realization
that
II
(0 10, 85).
c o m p u l s i o n , i s t h e l a u n c h e r o f ' t o do"'
"to
to?"
be
is
Being," f o r
O l s o n , i s a l w a y s bound up w i t h t h e n e c e s s a r y e x e r c i s e of i t ; t h u s
in
11
t h e p r a c t i c e o f l i f e a s s t o r y , II
to
give
history
t o do."
and
ontologies.
the
With t h i s i n mind,
mythology
.(in
!I
t o compose i s [ c o n t i n u a l l y ]
I have
Olsonian
referred
terms)
as
to
both
practical
T h a t i s t o s a y , t h e y o f f e r n o t mere d e s c r i p t i o n s of
n a t u r e of our experience,
but r a t h e r ,
ways o f
continually
f o r w a r d i n g t h a t e x p e r i e n c e a n d , ext.ending o u r engagement w i t h t h e
real.
Notes t o C h a p t e r T h r e e
C h a r l e s O l s o n , The D i s t a n c e s , (New York: E v e r g r e e n Books,
l96O), p . 26.
C h a r l e s O l s o n , i n Ann C h a r t e r s , O l s o n / M e l v i l l e : A Study
i n Af f i n i t y , ( B e r k e l e y : Oyez, 1 9 6 8 ) , p . 8 8 .
A . M . K l e i n , The C o l l e c t e d Poems o f A . M . K l e i n , Ed. Miriam
Waddington, ( T o r o n t o : McGraw-Hill R y e r s o n , 1 9 7 4 ) , p . 3 3 5 .
Collingwood, p . 164.
'
Collingwood d i s c u s s e s h i s s e n s e o f t h e v a l u e o f h i s t o r y i n
t h e I n t r o d u c t i o n t o The I d e a of H i s t o r y , p p . 1-13.
I t a k e my u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h i s p h r a s e from Hannah A r e n d t .
I n one - s e n s e , i t means s i m p l y t h e " l i f e of a c t i o n .
It is
f r e q u e n t l y u s e d i n t h e f o r m u l a t i o n of a t r a d i t i o n a l h i e r a r c h y
i n v o l v i n g t h e v i t a c o n t e m p l a t i v a and t h e v i t a a c t i v a .
The v i t a
activa i t s e l f 1s further divided i n t o three categories,
t h e m s e l v e s f o r m i n g a h i e r a r c h y o f t y p e s of a c t i o n from h i g h e s t t o
l o w e s t : 1) t h e a c t i n g of t h e s t a t e s m a n ; 2) t h e making of t h e
craftsman; 3) t h e labouring t h a t provides t h e n e c e s s i t i e s t o
s u s t a i n t h e p h y s i c a l organism.
-
'
A l f r e d N o r t h W h i t e h e a d , Modes of Thought, ( 1 9 3 8 ; r p t .
New York: F r e e P r e s s , 1 9 6 8 ) , p . 2 1 . H e r e a f t e r c i t e d i n t h e t e x t
a s MT.
J o h a n n e s G . D r o y s e n , i n Between P a s t and F u t u r e , p . 4 9 .
Collingwood, p . 163.
l o A l f r e d N o f t h W h i t e h e a d , P r o c e s s and R e a l i t y , ( 1 9 2 9 ; r p t .
New York: F r e e P r e s s , l 9 6 9 ) , p . 4 1 1 .
l 1 R o b e r t Duncan, i n The S p e c i a l View of H i s t o r y , p . 1 1 .
Duncan i s s p e a k i n g h e r e a b o u t a l e c t u r e t h a t O l s o n g a v e i n San
F r a n c i s c o i n 1957: "When C h a r l e s t a l k e d i n San F r a n c i s c o , i t was
t h e Whitehead view of h i s t o r y a s p a s t a n d f u t u r e , a n d t h e f a c t
t h a t w e ' r e a t t h e p o i n t of g e n e s i s a n d t h a t t h e e n d o f t h i n g s i s
back o f u s . I I
W e b s t e r ' s New C o l l e g i a t e D i c t i b n a r y , p . 5 7 1 .
l3 C h a r l e s O l s o n , i n O l s o n / M e l v i l l e , p . 8 9 .
Conclusion
S e l f - r e n u n c i a t i o n , t h e r e n u n c i a t i o n of l i f e a n d a l l
human n e e d s , i s i t s p r i n c i p a l t h e s i s . The l e s s you
e a t , d r i n k and buy books; t h e l e s s you go. t o t h e
t h e a t r e , t h e dance h a l l , t h e p u b l i c house; t h e l e s s
you t h i n k , l o v e , t h e o r i z e , s i n g , p a i n t , f e n c e , e t c . ,
t h e more you s a v e - - t h e g r e a t e r becomes y o u r t r e a s u r e
. . . y o u r c a p l t a l . The l e s s you a r e , t h e l e s s
you e x p r e s s y o u r own l i f e , t h e g r e a t e r i s y o u r
a l i e n a t e d l i f e , t h e more you -5h a v e t h e g r e a t e r i s
your s t o r e of e s t r a n g e d b e i n g .
K a r l Marx - h he Meaning of Human ~ e ~ u i r e m e n t s "
-
now l i k e Leroy and Malcolm
X t h e f i n a l wave
o f wash upon t h i s
desperate
ug IY
cruel
Land t h i s N a t i o n
which n e v e r
l e t s anyone
come t o
shore
C h a r l e s O l s o n - T h e Maximus Poems
.
" I n t h e l a n d of p l e n t y
.
h a v e n o t h i n g , " a n d one mighf
t h e n h a v e t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of o n e ' s s e l f .
Olson r e c o g n i z e d e a r l y
on t h a t t h e p l e n i t u d e America o f f e r e d was b u t " a h o u s e t h e s e d a y s
/ s o much somebody e l s e ' s , / e s p e c i a l l y , / Congoleum's" (TMP
- 14).
If
one was t o come i n t o o n e ' s own h o u s e ,
other one.
where
priated
II
For O l s o n , t h a t r e f u s a l formed t h e b a s i s of a p o e t i c s
n e i t h e r words n o r p e o p l e n o r n a t u r e were t o
in
t h a t way.
be
misappro-
I n t h e g u r r y o f commerce spawned by
m e r c h a n d i s e men' (TMP
- 54),
where
one had t o r e f u s e t h a t
.
Olson
people a r e s t i l l n a t i v e s ,
would t r y t o r e c o v e r
and where human /
I'
the
a place
business
is
s t i l l the business."
1
Never one t o walk away from t h e p a r t i c u l a r s o f h i s own p l a c e
and t i m e , Olson c o n t i n u e d t h r o u g h o u t h i s w r i t i n g c a r e e r t o i n d i c t
America
f o r i t s f a i l u r e t o a d m i t f u n d a m e n t a l human
and c a p a b i l i t i e s .
requirements
But h e a l s o r e c o g n i z e d t h a t t h e d i m e n s i o n s of
/
the
quarrel
extended
beyond
t h e "methodolagy
[of]
buck. 1 1 L
*-
had
the
__
fast
T h e r e was t h a t much e a r l i e r i n t e r f e r e n c e p a t t e r n which
_ _
p r o c l a i m e d i t s e l f a " u n i v e r s e of - d i s c o u r s e . " As a r e s u l t ,
--/
/-
l a n g u a g e i t s e l f needed t o b e r e s t o r e d t o a p o s i t i o n of primacy i n
I n an e f f o r t t o r e g a i n t h e f a m i l i a r i n both h i s
our experience.
life
II
and
his
writing,
Olson
turned
to
another
order
of
h o u s e k e e p i n g , I I t o a n o t h e r m e t h o d o l o g y , t h a t i s , "methodos":
w i t h a way
w i t h a v i a , w i t h a p a t h (weg, t h a t which d i e d , a n d
d o e s n o t d i e , which i t i s . a n y m a n ' s job--and t h e
more s o now, when t h e o l d way i s d e a d , l o n g l i v e
t h e methodology
i n o t h e r words, t h e s c i e n c e of
t h e path--what c o u l d b e more e x a c t l y what we a r e
involved in--it i s not t h e p a t h , but i t i s t h e
way t h e p a t h i s d i s c o v e r e d !
(LFO 106)
L
I n t h i s s e n s e , t o p o s , t r o p o s and typos a r e t h e terms of a p r a c t i cal
s c i e n c e which p o i n t a way t o t h e f a m i l i a r ,
our
own s h o r e s .
have
These a r e t e r m s w h i c h ,
t o t h e imago
by h i s own
admission,
" s t e a d i e d " him a n d " k e p t [ h i m ] i n " i n h i s p r a c t i c e of
s e l f and h i s w r i t i n g .
him-
A w r i t e r " g o e s by words"3 a n d , i n r e f l e c t -
i n g on a n e a r l i e r s e t o f terms--
sl
s p a c e , myth, f a c t , o b j e c t " which
are
t a k e n up a n d expanded i n t h e l a t e r t r i n i t y - - O l s o n
his
understanding
of
of
those
t,erms was a n
instance
notes
of
how
"blind
p e r c e p t i v i t y , " 4 ( t h a t s e n s e of n o t h e s i t a t i n g t o s t e p even though
one
11
d o e s n o t know i n a d v a n c e where o n e ' s f o o t
will
light),
of
b l i n d o b e d i e n c e t o words which were my p r i v a t e n o m e n c l a t u r e s
of
knowledges
a s men a r e v i o l e t s a n d s h a r e a h i l l s i d e a t moments o f
r e n a s c e n c e i n man t h e s p e c i e s ' e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e R e a l . "
"the
obedience
i s s t i l l reasonably exact," t h i s
5
later
And
if
trinity
will
r e s i t u a t e him f o r " a n o t h e r s e a s o n on t h a t same s a i d h i l l 6
s i d e . 11
" V a l u a t i o n i s d i s t i n c t l y b l i n d , 1 1 h e n o t e s , a n d I I s o a man
no course b u t , w i t h c a r e , t o propose i t , t o propose h i s
7
v a l u a t i o n " --which i s what h e h a s done i n o f f e r i n g t h e t e r m s o f a
has
p o s s i b l e i n t i m a c y w i t h "an a c t u a l e a r t h of v a l u e .
In
tending t h a t h i l l s i d e ,
11
Olson h a s g a t h e r e d t o g e t h e r
the
0 1 0 , 18) :
v e r y "motions o u r w i l l s a r e t h e g a r d e n e r s o f " ( t h e blow i s C r e a t i o n
t h e Nasturtium
i s a n y one o f o u r s e l v e s
And t h e P l a c e o f i t A l l ?
Mother E a r t h Alone
- 634)
(MP
& t h e Twist
And i n t h i s , t h e p e n u l t i m a t e poem o f t h e e n t i r e Maximus sequence;
the
" p l a n t i n g s " h a v e been r e t u r n e d t o t h e e a r t h ,
bloom a g a i n .
from t h e r e
to
Notes to Conclusion
1
Charles Olson, h he Story of an Olson, and Bad Thing," in
Archaeologist of Morning, (New York: Grossman Publishers, 1973).
There is no pagination In this volume o f poetry.
2
11
"The Story of an Olson, and Bad Thing.
3
Charles Olson, in Olson/Melville, p. 85.
4
Charles Olson, in Olson/Melville, p. 87.
c
J
Charles Olson, in Olson/Melville, p. 87.
6
Charles Olson, in Olson/Melville, p. 87.
7
I
Charles Olson, in Olson/Melville, p. 89.
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