Exchanges
This page shares e-mailed questions, conversations — exchanges
— bewteen students and Professor Nagy and the TFs on topics
related to class Dialogues. The e-mails are edited for format
only. The most recent exchanges will be at the top of the page.
See link(s) immediately below for older Exchanges (if present).
On Feb 11 Ricardo Sedan wrote:
Dear Prof Nagy,
I like to have a couple of different tranlations at hand for
when I come across a tricky turn of phrase. Looking ahead, which
Odyssey translations do you like, aside form the one we have already?
I have been thinking about "Blade Runner" some more.
Pris's death scene reminds me of The Iliad. Not exactly in execution,
but in flavor.
When Pris dies, she thrashes about and shrieks in a way that
drives home the intensity of the pain and the loss--something
we do not see in films much. In The Iliad, death is described
in detail, intimately, again, in a way we do not see often--and
it really makes it real.
Just sharing some random thoughts.
Best,
Ricardo Sedan
Professor Nagy replied:
Dear Ricardo,
I so agree with you. The death scene of Pris is unique in filmmaking
history. I'm surprised it has never been copied - at least,
not to my knowledge. I remember how awe-struck I was when I
first saw it. My daughter, then age 3, was horrified. That was
over a quarter of a century ago!
Warm regards,
Greg
On Feb 11 Matthew Underwood
wrote:
Dear Professor Nagy and McGrath,
I wanted to tell you how much I've been enjoying the lectures,
readings, and discussions for your class. I've also enjoyed the
popular culture parallels to the concepts we are studying. I thought
I would share two that have been in my head for the past week
or so.
The Jimi Hendrix song seems to be his own mini-Iliad - even beginning
with the word "anger". The Fleetwood Mac song entered
my thoughts after reading your comments on the Tales of Hoffmann
and your essay on the Fragmentary Muse.Best regards,
Matt
Jimi Hendrix - Bold as Love
Anger!
He smiles, towering in shiny metallic purple armour
Queen jealousy, envy waits behind him
Her fiery green gown sneers at the grassy ground
Blue are the life-giving waters, taken for granted,
They quietly understand
Once happy turquoise armies lay opposite ready,
But wonder why the fight is on
But they're all bold as love
Yeah, they're all bold as love
Yeah, they're all bold as love
Just ask the axis
My red is so confident that he flashes trophies of war
And ribbons of euphoria
Orange is young, full of daring
But very unsteady for the first go round
My yellow in this case is not so mellow
In fact I'm trying to say, it's frightened like me
And all these emotions of mine keep holding me from
Giving my life to a rainbow like you
But I'm a ... yeah
I'm bold as love, yeah, yeah
Well I'm bold, bold as love (hear me talking, girl)
I'm bold as love,
Just ask the axis (he knows everything)
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Fleetwood Mac - Gold Dust Woman
Rock on--gold dust woman
Take your silver spoon,
And dig your grave
Heartless challenge
Pick your path and I'll pray
Wake up in the morning
See your sunrise--loves--to go down
Lousy lovers--pick their prey
But they never cry out loud
Did she make you cry
Make you break down
Shatter your illusions of love
Is it over now--do you know how
Pick up the pieces and go home.
Rock on--ancient queen
Follow those who pale
In your shadow
Rulers make bad lovers
You better put your kingdom up for sale
Did she make you cry
Make you break down
Shatter your illusions of love
Is it over now--do you know how
Pick up the pieces and go home.
Professor Nagy replied:
Dear Matt and hi to Kevin,
I loved your comment. Would you mind if we shared with all
on our website? I'm cc-ing Mark, our webmaster, in hopes you
will say yes.
Warm regards,
Greg
On Feb 10 Ricardo Sedan wrote:
Professor Nagy,
I'm in the E-116/W class. I read to my sons regularly, and a couple
of nights ago I decided to read to my 3-1/2 year old from The
Odyssey. He was very attentive and asked lots of questions, but
after a few minutes asked me to "read something else",
so I was a little disappointed.
This morning at around 6:30-7:00am he came into the bedroom and
said, "read to me that book, that big book you read yesterday".
I said, "The Odyssey"?
And he said, "Yes! The Big Odyssey! Read to me the Big Oddyssey!".
And I did, and he was riveted.
I thought you would enjoy that.
All the best,
Ricardo Sedan
Professor Nagy replied:
My dear Ricardo,
I love this story. May I share with everyone on our website?
Our dear webmaster, Mark, is cc-d along with our dear Kevin.
Gratefully,
Greg
On Jan 28 Ricardo Sedan wrote:
Dear Prof. Nagy,
I am taking your Hero course at the extension school and just
watched the first dialogue. I wanted to respond about your presentation
regarding Roy Batty from the film "Blade Runner".
You wondered in class whether he said "... attack ships
on fire off the shoulder of Orion," or whether he meant "...off
the SHORES of Orion."
This has always been my interpretation of this passage:
Given the genre, and the fact that, the story goes, these characters
stole a spaceship and came to earth from the "off-world colonies",
I have always thought that by attack ships he meant space ships.
So I always pictured Roy Batty looking off into the sky, perhaps
from his ship, the constellation Orion was in the background,
and off the shoulder of the constellation, floating in space,
he saw star ships on fire.
I have read somewhere that these lines were not in the script;
the actor improvised them (not sure how reliable my source was).
Perhaps you were right, and he was in some altered state.
All the best,
Ricardo Sedan
Professor Nagy replied:
Dear Ricardo and hi to Kevin and Mark,
I 'm so happy to hear from you.
Warmest wishes,
Greg
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