The odd thing, Frederick, is that all the things I've read by you in
this thread are extraordinarily prescriptive! A whole collection of
implicit "shoulds"! I do think most interesting works of any kind
teach you how to read them; whether that means they are also claiming
to be the only way to make meaning seems absolutely moot to me. In any
case, I prefer having the widest possible menu of options open to me,
as a writer and reader. The fact remains that thinking about poetry -
theory, philosophy, critical writings of all kinds - has always fed in
and out of its practice, way back to Aristotle. And can be evidence of
life as much as death. It's dogmatism of any kind that's the killer.
xA
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Editor, Masthead: http://www.masthead.net.au
Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com
Home page: http://www.alisoncroggon.com
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