CLASSIFICATION
Swallow ID:
6271
Partner Institution:
Simon Fraser University
Source Collection Label:
Reading in BC Collection
Sub Series:
Reading in BC Collection
ITEM DESCRIPTION
Title:
Sacred Geography Seminar with Prof. Robin Blaser on October 22, 1976 tape 2 of 2 #631
Title Source:
j-card
Title Note:
Liner notes: see the photo in the material description
Language:
English
Production Context:
Documentary recording
Genre:
Interview
Identifiers:
[]
Rights
Rights:
Copyright Not Evaluated (CNE)
CREATORS
Name:
Blaser, Robin
Dates:
1925-2009
Role:
"Speaker"
CONTRIBUTORS
MATERIAL DESCRIPTION
Image:
Recording Type:
Analogue
AV Type:
Audio
Material Designation:
Cassette
Physical Composition:
Magnetic Tape
Extent:
1/8 inch
Sound Quality:
Excellent
Physical Condition:
Excellent
Other Physical Description:
Clear box with j-card
DIGITAL FILE DESCRIPTION
Channel Field:
Stereo
Sample Rate:
44.1 kHz
Duration:
T00:31:00
Size:
29.8 MB
Bitrate:
32 bit
Encoding:
WAV for master files and .MP3 for online files
Content Type:
Sound Recording
Channel Field:
Stereo
Sample Rate:
44.1 kHz
Duration:
T00:30:37
Size:
30.4 MB
Bitrate:
32 bit
Encoding:
WAV for master files and .MP3 for online files
Content Type:
Sound Recording
Dates
Date:
1976-10-22
Type:
Performance Date
Source:
J-card
LOCATION
Address:
8888 University Dr, Burnaby, BC, Canada
Venue:
SFU
Latitude:
49.276709600000004
Longitude:
-122.91780296438841
Notes:
Location taken from cassette #631
CONTENT
Contents:
Side Track No. Comments
One 003 Tape begins with Blaser discussing the need to find a vocabulary fitting for investigation of ‘the primary world’
030 Homer & Hesiod & the defense of divinity in the social world. Hesiod as a progression over Homer, Hesiod touted as the more abstract of the two writers, Blaser agrees but with distinct reservations, which he explains
105 Structure of The Iliad. Its narrative, its core story & its engaging formula. Pound & Olson are mentioned as inheritors of The Iliad’s formula, it’s a literary tradition utilized to maintain that which the culture must remember “in order to continue”
127 Preface to Plato by Havelock & the attempt to defeat poetry. Blaser utilizes Havelock’s book to examine the didactic nature of Homer & Hesiod in the transmission of social knowledge, public usage & private habit
154 Havelock’s outline of The Iliad
170 Student presentation dealing with descriptive & connective phrasing, as well as the meter of The Iliad
226 Outline of The Iliad again, with scant commentary of Blaser’s part
260 Poetry as the transmission of social knowledge. Meaning & the interplay with the existing social structure. Plato wanted to remove the poet for such a powerful position in society & place the philosopher in such a role
290 Examination of the work of Hesiod, specifically the first 130 lines, Hymns to the Muses. Here we find, for the first time in the history of the West, the poet’s view of himself, his profession & what it means. Blaser feels that Hesiod’s Hymns teach History & Prophecy, they also teach morality & philosophy. This is the poet’s vital social role
307 The creation of a realm of belief. How such a realm came to be is a major element of Hesiod’s work. This is the creation of a mythology
315 The mythology of the ancient world, that of Olympia, & its central link to poetry
393 Hesiod’s “rationalization of world history”, the nation is explored by the seminar
406 Side one ends, unfortunately cutting Blaser off in mid-sent.
Two 002 Tape cuts in, picking up where Side one left off. Continuation of investigation of the poetic process with supplementation from Havelock text
035 Hesiod’s description of the Muses
077 Havelock & Hesiod’s catalogue of the nine Muses. This discussion moves into the area of the [segmentized] educational system perfected by the 5th century B.C. Greeks & still haunting us to this very day
175 A look at the principles of the poetic which exists in our modern lives. Definitions of “reason” & “subject” which thematically structure contemporary perspectives. Marcuse’s Reason & Revolution, especially the Preface, is utilized at this point
213 The rejection of the contradiction in search for synthesis which results in a return to the subject, Blaser views this as an enormous distortion of the real. Marcuse desires a system of thought by negation
230 Negation as a positive act, it comes far closer to a reality than the world of figures & facts ever could. Obviously Blaser elaborates on this notion
239 The “experience” of poetry. Also a reference to Spicer & his use of the “primary”
250 The poet who stresses the “primary” battles against the ideology of factual language, out of logical & into experiential form
262 The search for an authentic language, a common element. Robert Duncan’s objections to this are mentioned & briefly addressed. Blaser stresses that “ideas” are not being disregarded rather they are being re-positioned.
319 Charles Olson’s letter to Elaine Feinstein (May 1959). Blaser gives background information & then goes on to read the letter. The letter is a response to general questions on poetics & more specific queries on the use of the image. Blaser peppers his reading of the letter with extremely relevant commentary
362 Olson letter continues, as does Blaser’s commentary
390 The peripheral role given to poetry in the modern world is a victory of the logical. Blaser, quite rightly, feels that the logical must be resisted & poetry returned to its central social role
406 Side two ends
Notes:
SFU BC Readings formatting
NOTES
Type:
General
Note:
The numbers of tapes #631 and #630 are confused either on the cassette or on J-card. We made the order according to the contents of the cassettes, so the go in the proper order.
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