Robert de Boron and the Prose Merlin
There are so many wonderful things about the internet: there was a time when a scholar had to order through ILL and wait for weeks or months before he or she could set eyes on such works as Geoffrey of Monmouth's Vita Merlini or Robert de Boron's Prose Merlin . No more. from Prose Merlin Robert de Boron Full wrothe and angry was the Devell, whan that oure Lorde hadde ben in helle and had take oute Adam and Eve and other at his plesier. And whan the fendes sien that, they hadden right grete feer and gret merveile. Thei assembleden togedir and seiden: "What is he this thus us supprisith and distroyeth, in so moche that oure strengthes ne nought ellis that we have may nought withholde hym, nor again hym stonde in no diffence but that he doth all that hym lyketh? We ne trowed not that eny man myght be bore of woman but that he sholde ben oures; and he that thus us distroyeth, how is he born in whom we knewe non erthely delyte?" Than ansuerde anothir fende and seide
I was a bit confused by the article. What was the "misprint or mis-edit" of James' quotation? James's comment was about Hammett, whereas Nicole's review was about Chandler.
ReplyDeleteDear Fred,
ReplyDeleteThe misprint is that the James quotation as printed reads:
"ruthlessly pruned of all essentials. . ."
and it should read "ruthlessly pruned of all non-essentials."
And yes, the writer starts with a very brief foray mentioned Hammett's _The Thin Man_ and then spends much of the article talking about how Chandler's style is more evocative before returning to _The Thin Man_.
I suppose I'm one of those who thinks that everyone ought to read more Hammett AND Chandler, and reasonable articles that tell us why.
Thanks for your note.
shalom,
Steven
Steven,
ReplyDeleteThanks for clearing up the misprint.
I also think we should read more of Hammett and Chandler.
Two different writers--two different styles...
Both get the job done, as far as I'm concerned.