The Sublime

I've been reading a lot, but not writing a lot, so I'm trying to get some thoughts down while they're still (relatively) fresh.

I had never read "On the Sublime" by Longinus before, but I found it truly fascinating. Part of what I found particularly fascinating was that most of his argument boils down to what my 7th grade English teacher drilled home to me every day: show with your writing, don't tell.

Of course, it's a little more complicated than that, but I found myself thinking that I was basically taking a writing course from this guy. I particularly loved this line: "It is the imitation and emulation of previous great poets and writers [that leads us to the sublime]. And let this, my dear friend, be an aim to which we steadfastly apply ourselves." As one who studies literature pretty much all the time, I find great peace in the advice to study the writing of others to learn about how to write. My particular aim is not necessarily to learn to write, but I think the pattern holds true for a number of disciplines. Even something as basic as thinking: studying the great thinkers teaches us how to think. Or at least how to think in a more organized and better communicated way.

"For, as if instinctively, our soul is uplifted by the true sublime; it takes a proud flight, and is filled with joy and vaunting, as though it had itself produced what it has heard."

THAT is why I study literature.

One of the threads I saw continuing through from Plato is the ultimate belief in Truth and the regard for truth. I like the notion that there is an ultimate truth to be known, and that the world of art and literature are there to help us get there. Or at least to understand why we should care. There is far too little moral literature anymore, in my opinion.

I also really like his general argument that there is a science to good writing. He seems to at times equally disparage the idea of art and nature, which says to me that he sees good writing as a combination of both. You have to invoke whatever natural talent you have and then work at it: add some here, take away some here; more descriptive in some places, less in others. It's a craft.

Fascinating: I hadn't expected to get much from that selection. I don't know why.