The Sense of the Beautiful
Substratum #5: London & Edinburgh; Goethe's recommendation; Artists of Iran
Welcome back to The Substratum. The only place in the United States (and most of the rest of the world) where you can find thoughts about art, creativity, and psychology. If that doesn’t seem true on first read, then let’s move right on ahead.
I’m back in NYC after an amazing trip to London and Edinburgh. I could easily see making London a once a year trip. Even my very packed itinerary put only a small dent in the list of things I’d like to do there.
Edinburgh’s charms weren’t lost on me either, though I was a little surprised by just how much death, murder, torture, etc.. was built into their whole schtick. Knowing even a small amount of human history I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised, but it was kind of funny how one minute I’d be reading a quaint little touristy blurb, and the next part of the text would say “be sure you check out the gallows where they hung men by their penises.”
That’s a slight exaggeration, but someone might be able to reverse fact check me and show that there really is such a tourist site there.
This week I’m introducing a new angle to my newsletter, using Goethe as a launching point. See below for my formal explanation!
Weekly Feature: How Goethe Would Have Us Live
“Every day one should at least hear one little song, read one good poem, see one fine painting and -- if at all possible -- speak a few sensible words, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.”
For an uncertain duration of time, I will share four artistic modes from a specific region each week (loosely corresponding to song, poem, painting/visual art, as well as a quote - most likely from literature) as inspired by Goethe’s maxim.
Though I won’t be able to make posting these a daily habit (due to the “worldly cares” part mentioned), I’ll still try to post once a week or so.
This week I’ve chosen to focus on Iran, due to a few recent run-ins with art that inspired me from that area.
Nazgol Ansarinia examines the everyday contemporary Iranian experience. Her works are often directly inspired by the transformations of urban life and the fast-changing landscape of her hometown, Tehran.
Sadegh Hedayat (1903-1951)
“Ugh! How many stories about love, copulation, marriage and death already exist, not one of which tells the truth! How sick I am of well-constructed plots and brilliant writing!”
― Sadegh Hedayat, The Blind Owl
“Celebrated as one of the greatest Iranian writers of the early 20th century, Sadegh Hedayat was born in Tehran to an upper class family, and was given the opportunity to travel to Europe at a young age, studying in both Belgium and France. Inspired by western literature and also by Iran’s history and folklore, Hedayat’s works are renowned for criticizing religion and its major influence on Iranian life. Writing in a range of forms including short stories, plays, critical essays and novels, Hedayat’s most famous work is The Blind Owl (1937), woven together with thought provoking symbols that explore Hedayat’s national and spiritual condemnation, as well as the isolation he felt due to alienation from his peers.”
Parvin E’tesami, Unmatched Cultural Treasure of Iran
Parvin E’tesami (March 17, 1907 – April 4, 1941) is one of Iran’s unmatched cultural treasures.
She began composing poetry at the age of 8. By the age of 11, she had already mastered the poetry styles of renowned Iranian poets such as Sanai, Saadi, Rumi, Khayyam, Hafez, and Naser Khusraw.
Parvin believed that the true foundation of any stable society lay in its ability to educate and empower women.
Her poems illustrated the hardships of the poverty-stricken while exposing those who used religion as a political tool.
Parvin’s poetry expressed the pain of poverty and exploitation and called on the masses to revolt against transgressors.
Poem: We Are Still Standing
زان دم كه پا به شارع هستی نهادهایم گامی دو راه رفته و گامی سِتادهایم
From the moment we (i.e. women) entered the thoroughfare of existence,
We have been stopping after every two steps.
بنیان آفرینش ما مرد و زن یكی است در شاهراه علم چرا ما پیادهایم؟
We -men and women- share the essence of creation,
Why are we afoot on the highway of knowledge?
!از حقِ مردمی، ز چه رو دست ما تهی است؟ فرزند آدمیم، نه ابلیس زاده ایم
Why are our hands empty of the rights of humanity?
We are children of Adam, not born of Satan.
ما را خدا مگر نه سر و عقل و هوش داد در پشت سر فتاده چرا چون وِسادهایم؟
Did not God grant us head, reason, and intelligence?
Why do we fall behind like a pillow?
در زیر پای خویش شدستیم پایمال با دست خود حقوق خود از دست دادهایم
We have been downtrodden under our own feet.
We have lost our rights with our own hands.
گر بیهشان ز باده خرابند، ما ز جهل ما بیهشانِ بی خبر از جام و بادهایم
While drunks are senseless from wine, we are from ignorance.
We are senseless without any cup and wine.
سیلی چرا خوریم؟ نه ناچیز پیشهایم منّت چرا كشیم؟ نه مسكین جرادهایم
Why slapped in the face? We are not worthless.
Why cringe? We are no poor locusts.
تا گوش داده، طعنهی پیكان شنیدهایم تا بال و پر گشوده به دام اوفتادهایم
As we listen, we hear the barb of an arrowhead.
As we open our wings, we are trapped.
گنگیم زان سبب كه همی بر دهان ما مشتی رسیده تا به سخن لب گشادهایم
We are speechless since we were beaten in the mouth
As we opened our mouths to talk.
چون شمع، وقت گریه عبث خنده كردهایم از سوختن گداخته باز ایستادهایم
Like a candle, we have laughed when we should have cried.
We have stopped melting while burning.
هر طایرِ ضعیف شود شاهبازمان از بس كه چون كبوتر و گنجشك سادهای
We fall prey to any feeble fowl
as we are naive like a pigeon or a sparrow
Gholam Hossein Darvish was an Iranian artist who helped bring tasnif (Persian equivalent of ballad) from the royal courts down to the ordinary people and created a very pleasant atmosphere for all Iranians, including the cultural élite. What he founded helped the Persian music to be more dynamic and not be confined to the realms of the courts.