Transcript Slide 1
Unbearable Lightness of Being STRUCTURE Keyvious Avery Background • Milan Kundera, before studying literature, studied music and piano composition. • Kundera describes his characters’ lives as music compositions: polyphonies forming a fugue. Polyphony: music with several melodies; musical composition that uses simultaneous, largely independent, melodic parts, lines, or voices Fugue • a contrapuntal composition in which a short melody or phrase (the subject) is introduced by one part and successively taken up by others and developed by interweaving the parts. First • Main Melody (subject) Eternal Return… Idea that events repeat themselves over and over Fugue… Melodies that simultaneously repeat themselves to form a harmony. The is the way Kendura themes Unbearable Lightness of Being… His themes are all related but different and unique. Main Melody Answer Second Voice Subject Imitation Counter Subject Separate melody that enters occasionally with the answer. Main Melody Answer Eternal Return Lightness And Weight Second Voice Subject Imitation Counter Subject Separate melody that enters occasionally with the answer. Kendura uses lightness and weight to tie in with eternal return by saying, “Life which disappears once and for all, which does not return is like a shadow, without weight.” (Harmonies that tie in with the answer) --------- Body vs. Soul Associated with Light and Weight but cannot be independent. Example: Tereza is a heavy character and her conflict is between her body and soul. Other Counter Subjects Include… • • • • • Tereza’s Suitcase Tomas’ Promiscuity Sabina’s Bowler’s Hat Tomas and Franz’s political association es muss sien Variations of melodies. Composer The ideas of the composer (Kendura) is stressed through the performers (his characters). Composer The ideas of the composer (Kendura) is stressed through the performers (his characters). “Words Misunderstood”… Human lives are shaped like musical compositions. Example: Sabina’s life is described as a musical composition motif. “It repeats over and over again, each time with a different meaning.” This tells us that each character possess motifs and recurring ideas (subjects, answers, and counter arguments) in the composition if their lives. Beethoven? • Melody within two separate compositions forming a harmony. Beethoven? • Melody within two separate compositions forming a harmony. Tereza and Tomas Tomas meets Tereza and while they are talking, Beethoven plays on the radio… Tereza reminisces on why she fell in love with Tomas (Beethoven plays) Binding of the 2 Compositions. Call and Response In “Words Misunderstood”, Franz and Sabina are the two speakers. Call and Response In “Words Misunderstood”, Franz and Sabina are the two speakers. Sabina Franz Old Church in Amsterdam Beauty “… the image of old liberation.” Betrayal Magnificent Separation of people. Call and Response Continued OPINION OF TRUTH Sabina Living in truth is only possible away from the public. Franz Being different in public and in private “spheres” into the source of all lies. Call and Response Continued OPINION OF TRUTH Sabina Living in truth is only possible away from the public. Franz Being different in public and in private “spheres” into the source of all lies. The differences between them is too much so they call quits. (2 unlike compositions)… 2 unlike compositions cannot harmonize together to form one Fugue. Parallel To…. This is parallel to Tereza and Tomas in “Words Misunderstood”. Parallel To…. This is parallel to Tereza and Tomas in “Words Misunderstood”. Tereza Subject: Body and Soul Counter Subject: Weight Tomas Subject: es muss sien Counter Subject: Promiscuity Parallel To…. This is parallel to Tereza and Tomas in “Words Misunderstood”. Tereza Tomas Subject: Body and Soul Counter Subject: Weight Subject: es muss sien Counter Subject: Promiscuity Common Theme----- Call Quits Later In Novel… Later In Novel… • Developmental Episode Individual Fugue deviated from the subject then goes back into it. Later In Novel… • Developmental Episode Individual Fugue deviated from the subject then goes back into it. Tomas and Tereza sees Prague from 2 different perspectives. THEY HAVE TO HARMONIZE!!! Later In Novel… • Developmental Episode Individual Fugue deviates from the subject then goes back into it. Tomas and Tereza sees Prague from 2 different perspectives. Common theme? Mutual Love Their problems came to a resolution. Tricky Composer • In Chapter 29, Kundera ties in all the motifs into what we sense as a Grand Finale… but then he adds a Coda. Tricky Composer • Early in the book, Kundera ties in all the motifs into what we sense as a Grand Finale… but then he adds a Coda. Conclusion of a piece and is used to return the piece to its original subject. Tricky Composer • In Chapter 29, Kundera ties in all the motifs into what we sense as a Grand Finale… but then he adds a Coda. Conclusion of a piece and is used to return the piece to its original subject. PREVIOUS HARMONIES “Karenin’s Smile” “Karenin’s Smile” Another discussion of Eternal Return. Thomas and Tereza Common Motif The Dog, Karenin “Karenin’s Smile” Another discussion of Eternal Return. Thomas and Tereza Common Motif The Dog, Karenin Karenin was compared to the Garden of Eden, remaining at peace with the day to day cycle/ life of Tereza and Tomas. The Karenin developed cancer… his life went in a linear direction, never to repeat again and again, grew depression and stopped smiling. Karenin was the instrument/ player that couldn’t keep up. What is the Coda? • End of eternal return in Karenin’s life and the end of eternal return in the fugue’s theme. AT LAST • Tomas and Tereza became harmonies. AT LAST • Tomas and Tereza became harmonies. Meaning… “Human time does not turn in a circle, it runs ahead in a straight line. That is why we can’t be happy; happiness is the longing for repetition.” -Kendura AT LAST • Tomas and Tereza became harmonies. Meaning… “Human time does not turn in a circle, it runs ahead in a straight line. That is why we can’t be happy; happiness is the longing for repetion.” -Kendura Kendura helps us see the motifs within out own lives and how they are harmonies.