Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Chapter Thirty-One: Was that an Insult?

In Chapter 31, Campbell describes August Krapptauer as someone who listened to his heart instead of his mind. Those in attendance at the eulogy took the description as a compliment; Campbell seems to have considered it a condemnation.

How can we account for the differing interpretations of the description?
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2 comments:

  1. Allie BartonAugust 10, 2011 at 11:59 AM

    Campbell believes that listening to the heart, as Krapptauer and his followers did, is foolish because one is not acting on reason. When listening to the mind instead of the heart, one acts on reason—not passion. The heart holds a person’s passions and desires, but the mind holds a person’s reason and sanity. Artists are usually known for listening to their heart. It is interesting that Campbell, a man who wrote art about love and “following your heart” and only desired to have a “country of two” with his wife, criticizes listening to the heart.
    I don’t necessarily think that one must follow heart OR mind, but one must find a good combination. I believe one must use their heart AND mind, use passion and reason. For when people use their passions with reason they can accomplish much.

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  2. Krysten BookerAugust 31, 2011 at 1:00 AM

    I don’t believe Campbell intentionally criticized Krapptauer. I think he was just either ignorant to how to actually follow your heart. He never really accepted Helga’s disappearance in the beginning, which leads me to believe he, too, had followed his heart to go on even when he felt he couldn’t. Campbell strongly believed in love and wrote plays of romance! How could he not believe in following his heart? Writing was his passion; passion comes from heart. Strong-will comes from mind, and strong-willed is all he was. I don’t believe you have to pick and choose what to follow. I believe they come hand in hand.

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