Neither piece was actually a novel, but then, many students lately seem to have a remarkably hard time differentiating among poetry, prose, and plays, let alone fiction and nonfiction. Why? Oh, sure, heady discussions of the finer points of genre go on in graduate schools. But an undergraduate should be able to tell prose from poetry at twenty paces!
I know literature can express love; but how can it “express” relationships?
But both of these considerations are breathtakingly swept aside by the final observation that the two pieces were “written long after one another.” The statement reminds me of a horror I’ve already written about, “People blame one thing after the next.” Are we living at such a speed now that time has become circular?
At least I’m getting dizzy here! Rather than try to talk about this any further, I will leave you to ponder the relativity, circularity, malleability, ineffability, of time.
Three deep questions. Enjoy!
You Knew What I Meant 
June 26th, 2012 at 8:33 am
There is a catalogue called The Victorian Trading Company that I like to thumb through, being partial to Victoriana, real or in reproduction. And at Christmas I have been known to buy from it. Imagine my surprise when a very over-the-top purple velvet lounging robe was fantastically advertised as “right out of the pages of a Shakespeare novel.”
June 26th, 2012 at 2:58 pm
One of my FAVORITE novelists!
June 26th, 2012 at 9:42 am
You are so kind to stay so calm and reflective ( I would be running out of the room screaming…or falling off my chair with laughter – neither which students would appreciate).
You are right – quite dizzy.
Enjoyed your post
June 26th, 2012 at 2:59 pm
I was on the floor. The calm is Wordsworthian, strong hysteria recollected in tranquility.