I'm correcting 5th year Sylvia Plath tests. Ahem. It's interesting to see the different responses, and how generally well adjusted the kids are - they just don't get it. Which is a good thing, I suppose.
But, one young lad just floored me, firstly by asserting that the sentiments in some of Plath's poems are 'not what we would typically associate with a young mother of two beautiful children' (god help the future mother of his children if she ever gets PND...).
And then he goes on to suggest that 'Perhaps her intelligence is nothing more than a burden which was forced upon her by nature, which allows her to think and analyse things too much...'
Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear. This one has me torn. On one hand, dear god, such a view in a 17 year old boy! We women should pray for blissful ignorance and the cheerful void of brainlessness to make our drudgelike domestic lives all the sweeter...
And then the other part of me recognises that I've often had the same thought about myself and my daughter, and wondered should we be avoiding attempts to raise bright, sensitive children and aim for happy, insensitive dullards (as my friend once beautifully put it) instead?
10 comments:
that video was hilarious, thanks for sharing it.
I loved hearing about your papers too, ah, sylvia.
Happy Monday Jo. I'm home sick, so have time for blog hopping!
When I first read Sylvia Plath I, well, let's just say that I couldn't get out of bed for about a week.
Surely sensitivity and intelligence are not the same thing?
And insensitive people may be happier (although I don't think they necessarily are) but they're more likely to hurt others around them.
Finally, for your stupid boy, why would it be worse for a woman to be intelligent than a man? Makes no sense.
sensitive and intelligent are not the same, but when they go together they can cause trouble.
As to the other, well, see the video... sigh :)
Hi Jo, am getting to comment in a rare moment that my phone lets me see the word verification!
I wonder is there any chance he meant a general burden of "intelligence" - is he speaking from his own perceived experience! I'd like to think he'd be horrified at us thinking he was being gender specific!
I've never read her poetry but I do remember this report concerning her husband leaving a mark on me
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid601325122001?bctid=627023205001
yeah, i was thinking the same as Rechru, did he mention that specifically women having intelligence can be a burden or something?
I've often thought the same thing about intelligence when you're sitting there a bit depressed thinking about whatever is currently looming over you and some happy bumbling oaf walks past jabbering inanities and you can't help but think that ignorance is bliss.
I couldnt see the vid on Chrome :( The young lad does have a point tho. Having the ability to overthink things makes them seem so much worse.
Yeah, I know. But I suspect there's more to depression that that, somehow.
The vid is Harry Enfield's 'Women! Know Your Limits!' public instruction video, I'm sure you know it.
What mark did you give him?
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