Joseph Conrad--comparative EssaysThis collection of essays continues Adam Gillon's comparatist approach to Joseph Conrad, which he exhibited in three previous books: The Eternal Solitary: A Study of Joseph Conrad (1960 and 1964), Conrad and Shakespeare and Other Essays (1976), and Joseph Conrad (Tawyne English Authors Series), 1982. In the present collection, Gillon extends his perspectives by examining the affinities between Conrad's descriptive art and painting and film. Gillon presents a variety of new views and insights as he traces the connections between Conrad and such writers as Henry James and Vladimir Nabokov and compares Conradian characters Prince Roman and Peer Ivanovitch. Gillon's Polish background looms large in this collection. His mastery of the Polish language is apparent in the discussion of two Polish novels about Conrad's early life and in his translation of excerpts from these novels. The first and last chapters offer moving glimpses of Gillon's own Polish footprints, his initiation into Conrad lore, and the visit to his native land after a long absence. The intimacy and wry humor of these recollections are evident also in his essay about adapting Conrad to film, which is illustrated with excerpts from his scripts Under Western Eyes and Dark Country, his screenplay inspired by Heart of Darkness and Conradian themes. A native of Poland, Adam Gillon is professor emeritus of English and comparative literature at the State University of New York, New Paltz. He has lectured at universities in Canada, Israel, and Europe. His numerous publications include critical studies of Conrad, fiction, poetry, translations, articles, and reviews. He has written award-winning plays for screen, stage, and radio. He wrote, directed, and produced a feature film, The Bet. Gillon is president of the Joseph Conrad Society of America and founder and senior editor of its newsletter, Joseph Conrad Today.Raymond Brebach is an associate professor of humanities at Drexel University. He is a contributing editor for the Cambridge Edition of the Works of Joseph Conrad and he edits Joseph Conrad Today, the newsletter of the Joseph Conrad Society of America. He has written on the collaboration of Joseph Conrad and Ford Madox Ford. |
Contents
My Secret Choice By Way of a Familiar Preface | 1 |
A World of Things Beyond the Range of Commonplace Definitions Conrad and James | 11 |
Imitations of Imitations Conrads Victory and Nabokovs Lolita | 21 |
The Jews in Conrads Fiction | 41 |
Conrads Satirical Stance in Under Western Eyes Two Strange BedfellowsPrince Roman and Peter Ivanovitch | 59 |
Will the Real Mr Conrad Please Stand Up? The Fictional Polish Conrad | 69 |
Translation of Excerpts from Leszek Proroks The Radiant Line | 87 |
Translation of Excerpts from Wacfaw Bilinskis The Affair in Marseilles | 103 |
Conrad as Painter | 113 |
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Common terms and phrases
aboard adaptation appears arms Arrow of Gold Bobrowski camera captain Cathy character Conrad's text Conradian Dark Country Decoud door dramatic Edward Garnett English essay Eugénie face fiction film gesture Gillon girl Haldin hand head Heart of Darkness Heyst Hirsch Humbert Ian Watt Ibid impression James JASON'S QUEEN Jewish Jim's Joseph Conrad kill King Jason Kirylo knife Konradek Korzeniowski KOSTIA language Lena letter literary Lolita looks Lord Jim Marlow Marseilles MIKULIN Nabokov narrator Nathalie Nathalie's Necator Nostromo novel novelist panelists Patusan perhaps Peter Ivanovitch PO.V Poland Polish portrait Prince Roman Prorok protagonists Quilty Razumov RESTON RESTON SIGGY Ricardo Russian scene screenplay script Secret sitting smile Sophia Antonovna steamboat story symbolic Tadeusz Bobrowski Tekla tell Victory visual voice walks warriors watch Western Eyes woman words write wrote Yankel young Zdzisław Najder