Whirlwind

I forgot to post on Monday. I did some work on the book, but it was pretty minor and scattered, and now a day later I can't even remember what it was specifically. Today I didn't do any writing, but I was very privileged to get to have a discussion with a colleague in another department that was super helpful in relation to the Wergeland section of chapter two. So there's things happening, but not really enough to report on in the usual way...

Exponential

Some days I really feel like I'm cheating. I sat down with my book outline this morning, and realized that I have published articles on every one of the texts that will make up chapter three. That means, of course, that I was able to copy large sections from those articles and paste them right into chapter three. Not everything will stay, quite a bit will be altered, and quite a bit more will be added, but still, I added over twenty pages in the course of ten minutes - that has to be cheating, right? At this rate, I have every hope of being done with the nineteenth century by the end of June. Suddenly the whole book seems do-able in a way that it never has before.

Numerically speaking, I've got over 29,000 words total for the whole project, which is pretty astounding. Whether they're good words or not is a completely different matter, of course. In terms of chapter three, I'll have to work really hard to recontextualize the sections that I've pasted in. Basically, in each of the four articles I have discussed the cabins in a particular context, and those don't all relate to the thrust of this chapter at all. The analyses of the cabins themselves are still useful, but I'll be relating them to different questions and to each other in new ways.

Oh, I did add one little piece of original writing to chapter two too, so I'm not totally coasting on my past glory.

WORDS WRITTEN: about 50

WORDS CANNIBALIZED: 7170

Myriad

I just googled "10,000" to see whether there were any cool names for that number, and learned that "myriad" actually means 10,000. I thought it just meant "lots." The whole point is that I passed the important myriad threshold on chapter 2 this morning, as I finished off the Wergeland section.

Even though I'm eight pages short of the 40-page goal, I think I'm going to call it finished, at least temporarily so. I doubt I'm going to be able to go any further with it unless I add another text, which I don't have. At this point, it will probably be more productive to move onto the next chapter, where I have a lot of material to work with, than to get bogged down in this one, which is probably always going to be the weakest of the project, no matter what. It's been so long since I looked at my full book outline that I can't even really remember what the focus of chapter 3 is, so it will take some time to reorient myself in the material.

ETA: I think I'm going to drop the Biedermeier raptus from last week, or at least put it in indefinite time out. It turns out to be a bigger problem than I thought, and though I'd still like to tackle it, it's going to have to wait until I'm further along with the cabin book.

WORDS WRITTEN: 383 for a grand total of 10,051

EATA: I really wanted to get at least a symbolic start on chapter 3 today, rather than putting it off until tomorrow. So, even though it's meager and weak, and will probably be jettisoned, I've now got 243 words down. Yay!

Squeeze

Things are really heating up at work, with grading and interviewing candidates for a position in my department all coming to a head this week and next. Today I barely had time to work on chapter two, but I forced myself to squeeze a tiny bit in any way, just to keep the momentum going, even if it turns out that what I wrote was crap. I read Wergeland's "Skildringer fra Hytterne" and added a little section on it. It still needs to be expanded and better integrated into the section on Wergeland, but at least it's there now as a place holder...

WORDS WRITTEN: 447

Back to the grind

I forced myself to take a break from the Romanticism/Biedermeier thing this weekend. I had some reading to do for something entirely unrelated, which I got through, and then this afternoon I took a little window of time  while the family was away to reconnect with chapter 2 of the cabin book. I reoriented myself in the chapter, and added a few little bits here and there. Most of the bulk came from adding what I had on Scribe the section on Collett's Amtmandens Døttre. I've made it onto the top of page 29, and I now know specifically what I need to do to finish out the analysis bits: I need to get Wergeland's article on the homes of the working class, which he published in his journal For Arbeiderklassen sometime in the early 1840s. To be honest, I didn't know that the phrase "working class" was in use in Norway in the 1840s, so it will be interesting to read his "edifying" writings for the workers. Seems pretty darned patronizing if you ask me...

WORDS WRITTEN: 440

On a tear

I started the day with a library run. On more or less a whim I picked up a recent collection of articles on Welhaven, and I found the perfect jumping off point for my little polemic on Norwegian Romanticism, an article by Eirik Vassenden called something like "Welhaven og den andre romantikken." He does a great job of presenting the perfect evidence for my claim, and then turns around and essentially argues the exact opposite. So strange!

At any rate, it really got me going, and I wrote quite a bit in response, and also did some digging in the literary histories. I checked out Edda's editorial policies, and noticed that they also have a shorter category of article that the publish that the designate as debate contributions. I'm wondering if I perhaps should aim for that format?

WORDS WRITTEN: 923

Progress, of sorts

I finished off reading the introductory chapters to the books by Nemoianu and Aarseth that more or less form the core of the analysis I'm trying to make of Norwegian literature 1814-1848 in relation to Biedermeier. I still feel on very shaky ground, but a few things fell into place while writing today, and a rudimentary article form is starting to materialize in the roughly five pages I have now. Did I mention that I'm writing it in Norwegian? Always a challenge, though easier and easier the more I live and work here. I was not as convinced today that I really have something to say about this "problem," which yesterday seemed so blindingly important, obvious, and overlooked. I had a critical voice droning on in my head almost the whole time I wrote today. I hate that, but sometimes it does keep one from making really big bloopers.

WORDS WRITTEN: 1226

Raptus

Today was a weird day. After critiquing a colleague's article draft I settled down to reading background material for chapter two. I had a total aha experience from reading the introductory chapter to Virgil Nemoianu's  The Taming of Romanticism: European Literature and the Age of Biedermeier (1984). The book presents a two-stage understanding of romanticism that the author divides into high romanticism (roughly 1790-1815) and the watered-down (or more rational, depending on your point of view) Biedermeier (roughly 1815-1848). This makes total sense to me, and I am really enjoying reading his comparative study, which argues that the specifically German term "Biedermeier" makes sense in other literary contexts as well. He doesn't mention Scandinavia (at least not as far as I can tell so far), but much of what he says applies directly to what I'm working on.  


It struck me that Biedermeier really is a term that could shed new light on that backwater in Norwegian literature. I'm really stoked about pursuing this further, and banged out a little over a page that I think may turn into a new article. The current working title is "Romantikk, poetisk realisme, Biedermeier: 1814-1848 som norsk litteraturhistorisk problem." I'm really excited about this! At first I was thinking that I could some how integrate it into chapter two, but it really is a different (though tangentially related) subject.


So no writing on the chapter, but I got a lot of relevant reading done and apparently have started a new project...


WORDS WRITTEN: 625

Romantic

This morning I was able to wallow in potential texts for inclusion in chapter two. Which is to say I downloaded searchable  PDFs of first editions of important early nineteenth-century poetry collections and other works, and poked around for references to cabins. Rather unexpectedly, I was reminded of a Wergeland text that I taught last year, "Endelig slaaer ogsaa min Klokke" from Hassel-Nødder, which gives a wonderful account of Wergeland's search for a cabin to buy. It fits perfectly with his play Fjeldstuen, which is the key Wergeland text in this chapter. I added a section on that, and I also added a little bit to the section on Herre. During a break with a colleague I was able to talk the Wergeland bit over, and was reminded of the term Biedermeier, which is big in Danish romanticism but not Norwegian. I'm now wondering if it applies to Wergeland in any meaningful way.

Finally, I also made a library run and got a bunch of articles on Romanticism and the authors I'm working on. I read an article by Henning Wærp on ruins, an article on Scandinavian romantic drama, an article on the nineteenth-century critical reception of Maurits Hansen, and an article on Bernhard Herre's position in the Norwegian canon. Next up is what I think will be a very important secondary source, namely Odd Arvid Storsveen's article on Wergeland's views on class: "Håpet om folkets oppvåkning: Fra For Almuen til For Arbeiderklassen." I'm particularly excited to read that one.

After today's session, I'm thinking that I may actually have enough primary texts, now that I've added Hassel-Nødder. My guess is that all the contextualization that I'm getting from the secondary sources will easily fill the rest of the chapter.

WORDS WRITTEN: 680

Yes!

I'm in shock! I woke up this morning early feeling obligated to push a little further on the Herre section of chapter two. I started working my way through the last of the three narratives I'm going to discuss, "Skogene," and as I started writing about it things quickly started to fall into place. I took a break and took a shower, and as so often happens I had a moment of clarity where I was suddenly able to see the conceptual differences between the shielings I wrote about in chapter one and the cabins I'm writing about in chapter two. Suddenly it all makes sense. I sat back down and wrote out the beginnings of a conclusion to chapter two where I try to sum up these important conceptual differences. I'm so excited! I'm also excited about the fact that through the course of all this I produced a bunch more text, and am now on page 25.

Next up is to read the scant secondary literature on Herre and look at the poetry that I mentioned in my previous post. That can wait until Monday. For now my work here is done, and it's only 9am!

WORDS WRITTEN: 1076

Friday the 13th

Today I had about six hours of work time to divide between some administrative work, a job application letter, and chapter two. Contrary to my usual practice of doing research first, I did the administrative stuff first, then the job letter, and left the writing to last. It worked out okay, though I was pretty uninspired about writing initially. Or rather, it's not so much that I was uninspired as out of practice. Once I got going it went okay, though nothing stellar. I started filling out the section on Bernhard Herre's En Jægers Erindringer, which turns out to be a little pearl of a book. Three of the stories directly link class and cabins. The secondary literature says that they were pretty heavily redacted by Welhaven and Asbjørnsen before publication, which really makes me want to go to the National Library and take a look at the original manuscripts, if they're there. I'll try to do that Thursday or Friday next week.

I still feel like I'm missing a text for the chapter. I'm thinking that there are two areas I can look: one is more of the early material to fill in around Storm. My old master list of cabin texts includes a Poul Juel book from 1721 (already in the introductory section of this chapter), two poems by Johan Nordahl Brun ("Den norske Agerdyrkning" and "Den gamle Nordmand eller Gjenlyd fra Norge &c."), and a poem by Claus Frimann called "Jetersang" (1790). The other option is the poetry and travel writing of J.S. Welhaven.

WORDS WRITTEN: 717

Burst

My son wet the bed at 4am, which turned out to be a great thing. I spent last night reading articles, and so when I was jolted out of sleep at dawn my head was filled with my chapter, and I started fretting over what's wrong with chapter two. Rather than toss and turn, I got up and decided to start writing. Two hours later I have nearly two pages of material that totally clarifies how I need to focus this chapter. I'm thrilled. Thank goodness for bed-wetting episodes, otherwise I'd never be able to write!

WORDS WRITTEN (before 7am): 527

ETA: crazy day. Didn't get much time to work on the article, but I passed the magical half-way point for word count: 6041 words.

Little steps

I'm not quite as down on this chapter as I was yesterday after today's session. It still has some really big holes, and it feels a bit like "å koke suppe på en spiker" but a few things fell into place, at least. Although Vinje doesn't stay at or write about cabins at length, it was worth reading the book for his references to Scribe and to Maurits Hansen's "Luren," a reference I discovered toward the end of the book today. I added a paragraph on each point in the appropriate sub-chapters (didn't keep track of how many words). I may also end up adding a reference or two to Ferdaminni to the seter chapter, since Vinje is all about the seter girls...

I skimmed Bernhard Herre's En Jægers Erindringer today, and found some material that I may be able to use, including the short story "Carl," which has the distinction of taking place here where I live.

Finally, I photocopied nine articles on Hansen and started reading them. A few points are starting to crystalize, and thankfully they relate directly to my theme of class identity and national identity. And I discovered that the book on Hansen that I don't have (the Tysdahl book as opposed to the Øyslebø book) offers a new reading of Hansen's use of class as far more problematic than previous scholars have recognized. That's great for me, as I will then be able to build further on Tysdahl (who is a lovely gentleman, by the way) consciously in my analysis. And finally, I noted in passing a comparative point that I may want to write an article about in the future, especially since it looks like no one has analyzed it thoroughly (hush hush, this one...).    


WORDS WRITTEN: I dunno, maybe 200?

Quick and dirty

I totally didn't expect to get anything done today, since I had to stay home with my son. Surprisingly, he was willing to play on his own in his room for a good long stretch, so I was able to sketch out the section on Asbjørnsen's "Reensdyrjagt ved Ronderne." Still lots to do (everywhere in this chapter, actually), but at this point I'm just desperately filling in the major blanks.

This chapter doesn't feel nearly as strong as the one on the seter, which is kind of a bummer. I really think I need another text or two, and I don't really know what that could be. One idea is Bernhard Herre's En Jægers Erindringer from 1849, but I'm afraid that one actually has more to do with the seter chapter (one of the stories is called "Sæterpigen og Jægeren"...). I'll have to go back to my master list of cabin texts. Or maybe check out some of Welhaven's poetry? Gulp... I'm not even half way through the chapter (only onto page 15 out of a planned 40). Of course I haven't referred at all to secondary literature as yet, so I'll have to go in and insert any relevant analyses I can find.

No writing for a while, as I'm going to have to get through 200 more pages of Vinje's Ferdaminni frå Sumaren 1860 first.

WORDS WRITTEN: 1231

Moving right along

Okay, today I got most of the section on Maurits C. Hansen's "Luren" nailed down. It ain't pretty, but it's there. Tomorrow I have to stay home with E, so I won't get much work done I'm afraid. My next task is reading Ferdaminni frå Sumaren 1860...

WORDS WRITTEN: 1165

Minimal

Really struggling to pick up momentum after a "real" Easter break and then overseas conference attendance. Today I squeezed under an hour of working on chapter two in between teaching and administrative duties. It wasn't even real writing, just cut and paste. I took most of the material on Wergeland's Fjeldstuen from my Peer Gynt book to use as a starting point for the new chapter section on that play. I'll need to rework it quite a bit. For starters I added a few sentences about the play's literary historical significance (it's the last long work Wergeland wrote) and I noticed a strong parallel to the class dynamic in Hansen's "Luren," which is probably the most important text for this chapter. So I managed to confirm that it is indeed appropriate to be using this play in the chapter.

There are two more sections (I think) to add before I can start filling out the entire chapter: one on Asbjørnsen's "Reensdyrjagt ved Ronderne" and one on Vinje's Ferdaminni frå sumaren 1860. The Asbjørnsen section should be pretty straightforward, but the problem with the Vinje section is that I haven't even finished reading the text yet, so I'm not even sure it will work!

I forgot to record how many words I added. The document grew from 7 to 10 pages.