GG: Wallace Stevens

[Mary Jo Watts <mwatts@rci.rutgers.edu>]

Speaking of WS being perfect for GG's aesthetic--

Stevens was a student of George Santayana's and was heavily influenced by his
philosophy. Santayana is the author of _The Last Puritan_, one of GG's
favorite books.  Of course GG often called himself the last puritan.

Santayana's basic philosophy is Epicurean: 
1) Know thyself (Delphic oracle's admonition)
2) Live your life according to your true nature.  

Compare this with GG's statement that there are certain chairs you can
sit in and certain chairs you cannot sit in!  GG's piano technique is very
Santayanaesque-- whatever is necessary to reveal the inner self...

I suggest Santayana for anyone's reading list who finds sympathy for
the way GG lived his life (or tried to...)  The tragic hero of the
GS novel is who GG might have been had he not realized his vocation.
It's a moving and sad book in many ways-- sort of a warning to us all.
Reading it, it's easy to understand why GG identified with it so.

Stevens's poetry comes out of a similar life view. Interestingly, like
GG, Stevens wasn't charmed by novelty in style (of poetry.)  There are
many similarities among the three men and their art.

-Mary Jo