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Originally Posted by littlemanpoet
I forgot to add last time that I find the ending to Phantastes to be deeply dissatisfying.
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Seems to me that Anodos ended the story alive, and that was why the story is unsatisfying-- especially after having read "I was dead, and right content." Death is MacDonald's satisfaction; everything points that way. Anything else and we are bound to be dissatisfied.
Death is a consummation in MacDonald's worldview; the doorway, the portal, the threshold. THis life isn't meant to be satisfying. Hence, approaching the threshold and turning back, or being turned back, is dissatisfying. I don;t want earthly life when I'm finishing the story; I want the Beatific Vision. And in not getting it, I'm probably as frustrated as Anodos was in waking up and realizing he was still mortal.
Regarding the grandmotherly/ motherly figures: I'm not saying that they ARE the Holy Spirit. But they strongly represent him. I can happily call it "applicability". Their maternal-ness isn't upsetting to me at all, since I don't take them literally, but figuratively.
Lalwende, you do seem extremely fond of this book. Care to review it for us? Sounds interesting.
11-17-2006, 08:56 PM
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