Re: Translation of Logh.

wami@cuhk.edu.hk
Sat, 17 Jan 1998 16:00:51 +0800 

amos@sedl.org wrote:

> Well this is a kind of interesting point, (which maybe might provoke
> some  interesting discussion on this list) - that in fact there are
almost
> no  issues of gender and sexuality in the novel since there is almost
no
> sex.  It may be worth remarking on that Reinhard and Kircheis,
> while repeatedly being described as physically beautiful, are almost
>  totally asexual.

     Thanx Walter. However, my professor's view of gender and sexuality
does not only include sex, but also other things like the relationship
between men and women, their different attitudes in dealing with a
particular thing or object. She says that it may also include the
psychological status of men and women. So, that is what I mean by
gender and sexuality here, as I think LoGH has much to do with
the psychological status of the characters, especially Reinhart and
Yang.

> There is really only one sex act in the course of the entire series
> (SPOILER WARNING FROM HERE ON!)  when Hilda "comforts
> Reinhard, but that is less an act of passion as of desperation. Yang
> marries Frederica, but that feels less like a match based on mutual
> affection as simply "he had nothing better to do".

     Since I haven't gone that far, I know nothing about this. But do
you think that (Maybe SPOILER to some of you) Reunthal has some
kind of problem with the other sex because of the incident that had
happened when he was born? That may be one aspect of the gender
and sexuality.

> > p.s. I remembered some of you here can read or speak German, am I
> >        right? Since I am learning the language, can someone here be
my
> >        German pen-pal, so that I may have the chance to practise the

> >        language. Thank you.
>
> I don't know how many others on the list know some German, hopefully
> someone more fluent than me, but I can write and speak it to a certain

> extent. I had it in high school and a year at University, but it has
been a
> long time since then so there are many fine grammar points I am sure
> I have forgotten (adjective endings and subjunctive case, and the
like)
> But I'd be  willing to  give it a try if you like.

     Never mind. My German is not either very good, as I'm still
learning the language, and sometimes I will either mix the grammar with
English, or forget it totally. Anyway, thank you for your offer.
Anna