What We’re Reading

Giambattista Vico, The New Science. The New Science by Vico is a landmark work in the philosophy of history, but it is also an important critical framework for understanding the humanities, poetry (art and literature) especially. First published in 1725 with no notable success, it gained prominence in the later Enlightenment, but I’d like to argue its undervalued impact, one important to myself as a humanities teacher teaching both literature and philosophy. Vico’s work outlines a notion of how rational, philosophical, consciousness emerged—not in philosophy first, but poetry first. In articulating the view of a poetic metaphysics (Vico deals with Homer begins the Homeric revival of modernity as well as arguing for collective authorship from Greek cultural memory) and imaginative consciousness, Vico sees poetry as a form of arcane and ancient wisdom waiting to be unlocked by the post-incarnational philosopher (himself, naturally). While philosophy eventual supersedes poetry historically, and while Vico certainly gets a lot wrong about Homer and ancient poetry, his basic framework that poetry serves as the earliest source of what will later be understood as divine revelation, that poetry is universal in its account of human nature and civilizational cultures, and that poetry contains within its mythic mystery great wisdom, serve as an exceptional (if ironic) defense of the arts and literature against its dismissal by the crass philosophies of modernity. Reading Vico may help one navigate the great art and stories of the past to find “poetic wisdom” deep within the mystery of poetry.

~ Paul Krause

Herman Melville, Redburn. Melville, an iconic sailing storyteller, shares with his audience an autobiographical-esque journey in the waters from New York City to Liverpool. Alternatively titled “The First Voyage,” Melville recounts the season of life of Wellingborough Redburn employed by the Highlander, performing unwanted sailing duties. Redburn is often seen mopping the deck, washing dishes, and emptying the buckets used as toilets. His attitude remains strong and resilient during the voyage to Liverpool despite feeling unwanted and purposeless. Upon docking in England, Redburn finds a place to stay, manages to make a name for himself, and becomes acquainted with another sailor who will soon board the Highlander for the journey back. The mysterious sailor only speaks to Redburn, quickly making a bonding connection until their fulfilling friendship ends in death; the stranger has a surprising health episode and is left to drown in the middle of the Atlantic. Melville’s depiction of Redburn’s story aboard the Highlander leaves the audience puzzled in determining the novel’s purpose. However, we quickly find out that Melville seemingly taps into each audience member’s sense of inadequateness, or the portion in everyone’s life when we feel helpless and hopeless. Through Redburn, the audience can remember a time when they felt worthless and feel empowered by Redburn’s rise to confidence.

~ Sarah Tillard

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