\n
![\"Iris](\"http:\/\/www.mutanteggplant.com\/vitro-nasu\/images\/Negairis2.jpg\")
\nDigital image Jul. 16 2005<\/p>\n
The shrine of Francois Dorleac as prologue. <\/p>\n
Dorleac and Deneuve
\n
\nDigital image Jul. 16 2005<\/p>\n
Derrida and Iris Murdoch<\/a> share a birthday,* they were both born on July 15. I knew superficially of Raymond Queneau<\/a> pre-Iris-days from Louis Malle’s film Zazie dans le metro. Raymond Q was important to Iris. So was Elias Canneti<\/a>. I read his autobiography and I found him to be full of himself. He appeared as a character in three of Iris’ novels beginning with “The Flight of Enchanter” and ending with “The Sea, The Sea”. Wittgenstein appeared in “Under the Net”<\/a> but I did not know about him back then. (Under the Net was my first book I read and it was Iris’ first as well, captivating page turner very different from all of her later novels.)<\/p>\n Missing Dahlia Once she surprised me with a theme of incest (The Time of the Angels<\/a>)- this was very rare in the old days. Fun Iris Murdoch – Fragments of Recognition<\/a> site from Texas. <\/p>\n “Until the escape into art, then nature, “Murdoch’s implicit philosophical position is austere, classical, rigorous: unromantic, and pessimistic. Not that pessimism precludes comedy: on the contrary, it is probably the basis of the comic spirit. Go(o)d in Iris Murdoch<\/a>, by Alan Jacobs.<\/p>\n Location, Location Zazie Said Today, Iris Murdoch does not evoke a passionate response like Derrida does. I think the reason is that Derrida has had a greater influence in the world of academia and intellectuals and he has been the focus of extreme hate or devotion<\/a>. <\/p>\n Read Judith Butler on Derrida, here.<\/a><\/p>\n Derrida’s Elswhere,<\/a> the film I did not see. <\/p>\n Find Derrida “On Death Penalty” and other great interviews and links from here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nThe film “Iris<\/a>” was unfortunate for Iris Murdoch’s legacy. Now she seems stuck with disabilty of the old – the Alzheimer disease.
\nOn the other hand “Derrida”<\/a> helped soften Derrida’s image. He seemed like a quiet thoughtful fellow. He was dressing up eggplant with Extra Virgin Oil with great skill and attention. Or listening to his surprise response that he was most curious about philosophers’ sex lives. <\/p>\n
\n![\"Iris](\"http:\/\/www.mutanteggplant.com\/vitro-nasu\/images\/Iris4.jpg\"\")
\nDigital image Jul. 14, 2005<\/p>\n
\nI tend to see Iris as wise, deep and odd, as opposed to someone like Susan Sontag who was great as an activist, authoritative, glamourous and commanding. Friends of Iris described Iris as an ego less person. <\/p>\n
\n the stories are dark, dark, dark.
\nParsifal with no Grail.
\nIsolde with no Death.
\nPapageno with no flute.”<\/p>\n
\nLife after all is comic, not tragic, in Murdoch’s cosmology. It is comic because it is not tragic\u2014merely terrible” (from Joyce Carol Oates – the Sacred and Profane Iris Murdoch<\/a>).<\/p>\n
\n![\"Iris](\"http:\/\/www.mutanteggplant.com\/vitro-nasu\/images\/derrisnew.jpg\")
\nDigital image Jul. 15 2005<\/p>\n
![\"Murdoch](\"http:\/\/www.mutanteggplant.com\/vitro-nasu\/images\/Kevin.jpg\"\")