Unrequited Love in Literature

Dante and Beatrice by Henry Holiday

 

While perusing the Guardian's Ten of the Best Examples of Unrequited Love, I noticed the list was heavily one sided.  All of the authors consist of men and their object of desire, a woman.  The only exception being Ian McEwan's Enduring Love where one man is obsessed with another of the same sex.  This leads me to wonder, where are the female authors who write about a woman pining for a man, or alternatively a woman? I'm sure there are books that I'm not privy to where that may be the central conflict, however they most likely are buried in subgenres such as erotica. 

Furthermore, the Guardian's list mostly includes classics by Victor Hugo, Shakespeare and Charles Dickens.  Again, Ian McEwan seems to be the exception since I consider him to be a contemporary author.  Similar to the "great paintings" in art history where women were only seen as objects, literary works from the past, frame the woman as the object of desire.  I think it begs the question, would there be any difference in the way a man with unrequited emotions handles the situation compared to a woman or is it a universal experience?  I read Cyrano de Bergerac in school (our teacher also screened the movie, a modern adaptation called Roxanne), and I can honestly say I felt pity for the main character, but I do not remember feeling empathy.  Perhaps, the story was lost on me as a teenager, but I think that's truly the challenge of an author.  To write a character that is so emotionally involved that the reader cannot help but live in their skin. 

This topic relates to the novel I've written which is from a woman's point of view and her want to attain the affection of a man that cannot realistically reciprocate those same feelings.  I'm sure there's an untapped audience out there.  It would be of interest to hear other's thoughts - does this subject provoke interest to you? Why do you believe there have been no popular or highly acclaimed books where the woman is left in longing?

    

Vietnamese Coffee

My friend and I stopped by a café called Noir Coffee and Tea on St. Clair West after lunch on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Located in the trendy Hillcrest Village area of Toronto, the café also provided a wide assortment of light fare, snacks and even afternoon tea. While my friend ordered a hot chocolate (which looked delicious), I opted to try a beverage I've never had before.  I asked how it was prepared prior to ordering - that being Vietnamese coffee.  

The waitress brought over a tall mug with a metal contraption.

Condensed milk was settled on the bottom of the cup and the hot water percolated down through the coffee in the centre of the metal filter. The whole process took about 15 - 20 minutes to complete.  I would lift the cover periodically, anxiously awaiting the minute I could try it. 

Once the water had disappeared from within, the metal filter was removed.  The coffee and condensed milk is then stirred together.  No additional sugar was needed since the milk provided enough sweetness on its own.  The flavour of the coffee reminded me of the strength of good ol' fashioned Italian espresso.  Although, I enjoyed how the Vietnamese process required me to wait - the anticipation made it all the more pleasurable.    

Pitching to Win

I just stumbled upon a news article written long ago titled, "Literary agent's top 10 ways not to blow a sale", which I found still relevant to anyone who desires to have their manuscript published.  The one I found hilarious and mildly surprising was that agents sometimes receive nude photos sent by writers.  Anything from full body shots to "artistic" photographs. 

If writers are depending on their physical appearance to make their big break into the publishing industry, I'd love to see the quality of their work. I really would.  Being a literary agent must be a fascinating job, just to be able to see the range in story ideas or varied use of language in submissions.  When I hear of the tricks and gimmicks people try to use to get their writing noticed, it's kind of sad how they're pandering to the lowest common denominator.  I think agents just want to see a well written story sent in a polished manner with nothing extraneous included.  Many underestimate the power of simplicity. 

Tip of the day: Follow literary agents and industry professionals on twitter.  They give some interesting insights into their daily lives and interests. 

Goodbye, New York City Opera

The New York City Opera (NYCO) recently announced it had filed for bankruptcy.  The mayor of New York, Fiorello LaGuardia at the time of its opening in 1944 had seen the institution as being "the people's opera."

According to the NYCO website, it boasted an ambitious mandate, but one that appeared achievable and practical:

"Many innovations that define New York City Opera’s identity and mission—promoting accessibility through the use of supertitles, prioritizing affordable ticket prices, nurturing young American artists, championing 20th-century opera and American works, and presenting groundbreaking productions."

So where did it all go wrong, if they tried to appeal to the average person or more specifically, to the middle class? Staging productions of Bluebeard's Castle and Anna Nicole (based on the late Anna Nicole Smith's life), made opera contemporary and relevant again.  What can't be ignored and this was addressed by the World Socialist Website, is that the funding of operatic institutions heavily depends on the philanthropy of the wealthy and upper class.

If the wealthy had to choose, which they did, they would rather support productions promoting the heavyweights of opera - Verdi, Puccini, Mozart among others.  Even the behaviour of tourists should be examined.  If you had 3 days in New York, you would likely hit the more popular sites - The Empire State Building, the MOMA, Statue of Liberty, a Broadway Show...and if you had a three hour window, the Metropolitan Opera.  Don't get me wrong, I don't think the big players should monopolize the time of every tourist.  There is something to be said about going off the beaten path and discovering something new or different.  It's too bad the NYCO is no longer one of them.

 

Elephant for a Pet

For the past couple of weeks I've been editing my manuscript, which to say the least is exciting, but it's something I definitely need to improve on.  I'm not saying I'm terrible at it, I just need to learn to love it.  Putting the story down on paper was the most fun I'd had in a long while, just writing whatever came to mind without censorship or apprehension.  I find the real work is about taking that raw story and shaping it into a meaningful narrative and finding the courage to cut out sections that are weak or don't fit. 

When I try to describe this challenge to others, I compare it to having an elephant for a pet.  He's wonderful to have around but caring for him can be effortful because of the sheer size of the animal.  Managing a 200 page document by ironing out all plot details not to mention grammar and style can be daunting.  Chuck Wendig, a writer, game designer and screenwriter always has some candidly helpful tips on his blog Terrible Minds. His post, 25 Steps to Edit the Unmerciful Suck out of your Story was worth a read, or should I say worth several good reads to keep me on track.