EP 21: Imagery of Vision in the novels of James Joyce
Pathways with Joseph Campbell
00:00
The Plastic Irony of Thomas Mann
Professor Campbell has in his various lectures essays often remarked on the uncanny parallels between James Joyce and Thomas Mann. In this lecture he depicts these parallels very well, and in doing so mentioned Mann's concept of plastic irony or the plastic erotic. I think it might be useful to take a moment to clarify what that phrase itself a bit plastic in Professor Campbell's usage means. Stephen Daedalus' imperfections and sufferings, his spiritual paralysis, his existential dread, his inability to reach the heights of the artistic achievement he desired all constitute exactly the right word for "plastic irony"
Transcript
Play full episode
