To Asra

To Asra delves into the intersections of literature, art, nature, and human emotions through various lens like critical analysis, personal narratives, and historical contexts. It explores themes like the sublime, mortality, and the natural world, drawing on a wide range of sources from Romantic poetry to contemporary cinema.

Literature Art History Nature and Environmentalism Human Emotions and Psychology Photography Poetry Gothic and Romantic Movements Historical Analysis Cinema and Film Theory Philosophical and Psychoanalytic Theories

The hottest Substack posts of To Asra

And their main takeaways

The Poetic Plant

39 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
đź“š Literature Nature Poetry Romanticism Authors Comparison
  1. Wordsworth's poetry focuses on the connection between the natural world and human emotions, portraying nature as a source of solace and vitality.
  2. Hardy's work presents a melancholic and tragic image of nature and plants, emphasizing themes of universal loss and the frailty of existence.
  3. Both Wordsworth and Hardy depict the poetic plant differently, with Wordsworth highlighting vibrancy and independence, while Hardy explores decay and mortality.

Manus Lens

137 implied HN points • 15 Aug 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Photography Surrealism
  1. Portraiture in photography involves capturing the essence of a being which speaks to the artist, subject, and audience.
  2. Photographers in the 19th and early 20th centuries experimented with portraiture styles influenced by war, economic crises, and artistic movements.
  3. Artists like Adolf de Meyer, Alfred Stieglitz, and Florence Henri utilized hands in portraiture to convey depth, emotion, and symbolism.

The Shades of the Gothic Sublime

117 implied HN points • 17 Apr 23
đź“š Literature Poetry Color Theory Death Symbolism
  1. Both Poe and Dickinson explored themes of death and loss in their poetry, embodying the Gothic genre.
  2. The poets paid particular attention to color in their poems, inspired by Burke's concept of the sublime evoked by certain colors.
  3. Colors like purple, black, and white were used by both poets to represent the sublime and mystery, reflecting the Gothic tradition in their work.

The Sweetness of Life on Earth

78 implied HN points • 03 Jun 23
đź“š Literature Time Characters Narration
  1. In the novel 'Station Eleven', time is portrayed as fluid and non-linear
  2. Characters in the novel find beauty in the post-apocalyptic sublime, where linear time is distorted
  3. The play 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' in the novel represents the incomprehensible vastness and beauty of time
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The Appalachian Nature Poetry of P.E.B.C.

78 implied HN points • 15 Feb 23
đź“š Literature Nature Poetry Family Life Heritage
  1. The grandmother was deeply connected to nature, teaching her granddaughter to appreciate and respect the natural world.
  2. The grandmother's love for writing and poetry was a significant part of her life, leaving behind a legacy of beautiful nature poems.
  3. The Appalachian Nature Poetry of P.E.B.C. reflects a deep love and devotion to the mountains and the land.

The Conspiring Seasons

78 implied HN points • 28 Apr 23
đź“š Literature Seasons Nature Observation
  1. Keats personifies the natural world in his poems, viewing seasons as entities with agency
  2. Observing the intricacies of nature, Keats depicts the characters of seasons and other elements in his poems
  3. The poems showcase an interconnected relationship between seasons and non-human beings in the natural world

The Very Flowers of Imperialism

78 implied HN points • 04 Apr 23
đź“š Literature Romanticism Imperialism Nature
  1. Romantic poets like Wordsworth explored imperial themes in response to political events and societal changes.
  2. Wilde's work reflected the Victorian era's pinnacle of British imperial power and the strain of sustaining it.
  3. The shift from nature-based Romanticism to artificiality in literature symbolized the decline of humanity's connection to the natural world.

Observing the unnatural in Jørgensen’s "Against Nature" through Lacan and White

78 implied HN points • 06 Jan 23
  1. The character of Jean des Esseintes in 'Against Nature' grapples with his individual self-existence through seclusion, driven by a fear of decay and desire to escape self.
  2. Jørgensen explores the impact of germ theory in Huysmans's novel, arguing that the fear of death and decay illustrated in the character of des Esseintes relates to lack of control suggested by the discovery of bacteria.
  3. Des Esseintes's hypochondria and narcissistic tendencies, as seen through his art collection, reflect a deep-rooted desire for death, indicating that all his aesthetic desires are artificial and his true motive is to cease existence.

Fiction as Capital from Austen to the Annual

58 implied HN points • 30 Dec 22
  1. In Jane Austen's time, there was debate over what constituted literature versus a novel, and Austen's works contributed to this conversation by bridging the gap.
  2. The rise of literary annuals, like 'The Keepsake,' blurred the lines between high art and popular entertainment, influencing the perception of literary capital.
  3. Austen's unique ability to combine elements of both fiction and literature in her novels, and the communal nature of sharing literature, contributed to her lasting impact in the literary world.

The Sublime Ring: Romantic Poetics of the Wreath in Coleridge, Keats, Shelley and Wordsworth

58 implied HN points • 16 Dec 22
  1. The image of the poetic wreath is a common motif in Romantic poetry, symbolizing the union between human emotion and nature.
  2. Romantic poets like Coleridge, Keats, Shelley, and Wordsworth use the wreath as a versatile symbol of the sublime, human emotion, and poetic imagination.
  3. The wreath represents both the presence and absence of meaning, serving as a poignant device for expressing profound human experiences in Romantic literature.

Desire and Cinema

39 implied HN points • 11 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Films Desire Psychoanalysis Surrealism Gender Roles
  1. Buñuel's final four films explore human desire, repression, and societal civility through surrealistic storytelling.
  2. Jacques Lacan's theories on desire and pleasure are intertwined with Buñuel's filmography, creating a deep exploration of human experience.
  3. The gender dynamics and complexities of desire depicted in Buñuel's films echo the themes discussed by Lacan, showing the universal struggle with desire and relationships.

“Moving the World on a Child’s Heart”

39 implied HN points • 25 Dec 22
  1. Barrett Browning and Dickens responded to 1842 report on child labor in England through their works
  2. Barrett Browning used sentimentality and mechanical rhythm to depict child labor in 'The Cry of the Children'
  3. Dickens used humor and moral storytelling in 'A Christmas Carol' to address societal acceptance of child labor

Hazlitt’s Faces of Poetry and the Lake School

39 implied HN points • 14 Dec 22
  1. Hazlitt saw poetry as alive, with its own face and presence, after spending time with Lake School poets like Coleridge and Wordsworth.
  2. Hazlitt noted how Lake School poets, like Wordsworth, had a unique ability to see the face of nature and translate it into the face of poetry.
  3. The relationship between nature, poetry, and the observer's eyes is highlighted in Hazlitt's and Wordsworth's writings, portraying nature's face as seen through poetry's eyes and breath.

Rookwood Castle

19 implied HN points • 12 May 23
đź“š Literature Short Story
  1. The story is about Rookwood Castle and a letter from Captain Wallingford Rookwood to his niece, Dorothy.
  2. The castle is described as solemn, located on a hill in a desolate winter landscape.
  3. The post is for paid subscribers only, with an option to subscribe or sign in.

The Holy Trinity of Las Meninas

19 implied HN points • 12 Dec 22
  1. Diego Velázquez's painting _Las Meninas_ is widely analyzed and remains influential in art history.
  2. The Holy Trinity of _Las Meninas_ interpreters includes Michel Foucault, Jacques Lacan, and modern theorists like Byron Ellsworth Hamann.
  3. Each interpreter offers a unique perspective on the painting, from historical representation to psychoanalytic theory and postcolonial influence.

Denial of Mortality and the Question of Mistaken Grief in Hamlet

0 implied HN points • 12 Dec 22
  1. Loss and grief are individual experiences that can be expressed through writing, like elegies, to provide comfort and fulfillment.
  2. Grief can lead to a realization of one's own mortality, as seen in the works of Milton and Shakespeare.
  3. In facing grief and loss, individuals may mistakenly focus on avenging a specific loss instead of addressing their deeper fear of death.

Peering Towards the Absent: Lamentation and Ruskin in Clare’s “Lament of Swordy Well”

0 implied HN points • 15 Dec 22
  1. In John Clare's poem, 'Lament of Swordy Well,' there is a deep sense of absence felt through the speaker, the land of Swordy Well.
  2. The title of a poem can evoke empathy and emotion, reflecting John Ruskin's concept of pathetic fallacy.
  3. The choice of the title 'The Lament of Swordy Well' adds depth by highlighting the emotional connection between the land, the poem, and the reader.

Blue House

0 implied HN points • 11 Dec 22
  1. The author shares memories of a sky blue house on Tracy Lane that hold sentimental value.
  2. The house belonged to the author's grandparents and evokes strong emotions and vivid recollections.
  3. The author considers the blue house as a part of themselves, filled with memories they can still vividly recall.