Difference between revisions of "Abstract"

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And I go to the lecture hall<br />
 
And I go to the lecture hall<br />
 
I'm a stuffy academic at a conference of professors<br />
 
I'm a stuffy academic at a conference of professors<br />
−
And I fully mean to rock them all.<br />
+
And I fully mean to rock them all.
  
 
I've the notes for my talk and an abstract to boot<br />
 
I've the notes for my talk and an abstract to boot<br />
 
Western Literature's the topic today<br />
 
Western Literature's the topic today<br />
−
But there's more! For I compare the subject with thermodynamics<br />
+
As a counterpoint, I draw upon thermodynamic laws<br />
−
An original perspective, I should say.<br />
+
An original perspective, I should say<br />
 +
It's something like
  
−
===Chorus 1===
+
===Chorus===
  
−
The structure is as follows: I have five main points<br />
+
Literature and thermodynamics<br />
−
And the classics are the focus of the first.<br />
+
Reflecting common themes<br />
−
Homer, Virgil, and the Bible, Dante, Chaucer, William Shakespeare<br />
+
Thermodynamic history<br />
−
Constitute the mythic works of verse.<br />
+
And literary scenes<br />
−
This period continues right until the Metaphysicals<br />
+
 
−
The final poets, in my estimation<br />
+
Literature and thermodynamics<br />
−
Who were able both to think a feeling and to a feel a thought<br />
+
Despite their different names<br />
−
In perfect unity of reason and the passions.<br />
+
From universe's start to end<br />
 +
The song remains the same
  
 
===Verse 2===
 
===Verse 2===
  
−
After this, the Restoration is the term which I employ<br />
+
The very first of literature concerns creation myths<br />
−
To connote the writers who came next:<br />
+
And I have to say, that stuff is pretty swell<br />
−
There's Milton and there's Dryden and there's Alexander Pope<br />
+
This swellness, if you will, continues through the Metaphysicals<br />
−
And by and large, they drew upon their intellects.<br />
+
The last to feel a thought and think a feel.
  
−
In fact, I argue that this emphasis was rather detrimental<br />
+
After them, it goes to pot: the Restoration's got no soul<br />
−
To poetic feeling in their major feats.<br />
+
And the Romantics only care about their angst<br />
−
To correct this came Romantics such as Coleridge and Shelley<br />
+
The Modernists, however, have achieved the perfect balance<br />
−
William Wordsworth, Byron, William Blake, and Keats.<br />
+
'Cause they concentrate on dry, hard thangs.<br />
 +
Let me hear it now!
  
−
===Chorus 2===
+
===Bridge===
  
−
Personal emotions, egotistical sublime<br />
+
LITERATURE<br />
−
The Romantics thought these notions paramount<br />
+
LITERATURE AND THERMODYNAMICS<br />
−
But the mind of Europe's more important than one's personal experience<br />
+
LITERATURE AND THERMODYNAMICS<br />
−
Which is what the Modernists espouse!<br />
+
LITERATURE AND THERMODYNAMICS<br />
−
No more lofty symbolism or pantheistic pap;<br />
+
LITERATURE!
−
Now we concentrate on dry, hard things.<br />
 
−
Perfect balance 'twixt the feeling and refinement of the poem<br />
 
−
As the Classics had been wont to write and sing.<br />
 
  
 
===Verse 3===
 
===Verse 3===
  
−
Ezra Pound, Virginia Woolf, William Butler Yeats, and Joyce<br />
+
The second thermal law dictates the universal system<br />
−
And HD bring us to the present time.<br />
+
Moves toward a state of equilibrium:<br />
−
But what shall follow after? This is how thermodynamics<br />
+
Total entropy as heat's dispersed and meets its death<br />
−
Enter into this discussion of mine.<br />
+
Perfect balance, but for life, a zero-sum
−
 
 
−
For the laws thereof necessitate the universe entire<br />
 
−
Progresses t'ward a state of entropy<br />
 
−
A balance, equilibrium through energy dispersion<br />
 
−
But unsuitable for life, regrettably.<br />
 
−
 
 
−
===Chorus 3===
 
  
−
So the final state of all existence is cold death<br />
+
So sometime before apocalypse, we humans can survive<br />
−
And the primal state is chaos, formless, void.<br />
+
An ideal age, like Modernism now!<br />
−
But in the billion billion years that shall occur betwixt the twain<br />
+
But what of after this? The entropy of literature?<br />
−
Is the ideal age, before we're all destroyed.<br />
+
What form will future writing take, and how?
−
And the same is true of literature! From early myths to end:<br />
 
−
And I wonder, of what shall this end consist?<br />
 
−
But now the better age is here! of World Wars and Imagism,<br />
 
−
And one classic Anglo-Catholic monarchist!
 

Latest revision as of 04:07, 14 September 2014

Verse 1[edit]

I put on my bowler hat and my best tweed jacket
And I go to the lecture hall
I'm a stuffy academic at a conference of professors
And I fully mean to rock them all.

I've the notes for my talk and an abstract to boot
Western Literature's the topic today
As a counterpoint, I draw upon thermodynamic laws
An original perspective, I should say
It's something like

Chorus[edit]

Literature and thermodynamics
Reflecting common themes
Thermodynamic history
And literary scenes

Literature and thermodynamics
Despite their different names
From universe's start to end
The song remains the same

Verse 2[edit]

The very first of literature concerns creation myths
And I have to say, that stuff is pretty swell
This swellness, if you will, continues through the Metaphysicals
The last to feel a thought and think a feel.

After them, it goes to pot: the Restoration's got no soul
And the Romantics only care about their angst
The Modernists, however, have achieved the perfect balance
'Cause they concentrate on dry, hard thangs.
Let me hear it now!

Bridge[edit]

LITERATURE
LITERATURE AND THERMODYNAMICS
LITERATURE AND THERMODYNAMICS
LITERATURE AND THERMODYNAMICS
LITERATURE!

Verse 3[edit]

The second thermal law dictates the universal system
Moves toward a state of equilibrium:
Total entropy as heat's dispersed and meets its death
Perfect balance, but for life, a zero-sum

So sometime before apocalypse, we humans can survive
An ideal age, like Modernism now!
But what of after this? The entropy of literature?
What form will future writing take, and how?

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