#mariette in ecstasy

[vulnerasti-cor-meum]

*me halfway through mariette in ecstasy* fuck ‘em up, Mariette!!!!!

[lifeintheworldtocome]

went to the library yayy

[thebrickinbrick]

Preliminary Gayeties, Part 2

"Besides, Laigle de Meaux, that bald-head, offends my sight. It humiliates me to think that I am of the same age as that baldy. However, I criticise, but I do not insult. The universe is what it is. I speak here without evil intent and to ease my conscience. Receive, Eternal Father, the assurance of my distinguished consideration. Ah! by all the saints of Olympus and by all the gods of paradise, I was not intended to be a Parisian, that is to say, to rebound forever, like a shuttlecock between two battledores, from the group of the loungers to the group of the roysterers. I was made to be a Turk, watching oriental houris all day long, executing those exquisite Egyptian dances, as sensuous as the dream of a chaste man, or a Beauceron peasant, or a Venetian gentleman surrounded by gentlewoman, or a petty German prince, furnishing the half of a foot-soldier to the Germanic confederation, and occupying his leisure with drying his breeches on his hedge, that is to say, his frontier. Those are the positions for which I was born! Yes, I have said a Turk, and I will not retract. I do not understand how people can habitually take Turks in bad part; Mohammed had his good points; respect for the inventor of seraglios with houris and paradises with odalisques! Let us not insult Mohammedanism, the only religion which is ornamented with a hen-roost! Now, I insist on a drink. The earth is a great piece of stupidity. And it appears that they are going to fight, all those imbeciles, and to break each other’s profiles and to massacre each other in the heart of summer, in the month of June, when they might go off with a creature on their arm, to breathe the immense heaps of new-mown hay in the meadows! Really, people do commit altogether too many follies. An old broken lantern which I have just seen at a bric-à-brac merchant’s suggests a reflection to my mind; it is time to enlighten the human race. Yes, behold me sad again. That’s what comes of swallowing an oyster and a revolution the wrong way! I am growing melancholy once more. Oh! frightful old world. People strive, turn each other out, prostitute themselves, kill each other, and get used to it!”

And Grantaire, after this fit of eloquence, had a fit of coughing, which was well earned.

“À propos of revolution,” said Joly, “it is decidedly abberent that Barius is in lub.”

“Does any one know with whom?” demanded Laigle.

“Do.”

“No?”

“Do! I tell you.”

“Marius’ love affairs!” exclaimed Grantaire. “I can imagine it. Marius is a fog, and he must have found a vapor. Marius is of the race of poets. He who says poet, says fool, madman, Tymbræus Apollo. Marius and his Marie, or his Marion, or his Maria, or his Mariette. They must make a queer pair of lovers. I know just what it is like. Ecstasies in which they forget to kiss. Pure on earth, but joined in heaven. They are souls possessed of senses. They lie among the stars.”

Grantaire was attacking his second bottle and, possibly, his second harangue, when a new personage emerged from the square aperture of the stairs. It was a boy less than ten years of age, ragged, very small, yellow, with an odd phiz, a vivacious eye, an enormous amount of hair drenched with rain, and wearing a contented air.

The child unhesitatingly making his choice among the three, addressed himself to Laigle de Meaux.

“Are you Monsieur Bossuet?”

“That is my nickname,” replied Laigle. “What do you want with me?”

“This. A tall blonde fellow on the boulevard said to me: ‘Do you know Mother Hucheloup?’ I said: ‘Yes, Rue Chanvrerie, the old man’s widow;’ he said to me: ‘Go there. There you will find M. Bossuet. Tell him from me: “A B C”.’ It’s a joke that they’re playing on you, isn’t it. He gave me ten sous.”

“Joly, lend me ten sous,” said Laigle; and, turning to Grantaire: “Grantaire, lend me ten sous.”

This made twenty sous, which Laigle handed to the lad.

“Thank you, sir,” said the urchin.

“What is your name?” inquired Laigle.

“Navet, Gavroche’s friend.”

“Stay with us,” said Laigle.

“Breakfast with us,” said Grantaire.

The child replied:—

“I can’t, I belong in the procession, I’m the one to shout ‘Down with Polignac!’”

And executing a prolonged scrape of his foot behind him, which is the most respectful of all possible salutes, he took his departure.

[marabarl-and-marlbara]

notes from church; finished mariette in ecstasy this morning and feel like i ought to write a review for it NOW so i don:t forget my feelings for it by the end of the month (mostly because last month i had forgotten all the strong feelings i had towards all the stephen king audiobooks i had listened to, and felt like i did a poor job cause of it); if i can re-establish my reading habit i:d like to go through a list of novels published in 1991 (mariette in ecstasy included in this, incidentally); feel awfully sick again

[wreathmoon]

started mariette in ecstasy and it’s reading like i’m about to make it my whole personality

[apesoformythoughts]

Today I read Mariette in Ecstasy from beginning to end.

[cometomecosette]

Character ask: Grantaire

Tagged by anonymous

Favorite thing about them: Despite his small role, he’s such a rich character who appeals on multiple levels. For starters, he’s funny, witty, lively, and fun-loving, which provides much-needed relief from the story’s heavy drama. But at heart, of course, he’s a “sad clown,” and his cynical worldview is poignant and sometimes all too relatable. And then there’s the key contradiction within his character, which is both fascinating and moving: the fact that despite being a resolute skeptic, he adores his idealistic friends, is only happy in their presence despite mocking their beliefs, and loves Enjolras, idealism personified, to the point that he chooses to die with him. He would be a compelling character even without the gay subtext, but the fact that he’s almost explicitly in love with another man makes him all the more engaging for modern audiences. It’s impressive that Hugo managed to put so much substance into a minor character who only appears in a few scenes.

Least favorite thing about them: Well, he is a loose cannon who fails to make himself useful as a revolutionary. As much as we might like him, it’s understandable that Enjolras dislikes him until the end. In the novel (glossed over in the musical), there’s also his casual sexism, which was probably to be expected from such a wild and worldly young man in the 1830s.

Three things I have in common with them:

*I’m often disappointed with the state of the world and feel tempted to become a total cynic.

*I enjoy physical pleasures and sometimes indulge in them too much. (I’m more prone to overeating than drinking, though.)

*I admire Enjolras’s idealism enormously.

Three things I don’t have in common with them:

*I very rarely drink alcohol.

*I don’t belong to a group of revolutionaries.

*I’m female.

Favorite line: From the novel, it wasn’t easy going through his long speeches to pick out favorite lines, but I finally narrowed it down.

About Christ’s cross: “There is a gibbet which has been a success.” (Or, in another translation, “a gallows that made good.”)

About Enjolras: “What fine marble!”

From his first rambling speech: “Life is a hideous invention of I know not whom.”

From the famous dialogue in “Enjolras and his Lieutenants,” when Enjolras asks him if he’s good for anything: “I have a vague ambition in that direction.”

When Enjolras accuses him of believing in nothing: “I believe in you.”

From “Preliminary Gayeties:

"...I suspect that God is not rich. The appearance exists, it is true, but I feel that he is hard up.”

“Marius and his Marie, or his Marion, or his Maria, or his Mariette. They must make a queer pair of lovers. I know just what it is like. Ecstasies in which they forget to kiss. Pure on earth, but joined in heaven.“

And of course, from his ultimate self-sacrifice:

“Long live the republic, I’m one of them!”

And his final words, to Enjolras:

“Do you permit it?”

From the musical:

“I am agog, I am aghast!

Is Marius in love at last?

I have never heard him ooh and aah!

You talk of battles to be won,

And here he comes like Don Ju-an!

It’s better than an o-per-a!”

and

“Drink with me to days gone by.

Can it be you fear to die?

Will the world remember you when you fall?

Can it be your death means nothing at all?

Is your life just one more lie?”

brOTP: His fellow Amis, and in many productions of the musical, Gavroche.

OTP: Enjolras, though less in the main plot than in the afterlife, and/or in a better time and place where they could have reached an understanding sooner.

nOTP: Any woman.

Random headcanon: His backstory, with everything that made him such a skeptic and yet gave him such a profound need for others’ idealism, would probably be worthy of its own novel.

Unpopular opinion: While I do think he’s in love with Enjolras, I don’t take great offense to seeing his devotion read in a platonic way too, because it does have much more depth than just romantic attraction. And I certainly don’t think Enjolras is in love with him; I ship them in a sense of “what could have been.”

Song I associate with them: “Drink With Me.”

Favorite pictures of them:

This illustration by Gustave Brion.

Anthony Crivello with crazy ‘80s hair, Broadway, 1987.

And with normal hair in the 10th Anniversary Concert, 1995.

Paul Truckey, US 3rd National Tour, 1996.

Tom Zemon with Stephen Buntrock as Enjolras, Broadway, 1997.

Hadley Fraser, 25th Anniversary Concert, 2010.

George Blagden, 2012 film.

[givemearmstopraywith]

please any weirdish spiritual movies maybe like the last temptation of Christ but maybe with more women?

off the top of my head: benedetta, saint maud, agnes of god, stigmata, the corruption of divine providence (highly recommend this one- its about a metis community and written and directed by an indigenous person), the witch, novitiate, black narcissus, the devils (1971), mariette in ecstasy, the messenger (1999) x

[tonreihe]

Ron Hansen, Mariette in Ecstasy

[vulnerasti-cor-meum]

after reading dancer from the dance I was thinking of picking up for the first time the picture of dorian gray but I have lately heard about the books mariette in ecstasy and maria nephele so hm. let’s see what’s next. 

[queerprayers]

this might be a strange question but do you think that there is a sexual identity in loving God / being in love with Jesus? for a long time I have thought about how I want to incorporate Jesus into every part of my life and every area while at the same time it just comes natural to me to have my eyes trained on him, I've even thought about becoming a nun.. I just feel wholly in love with Jesus but I genuinely struggle with this aspect.. maybe you can't help but if you have any advice or just thoughts that would be greatly appreciated!!

Hi, I'm absolutely obsessed with this question. You're amazing. The answer is yes, so many people throughout the centuries have felt similar ways!

Devoting yourself to God/Jesus rather than having romantic/sexual relationships with other people is not new, and in some ways you could totally call it an identity! In the Bible, we can look at Jesus himself, who (as far as we know) never married, but devoted his life to his ministry. I don't know off the top of my head how many apostles were married (I know Peter had a mother-in-law), but I'm sure some of them gave up that kind of life to follow him. Many priests/pastors, monks, and nuns are unmarried, for various reasons across denominations, but especially when we're talking about monks/nuns—nuns are often referred to as being "married to Jesus!"

Mysticism is the area of Christianity that I would say most incorporated this idea, especially sexuality-wise, and I don't know a ton about it but have included a lot of resources (either read by me or recommended by others).

Becoming a nun is a wonderful, holy calling, and it may be the thing that brings you the most peace! I'd encourage you to do more research and maybe visit an abbey/convent!

Besides that, incorporating Jesus in all areas of your life is absolutely amazing and will probably be overwhelming and beautiful and frustrating and so, so worth it.

I don't have much advice besides to go for it? Like as far as I can tell, you're experiencing a good thing that you feel really connected to! Obviously any serious religious devotion in ~today's world~ takes extra courage and explanation, because this isn't the norm (at least where I live), but, with God's help, I know that you can create a beautiful life for yourself.

I do wanna say that devoting your life to Jesus does not necessarily mean being celibate. Choosing that can be really challenging, especially without a formal path (like being a nun), and while it's a historic, holy way of life, it isn't something to take lightly and can result in a lot of loneliness. Don't deny yourself romantic/sexual intimacy with other people unless that's for sure the path you're on. That said, platonic intimacy is holy and not lesser-than romance, and being single is obviously a normal way of existence.

Some resources you may find interesting:

Church, Christianity, and the long shadow of "hot Jesus," Lyz Lenz, Vox

What Is It Like Being Married to Jesus?, Helena Burns, Berkley Center

Loving Jesus Back: Nuns Really Do Get Married, Jane Thomas, icthus

Sex and the Saintly, Andrew Kinney, Trinitonian

Jesus's Vagina: A Medieval Meditation, Emily Swan, Solus Jesus

Sex and Mysticism, Matthew Milliner, First Things

Erotic Spirituality, Paul Smith, Integral Christian Network

Marrying Jesus: Brides and the Bridegroom in Medieval Women's Religious Literature by Rabia Gregory

Mysticism and Sexuality by Bernard McGinn

Human interpersonal relationships and the love of the Trinity by Maria L Boccia

Erotic and Nuptial Imagery by Louise Nelstrop

Love Divine: Erotic Desires in Christian Mysticism, Prof. David Albertson, Condon Lecture Series

A Practical Guide to Becoming a Nun by Blair Hurley (short story)

Freeing Jesus: Rediscovering Jesus as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way, and Presence by Diana Butler Bass

The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics See by RIchard Rohr

Why the Mystics Matter Now by Frederick Bauerschmidt

For the Love of God: The Faith and Future of the American Nun by Lucy Kaylin

Sisters: Catholic Nuns and the Making of America by John J. Fialka

Mariette in Ecstasy by Ron Hansen

The New Asceticism: Sexuality, Gender, and the Quest for God by Sarah Coakley

Women and Mystical Experience in the Middle Ages by Frances Beer

Fragmentation and Redemption: Essays on Gender and the Human Body in Medieval Religion by Caroline Walker Bynum

Authority and the Female Body in the Writings of Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe by Liz Herbert McAvoy

The Love of Learning and the Desire for God: A Study of Monastic Culture by Jean Leclercq

Roots of Christian Mysticism: Texts from Patristic Era with Commentary by Olivier Clement, Jean-Claude Barreau, trans. Theodore Berkley

Scivias by Hildegard von Bingen, trans. Hart & Bishop

I think that's all I got! Wishing you love and peace as you discern God's path for you!

<3 Johanna

[marabarl-and-marlbara]

Have you read the Dolis manga? I read it recently and thought you might like it

hi anonymous; i have not.

read the first four chapters and didn:t like it, read the rest of it after realizing how short the chapters were + how short the story itself were, and still didn:t like it; thought the art were really brittle in a way i disliked, and general problem i have with reading manga lately (can:t connect dialogue with characters) -- ended up finishing it without really being able to identify any of the characters or what the plot was; i don:t think i:d really even consider how i finished it to qualify as reading.

it:s hard to read manga when stephen king audiobooks have perfected the medium that mangaka have spent lifetimes scratching at without progress (joking, but manga is at the bottom for me lately in terms of "what i like to spend time with" because i can:t read it outdoors like i can with novels, and audiobooks are like novels with the upside of me being able to simultaneously both mindlessly work my janitor job and destroy my knees on long walks).

manga i:ve wanted to read really is mostly just maybe Bremen 5 and finishing Eden: It:s an Endless World eventually; reading Ecstasy of Mariette currently and that:s really good. ecstasy is about the titular Mariette joining a convent, the first part of it has intermittent readings of Divine Mercy of my Soul by a sister who is usually told to Shush after a few grim sentences (which i really like because i:ve read it and remember the parts). then i:m almost done with stephen king:s Lisey's Story (audiobook) and that:s really good, too -- basically it:s the same story as Dolis but i like it.

[litticism]

Mariette in Ecstasy. Ron Hansen. 1991.

[red-winged-monster]

book meme tagged by @bill-blake-fans-anonymous

Last book I...

bought: a second-hand edition of Sir Thomas Wyatt’s The Complete Poems

borrowed: Kathryn Dickson' Ringleaders of Redemption: How Medieval Dance Became Sacred from the library

was gifted: honestly I don’t know, it’s been years. Maybe the first volume of Loeb Ovid for Christmas 2018?

gave/lent to someone: last book I lent was Don Quixote (also in 2018) and that I gifted was a book by Giorgio Ieranò on the sea in Ancient Greek literature 

started: Benvenuto Cellini’s autobiography 

finished: Douglas Stuart’s Young Mungo. Meh.

gave 5 stars: I don’t use goodreads but I think it would be Ron Hansen’s Mariette in Ecstasy

gave 2 stars: mmm Françoise Sagan’s Bonjour Tristesse

didn’t finish: Ian McEwan’s On Chesil Beach, for no real reason since I was actually enjoying it quite a bit

thanks for tagging me! I tag @drdavidhuxley @wildeanwithoutaclue @songofsecondapril

[joycrispy]

wellllll, looks like another night with no sleep. think I’m gonna make some coffee (lean into it, you know) build in the sims and listen to the Mariette in Ecstasy audiobook.