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Welcome to Week 3 of the Big White Farmhouse’s Summer Integrated Humanities program! This week, we’re investigating love and friendship.
Just jumping in? You can find the links to the previous weeks here: Week 1 // Week 2
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: CLAUDE MONET
Claude Monet was a French painter who became the initiator, leader, and unswerving advocate of the Impressionist style. (via)
I’ve loved Monet’s artwork since I read Linnea in Monet’s Garden as a kid. His continued study of the bridge and water-lily pond as he lost his eyesight is fascinating to me.
THE STORY OF GUNNLAUG THE WORM-TONGUE AND RAVEN THE SKALD
The Story of Gunnlaug the Worm-Tongue and Raven the Skald is an Icelandic saga composed in the 13th century, detailing the tragic rivalry between two poets, Gunnlaugr Ormstunga and Hrafn Önundarson, for the hand of Helga the Fair, the daughter of Thorsteinn Egilsson. The result is a competition leading to a deadly duel of honor.
There was a man called Thorstein, the son of Egil, the son of Skallagrim, the son of Kveldulf the Hersir of Norway. Asgerd was the mother of Thorstein; she was the daughter of Biorn Hold. Thorstein dwelt at Burg in Burg-firth; he was rich of fee, and a great chief, a wise man, meek and of measure in all wise. He was nought of such wondrous growth and strength as his father Egil had been; yet was he a right mighty man, and much beloved of all folk.
Thorstein was goodly to look on, flaxen-haired, and the best-eyed of men; and so say men of lore that many of the kin of the Mere-men, who are come of Egil, have been the goodliest folk; yet, for all that, this kindred have differed much herein, for it is said that some of them have been accounted the most ill-favoured of men: but in that kin have been also many men of great prowess in many wise, such as Kiartan, the son of Olaf Peacock, and Slaying-Bardi, and Skuli, the son of Thorstein. Some have been great bards, too, in that kin, as Biorn, the champion of Hit-dale, priest Einar Skulison, Snorri Sturluson, and many others.
Now, Thorstein had to wife Jofrid, the daughter of Gunnar, the son of Hlifar. This Gunnar was the best skilled in weapons, and the lithest of limb of all bonderfolk who have been in Iceland; the second was Gunnar of Lithend; but Steinthor of Ere was the third. Jofrid was eighteen winters old when Thorstein wedded her; she was a widow, for Thorodd, son of Odd of Tongue, had had her to wife aforetime. Their daughter was Hungerd, who was brought up at Thorstein’s at Burg. Jofrid was a very stirring woman; she and Thorstein had many children betwixt them, but few of them come into this tale. Skuli was the eldest of their sons, Kollsvein the second, Egil the third…
Read the rest of the story with the book or you can read for free online or on Kindle via Project Gutenberg.
WALTER GIESEKING PLAYS DEBUSSY “SUITE BERGAMASQUE”
“Suite bergamasque is a piano suite by Claude Debussy. He began composing it around 1890, at the age of 28, but significantly revised it just before its 1905 publication. The popularity of the third movement, Clair de lune, has made it one of the composer’s most famous works for piano, as well as one of the most famous musical pieces of all time.” (via)
Walter Gieseking was a German pianist and was known as an interpreter of Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Domenico Scarlatti, Mozart, and Beethoven. His interpretation of Suite bergamasque is particularly good.
WILDFLOWERS
Flowers and love often have a special connection, so let’s focus on them this week! A word of advice from the Handbook of Nature Study:
Some flowers are so abundant that they can be picked in moderation if the roots are not disturbed, if plenty of flowers are left for seed, and if the plant itself is not taken with the flower….Everyone should have the privilege of enjoying the natural beauty of the countryside. Such enjoyment is impossible if a relatively small number of people insist upon picking and destroying native plants for their own selfish interests. (p.460)
Things to Do…
- Use a field guide to identify the flowers you see in your backyard or on the side of the road.
- Collect and press a wildflower.
- This tutorial for flower pounding looks fun too!
MISCELLANEOUS RABBIT TRAILS…
+ Philia is an ancient Greek concept of love and refers to deep friendship between individuals who share common interests and experiences. How Many Friends Should I Have? ‘A Lot,’ says Thomas Aquinas, is a talk from Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau, O.P. that may be helpful to ponder this.
+ Learn the language of flowers. What do your favorite blooms symbolize?
+ Pull out your art supplies and learn how to paint Monet’s Water Lilies with this acrylic paint tutorial.
+ Much Ado About Nothing “includes two quite different stories of romantic love. Hero and Claudio fall in love almost at first sight, but an outsider, Don John, strikes out at their happiness. Beatrice and Benedick are kept apart by pride and mutual antagonism until others decide to play Cupid.”
+ Read through the 10 Greatest Love Poems Ever Written compiled by The Society of Classical Poets. Which one is your favorite?