| Coulsong
Your Questions
Question 93: Meaning of "our master of blessed memory"?
Q. In "The
Deluge at Norderney," Isak Dinesen writes: “… And if you read the history of great people, you will find that the
lords and ladies of the bedchamber have been at work, serving our
master of blessed memory. The Pope Alexander and his children,
according to the latest historical researches, were a group of pleasant
people, given to gardening and house decoration, and full of family
affect, et voila tout-obviously the handwork of Louis Philippe. But out
of that indifferent material we have made our figures of the Borgias.”
Could you explain what she means in the underlined phrase?
A. History
represents a glorification of events and individuals. History "improves
the facts", "exaggerates the truth",
"stretches the details", "dresses up events and personalities".
Kasparson, in these paragraphs, is emphasizing the importance in art of
wearing a mask, creating a disguise, being someone greater than you
really are.
Isak Dinesen
uses the language of religion.
"Our master of blessed memory" can be compared with "Our Lord of the
Sacred Heart," and similar models of the Christ. The author seems to be
using sarcasm. Neither memory, nor history, is sacred. They do not
present the hallowed truth, but, rather, a dressed-up version of
reality.
Copyright © 2005 by Linda
Donelson. All rights reserved
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Supported misspellings: karen blixon, karin, isaac, isak dineson, isak denison, dinison, dinisen, denesen, coolsong, donaldson