I had the chance to hear Umberto Eco in person Monday night. He's been giving a lecture series at Emory University as part of the Richard Ellmann Lectures in Modern Literature series, which has featured (in the past) such literary luminaries as Anthony Burgess, A. S. Byatt, and Mario Vargas Llosa. At any rate, the lecture I heard was on Author, Text, and Interpretation. Without rhapsodizing
ad nauseum, I will mention a few choice points Eco made:
"Creative writers should never provide interpretation of their
own work."
There are 3 "intentions" when it comes to reading fiction:
a) "the intention of the reader"
b) "the intention of the writer"
c) "the intention of the text"
"As a reader, you can refuse an interpretation you don't enjoy" (I love the idea of this, actually).
"Happiness lies......in the moment of ecstatic vision."
Eco spoke a great deal about James Joyce, particularly in regard to
Finnegan's Wake. I must confess, because I had to sit in the balcony (the auditorium was very crowded, and I was ten minutes late), I wasn't able to hear Eco as distinctly as I would've liked to. To top things off, he has a *very* heavy Italian accent--charming, but not that easy to understand.
After the lecture ended, I had the opportunity to meet Eco. I even got him to sign my program. I know this was silly and schoolgirlish, but I couldn't help myself!
And unfortunately, I couldn't take my copy of
The Name of the Rose for him to autograph (which would've been my first preference) because it's in such shabby condition!
Eco impressed me as being a pleasant, cultured, strikingly erudite man. Needless to say, hearing him will not be an experience I shall easily forget.
Has anyone else had the chance to hear Eco speak in person?
Best,
Perdita
"A man's most open actions have a secret side to them."
~Joseph Conrad