"Allow yourself the license of imagination." - Claire Van Zant

Lecture notes taken during the Humanities I - III lectures by Claire Van Zant [EXCERPTS]

I'm told that students don't take notes anymore. This doesn't surprise me but it saddens me. I find that taking notes-- taking thorough notes-- deepens my understanding of the subject. The act of writing something down also helps to solidify the memory, which is why for almost 50 years I have copied my acting cues and lines onto index cards.

Note-taking was not an option in Claire Van Zant's classes. You were expected to take detailed notes and, during your first class with her, she reviewed your notes to make sure you were taking them well. I have no idea why, but I am forever grateful that it occurred to me at the beginning of the first class that I needed to take good notes, take them legibly and keep them because I would want them in years to come.

The notes are now over 40 years old. Awhile back, I looked at the pages from Humanities I and was frightened to see that the pencil notations (Pencil?!? What was I thinking?) where fading to the point of being almost illegible. I sprang into action, first photocopying the originals with the contrast level turned way up and next transcribing them digitally.

The end-result was a 104-page document of earnestly recorded (spelling mistakes intact) lectures of Lady Claire. At times, I copied utterances verbatim. Phrases like "Allow yourself the license of imagination" rings in my head to this day in her own voice. It's just so... VanZantian.

For multiple reasons, I choose not to upload the entire document and make it available. It might be tied to the assertion that she destroyed the lectures themselves and I don't wish to disrespect that decision. But I feel the desire to share at least some of the work, if anything to inspire a new generation of young minds-- disillusioned with Tik Tok-- to strive for more than just whatever can be videoed in 15 seconds.

Humanities I, Ancient Athens

The main objectives in Athenian education were to become the ideal citizen, to build one's mind to debate and judge, to defend one's city and to become a man. While the Athenian education stressed the development of one's mind to create a better society, the American education stresses technical and professional development to create a better individual. They [the Athenians] considered the mind much more important than the physical aspects of a person. With the progression to the individual [sic] his own desires, the subjects have changed. The man produced was a man who loved his city and his country. He was able to think, debate, reason and make a better society. The Athenian would learn to fend for himself first and society later. "I believe America could never make a complete turnaround because of the way things are, however I do believe that too much emphasis has been put on physical development and less on mind development." Education should give the student the opportunity to be aware of society's values, but encourage them to better it.

The mind of man was capable of bringing order. Therefore, a monotheistic force had to have created man's mind. Morals and Virtues of a Good Person: An unselfish attitude toward people around you-- humility too. Courage to be and to do. Respect for other people's life. Integrity. Respect for oneself. Patience. Responsibility must come as a result of personal integrity. The consistency always lies in the three conceptions in how you live your life. The standards remain the same even in the absence of religion.

QUESTIONS FOR ANTIGONE

What was the battle between the brothers really about?
What was implied by Creon's law forbidding anyone to bury the corpse of Polynices?
What was meant by the curse on Oedipus?
Is Antigone fated to die?
Could she have prevented her own death?
Why does Antigone feel it is her duty to break Creon's law?
Is Creon responsible for what happens to Antigone?
Does Antigone feel she is fated to act in a certain way?
Why is she unwilling to let Ismene share the blame for burying Polynices?
Why does she bury Polynices twice?
Why does she call her crime holy?
Why does she commit suicide?
Would you consider Antigone's life was made worthy and heroic by her death?
Or does the terrible, tragic consequence of collision between a proud heroine and an inflexible law-giver amount only to futility?

From The Works of Plato, translated by Benjamin Jowett. Published by the Clarendon Press, Oxford

Socrates: “But why my dear Crito, should we care about the opinion of many? Good men, and they are the things who are worth considering, will think of these things truly as they happened.”

Crito: “But do you see, Socrates, that the opinion of the many must be regarded, as evident in your own case, because they can do the very greatest evil to anyone who has lost their good opinion.”

In issuing the edict and denying Polynices’ soul the right to go to heaven, Creon has taken over the role of the gods.
When decided whether Socrates thought the error lay in issuing or carrying out the edict, one must consider the fact that, throughout the play, characters emerged condemning Creon for his actions.

Antigone: “Your edict, King, strong, but your strength is weakness itself against the immortal, unrecorded laws of God.” and “Think me a fool if you like; but it may be that a fool convicts me of folly.”

Haimon: “I beg you not to be unchangeable; do not believe that you alone can be right.” and “If you were not my father I’d say you were perverse.”

Teiresias: “The time is not far off when you shall pay back corpse for corpse, flesh of your own flesh.” (which, by the way, foresees the death of Creon’s family,) and “This is your crime. And the Furies and the dark gods of Hell are swift with terrible punishment for you.”

Creon: “Nevertheless, I say to you at the very outset, that I have nothing but contempt for the kind of Governor who is afraid, for whatever reason, to follow the course that he knows is best for the state; and as for the man who sets private friendship above public welfare— I have no use for him either.” And Creon’s values are expressed.

Yes – “When laws are kept, how proudly the city stands! When laws are broken, what of his city then?”

Yes – He realizes his downfall.

The death of his family-- “Oh God, I am sick with fear. Are there no swords here? Has no one a blow for me?”

Teiresias’ curses and foreseeings.

“Oh, it is so hard to give in” to admit he was wrong.

He is saying Creon is perverse--- that he doesn’t know what he’s doing and doesn’t understand the effect.

Creon: “Teiresias, it is a sorry thing when a wise man sells his wisdom, lets out his words for hire.”

The downfall of a hard-willed stubborn person will be much quicker in coming.

Antigone’s pride was greater not only because of herself but for her brother. It also accomplished its purpose since Antigone would see her brother in Heaven.

If Creon wouldn’t have issued the edict at all and-- if he would have reacted sooner to what was being said by his son and the prophet.

Greek religion had a history; Greek philosophy did not.

"What is man?” “What is the world?” was answered previously by myth.

Man’s attempt at guessing at the creation of the world and himself:

the earth does not move
the earth floats on water
man was born from creatures of a different kind

Humanities I, New York and Contemporary America

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Humanities II, Man and God

Humanities II, Measure of Modern Man

Humanities III, Beyond Enlightenment

And finally... Why I hate The Duchess of Malfi

John Webster's revenge tragedy is the one piece of literature on which I well and truly bombed during Mrs. Van Zant's Humanities series. I couldn't stand it. It bored me out of my mind and reviewing my notes reminds me why. By Act III, I took to abbreviating the character names to keep up with the frantic and silly pace of this Jacobean soap opera. I can't get through it now without bursting with laughter.

Act III, Scene 2
The bedroom of the D - A and the D are joking with each other - A, playing a prank, leaves the room and hides in another - the D is then speaking to herself and when she gets to the point about her brothers, she sees F in the mirror. F pulls out a poniard and offers it to her - F tells the D to shut up her man or he'll be killed - he tells her a fable about love and death - invocation of violence turns her off - when F is gone, A is deeply affected - threatens C and F. (as a game) the D accused A of fraud and robbery - she charges a guard (B) to accompany him out of the country (to safety) - B tricks her by expressing contempt for his job - his second opportunity to back out - he doesn't, for the money - The D tells B about the D and A. (ha-ha)
The Act III, Scene 3
Cardinal's palace - B comes with news - tells the C and F. F loses it again.
Act III, Scene 4
The Cardinal is invested as a soldier - A, D & the kids are banished - A and D bid farewell - she urges him to reroute his journey.
Act III, Scene 5
Back in the D's bedroom where B and guards are about to arrest the D. Her room is guarded.
Act IV, Scene 1
B is sent with a message the F seeks reconciliation - in the dark, he offers the D his hand - 'tis a dead man's hand - the D sees A and kids dead - she is upset - F reappears - Bodies were wax - (he's having so much fun!) He will spare her body, but will ruin her mind - B's third chance comes and goes.
Act IV, Scene 2
The madman cometh - the madmen are corrupt like the rest of society - the D is unmoved - B comes in disguised as an old man - in comes the executioners - the D remains calm - she kneels and dies - (she does it very well) they kill the maid (she doesn't do it very well) F comes in - is apart from his sister for the first time - realizes his incestuous feelings for her - loses it once more - the D comes to life long enough to learn A and the kids are still alive - dies a beautiful death - B vows to warn A and keep him safe to revenge F's neglect rather than justice.
Act V, Scene 1
A and Delio - D is emissary to the C. D believes a reconciliation is possible - F is now mad, a lycanthrope (scavenger of the dead.) He wanted to drive his sister mad but it is he who is mad.
Act V, Scene 2
Julia and the Cardinal again - the C is tired of J - B gets J to spy on the C - finds out that the C gave order to kill A - B is planning revenge that will save A
Act V, Scene 3
A & D in the cemetery going to the C's - Echo - A feels the D's presence is a good sign.
Act V, Scene 4
No one is supposed to go into the C's lodging - in this privacy, the C gets rid of J - B finds out the C is going to kill him after A - B rushes away - accidentally kills A in dark hallway (the one dude he was going to save, he has killed.)
Act V, Scene 5
B carries A to the C - the C is emotional - he cries for help when B threatens him - B kills servant so C won't get help - B wounds C - F enters - stabs C - B and F stab each other simultaneously - D appears with A's son - B complains of neglect - C pleads to be laid by and never thought of again - F, "My sister, my sister. There's the cause of it."

Indeed.

The New Place

Mrs. Van Zant's Humanities Series Reading List

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Claire Van Zant interviewed by Keith Berge in 2008

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