Subject
THOUGHTS: Gogol and graphomania
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"pueritus scribendi" (Lat. childhood graphomania)"
The Latin term, obviously invented by VN, is in fact TRANSLATED as above
(right in the text body) in the first Russian translation (by Ye.
Golyshevа) of "Nikolay Gogol" (Novyi Mir, 1987, No 4). In further
edition (Vol. 1, Symposium, 1997) these translated words are moved to a
footnote.
Wikipedia has a very nice quote on graphomania, applicable to many of
us:
"The habit of excessive writing, of explaining, amplifying, and
reiterating, of letter making and pamphleteering, forms a morbid symptom
of known as “graphomania.” Some men may overload their natural tendency
to write, but a certain class of lunatics use nearly all their mental
activities in this occupation, to the endless annoyance of their
friends, relatives and physicians."
From: “[William Jennings] Bryan’s Mental Condition:” One Psychiatrist’s
View Source: New York Times, 27 September 1896.
See full text at: http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5353/
As far as existence of a specifically childhood graphomania, I only can
offer my own experience off-list. :)
Victor Fet
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The Latin term, obviously invented by VN, is in fact TRANSLATED as above
(right in the text body) in the first Russian translation (by Ye.
Golyshevа) of "Nikolay Gogol" (Novyi Mir, 1987, No 4). In further
edition (Vol. 1, Symposium, 1997) these translated words are moved to a
footnote.
Wikipedia has a very nice quote on graphomania, applicable to many of
us:
"The habit of excessive writing, of explaining, amplifying, and
reiterating, of letter making and pamphleteering, forms a morbid symptom
of known as “graphomania.” Some men may overload their natural tendency
to write, but a certain class of lunatics use nearly all their mental
activities in this occupation, to the endless annoyance of their
friends, relatives and physicians."
From: “[William Jennings] Bryan’s Mental Condition:” One Psychiatrist’s
View Source: New York Times, 27 September 1896.
See full text at: http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5353/
As far as existence of a specifically childhood graphomania, I only can
offer my own experience off-list. :)
Victor Fet
Search archive with Google:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm
Visit "Nabokov Online Journal:" http://www.nabokovonline.com
Manage subscription options: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/