I’m currently writing the initial part of my dissertation proposal (by hand, believe it or not). Even before beginning to write about all of the scholarship on memory, I have been seriously thinking about the way in which writing from memory—or remembrance—is an act of pain. I think this is true for the place of memory in poetics. However, in rhetoric, memory is most often associated with the art of memory. Nevertheless, this act of writing is, without a doubt, painful and quite the opposite of having the desire to heal. Writing is torturous. To remember is to feel pain and to write about it is to create the wound.
I’ve also been thinking about why I’m so interested in memory. I guess the important question I always ask: What is there aside from memory? Everything revolves around memory. Many people take herbs and minerals in order to improve their memory. Others buy books and try to improve their memory. Some accept the decline in memory because of age. Others, have excellent memory and disregard it like if it were yesterday’s newspaper.
The art of memory is significant for me because I am in awe of the extraordinary abilities that the Greek and Romans had in order to use the art of memory in order to recall arguments and information needed in the instruction of rhetoric. The art of memory appeals to me because it involves space, time, language and imagination. I am so thankful that Frances Yates recorded all of this history. I am also thankful to Mary Carruthers for writing memory as a way for us to look back and examine how much the mind was elevated to record so much information, which, sadly, is gone with the use and privileging of technology.
I have seriously been thinking about what contribution my scholarship will make to the field. How will I compare with important people like Frances Yates and Mary Carruthers?
Hmmmmm…..until next time…..
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