TOPIC: Tatters of the King

A recent entry in Barnabas Pipers Diary (I'm sure Dr Clancy will love it)

As we contemplate a trip to Italy I am reminded of how travel writing is shaped by Freudian and post-Freudian theory. It emerges out of some of the same ideas and images as psychoanalysis. In its pre-Freudian forms travel writing is an important source material in Freud's theories of the workings of the mind and its effects on behaviour.

Freud's theory that the repression of traumatic experiences, often in childhood, manifests as hysteria was first published in 1896. In the same year, Joseph Conrad began work on Heart of Darkness, the story of a voyage laden with symbols and references to psychological revelation up an unnamed river towards an ‘Inner Station’ of which the traveller recalls: ‘It seemed to throw a kind of light on everything about me - and into my thoughts’

Working in ignorance of one another, the two writers ‘discovered’ primal drives in the unconscious mind and in tropical parts of the world, both betraying the influence of earlier travelogues and travel fictions. Freud encouraged associations of his work with exploration (and, relatedly, archaeological excavation). Notoriously he referred to sexual desire in adult females as the ‘dark continent’ of his research. As for his own dreams and experiences of travel, from early writings onwards he tends to explain these in terms of wish fulfilment.

Under the influence of modernism therefore, much twentieth century travel writing narrates inner, mental exploration.

John Stevenson - Engineering Co. Review

1. Proud designers and fabricators of the new swing bridge located at Cumberland Basin, Bristol.
2. On 5 July the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress joined other passengers to inaugurate the new Beachley to Aust ferry, designed and construction overseen by Stevenson Engineering Co, Bristol. The previous ferry had continued until the disappearance of the stage coach and for a considerable time there had been no service, necessitating those wishing to cross the Severn to travel by way of Gloucester. The new vessel carried 65 passengers together with bicycles, motor bikes and sidecars.

A side note by hand:
At the end of the month Harry Lorraine, the film star and stuntman, rode an E.W. Douglas motor cycle from London to Bristol whilst handcuffed and in chains. He left Marble Arch at 8.40 am and arrived at St Augustine' s Parade at 2.35 pm. How enthralling it was to watch. JS

Nice posts. Tick a skill of your choice each.

Cartwright's dream. came night after night. even before Italy had been mentioned. the same place. the same yellowed robes. but the face. he could never quite see the face...

MellyMel wrote:
This is... very disturbing... I'm not even playing this game and this is a bit freaky!

Vert good Mel.

Been rummaging around in the attic again and discovered an old postcard sent by Blossett. Looks like he had a sojourn in Egypt and apparently things didnt go that well. Postcard doesent give any more details unfortunately.