Journal of a Sad Hermaphrodite
Encyclopedia
Journal of a Sad Hermaphrodite is a book written - and, some would say, compiled - by the English writer Michael de Larrabeiti
and published in the United Kingdom
by Aidan Ellis in 1992 (ISBN 0-85628-200-6). It is currently out of print, but is due to be republished in quarter 4 2006/quarter 1 2007 by Tallis House.
Supposedly reproduced from a manuscript
constructed by Cooper, a teacher of English Literature
in a secondary school
in a small Oxfordshire
town, the Journal includes clippings from Cooper's commonplace book, clippings from the diary of one of Cooper's students (who is not named) and excerpts of poetry and other well-known texts. The Journal is perhaps influenced by Cyril Connolly
's The Unquiet Grave
in this respect, although it modifies Connolly's use of the "commonplace book" technique - itself perhaps borrowed by Connolly from George Gissing
's The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft - to produce a more traditional narrative.
This Journal narrates the final school year of the student whose diary is included in the text, and reflects on various themes, many of which are to do with individual morality: how, and why, one makes the choices one does and lives the life one lives. The overarching theme of the text, which connects the narratives of Cooper and his student - who together make up the "Hermaphrodite" of the title, is perhaps that of writing: how to write, why to write, and what to write. This theme could be seen to be a further influence from Cyril Connolly, who considers his own failure to produce a major work of literature in Enemies of Promise
.
Michael de Larrabeiti
Michael de Larrabeiti was an English novelist and travel writer. He is best known for writing The Borrible Trilogy, which has been cited as an influence by writers in the New Weird movement.-Early life:...
and published in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
by Aidan Ellis in 1992 (ISBN 0-85628-200-6). It is currently out of print, but is due to be republished in quarter 4 2006/quarter 1 2007 by Tallis House.
Supposedly reproduced from a manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
constructed by Cooper, a teacher of English Literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
in a secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in a small Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
town, the Journal includes clippings from Cooper's commonplace book, clippings from the diary of one of Cooper's students (who is not named) and excerpts of poetry and other well-known texts. The Journal is perhaps influenced by Cyril Connolly
Cyril Connolly
Cyril Vernon Connolly was an English intellectual, literary critic and writer. He was the editor of the influential literary magazine Horizon and wrote Enemies of Promise , which combined literary criticism with an autobiographical exploration of why he failed to become the successful author of...
's The Unquiet Grave
The Unquiet Grave
"The Unquiet Grave" is an English folk song in which a young man mourns his dead love too hard and prevents her from obtaining peace. It is thought to date from 1400 and was collected in 1868 by Francis James Child, as Child Ballad number 78....
in this respect, although it modifies Connolly's use of the "commonplace book" technique - itself perhaps borrowed by Connolly from George Gissing
George Gissing
George Robert Gissing was an English novelist who published twenty-three novels between 1880 and 1903. From his early naturalistic works, he developed into one of the most accomplished realists of the late-Victorian era.-Early life:...
's The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft - to produce a more traditional narrative.
This Journal narrates the final school year of the student whose diary is included in the text, and reflects on various themes, many of which are to do with individual morality: how, and why, one makes the choices one does and lives the life one lives. The overarching theme of the text, which connects the narratives of Cooper and his student - who together make up the "Hermaphrodite" of the title, is perhaps that of writing: how to write, why to write, and what to write. This theme could be seen to be a further influence from Cyril Connolly, who considers his own failure to produce a major work of literature in Enemies of Promise
Enemies of Promise
Enemies of Promise is a critical and autobiographical work written by Cyril Connolly and first published in 1938.It comprises three parts, the first dedicated to Connolly's observations about literature and the literary world of his time, the second a listing of adverse elements that affect the...
.
Texts cited in Journal of a Sad Hermaphrodite
- A Portrait by Robert Louis StevensonRobert Louis StevensonRobert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
. Cited on page 4. - "Narcissus" from the Classical DictionaryLemprière's Bibliotheca ClassicaThe Bibliotheca Classica , or Classical Dictionary containing a full Account of all the Proper Names mentioned in Ancient Authors is the best-known work of John Lemprière, an English classical scholar. Edited by various later scholars, the dictionary long remained a readable if not absolutely...
by John LemprièreJohn LemprièreJohn Lemprière , English classical scholar, lexicographer, theologian, teacher and headmaster...
. 6-7. - Drunk as Drunk by Pablo NerudaPablo NerudaPablo Neruda was the pen name and, later, legal name of the Chilean poet, diplomat and politician Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He chose his pen name after Czech poet Jan Neruda....
. 8. - ??? by William Golding. 8.
- A Humble Remonstrance by Robert Louis Stevenson. 9.
- ??? by Robert Nichols. 10.
Quotes
- "'And always attempt a masterpiece, then when you read one you will know how difficult they are to write'" (27).
- "What are the options then? Immerse yourself in a regular job of work which will give you the illusion of solidity and safety through activity, so that you are prevented from ever having to address the real issues of your life...In this sense activity is the soul's worst enemy and should be avoided" (29).
- "And where are the ones who had had talent but no bravery - those who could sing but didn't dare raise their voices. Do they suffer in the deepest part of hell?" (30).