2018 年引智讲坛之十六

题目： 关于快乐：赫尔曼·梅尔维尔的《大白鲸》

Topic:  On Happiness: Herman Melville's Moby Dick

In “A Squeeze of the Hand,” chapter 92 of Moby Dick (1851), Ishmael presents a theory of happiness:

 I have perceived that in all cases man must eventually lower, or at least shift, his conceit of attainable felicity; not placing it anywhere in the intellect or the fancy; but in the wife, the heart, the bed, the table, the saddle, the fire-side, the country…

This talk asks how readers should understand Ishmael’s statement. Is he sincere? If so, why does every character in Moby Dick—Ishmael included—refuse to accept this theory of happiness? Indeed, Melville himself seems committed to the intellect and the fancy as the only possible sites of happiness. The talk considers happiness in relation to various nineteenth century and contemporary understandings of the concept, and attempts to clarify Melville’s own theory of happiness.

时间：2018年6月8日（星期五）14:30-16:20

地点：广州大学（大学城）文俊西楼608

2018 年引智讲坛之十七

题目：关于独立自主：亨利·大卫·梭罗的《瓦尔登湖》

Topic:  On Independence: Henry David Thoreau's Walden

When Thoreau moved to Walden Pond on July 4, 1845—Independence Day—his goal was to maximize his independence. America, from his perspective, had failed. The government (at all levels) had betrayed its liberal ideals. Slavery and imperialism defined everyday life. Reform seemed impossible. Thoreau’s response was to try again—but this time on much smaller scale. Could he realize the ideals of American liberalism in his own life? Could he become truly independent? This talk examines Thoreau’s “experiment of living” at Walden and in Walden (1854), detailing his complicated conception of independence, its risks and benefits, and why and how it matters for his readers.

时间：2018年6月12日（星期二）14：30-16：20

地点：广州大学（大学城）文俊西楼608

2018 年引智讲坛之十八

题目：理解的困难性：艾米丽狄金森的诗歌

Topic:  On Difficulty: Emily Dickinson's Poetry

Dickinson’s poetry is notoriously difficult. This talk explains why, and examines how scholars, critics, and poets have attempted to understand and even resolve it. Dickinson’s poem, “The Soul unto itself,” will be the focus: written at the height of the American Civil War, the poem seems to address the war and ignore it. Does the poem represent Dickinson’s contexts? Or is it attempt to evade those contexts? How does context matter for understanding Dickinson’s work? In the process of  addressing these questions, the talk will highlight the challenge of identifying Dickinson’s intentions for her poetry, and how her poetry undermines accepted definitions, including the definitions of keywords such as “happiness” and “independence.”

时间：2018年6月13日（星期三）14：30-16：20

地点：广州大学（大学城）文俊西楼608

2018 年引智讲坛之十九

题目： On Contemporary American Poetry （1）

Topic:  当代美国诗歌（1） 

时间：2018年6月8日（星期五）10:15-11:45

地点：广州大学（大学城）文俊西楼608

2018 年引智讲坛之二十 

题目： On Contemporary American Poetry （2）

Topic:  当代美国诗歌（2） 

时间：2018年6月12日（星期二）19：15-20：45

地点：广州大学（大学城）文俊西楼608

2018 年引智讲坛之二十一

题目： On Contemporary American Poetry （3）

Topic:  当代美国诗歌（3） 

时间：2018年6月13日（星期三）19:15-20:45

地点：广州大学（大学城）文俊西楼608