Søren Aabye Kierkegaard

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DIAPSALMATA1

 "What is a poet? An unhappy man who conceals profound anguish in his heart, but whose lips are so fashioned  that when sighs and groans pass over them they sound like beautiful music. His fate resembles that of the unhappy men who were slowly roasted by a gentle fire in the tyrant Phalaris' bull—their shrieks could not reach his ear to terrify him, to him they sounded like sweet music. And people flock about the poet and say to him: do sing again; Which means, would that new sufferings tormented your soul, and: would that your lips stayed fashioned as before, for your cries would only terrify us, but your music is delightful. And the critics join them, saying: well done, thus must it be according to the laws of aesthetics. Why, to be sure, a critic resembles a poet as one pea another, the only difference being that he has no anguish in his heart and no music on his lips. Behold, therefore would I rather be a swineherd on Amager,2 and be understood by the swine than a poet, and misunderstood by men.

 In addition to my numerous other acquaintances I have still one more intimate friend—my melancholy. In the midst of pleasure, in the midst of work, he beckons to me, calls me aside, even though I remain present bodily. My melancholy is the most faithful sweetheart I have had—no wonder that I return the love!" S.K.

1 Interlude (of aphorisms). Selection.

Kierkegaard Resources:

"KRAKAsoft forlag: hyperbook on Kierkegaard (Danish and English versions):
Danish Hyperbook: Søren Kierkegaard på diskette: indeholder tekster og i nogle tilfaelde billeder om Søren Kierkegaard, med oplysninger om hans forhold og filosofi.
English: Søren Kierkegaard on a disk: text, pictures to do with Kierkegaard and also extra information - on Grundtvig, Brandes, maps, etc.
You can download demonstration programmes on Kierkegaard including "Søren Kierkegaard on a Disk" (in English). See presentations and find links on S.K:
http://www.dk-finder.dk/download.htm (Please note that the programme Søren Kierkegaard on a Disk is now a freeware and can be freely copied as long as no attempt is made to take payments from others for it). Karsten Krabbe's email address is: kkrabbe@dk-finder.dk"

http://www.utas.edu.au/docs/humsoc/kierkegaard/resources.html

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