“Later they lay down next to each other in the wide bed. He observed her. She was lying on her back, her head pressed into the pillow, her chin slightly lifted and her eyes fixed on the ceiling. In the characteristic tension of her body (she always reminded him of a taut string, and he had once told her that she had the soul of a violin) he suddenly glimpsed the whole essence of her being. Yes, it happened now and again (these were miraculous moments) : a single motion or gesture of hers would suddenly reveal to him the entire history of her body and soul. These were moments of a kind of absolute clairvoyance and absolute pathos.”
—Milan Kundera, The Farewell Party“Light and dark--those are the two poles of human character. Dark hair signifies virility, courage, directness, and initiative, whereas fair hair symbolizes femininity, tenderness, and passivity. A blonde is really a woman twice over. That's why a princess has to be fair-haired. And that's why women--to be as feminine as possible--color their hair blond but never black.”
—from The Farewell Party“Who are the greatest misogynists in the world? Women! No man--not even Mr. Klima, who's already been twice stuck with a paternity claim--I say, no man feels such resentment against women as women do against their own sex. Why do you think they chase after us men? Only to wound and humiliate their sisters. God put misogyny in the hearts of women because he wanted the human race to multiply.”
—from The Farewell PartyThe Farewell Party by Milan Kundera
It’s funny how nearly all the books I owned at the time I conceived of this project is still on the other coast, but thankfully the mooches have been trickling in to keep this blog going…
Page 27:
The trumpet player looked at Bartleff, who delivered the last words in the ringing tones of a kind and wise prophet. There was something majestic about him. It seemed to Klima that everything Bartleff said could serve as homily, a parable, an example, a chapter out of some modern version of the Gospel. He felt like the bowing down before him (let’s remember that he was under emotional tension, and subject to exaggerated gestures.)
“I will do everything in my power to help you,” Bartleff repeated. “In a little while we will call on my old friend Dr. Skreta, who will take care of the medical side of the problem. Just tell me how you intend to overcome the objections that Ruzena is bound to raise.”
4
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That was the third item they discussed. After the trumpeter had elaborated his plan, Bartleff said: “This reminds me of something that happened to me in my wild youth, when I had a job as a dock worker. There was a girl who used to bring us coffee, a girl with an exceptionally kind heart who couldn’t say no to anyone. Men usually repay such kindness of heart (and body) by rudeness rather than gratitude. I was the only one who showed her appreciation and courtesy, even though I was the only one who had not gone to bed with her. My gentleness made her fall ino love with me, and it would have been a painful insult and humiliation to her if I hadn’t slept with her. I did so, but only one single time, and afterward I explained to her that I would always bear a great spiritual love for her, but that further physical intimacy was impossible. She broke into tears and ran off. When she passed me on the street she’d look the other way, and she gave herself all the more flauntingly to other men. Two months went by, and then she informed me that she was pregnant.”
“So your story was just like mine!”
“My friend,” said Bartleff, “don’t you realize that your story…”
Translated by Peter Kussi.
“Raskolnikov, about to commit the ax murder of the old money lender, realized that he was on the edge of a terrible threshold; that he was on the verge of transgressing God's commandment; that even though the old woman was a wretched creature, she was nevertheless a creature of God. Jakub did not feel such Raskolnikovian fear. For him, people were not creatures of God. Jakub loved nobility and refinement, but he had learned that these were not human qualities. He knew people well, and for that reason did not like them. Jakub was noble, and thus gave them poison. - I am a murderer through nobility of soul, he said to himself, and it seemed comical and sad. ”
—The Farewell Party by Milan Kundera (trans. Peter Rossi)“You don't understand saints at all, dear Olga. They were people with an enormous desire for the joys of life, only they reached these joys by special ways. What do you think is the highest pleasure a human being can attain? You could not even guess at the answer for you are not sufficiently sincere. This is not a reproach, for sincerity necessitates self-understanding and self-understanding necessitates a certain maturity. So how could a girl who radiates youthfulness be sincere? She can't, for she does not know her inner self. But if she did know herself, she would agree with me that the greatest human pleasure is being admired. ”
—Bartleff
(From The Farewell Party by Milan Kundera, trans. Peter Rossi)
