Poor Knight. Or the Idiot.

There is something at the bottom of every new human thought, 
every thought of genius, 
or even every earnest thought that springs up in any brain, 
which can never be communicated to others, 
even if one were to write volumes about it 
and were explaining one's idea for thirty-five years; 
there's something left which cannot be induced to emerge from your brain, 
and remains with you forever; 
and with it you will die, 
without communicating to anyone perhaps the most important of your ideas.
 Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot

How can I write about a story which says itself such words?
I waited with this post for a while......

Usually I use blog entries to systematize my thoughts,

but seems like this time there is no way to do it.

So I will just write to spill some emotions outside me.

(Yeah, costumes and interiors were gorgeous and 

that would be the easiest to write about them,

but that's not the point)

Sometimes you encounter such stories.

Stories that will stay in you no matter what.

A simply thought about them will move you, 

will turn you into a quivering nostalgia and melancholy.

Oh gosh leave it.. straight to the point.

The Idiot by Dostoevsky.

The novel, but also the TV serial (2003).

I treat them as a one. 

It's the best (and faithful) adaption I have ever seen. Flawless.

Is it even possible to make such a masterpiece?

Can really actors become Dostoevsky figures so ideally?

Anyway it happened.

OMG when I want to write something more 

I am left speechless. 

I don't even know how to start. How to continue. How to catch it.

No, in fact you can't catch it.

Don’t let us forget that the causes of human actions 
are usually immeasurably more complex 
and varied than our subsequent explanations of them.

All trembling, nervous, bursting into tears or anger or joy, you can't even predict,

delicate natures, tired, irritated, complex, going straight into self-destruction
or wanting a salvation for a world by beauty.

(the actor playing Prince Myshkin was a genius,

he was like taken from my head)

After reading/ watching the story
you will not be able to look at this screenshot
without a pounding heart. Believe me.

There is also the Japanese adaption (1951)
by Akira Kurosawa.
Quite interesting
(the characters with Japanese faces and names,
some Hokkaido customs, kotodama),
but nothing more. Just a curious detail.

Maybe I only liked the direct explanation
why Prince Myshkin was so fond of  Anastassya Filippovna eyes.
In the book it was just hung somewhere in between.

In the original version you can't find such a metaphor.
Instead Dostoevsky refers to Japanese culture
which in fact somehow legitimizes Japanese adaption of this masterpiece.

Japanese Anastassya Filippovna and  Aglaya

But for me they will always look like that <3

Is it true, prince, that you once declared that "beauty would save the world"? 

Great Heaven! The prince says that beauty saves the world! 

And I declare that he only has such playful ideas because he's in love! 

Gentlemen, the prince is in love. 

I guessed it the moment he came in. 

Don't blush, prince; you make me sorry for you. What beauty saves the world? 

Watch this and this ^^

Cracow Book Fairs

So today: book fairs in Cracow :3

With marmot XD

<3

They were advertising 

The Cracow Opera :3

Beautiful illustrations from The Snow Queen^^

(Sorry for bad quality T_T)

Music publishing house

This was so cute :3 

Krówka candy suits to the book :3

(BTW I ate so many candies and cakes

that I feel bad and fat...XD)

I had a long list of books I want,

but I have found neither of them....

So A Little Princess 

as a consolation.

And many bookmarks :)

Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

is such en engaging book.

Victorian motifs mixed with romanticism and gothicism. 

Madness, Gothic manor, secrets hidden behind splendid interiors.

Even thought sometimes I was not able to understand 

the main character 

I found this book really absorbing

and I read it so quickly

(even thought I am such a slow reader-

I can read one sentence a few times

if I like it). 

Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain and little, I am soulless and heartless? 

You think wrong! - I have as much soul as you, - and full as much heart! 

And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, 

I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you!

I also watched this newest movie based on the book,

but I was disappointed.

All atmosphere disappears...

You do not feel any tension

watching it....

If any of you knows 

the older Jane Eyre's adaption

I am open to all your suggestions.

This is so many movies based on it

that I do not know which one to choose next.

Just clowning around

I read Waiting for Godot

and this is one of this book I would like to forget asap...

Comism is much worser than a despair.

Pain has its dignity and grandeur.

Absurdity touches much deeper.

Such useless people without any ilussions left. 

I felt so disgusted when reading it...

We wait. We are bored. (He throws up his hand.) No, don't protest, we are bored to death, there's no denying it. Good. A diversion comes along and what do we do? We let it go to waste... In an instant all will vanish and we'll be alone once more, in the midst of nothingness!

Nothing happens. Nobody comes, nobody goes. It's awful.

Yes, this is awful, unhealthy, dirty, disgusting, empty.

Such books should be banned.

Let's go. Yes, let's go. (They do not move).

These characters are just standing there for nothing

and can not even scream. 

Just clowning around.

Have you ever thought how tragic 

is the character of a clown?

I was always afraid of clowns

as a child.

I think that I still am. 

All paintings by Georges Rouault. 

Klaudia- not that bad name?

Spring is coming 

and today is my Name's Day^.^

I would prefer roses than tulips, but I will not complain.

At least I put roses in my hair.

Or rather two. Why two?

Because why should I put only one 

if I can two XD

(Sorry I just read The Tao of Pooh 

and my way of thinking is unnaturally straight-

Btw I really recommend this book!).

Some people can ask why I even talk about Name's Day

if I hate my name. 

Well lately I gradually stopped hating it.

I still think that the meaning of Claudia is stupid

(from latin: lame O_o), but I associate it with different things.

Is not Klaudia a perfect name for Lolita?

Is not Vampire Klaudia a perfect Lolita?

Dark and sweet?

Cute and deadly?

I will just use this occasion to post about 

something I look forward to^^

Graphic novel Interview with the Vampire , 

but from Claudia's perspective! 

So beautiful *.*

What Rice says about it?

What I look for in a movie or a book like this is the essence—baroque detail, 

sensuality, luxurious hair, faces that are intriguing and deep—and they got it here.

(source)

I just can not wait to November^^ 

Or rather I am happy to have such amazing thing to wait for!

I just checked what Internet says about Klaudia

and according to this site

Klaudias' meet good circumstances and thanks to it 

their youthful dreams can be fulfilled ^

Not that I really believe it, but at least you know what kind of wishes I want XP

The black bird

When I was in a library last time 

I found this book just by chance.

White cover with a black bird on it

had something intriguing that wanted me to enter the story.

There was not almost any text.

Just black-white lithographic prints. 

 The black bird by Suzy Lee

I prefer sophisticated aesthetics.

Full of gold, frills and many decorations.

But this is exactly the reason why such severe prints

have always strong impact on me.

More I love splendor

 more I feel deep sadness and loneliness in such art.

The text on this page says

I want to cry

A small girl lost in the world.

She does not understand anything

and feels left behind.

Then she meets the black bird.

And he takes her into the journey.

And even when the trip is over,

the girl still feels much better.

This is because she has her secret.

She has something precious inside.

And it is always with her.

Suzy Lee has used the Korean word

goyo (tranquility) to describe her art.

When I Iie on my back, on water, with my ears submerged, 

I can hear the filtered sounds and noises as if they're coming from far away. 

That makes me feel like I am in the middle of nowhere, 

alone, isolated from the world. In that state, 

I can sense even the movement of a very quiet water-strider. 

(source)

After reading this story you know

that tranquility is exactly what appeared in the girl

after her journey with the black bird.

By the way Suzy Lee has also written a book

inspired by Alice in Wonderland.

Is not the girl and the black bird's journey 

somehow similar to Alice and the white rabbit's one? 

Searching for a blue bird...

Finally I am going to write something 

about a blue bird.

I planned to write it for quite long,

but needed time to gather information.

Inspiration: of course D's song

鳥籠御殿～L'Oiseau bleu

The motif of the blue bird appears in many cultures,

but in Europe it is best known

from Madame d'Aulnoy's fairytale

where a king is changed into a blue bird as a penance
for breaking a promise
(which he made to an ugly princess by a mistake),

but he is still faithful to a princess he loves. 

Even as a bird he still visits the princess every evening.

"And who are you, you charming bird?" said the princess, caressing him. 

"You call me by my name," said the king; "and you pretend not to know me!" 

"What!" said the princess; "the little bird in my hand is King- Charming!" 

But D's inspiration was not this well-known fairytale, but

Maurice Maeterlinck's play The blue bird

which tells a story about two kids Tyltyl and Mytyl

who are asked by a fairy to find a blue bird 

for her ill granddaughter. 

THE FAIRY No more do I. That's why you must look for it. 

I can do without the grass that sings, at a pinch; 

but I must absolutely have the blue bird. It's for my little girl, who is very ill.

TYLTYL

What's the matter with her?…

THE FAIRY

We don't quite know; she wants to be happy….

(source)

So here is the blue bird -a symbol of a happiness. 

The fairy gives Tyltyl a magic green hat thanks to which
 he can see souls of all things. 

He sees them moving in a room
and talking to him. 

In D's PV we can also see things moving in air

what seems to be a next inspiration from the play.

Children try to understand real meaning of things.

In their journey they visit The Land of Memory, The Palace of Night,

The Forest, The Palace of Happiness, The Graveyard, The Kingdom of Future...

But no matter where they look for the blue bird they can not find a real one...

TYLTYL But I haven't got the Blue Bird!… 

The one of the Land of Memory turned quite black, 

the one of the Future turned quite pink, 

the Night's are dead and I could not catch the one in the Forest…. 

Is it my fault if they change colour, or die, or escape?… 

Will the Fairy be angry and what will she say?…

LIGHT We have done what we could…. 

It seems likely that the Blue Bird does not exist 

or that he changes colour when he is caged….

Light told children that there is many blue birds in dreams,

but they are not able to live in a daylight.

They just change their color or disappear.

A blue bird from Night's palace died.

It symbolizes the death of illusions.

(...) blue birds of the dreams that 

live on the rays of the moon and die as soon as they set eyes on the sun…. 

LIGHT (pressing him maternally in her arms) Do not cry, my child…. 

You did not catch the one that is able to live in broad daylight…. 

He has gone elsewhere…. We shall find him again….

Children came back home with nothing...

but then they realized that they have a blue bird at home.

Before the journey it seemed to not be blue enough,

but now they see it in different colors and

they give it to a sick child from neighborhood

(a reference to the fairy's granddaughter) .

TYLTYL

Is he blue enough?…

THE LITTLE GIRL

Yes, I am so pleased with him….

TYLTYL I have seen bluer ones…. 

But those which are quite blue, you know, do what you will, you can't catch them….

THE LITTLE GIRL

That doesn't matter; he's lovely….

Just in the moment when Tyltyl gives the blue bird 

to the girl it flies away.

The journey has to start all over again.

Maybe this time children will remember that 

it is the best to start searching in closest places. 

Birds which are close to us 

may not be deeply blue,

but at least the will not disappear
(after waking up)

or change their color. 

This is exactly what D wanted to convey by this song.

They sing it exactly like that

I want you to perceive a warm existence by your site

when you are looking for a blue bird 

that have escaped from an opened birdcage

(translated from here)

What Hide-zou said about this song in a radio:

Unfortunately Japan had a tragic disaster in March. 

From this experience, ASAGI wrote the song to pray for Japan; 

thinking the peaceful time and importance of having ordinary days. 

However not only about the disaster, but also at the same time, 

we had a great experience in Europe and U.S 

and so we are mixing the stuff we've learned from the shows as well. It's a magnificent song.

(source)

Asagi said something similar in this interview. 

In the shadow of a disaster in Japan

they want to show a meaning of 

an ordinary happiness

which people are able to appreciate only

when they lose it.

The part of the song

is sung from the blue bird's point of view.

(Asagi wears the blue bird outfit 

so it suits perfectly)

I know that you are chasing after me

that you are looking after my figure

In a memory 

you can always meet me in an unchangeable form

In a dream 

we can obviously fly past each other in a flower garden

even when your wishes will not be fulfilled  

Asagi seems to sing about blue birds of dreams 

in this part of song.

They dissapear in a daylight, but still 

they are waiting for us in dreams. 

In dreams they will not change their form.

Only there we can fulfill wishes

that are impossible in reality. 

Blue birds of dreams seem to have similar 

meaning of blue roses which

also appear in D' pv. 

As you can see here

quite a lot of the play's adaptions exist. 

I decided to watch the one from 1940.

I chose this one well..

because Shirley Temple is there (yees she is cute XD)

and because it changes a plot in an interesting way.

Mytyl is a selfish girl (she is not like that in the original play)

and thanks to the journey she changes herself.

Children from D' pv

Children from 1940's movie.

When visiting The Palace of Happiness

Finding the bird at home

How D has probably found this play?

In 1980 anime named

Maeterlinck's Blue Bird: Tyltyl and Mytyl's Adventurous Journey

was released in Japan so they had to probably watch it.

I wanted to watch it as well,

but could not find it anywhere on Internet.

I have only found an opening.

Quite nice old-schooled song^^

Babyssb also made a dress inspired by

the story of  the blue bird, but their inspiration

was rather Madame d'Aulnoy's fairytale^^

L'OISEAU BLEU PRINT MADELEINE JSK

(want this dress *_*)