Soren Kierkegaard lived in 19th century Copenhagen. A small city at the time, and divided by class. SK was independently wealthy (Daddy left it to him), so he could afford to spend his time writing, publishing his books, and…walking around Copenhagen.
SK loved to walk. Yes, that has a part here.
SK published most of his books under pseudonyms. But he was still known in the educated circles, his books were read, his pseudonymous were not that opaque, he had a reputation for his work. And that reputation eventually brought notoriety he didn’t handle well.
In SK scholarship it’s called “The Corsair Affair.” The “Corsair” was a magazine. Think “Spy” in NYC. Yup; everything old is new again. And yup; SK is Trump in this analogy. But SK didn’t have small hands; he had uneven trousers. Seriously. He was a bit stooped, and tall, and, as I said, liked to walk the streets of Copenhagen. He was recognizable. He was considered likable. He was, at least, notable. And in the class of Copenhagen he lived in (the one served by servants, living to see and be seen), he was respectable, and respected. (Yes, another Trump analogy. But SK was not Trump.) Mostly for his writing, but also for his sociable, if sometimes odd, personality.
He kicked off the “Corsair affair” by writing exactly two articles for a competing magazine, mocking the editors of the Corsair (the true editors were not publicly identified, because they could be arrested. They hired people to pose as editors, who were arrested. No First Amendment in early 19th century Denmark. And what was considered a criminal offense in the pages of the Corsair, wouldn’t even be noticed today.) In the course of a bit of back and forth between SK and the editors, who responded to his mockery with their own, and he to theirs (the second article), they published some caricatures of SK which emphasized…the uneven length of his trousers.
It’s funny what sticks with the public.
It was the trousers that really hurt. Because the caricatures made people think of the familiar figure in the streets of Copenhagen. And they laughed at him. SK had to finally stop walking through the city, and his tailor even asked him to…change tailors.
Why am I telling you this? Because everything new is old again. The literary class of Copenhagen recognized SK’s literary skills (something I think must get lost in translation. Then again, most of us consider 19th century English novels too wordy. But Kierkegaard can make Proust sound like Hemingway, so…chalk it up to different times.) But they were also eager to see the Magister (he held what we would call a Masters degree, back when those meant something. I have three of them, but nobody calls me “Magister.” Nor should they.) taken down a peg. And it’s arguable that SK started it. So who was trolling who?
Ah, you thought that started with the internet! Hardly. Yes, there are more famous literary feuds. But none quite so insular as Copenhagen in the early 19th century (SK died in 1855. This “affair” was in 1843.) A fine analogue, IOW, for the internet; for social media. For the insular groups who think they are running the world; or at least telling the world what it should be; and think that what they are doing is sui generis and has never been done before. 19th century Denmark had pen and ink and the printing press, which people like SK had access to. And they managed to be gossipy and self-absorbed and bitchy…without electricity. And it all ended up amounting to…? Well, had you heard of it before now?
For a time, the “Corsair Affair” was of vital importance to some of the citizens of Denmark. It could just have well played out on Twitter and BlueSky. And the people reading it would think the whole world was watching. And the people not reading it…
Stephen Colbert wore a tan suit to the opening ceremonies of the Obama Center. I had to explain the joke to the Lovely Wife. The political denizens of the internet only need the photograph. The rest of the world?
It’s SK’s trousers.
they are on Threads fighting to the death over whether or not it is ableist for an author to use the word “scrying" (people might not know the definition!). how beautiful. people staring into their phones and getting so emotional over “scrying.” perhaps there really is magic in reflective surfaces!Plus ce la change....
