The Procrustean bed. . .suggests itself with dispiriting aptness as a metaphor for the Culture Wars, right down to the blandishments with which Procrustes must have lured his guests over the threshold. {I picture him as a handsome fellow with a large vocabulary and an oleaginous tongue, not unlike the chairmen of many English departments.} There's just one crucial difference. Sometimes Procrustes lopped off his victims, and sometimes he stretched them, but the Culture Wars always lop. I have never seen cultural politics enlarge a work of literature, only diminish it.
by Anne Fadiman (0 Reviews)
The essay reflects on the metaphor of Procrustes' bed to illustrate the impact of Culture Wars on literature and culture. Just like Procrustes, who either stretched or severed his victims to fit his bed, the Culture Wars tend to diminish works rather than enhance them. The author envisions Procrustes as a charming figure reminiscent of contemporary academic leaders who seduce people into their ideologies.
Fadiman emphasizes that while Procrustes manipulated physical forms, the influence of cultural politics serves to constrict and reduce the richness of literary works. She argues that rather than expanding the depth and diversity of literature, the conflicts in culture lead to a narrow and diminished understanding of artistic expression.
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