Of love and anger
Sir: It is always a great pity when someone of beauty like Petronella Wyatt (or so I have read) wishes to give up the opposite sex in order to pursue something else like, in her case, a successful career in journalism (Furthermore, 11 May). But let us make sure that she at least understands the real reasons for her doing so.
Ms Wyatt appears to think that love is a debilitating force, an emotion which pre- vents her from becoming angry, and that it is necessary to be angry in order to write well. I suspect that the anger of the green- eyed monster feminism is blinding her to reality. First, love and anger are inseparable: the presence, not the absence, of love gives rise to anger, as anyone who has experienced marriage can confirm. One does not shout or throw things at a person for whom one doesn't care a fig. Love and anger are in fact extremes of the same emotion. Most of the partner-beating and subsequently repentant anti-heroes of Dr Dalrymple's 'Gosh, is that the time? I've got to shoot.' column show this clearly, as does Othello.
Secondly, it should go without saying that both love and anger are blind, so neither is a suitable muse for one pursuing journalis- tic truth.
Thirdly, the force which urges people to create life is the same as that which urges the gifted to create art. And there are many examples of artists who have denied them- selves sex in order to strengthen their drive to create aesthetically. Love is not turned off, but merely diverted.
If Ms Wyatt really must give up men in order to write, then so be it. And it may indeed help her produce better words. But I suspect that the only anger subsequently created will be that of frustration. Before she gets herself to a journalistic nunnery, may I please also remind her that many artists have managed to create both master- pieces and children.
E.P. Schuldt
21 Thetford Road, New Malden, Surrey
Previous page
