tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393767047761198934.post2999046402300502752..comments2014-07-09T00:29:40.725-04:00Comments on Reading the Extreme in World Adventure Narratives: The Importance of Herzog's Perspectivejashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04174652571648541889noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393767047761198934.post-82616926762589294002014-02-03T21:11:16.699-05:002014-02-03T21:11:16.699-05:00Great observations on Herzog's perspective, Ma...Great observations on Herzog's perspective, Matt. I too noticed the imperialistic attitude of 'conquering' the mountain. This conquest attitude was also reflected in many areas of Herzog's writing particularly when he would speak of the hierarchy of the expedition members over the Sherpas and the coolies. I had a great conversation with Maurice Isserman recently about his current project writing the history of North American mountaineering. Isserman mentioned that the human-nature relationship in mountaineering literature can be classified into three categories: the sublime, the transcendental, and the conquest. In the sublime, authors such as Muir and the romantic poets, glorify the beauty of nature and often write of the awe it evokes. The transcendentalists, including Thoreau and Emerson, relate to nature as a form of divinity, while others go to the mountains to conquer the slopes and use battle metaphors in their narratives. These three strands very much inform the expedition philosophies of the teams and, in turn, influence their writing. Herzog definitely falls into the conquest camp in his writing emphasizing his climb as a battle to be won.Sarah Jillingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07002090703322128433noreply@blogger.com