                           20020124.02

     I suspect that in Kierkegaard's voluminous writings, there
are many sketches of aesthetic theory. I happened to come across
the following in Either/Or, Part II (p. 121 of the Samlede
Vaerker):

     Der hersker vistnok blandt en stor Maengde Mennesker en
Misforstaaelse, der forvexler hvad der er aesthetisk skj/ont med
hvad der aesthetisk skj/ont lader sig fremstille.  Dette lader sig
meget let forklare deraf, at den aesthetiske Tilfredsstillelse,
Sjaelen har Trang til, s/oge de Fleste i Laesning, eller ved
Betragtning af Konstvaerker o.s.v., hvorimod de forholdsviis ere
meget faa, der selv skue det AEsthetiske som det er i
Tilvaerelsen, selv see Tilvaerelsen i aesthetisk Belysning, og
ikke blot nyde den digteriske Reproduktion.

     The following is a literal and consequently very awkward
translation:

     There reigns surely among a large quantity of men a
misunderstanding which confuses what is aesthetically beautiful
with what lets itself be represented as aesthetically beautiful.
This lets itself very easily be explained by that the aesthetical
Tilfredstillelse (satisfaction) to which the soul har Trang
(presses), most seek in reading or in contemplating works of art
etc.  whereas on the contrary there are relatively very few who
themselves see the aesthetic as it is in Tilvaerelsen
(existence), themselves see Tilvaerelsen in aesthetic
illumination, and not only nyde (enjoy) the poetic reproduction.

     The words which I have retained in Danish I find impossible
to translate idiomatically:

     "Tilfredstillelse," I think, means putting into or creating
a position of peace, and describes the condition of the soul,
whereas "satisfaction" would refer to the adequacy of the means
with which that peaceful condition of the soul is achieved.

     "har Trang" I understand as describing the soul's erotic
desire
 (in the Platonic sense) for beauty.

     "Tilvaerelsen" I understand to mean that which is there,
accessible to the senses and to the understanding, as distinct
from existence, with its transcendental implications, real but
inccessible.

     "nyde" I understand as enjoy, in the sense of receiving both
nourishment and pleasure.

     Let me paraphrase loosely: People don't understand about
beauty.  They think beauty is found only in works of art, because
most of them rely on reading books, looking at pictures, etc for
the aesthetic peace and satisfaction which the soul requires,
whereas there are relatively few who recognize the aesthetic in
the world about them, who see the world about them in aesthetic
illumination, and who draw nourishment not just from the poetic
reproduction.

     Kierkegaard then goes on to describe aesthetic
representation as a process of condensing or concentrating
experience, to be appreciated momentarily "in the twinkling of an
eye", a definition that sheds much light on the style of the
Diapsalmata as well as of the Diary of the Seducer, a definition
that also stigmatizes Wilhelm's endless unstructured disquisition
on the aesthetic validity of marriage as essentially unaesthetic.

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