The Icon and the Axe

[PT7]

Fellows, thanks for your comments in the earlier thread I posted about the hand-forged Siberian/Slavic/Viking axe. Now this post about axes is written from my "good reads" perspective of literature and poetry.

I was most surprised to find this week that a required text for my M.A. degree in Russian Culture is currently being re-visited. It is the "The Icon and the Axe: An Interpretive History of Russian Culture" by James Billington, published in 1966. Of the many volumes of literature and history I read while in graduate school, this book is about at the top of my favorites list.

Happening Today. One scholar/researcher working on the re-visit of this text, Prof. Michael David-Fox, in a Wilson Center publication contended that: " 'The Icon and the Axe' was not so much a classic work of history in the traditional sense, but rather a ground-breaking classic in the new field of Russian cultural history." (New stuff in my discipline happening today). This scholar/researcher also looked at the title's symbolism: "The two namesake symbols of the book, the icon and the axe, represent the visionary and the earthly, the religious and military, and the spiritual and material, but they were not dichotomously opposite. Billington showcased how the icon was wielded militantly while the axe was used delicately." Really cool imagery here of Russian culture and reality from my viewpoint. Think about that last underlined statement for a minute.

Poetry and the Axe. The second thing I'd like to comment on is depicted in a poem I like with an axe as a focus. Culture and heritage come together again here, Les & Mags & TNman, as this poem is by an Australian author & poet, A. B. ('Banjo') Paterson. He was a composer, too, and I'd bet you know one of his famous songs. Anyway, what most interested him about Australian life, and what he wrote about, was people's lifestyles in outback and rural areas. Another example of axes playing a role in different cultural heritages/parts of the world. Here is the poem of his that I like very much. https://www.poetrylibrary.edu.au/poets/ ... sh-0026017

At last! End of my "good reads" about axes.

Take good care, Everybody. Enjoy the upcoming weekend.
PT7

Thanks, PT7 .... I think I've just found my someday axe, too! That definitely brings out the Viking in me.

That was my impression too. Viking.

Nice looking hand axe.....the shape and forge marks give it a lot of character.