silentchild

Somewhere between the age of 8 and 27 I fell out of love with Medieval literature and history. In the last year I seem to have rekindled some sort of strange love for it - to the point where I am now voraciously re-reading Arthurian Romances, Germanic Sagas, Celtic Myths and Medieval Epics. They're a good time, lots of blood and honor and fascinating glimpses into early Christianity and the twilight of European Polytheism. The problem with this renewed interest in Post-Roman Pre-Renaissance Literature is that its messing up my goal for what sort of Master's Program to attend.

I've always wanted to get an MFA as writing is my first passion. On the other hand, while I have discussed and contemplated a MA in Literature and going and doing the whole Academia thing, I really can't though as there is way too much drama and posturing for me. I do love theory and criticism and cultural studies, but all of it seems like a game of kiss ass and trying to be smarter than one may actually be - and the truly brilliant theorists and critics come off as assholes 89% (I'm being really generous) of the time. Yet I am fascinated by Comparative Mythology and the newly emerging interdisciplinary fields of Early Cultural Studies, so much so that I would love to get an MA in Comparative Literature (especially the Dumazelian and Puhvaalian styles) or go freeze my ass off in Scandinavia trying to get an MIS in Germanic/Teutonic Cultural Studies.

I am presented with a conundrum. Write or skirt the academic fringe. Perhaps do both, though I doubt time and money would permit. As much as I would love to be a student for the rest of my life and somehow make money off of it, I really dislike busywork and have a strong distaste for lecture. I love discussion but lecture can just fuck right off. Well, I have until November to figure out a course of action.