The Inertia of Sloth…
I first encountered the term Oblomovian lassitude on a private blog I am privileged to read. Soon after, I stumbled over the term again on another blog, Anecdotal Evidence, where Patrick Kurp was discussing Samuel Beckett thusly…
“All I want to do is sit on my ass and fart and think of Dante.”
True even if apocryphal, this crack is attributed to Samuel Beckett in the 1930s. True because it distills three Beckett obsessions in 16 words: Oblomovian lassitude, Swiftian scatology, and Dante. The last is first in importance. He thought a lot about Dante for more than 60 years.
Further investigation at the usual sources led me to learn that Oblomov was the best known novel by Russian writer Ivan Goncharov, first published in 1859. Oblomov is also the central character of the novel, often seen as the ultimate incarnation of the superfluous man. He rarely leaves his room and for the first 150 pages of the book, does not even get out of bed. In the Russian language, Oblomov and its derivations are used to describe someone who exhibits the personality traits of sloth or inertia similar to the novel’s main character.
But what of lassitude? This one I know all too well. I often suffer this condition of indolent indifference brought on by weariness of mind and body. The oppressive summer temperatures around here will do that to you.
So, now you know. If someone describes you as suffering (or maybe it is enjoying) Oblomovian lassitude, you have been called a lazy ass. Now I need to put my weary ass to bed for a few days and try to build up enough interest and energy to check out the aforementioned Swiftian scatology, though something tells me it will be a rather messy topic.
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So there’s a name for it when I get home from work after driving, windows down, in the Atlanta heat and just want to flop on the bed and breathe in the cool air? Sweet!
I won’t describe to you my Swiftian scat issues.
Enjoying every bit of my lassitude here. School got out yesterday! One day off today, then a two day teacher training thing I have to attend on Thursday and Friday. I’m actually thinking of bailing out of the latter.
;-0
I should read that novel. I bought it a couple of years ago and never read it although, of course, I know what it’s about.
Take it easy, if you can. I am running out of energies, my mind is worn out.
My lassitude regularly overtakes my oblomov-thing… *sigh* ’tis such a struggle.
Isn’t scatology basically just ca-ca humor?
.. dude….. I’m putting the top down today and driving up to the lake…. does that count?….
Maybe summer and heat is here to help us have those lazy days… ‘Summertime and the living is easy, fish are jumpin’ and the cotton is high…’ Actually that doesn’t sound too lazy does it?
[...] 2.5 a couple of months ago, I have ignored it for a couple of reasons, not the least of which is my Oblomovian lassitude (follow link to my previous post if you have forgotten what that means or if you [...]