fic: The Marrow of Life [Gwaine, Gwaine/Merlin (hints) - G - 1.7k]

[joan_waterhouse]

Title: The Marrow of Life
Author: joan_waterhouse

Pairing(s)/Character(s): Gwaine, Gwaine/Merlin (hints)
Rating: G
Summary: Gwaine had longed for solitude when he had made his way here. Solitude and silence. But nobody is ever truly alone. There's always something. Or nothing. Which, as many will certify, is even more unsettling.
Warnings (if any): none
Word

Comments

[jelazakazone]

This is awesome. I love how you've worked Thoreau's words and intentions into this piece. It's so rich and sensuous and so deeply Gwaine.

[joan_waterhouse]

Thank you so much! I'm glad it worked for you! ♥

I LOVE your icon! :D

[jelazakazone]

It really did. I was recently thinking about Thoreau in relation to Merlin, so this was a great piece to read. Are you from the US or do you not want to say? I was wondering how Thoreau would translate for someone who was not from the US. I think it's part of our mythos and Gwaine, of all the knights, seems like he'd appreciate those ideals.

Thanks:D I think at least half my icons come from universaldogma who makes awesome icons. I don't have a Gwaine icon yet and this one seemed most fitting.

[joan_waterhouse]

Oh, what a coincidence! I started reading Walden years ago and I have to admit I never finished it. His style is a bit tedious to read *hides* but I love the topic. ;)
I'm from Austria, so Thoreau isn't someone I heard of until uni (I was taking a course about John Cage (the composer) and he was a huge fan of Thoreau). I've always been fond of the idea to live somewhere as a sort of hermit though - I guess that's why the prompt drew me in. :)

[jelazakazone]

Yeah, it was a tremendous happy coincidence for me:D

I never read much of Walden, but we had to read excerpts in high school. I always found what he had to say very attractive. I am not a nature girl (bugs give me the willies), but I do love the sense of oneness has in the wilderness and I think his point was not about living as a hermit, but more about living with all your senses wide open, the way Gwaine is doing in this piece.

I had not realized John Cage was influenced by Thoreau. I find that odd and amusing because Cage is completely enigmatic for me and I don't find his music interesting or beautiful, just completely weird.

[joan_waterhouse]

I think his point was not about living as a hermit, but more about living with all your senses wide open, the way Gwaine is doing in this piece.
Yeah, I know. Maybe hermit isn't even the word I was looking for. Idk. But for me living "deliberately" in that sense also is closely related to a sort of being alone that comes not from being removed from the world/people but from being nearer to yourself. *is rambling*

John Cage is awesome. Can't say that I like his music for the way it sounds, but I'm completely attracted to the thought processes that lead to his compositions. ;) There's this story about Cage that he didn't have any kind of stereo or radio or anything in his NY flat cause he said that when he wanted to listen to music he'd just open his window and listen to the world. A very Thoreau-esque thing to say, imho. And it completely changed how I perceive the world around me.

[jelazakazone]

I think I understand what you are getting at though. When you are with people, you have all sorts of other distractions and it's easy to not live deliberately.

Wow. I had no idea about John Cage as a philosopher! I have only heard some of his music and I love this little bit here that you've told me. The funny thing about Cage is that I went to the same little college he did (obviously years later though). That's the only reason I'd ever heard of John Cage. My husband knows a bit about music theory and has mentioned him a few times as well, but it sounds like Cage was a philosopher as well as musician.