What is oomphiness?
Posted by Kay on May 03, 1998 at 10:47:45:
In response to Oomphy heroes by male authors, written by Linden on May 03, 1998 at 00:32:12
I'm going to have problems until we define what oomphiness is. My sense is that an "oomphy" hero is one who captivates and engages the reader viscerally and includes an element of sexuality.
If this is what you mean, Linden, I guess the answer is subjective. For example, Darcy is oomphy to many but not to you and me! (I fully agree about Captain Wentworth being "oomphy.") You and Constanza mentioned some of my favorite heroes including Sidney Carton, Hamlet and Alexei from "War and Peace." Other favorites:
Darl Bundren from "As I Lay Dying," by Faulkner
Eugene Wrayburn from "Our Mutual Friend" by Dickens (somewhat more oomphy than John Rokesmith."
Alyosha from "The Brothers Karamazov" by Dostoyevski. (Some may find Dmitri the more engaging.)
Not all women writers have "oomphy" heroes. I am half way through reading Virginia Woolf's books, and there's no sign of oomphiness (although she did marry someone very oomphy). And in "Middlemarch" by George Eliot, I find no sign of "oomphy" characters -especially- Ladislaw.
- More on oomph Linden 18:30:22 5/03/98
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- ... and a certain air... Constanza 12:16:32 5/05/98
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- Woolf with oomph? I'd never have believed it! Linden 19:42:26 5/05/98
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- Night and Day Kay 11:59:22 5/06/98
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- Conventionality Constanza 17:04:51 5/07/98
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- Night and Day... Kate 08:12:15 5/07/98
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- Conventionality Constanza 17:04:51 5/07/98
(0)
- Night and Day Kay 11:59:22 5/06/98
(2)
- Woolf with oomph? I'd never have believed it! Linden 19:42:26 5/05/98
(3)
- ... and a certain air... Constanza 12:16:32 5/05/98
(4)
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