This is a static copy of In the Rose Garden, which existed as the center of the western Utena fandom for years. Enjoy. :)
#1 | Back to Top12-17-2009 12:20:19 PM
- Riri-kins
- World's End
- From: Cloud Nine
- Registered: 09-22-2008
- Posts: 2354
Is there a Robert Louis Stevenson fan on Be-Papas?
I don't know how I never noticed this before. If anybody else here likes his poetry you might know that Stevenson wrote two called "Escape at Bedtime" and "Windy Nights", and I think they might have been referred to in the anime.
"Windy Nights" carries special significance judging by the following part of the poem.
Whenever the moon and stars are set,
Whenever the wind is high,
All night long in the dark and wet,
A man goes riding by.
Late in the night when the fires are out.
Why does he gallop and gallop about?
"The Prince Who Runs Through the Night", anyone? Was the title of that episode inspired by the poem? If so, why? I think it might be a metaphor for all the mystery behind Akio since that episode is a clip show except for the footage of him in the car and the infamous omlette scene.
On a lighter note, Utena tells Touga the stars remind her of the night sky she saw when she snuck into the park as a child, and if memory serves me correctly "Escape at Bedtime" is about a little girl who does the same.
Thoughts? Theories?
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#2 | Back to Top12-17-2009 12:50:49 PM
Re: Is there a Robert Louis Stevenson fan on Be-Papas?
Hmm! I Googled the Japanese title of the episode ("夜を走る王子"), and the first page of hits all pertain to Utena specifically, which makes me think that the episode title is not a direct quote from any Japanese work or popular translation of a non-Japanese work, such as Stevenson. I also got no hits when I Googled the episode title in conjunction with the name Stevenson in Japanese ("スティーヴンソン"). So I guess I would call this one a coincidence. The verb 走る, to run, is not really used for horseback riding ("riding by / galloping") in Japanese -- and Windy Nights just calls this guy a man, not a prince. This may very well be an allusion to a work of literature, but I don't think it's this one.
That said, I do think that a good seventh line to the poem would be "Kashira, kashira -- gozonji kashira!"
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#3 | Back to Top12-17-2009 02:45:56 PM
Re: Is there a Robert Louis Stevenson fan on Be-Papas?
Hmm. Given that there's already a confirmed track record of this right from the first season (For Whom the Rose Smiles), I'm not too quick to write off the reference. It's obviously not taken line for line, but the spirit of it is similar. The only weird thing is yes, they didn't use gallop or anything, when running certainly doesn't fit Akio either--he's driving.
But what's the rest of the poem? 
Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)
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#4 | Back to Top12-18-2009 12:54:17 PM
- Riri-kins
- World's End
- From: Cloud Nine
- Registered: 09-22-2008
- Posts: 2354
Re: Is there a Robert Louis Stevenson fan on Be-Papas?
Um, I wish I knew what the rest was. 
The only copy I have is an abridged version in an old fairy tale and poem book. Anyway, I got the impression too.
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#5 | Back to Top12-18-2009 03:14:01 PM
- Raven Nightshade
- Someday Shiner
- From: Louisiana
- Registered: 12-17-2006
- Posts: 2925
Re: Is there a Robert Louis Stevenson fan on Be-Papas?
Sometimes I wonder if I'm ever gonna make it home again.
It's so far and out of sight.
I really need someone to talk to and nobody else
Knows how to comfort me tonight.
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#6 | Back to Top12-18-2009 10:24:11 PM
Re: Is there a Robert Louis Stevenson fan on Be-Papas?
Tangent: I tried (unsuccessfully) to memorize Windy Nights when I was a kid. I had it in my mind that I wanted to memorize a number of my fave poems and be all artistic and intellectual-like. I haven't thought of that poem for years...
Yeah, I find it a bit reminiscent of the title/concept: The Prince Who Runs in the Night. Man, I love that episode's title. It's so...evocative.
Fanfic: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/385676/sharnii / New AMVs: http://www.youtube.com/user/sharnii2 / Old AMVs: http://www.youtube.com/user/sharnii
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#7 | Back to Top12-19-2009 07:01:36 PM
- Cyrias
- Tenjou Tilter
- From: Exploring the psyche
- Registered: 10-04-2009
- Posts: 83
Re: Is there a Robert Louis Stevenson fan on Be-Papas?
I also notice that Akio/Dios resembles the famous classic Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Dr Jekyll was a scientist who experiments with good/evil personalities, but in the end Hyde/evil wins out and Jekyll 'ceases' to exist. And like Jekyll, Dios 'experiments' with social and moral vices before and after his eventual fall from Grace. Hyde has no redeeming qualities just like Akio, he's only self gratifying. It's somewhat similar to the dual personalities of Akio/Dios. I'll thought i'll mention that out. :3
Last edited by Cyrias (12-19-2009 07:04:25 PM)
In lumine tuo, videbimus amor ('In your light, we shall love') Slippy slippery mambo~ everyone at Ohtori is in some kind of spiritual land, created by Goddess Anthy and her brother Akio?!
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#8 | Back to Top12-19-2009 11:39:51 PM
- minervana
- High Tripper
- Registered: 10-10-2009
- Posts: 246
Re: Is there a Robert Louis Stevenson fan on Be-Papas?
I always thought the transition from horse to car was a very symbolic one, even if you only look at the color change.
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#9 | Back to Top12-20-2009 02:09:44 PM
- Aya
- Unfulfilled Juror
- From: In a cold place
- Registered: 12-18-2009
- Posts: 228
Re: Is there a Robert Louis Stevenson fan on Be-Papas?
I don't think so, but I'm not ruling the possiblility out. I don't put anything past Utena. It could all just be symbolic of the lunar landing for all I know...
Yes, I did it because I was bored. So?
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