Simon curates Harvard exhibition on life of William James
A longtime interest in the life and work of William James has culminated in a special opportunity for Professor of English Linda Simon - curating an exhibition on James that opened Aug. 16 at Harvard University's Houghton Library.
Titled " 'Life is in the Transitions': William James, 1842-1910," the exhibition celebrates the centennial of the death of the famous philosopher, author, scholar, and teacher. A four-day symposium was held at the opening of the exhibition, which will be on view at the library until Dec. 23. Simon spoke during the symposium, explaining that her goals for the exhibition are "to represent the many social and intellectual selves that James embodied; to underscore the tensions he faced as he made life-changing decisions; and of course, to help viewers understand why we continue to think about James 100 years after his death."
The author of a noted biography on James, Genuine Reality: A Life of William James (Harcourt, 1998; University of Chicago Press, 1999), Simon also is the general editor of the journal William James Studies and past president of the William James Society. Her introduction to James and his work came during her early days as a student at Queens College, CUNY, when she took a course with a leading James scholar, John McDermott. "I have been in love with William James ever since," she said.
For her, the challenge with the exhibition was to transmit this enthusiasm within the confines of eight library cases, a slightly daunting task given "a life so various and rich as William James's." Known as "the founder of American psychology," he was the author of such influential works as Varieties of Religious Experience, Pragmatism, and A Pluralistic Universe.
In addition to manuscripts and publications, there are photographs, personal sketches (among them, a cartoon by James of a meeting with Ralph Waldo Emerson), correspondence (including his famous love letter to Alice Howe Gibbens, who became his wife), and letters between William and his literary brother Henry, with whom he was both close and competitive.
William James's 34-year career at Harvard, in which he wrote the influential textbook, Principles of Psychology takes one full display case. Included are minutes from a Harvard faculty meeting of 1877. Another case is devoted to the subject's thoughts on religion. Here, Simon provides items that demonstrate the recurrence of James's ideas, including "the famous faith ladder." The final case contains a page from a draft of his well-known essay "The Moral Equivalent of War." Simon pointed out that this draft includes both what he wrote and how he revised his thinking.
There was a wealth of material from which to choose, and Simon readily said that hers were "very personal choices. Other people would have chosen other things," she said. Simon hopes that the exhibition will appeal to a new audience of James students. "James was a real public intellectual who addressed a lot of issues: religion, self-affirmation, and how to make a difference, morally, in this world," she explained.
Why does William James continue to fascinate? Says Simon, "His writing is very accessible and he makes sense. He went through depression, lack of confidence, and a crisis of identity - things that resonate with the public. James is for the people." As proof she points to a second project connected to the centennial exhibition. The Harvard Library Bulletin has published an offprint of personal responses to items in the exhibition. Simon edited the project and wrote the introduction. She also contacted a number of intellectuals and experts for their insight. The resulting publication includes essays by Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust, on "A Professor's Salary," commenting on what James earned while at Harvard; author Colm Toibin, on "Fraternal Feelings," discussing the relationship between Henry and William in the last decade of William's life; and Michael James, grandson of William, whose essay "In His Own Words" features quotes on life and death from his grandfather's correspondence.
A Web link to the Houghton Library exhibition is a virtual visit well worth exploring. In addition, the Harvard Gazette published this article on the exhibition, including comments from Simon.
