For last couple of decades, every so often in Indian politics we hear about the Italian connection in the Bofors scandal. It is that time again. However, I am more interested in the wonderful interlinks of the events and personalities.
Bofors is a famous Swedish arms company which was taken over by SAAB in 1999 and has some interesting history
Bofors Defence AB was an iron works, cannon maker, and defence contractor located in Karlskoga, Sweden. The company was founded in 1873 but it originates from the hammer mill "Boofors" founded 1646.
Undoubtedly, Bofors' most famous owner was none other than Alfred Nobel, who owned it for the last two years of his life. Though Nobel prizes and dynamite have always been associated with Alfred Nobel, his literary accomplishments and Shelly's influence on his work are less known.
His only play (Nemesis, a prose tragedy in four acts about Beatrice Cenci, partly inspired by Percy Bysshe Shelley's blank verse tragedy in five acts The Cenci), was printed when he was dying, and the whole stock except for three copies was destroyed immediately after his death, being regarded as scandalous and blasphemous.
Percy Shelly led a very interesting life, which was cut short at the age of 30 when his boat Don Juan sank. Shelly's most prolific literary stint was from 1818 to 1822 during his Italian travels. He wrote Prometheus Unbound, The Masque of Anarchy and Adonais (an elegy for Keats) during this time. It was Shelly's Italian connection which revolutionized English literature.
The Italian connection - Bofors - Alfred Nobel - Cenci - Shelly - The Italian connection.....everything is connected
Sunday, January 15, 2006
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5 comments:
Short, crisp and witty!
Amar, your post brings to mind James Burke's Connections:
What do the Hubble Space Telescope, Buffalo Bill, and the Spanish Inquisition have in common? How do margarine’s strange origins tie it to plankton shells, receding stars, hot chocolate, and the first solo Atlantic flight?
If you’ve ever seen James Burke’s documentary TV series Connections or read his column of the same name, you know how he brings together these seemingly unrelated ideas and innovations, spinning a vast web of knowledge.
Am a relatively new vistor ; a regular one nowadays. Am a trivia buff too...Excellent conxxns u figure out , pal!
Btw by any chance can u connect
1. Bank of England
2. Arthur Conan Doyle
3. London winning the right to host 2012 Olympics
4. Irfan Pathan
More like a common thread between all of these...
This is part of an online quiz i am attempting :-))
cheers
flaash
thanks flash, atanu and shaan.
Flash - regarding your connection. I do not have a clue!! Will be interested in knowing the answer
Hi Amar
Looks like it is MCC/ Lords -i havent got the answer yet. The next clue in the series i gave ws Micheal Colin Cowdrey; the initials being MCC that seemed to be a clue
Bank of england owned the Lords ground, Conan doyle represented MCC, Lords is one of the 4 main venues for london olympics ; dunno the specific irfan connxn...
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