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The Roman Polanski Paradox: Where Do You Draw the Line Between Art and the Artist?
Being an informed critic and how to use that information wisely.
My best friend and I recently read The Mists of Avalon together.
About halfway through the read, I unearthed the disturbing tale of sexual assault involving both Marion Zimmer Bradley and her husband Walter Breen against their daughter, Moira Greyland. In her own words:
Walter was a serial rapist with many, many, many victims (I named 22 to the cops) but Marion was far, far worse. She was cruel and violent, as well as completely out of her mind sexually. I am not her only victim, nor were her only victims girls.
I felt betrayed. A supposed feminist, Zimmer Bradley breathed life into some of the most powerful and complex women in literature. And yet, this was the person hiding behind the success.
How could such a despicable person be so contradictory to their art?
When I brought this information to my friend, she said, “Yeah, I had to put the book down for a while.”
She’s right. Much of the story is now poisoned by Zimmer Bradley’s crimes. It’s impossible to read some of the more explicit scenes (ahem, the Beltane…
