Lewis Hyde discusses his book The Gift: Imagination and the Erotic Life of Property, in which he views giving gifts as embodying the opposing forces of eros and logos. Eros represents connection and drawing together, while logos represents differentiation and the spirit of logic. Hyde analyzes the artistic concept of gift, or talent, which manifests as an endowment that originates outside of the ego and functions within a framework of tradition. He speaks of the dynamics of eros-driven, friend-centered gift exchange and logos-driven market exchange, and ways they function in traditional and modern societies. Hyde concludes by suggesting that the dynamic—the spirit—of gift-giving is one of the great mysteries of life.
In a commentary [23:00], Ronald Sharp gives several views of gift-giving and friendship from earlier eras, then compares them to Lewis Hyde’s: Montesquieu, who saw friendship as small favors given in the hope of big favors received; La Rochefoucauld, to whom friendship was a reciprocal servicing of interests; Cicero, who saw joy not in the gift but in the friendship of the giver and believed that the greatest gift we receive is the love we give; and Lewis Hyde, who views a gift as part of “the substance” that one person gives to another, hoping that the act will be reciprocated.
At the time of the interview, Hyde was professor of American literature and language at Harvard University.
Sharp, a Fellow at the National Humanities Center (1986-87), was professor of English at Kenyon College.
This edition of Soundings was conducted by Wayne J. Pond.
