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Why did we see Don Draper reading Dante’s Inferno in Mad Men? Why did we see Don Draper reading Dante’s Inferno in Mad Men?
(about 17 hours later)
Who could forget the beginning of Mad Men’s sixth season, with Don and Megan Draper lying on a Hawaiian beach, far from the smokey, heavy atmosphere of their New York lives – and Don’s focused reading of Dante’s Inferno?Who could forget the beginning of Mad Men’s sixth season, with Don and Megan Draper lying on a Hawaiian beach, far from the smokey, heavy atmosphere of their New York lives – and Don’s focused reading of Dante’s Inferno?
Literature has been an integral part of the AMC show since its inception. Its creator, Matthew Weiner, recently admitted that he based many characters’ last names on the authors of books he had in his office. But books are present in the show in many ways; very often as subtle winks and nudges that explain a lot about the characters.Literature has been an integral part of the AMC show since its inception. Its creator, Matthew Weiner, recently admitted that he based many characters’ last names on the authors of books he had in his office. But books are present in the show in many ways; very often as subtle winks and nudges that explain a lot about the characters.
Billy Parrott has spotted more than a few. As a librarian at the New York Public Library, he can’t help but watch the show with his professional glasses on: “This is what librarians do on a daily basis. Every morning, on the subway on the way to work, I look to see what others are reading, and I think about what else I might suggest for them if they came up to me in the library and asked for a recommendation.” In 2010, he went back to season one and started compiling a list every book that appeared on Mad Men – first, on Twitter (hashtag: #MadMenReading), and then on a blog, The Mad Men Reading List, which later led to spin-offs such as Sally Draper’s or Glen Bishop’s would-be reading lists. Recently, he teamed up with AMC to create an official 25-book reading list for fans of the show.Billy Parrott has spotted more than a few. As a librarian at the New York Public Library, he can’t help but watch the show with his professional glasses on: “This is what librarians do on a daily basis. Every morning, on the subway on the way to work, I look to see what others are reading, and I think about what else I might suggest for them if they came up to me in the library and asked for a recommendation.” In 2010, he went back to season one and started compiling a list every book that appeared on Mad Men – first, on Twitter (hashtag: #MadMenReading), and then on a blog, The Mad Men Reading List, which later led to spin-offs such as Sally Draper’s or Glen Bishop’s would-be reading lists. Recently, he teamed up with AMC to create an official 25-book reading list for fans of the show.
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“I really like it when they incorporate the text of the book into show,” Parrott says. In the season two opening, Draper appears reading, and then proceeds to recite, Frank O’Hara’s Mayakovsky, from Meditations in an Emergency. It is perfect to illustrate both his identity crisis and the heady 1960s era. The same was true of Dante’s journey to hell. The featured opening lines – about a man utterly lost and alone “midway in our life’s journey” – speak to the character, Parrott adds, even though at first “you would never expect Don to be reading it”.“I really like it when they incorporate the text of the book into show,” Parrott says. In the season two opening, Draper appears reading, and then proceeds to recite, Frank O’Hara’s Mayakovsky, from Meditations in an Emergency. It is perfect to illustrate both his identity crisis and the heady 1960s era. The same was true of Dante’s journey to hell. The featured opening lines – about a man utterly lost and alone “midway in our life’s journey” – speak to the character, Parrott adds, even though at first “you would never expect Don to be reading it”.
The most discussed book in the show recently was Rosemary’s Baby, after Sally Draper was seen reading it. Dozens of conspiracy theories appeared online making connections to more than a few disturbing Megan/Sharon Tate similarities. Thankfully, it was just a book – perfect for Sally – “a child in a very grown-up world with grown-up situations”, says Parrott.The most discussed book in the show recently was Rosemary’s Baby, after Sally Draper was seen reading it. Dozens of conspiracy theories appeared online making connections to more than a few disturbing Megan/Sharon Tate similarities. Thankfully, it was just a book – perfect for Sally – “a child in a very grown-up world with grown-up situations”, says Parrott.
But the more subtle references are the librarian’s personal favourites. He was fascinated by the connection between Betty Draper reading F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Diamond as Big as the Ritz in season two, and Sally reading The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois two seasons later – a children’s book with similar themes. And, even though John Cheever’s books do not feature even once, “his work is embedded in the fabric of the show – surely, the season-two episode in which Don constantly swims resembles the short story The Swimmer,” Parrott points out. Matthew Weiner – known for his extreme attention to detail – did say, in a Paris Review interview, that he begins every season by rereading Cheever’s preface to his Collected Stories.But the more subtle references are the librarian’s personal favourites. He was fascinated by the connection between Betty Draper reading F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Diamond as Big as the Ritz in season two, and Sally reading The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois two seasons later – a children’s book with similar themes. And, even though John Cheever’s books do not feature even once, “his work is embedded in the fabric of the show – surely, the season-two episode in which Don constantly swims resembles the short story The Swimmer,” Parrott points out. Matthew Weiner – known for his extreme attention to detail – did say, in a Paris Review interview, that he begins every season by rereading Cheever’s preface to his Collected Stories.
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As the show enters the 1970s, what literary surprises can we expect? Surely the best-sellers of the time (“there are always givens: of course Roger is aware of books by Ogilvy”, says the librarian). They might read The Godfather, or The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton. “But I’d like to assume that there will be some literature featured that speaks directly to the time period. The end of the 1960s was the end of something in America. It was also the beginning of something.” Parrott will be hoping for those hidden gems: “I can’t wait to be surprised.”As the show enters the 1970s, what literary surprises can we expect? Surely the best-sellers of the time (“there are always givens: of course Roger is aware of books by Ogilvy”, says the librarian). They might read The Godfather, or The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton. “But I’d like to assume that there will be some literature featured that speaks directly to the time period. The end of the 1960s was the end of something in America. It was also the beginning of something.” Parrott will be hoping for those hidden gems: “I can’t wait to be surprised.”
The most genius Mad Men literary momentsThe most genius Mad Men literary moments
1. Don reading Dante’s The Inferno [Season 6, episode 1: The Doorway]: This scene had everyone talking. “I would never had guessed Don would be reading Dante’s Inferno on a beach, but those first few lines – read on a voice over – are so spot on. It was a wonderful surprise, and that’s one of the reasons the show is so great,” said Parrott. Dante’s journey through Hell and its nine circles was the perfect allegoric read for the character – and the contrast of the Hawaiian beach backdrop made it even more striking.1. Don reading Dante’s The Inferno [Season 6, episode 1: The Doorway]: This scene had everyone talking. “I would never had guessed Don would be reading Dante’s Inferno on a beach, but those first few lines – read on a voice over – are so spot on. It was a wonderful surprise, and that’s one of the reasons the show is so great,” said Parrott. Dante’s journey through Hell and its nine circles was the perfect allegoric read for the character – and the contrast of the Hawaiian beach backdrop made it even more striking.
2. Don reciting Frank O’Hara [Season 2, episode 1: For Those Who Think Young]: “Now I am quietly waiting for the catastrophe of my personality to seem beautiful again” ... The voice-over of Don reading from Frank O’Hara’s 1957 poetry collection Meditations in an Emergency was beautiful and insightful. He put the book in the mail – and the recipient Anna Draper, as we would later discover.2. Don reciting Frank O’Hara [Season 2, episode 1: For Those Who Think Young]: “Now I am quietly waiting for the catastrophe of my personality to seem beautiful again” ... The voice-over of Don reading from Frank O’Hara’s 1957 poetry collection Meditations in an Emergency was beautiful and insightful. He put the book in the mail – and the recipient Anna Draper, as we would later discover.
3. Sally reading Rosemary’s Baby [Season 6, episode 8: The Crash]: Sally reading Ira Levin’s horror novel Rosemary’s Baby – when she was clearly too young for it – was revelatory. Not because any of the conspiracy theories about it came true, but because it perfectly reflected the fact that she “was a child in a very grown up world with grown up situations. We watched Sally grow up on the show, from reading Nancy Drew and The Horse that Liked Sandwiches to Rosemary’s Baby,” says Parrott.3. Sally reading Rosemary’s Baby [Season 6, episode 8: The Crash]: Sally reading Ira Levin’s horror novel Rosemary’s Baby – when she was clearly too young for it – was revelatory. Not because any of the conspiracy theories about it came true, but because it perfectly reflected the fact that she “was a child in a very grown up world with grown up situations. We watched Sally grow up on the show, from reading Nancy Drew and The Horse that Liked Sandwiches to Rosemary’s Baby,” says Parrott.
4. The subtle connections: The link between A Diamond as Big as the Ritz, read by Betty in season two, and The Twenty-One Balloons, read by Sally two seasons later, is something that the majority of viewers might not have picked up on, but it adds a level of complexity to the characters. The latter, a kids’ book, was so similar to Fitzgerald’s that upon publication, its author William Pene du Bois had to acknowledge, on the preface, the striking similarities – which were a complete and happy accident.4. The subtle connections: The link between A Diamond as Big as the Ritz, read by Betty in season two, and The Twenty-One Balloons, read by Sally two seasons later, is something that the majority of viewers might not have picked up on, but it adds a level of complexity to the characters. The latter, a kids’ book, was so similar to Fitzgerald’s that upon publication, its author William Pene du Bois had to acknowledge, on the preface, the striking similarities – which were a complete and happy accident.
5. All the surprises – like Pete Campbell reading Pynchon [season 5, episode 8:Lady Lazarus]: as the internet wisely asked, why? There could be a million reasons for Weiner to put The Crying of Lot 49 on Pete’s hands in the episode in which he goes all the way with Beth (remember Pete on all those train rides?): corporate rivalries, a hero dead before the novel starts ... but we simply cannot imagine Pete as a Thomas Pynchon fan. It makes one wonder what he thought of it.5. All the surprises – like Pete Campbell reading Pynchon [season 5, episode 8:Lady Lazarus]: as the internet wisely asked, why? There could be a million reasons for Weiner to put The Crying of Lot 49 on Pete’s hands in the episode in which he goes all the way with Beth (remember Pete on all those train rides?): corporate rivalries, a hero dead before the novel starts ... but we simply cannot imagine Pete as a Thomas Pynchon fan. It makes one wonder what he thought of it.
Is your favourite Mad Men literary moment or book not on this piece? Let us know in the comments.Is your favourite Mad Men literary moment or book not on this piece? Let us know in the comments.