Renown and notoriety are two words which some may have heard and some may have not. They are how different fencers are talked about, even if the people doing the talking do not even know the words or what they mean. This post is designed to bring these two words into the light of examination and show how the actions of a swordsman can determine the reactions that he will get from other swordsmen and even non-combatants.
Definitions
The first
thing to do is to define these words and to do that definitions have been taken
from www.merriam-webster.com. Thus
the definitions of the words are:
Renown: a state of being widely acclaimed and highly honoured
Notoriety: the condition of being famous or well-known especially for something bad: the state of being notorious
Clearly
they both have something in common in that in both cases a person with renown
and a person who has notoriety are well-known. This is the common element that
links them. The difference is that one is respected and praised while the other
is known for something less than positive. It is in this difference where the
importance lies. Now that we have the definitions and the beginnings of an
explanation, we can begin to relate them to the swordsman.
For the Swordsman
"How you win is ... important, if not more important, than any individual victory. You must win decisively, cleanly, and gallantly." (Evangelista, 2000:301)
These are
two sides to fame. We all know of celebrities who are famous for doing good
things and staying that way, but we all know of celebrities who are good at
what they do, but are known also for bad things. The former have renown, the
latter have notoriety.
In relation
to the swordsman, the swordsman who has renown is respected on and off the
field regardless of the result of his bouts or tournaments, or even whether he
even participates in tournaments. When he fights he fights with grace and
skill, acknowledging the skill of his opponent, a truly positive influence on
the community. The swordsman who has notoriety is respected on the field ...
The rest of this article can be found in Un-Blogged: A Fencer's Ramblings by Henry Walker, which is available in paperback from:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Blogged-Ramblings-Henry-Leigh-Walker/dp/098764470X
Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/un-blogged-henry-leigh-walker/book/9780987644701.html
Among other places...
It is also available in electronic format (pdf) from: https://buy.stripe.com/fZecP419c7CB9VKeUV
... or direct from the author.
Bibliography
Evangelista, N. (2000) The Inner Game of Fencing: Excellence
in Form, Technique, Strategy, and Spirit, Masters Press, Illinois, USA
