Cultural critique and canon formation, 1910-1937 : a study in modernism and cultural memory
This thesis argues that one of the tasks of literary hiStory is to identify and challenge the processes by which writers who were once highly valued come to be forgotten and excluded from the canon. I investigate the work and cultural milieu of three such writers: Douglas Goldring, John Rodker and Mary Butts. The first chapter sets the terms of the argument, and presents the grounds for a reconfiguration of the conventional historical view of modernism. The second examines the early wor~ of Douglas Goldring: his achievements as editor of The Tramp are related to its cultural and historical situation; I then turn to the history of conscientious objection in the First World War in order to explore the politics of his 1917 novel The Fortune, and to provide historical material necessary for the later reading of Rodker's Memoirs of Other Fronts. This leads on to a discussion of some of his subsequent political novels and plays. In the third and fourth chapters, I analyse the work of John Rodker, from his adolescence in the East End of London to his maturity, first in relation to modernist dance and theatrical experiments in London during the first war, and later to avant-garde writing in England and France in the
Patterson, Ian
History
Cultural critique and canon formation, 1910-1937 : a study in modernism and cultural memory. This thesis argues that one of the tasks of literary hiStory is to identify and challenge the processes by which writers who were once highly valued come to be forgotten and excluded from the canon. I investigate the work and cultural milieu of three such writers: Douglas Goldring, John Rodker and Mary Butts. The first chapter sets the terms of the argument, and presents the grounds for a reconfiguration of the conventional historical view of modernism. The second examines the early wor~ of Douglas Goldring: his achievements as editor of The Tramp are related to its cultural and historical situation; I then turn to the history of conscientious objection in the First World War in order to explore the politics of his 1917 novel The Fortune, and to provide historical material necessary for the later reading of Rodker's Memoirs of Other Fronts. This leads on to a discussion of some of his subsequent political novels and plays. In the third and fourth chapters, I analyse the work of John Rodker, from his adolescence in the East End of London to his maturity, first in relation to modernist dance and theatrical experiments in London during the first war, and later to avant-garde writing in England and France in the
cultural critique canon formation study modernism cultural_memory argues task literary history identify challenge process writer highly value come forgotten exclude canon investigate work cultural_milieu writer douglas john mary first_set term argument_present ground reconfiguration conventional historical view modernism second_examines early douglas achievement editor related cultural historical_situation turn history conscientious objection first world war order explore politics novel fortune provide historical_material necessary later read memoirs lead discussion subsequent political novel play analyse work john adolescence east_end_london maturity first relation modernist dance theatrical london first war later write england_france