Theorists of Modernist Poetry: T.S. Eliot, T.E. Hulme, Ezra Pound

Routledge Critical Thinkers

by Rebecca Beasley, Robert Eaglestone (Series Editor)

Modernist poetry heralded a radical new aesthetic of experimentation, pioneering new verse forms and subjects, and changing the very notion of what it meant to be a poet. This volume examines T.S. Eliot, T.E. Hulme and Ezra Pound, three of the most influential figures of the modernist movement, and argues that we cannot dissociate their bold, inventive poetic forms from their profoundly engaged theories of social and political reform. Tracing the complex theoretical foundations of modernist poetics, Rebecca Beasley This volume offers invaluable insight into the modernist movement, as well as demonstrating the deep influence of the three poets on the shape and values of the discipline of English Literature itself. Theorists of Modernist Poetry is relevant not only to students of modernism, but to all those with an interest in why we study, teach, read and evaluate literature the way we do.

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[SB · Rating 3 out of 5]

t.s. eliot - genius extraordinaire.


ezra pound - modernist gimmickholder! ('i have gimmicks in my pockets.")

t.e. hulme - gosh! boring person. thank goodness that he died during WWI, otherwise pound would've gotten a tough competition! :D (gimmicks-gimmicks-gimmicks!)

[Bethany Dark · Rating 2 out of 5]

I decided to read this book in preparation for my upcoming 20th Century Poetry module, and I was very much hoping that it would be more engaging and thought provoking than it was. Now I should probably say at the outset that I have a healthy dose of cynicism when it comes to modernist poetry, especially when written by people of a very different political persuasion to myself, so I didn't exactly come into this book with an open mind. That said, I am a huge literary history nerd and am fascinated by the critical works of creative writers, so I really thought I would find this book more interesting than I did.

Modernism is an innately difficult genre, with paradox and contradiction often embedded in its construction, and I hoped that this book would help to untangle some of the knottiest parts of this. Unfortunately, I often got lost in the thickets of primary sources and oversimplified key term definitions provided by Beasley. Of the readings and contexts explored, my curiosity was most stimulated by the exploration of the link between wartime propaganda and modernist poetry.

Perhaps my error was reading this book from cover to cover - there are certainly some good ideas and quotable passages, which may well be useful to other students.