A Bakhtinian reading of a selection of poems by Hölderlin and Whitman

Stephen W Pierson, Purdue University

Abstract

Bakhtin's critical theory is shown to hold out the possibility of reading lyric poetry dialogically and monologically at the same time: dialogically as an utterance, and monologically as an artistic utterance. Lyric poetry is shown to exhibit all the major dialogic attributes of the utterance, as Bakhtin defines it: a change of speaking subjects, finalization of the utterance, expressive intonation, and discernible orientation toward an audience (addressivity). At the same time, the traditional lyric possesses a monologic author-hero relationship, insofar as lyrical author and speaker tend to merge. This merging, Bakhtin maintains, violates a fundamental dialogic condition of human being (the non-coincidence of self and other) and its corollary: one's excess of perception and cognition vis-à-vis another human being in everyday social intercourse. This surplus of seeing and knowing can be exploited artistically in any literary genre; however, the lyric's author-hero relationship works against it, while the novel's author-hero relationship favors it. Central to our claim is the importance of Bakhtin's early philosophical writing, where the author-hero relationship is treated in depth. Furthermore, we consider Bakhtin's views on lyric poetry consistent in the context of his dialogic theories of communication and cognition. These claims constitute a reconsideration of the scholarship on Bakhtin and lyric poetry, for it largely neglects the early philosophical writing and finds Bakhtin's views on poetry misguided and contradictory.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Mancing, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Comparative literature|Germanic literature|American literature

Off-Campus Purdue Users:
To access this dissertation, please log in to our
proxy server
.

Share

COinS