Murray, R. orcid.org/0000-0001-5278-3121 (2022) Things that cling: marine attachments in Eliot. Journal of Modern Literature, 45 (3). pp. 21-38. ISSN 0022-281X
Abstract
T.S. Eliot was captivated by marine life forms, particularly creatures that cling. From the “ragged claws” of ancient crustaceans to the firm foothold of the “delicate algae and the sea anemone,” Eliot’s writing is full of creatures whose instinct is to “ hold on tight” while the sea tosses them about. Eliot’s marine imagery is bound up with his thinking about the enabling possibilities of attachment—an idea that runs counter to his longstanding critical reputation as a poet of detachment. From his early reading of biological texts to his late critical writing, Eliot’s work demonstrates a recurrent interest in attachment that serves to complicate and enrich our understanding of his aesthetics.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2021 The Trustees of Indiana University. This is an author-produced version of a paper subsequently published in Journal of Modern Literature. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | T. S. Eliot; marine life; attachment; biology; psychoanalysis |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Arts and Humanities (Sheffield) > School of English (Sheffield) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number Leverhulme Trust ECF-2020-575 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 07 Jan 2022 12:17 |
Last Modified: | 23 Jan 2024 01:13 |
Published Version: | https://muse.jhu.edu/article/860642 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Indiana University Press |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.2979/jmodelite.45.3.03 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:182124 |