Papers by James Dowthwaite
The Wallace Stevens journal, Mar 1, 2024
Ezra Pound and 20th-Century Theories of Language, 2019
is one of the most significant poets of the twentieth century, a writer whose poetry is particula... more is one of the most significant poets of the twentieth century, a writer whose poetry is particularly notable for the intensity of its linguistic qualities. Indeed, from the principles of Imagism to the polyphony of his Cantos, Pound is central to our conception of modernism's relationship with language. This volume explores the development of Pound's understanding of language in the context of twentieth-century linguistics and the philosophy of language. It draws on largely unpublished archival material in order to provide a broadly chronological account of the development of Pound's views and their relation to both his own poetry and modernist writing as a whole. Beginning with Pound's contentious relationship with philology and his antagonism towards academia, the book traces continuities and shifts across Pound's career, culminating in a discussion of the centrality of language to the conception of his Cantos. While it contains discussions around significant figures in twentieth-century linguistic thought, such as Ferdinand de Saussure and Ludwig Wittgenstein, the book attempts to recover the work of theorists such as Leonard Bloomfield, Lucien Lévy-Bruhl, and C.K. Ogden, figures who were once central to modernism, but who have largely been pushed to the periphery of modernist studies. The picture of Pound that emerges is a figure whose understanding of language is not only bound up with modernist approaches to anthropology, politics, and philosophy, but which calls for a new understanding of modernism's relationship to each. James Dowthwaite was born and raised in Winchester and studied, first, at Royal Holloway, University of London, before completing his doctorate at The Queen's College, University of Oxford in July 2016. He now teaches English and American literature at the University of Jena, having previously taught at the University of Göttingen. He lives in Heidelberg with his wife.
Modernist Cultures, May 1, 2018
In this article, I look at the connections between the eminent linguist Edward Sapir (1884-1939) ... more In this article, I look at the connections between the eminent linguist Edward Sapir (1884-1939) and modernist poetry. In his career, Sapir provided extensive knowledge about North American languages and promoted an influential relativistic approach to language and culture. His understanding of language, particularly its cultural values, was informed by his understanding of literature. I look, in particular, at the ways that Sapir applied his theories of language to his contemporaries in modernist poetry, with specific focus on Amy Lowell and Hilda Doolittle. Sapir saw modernist poetry as being based on the same linguistic principles as his broader theories of language and culture. I argue that Sapir's theoretical writing is not simply a key by which we should read modernist approaches to language, but is made up of important literary connections which point to his influence and standing in the modernist network.
Notes and Queries, Apr 22, 2019
Routledge eBooks, Dec 15, 2022
New American Studies Journal
Lord, if it is right that you speak in the softness of morning, Well, then it is right that you b... more Lord, if it is right that you speak in the softness of morning, Well, then it is right that you burn up the afternoon; that we should tread about in
Ezra Pound's Cantos are as notorious for the difficulty of both their politics and their form as ... more Ezra Pound's Cantos are as notorious for the difficulty of both their politics and their form as they are famous for their lyrical beauty. Pound's long poem, which is about nothing less than the history of humanity, follows a cyclical structure and logic in which chronology is disrupted, making the narrative fluency of the text difficult to discern. Furthermore, Fascist politics and an anti-Semitic worldview lie at the heart of the poem's political and historical visions. In this article, I explore the ways in which Pound uses an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory to form a historical narrative structure in which the progress of humanity has been arrested by the supposed insidious actions of Jewish international capitalists. While there have been many critical engagements with Pound's alleged anti-Semitism, the exact affect that it had on his long poem is yet to be determined. I argue that throughout Pound's middle period (1920-1945), the theory that a cabal of Jewish figures were corrupting geopolitics is the central narrative thrust of The Cantos. That such a theory lies at the heart of a determined attempt to delineate a vision of human history remains of crucial importance to literary studies. Said Mr Rothschild, hell knows which Roth-schild 1861, '64 or there sometime, "Very few people "will understand this. Those who do will be preoccupied "getting profits. The general public will probably not "see it's against their interest." Seventeen years on this case; here Gents, is/are the confession. "Can we take this into court? "Will any jury convict on this evidence?" 1694 anno domini, on through the ages of usury On, right on, into hair-cloth, right on into rotten building Right on into London houses, ground rents, foetid brick work, Will any jury convict 'um? The Foundation of Regius Professors Was made to spread lies and teach Whiggery, will any JURY convict 'um? (XLVI. 233
Modernist Cultures, 2018
In this article, I look at the connections between the eminent linguist Edward Sapir (1884–1939) ... more In this article, I look at the connections between the eminent linguist Edward Sapir (1884–1939) and modernist poetry. In his career, Sapir provided extensive knowledge about North American languages and promoted an influential relativistic approach to language and culture. His understanding of language, particularly its cultural values, was informed by his understanding of literature. I look, in particular, at the ways that Sapir applied his theories of language to his contemporaries in modernist poetry, with specific focus on Amy Lowell and Hilda Doolittle. Sapir saw modernist poetry as being based on the same linguistic principles as his broader theories of language and culture. I argue that Sapir's theoretical writing is not simply a key by which we should read modernist approaches to language, but is made up of important literary connections which point to his influence and standing in the modernist network.
Glossator: Practice and Theory of the Commentary, 2018
American Literary History
New American Studies Journal
well as numerous articles and edited collections. His third essay collection is due out next year... more well as numerous articles and edited collections. His third essay collection is due out next year, and his much-anticipated history of fascism will be published by Yale University Press in 2024. I first met Matthew in 2013, just after the publication of his Pound book, and it was clear then that his careful, and deeply humane, understanding of fascism extended far beyond modernist studies. Since then his foresight and profound understanding of fascist ideology and aesthetics have provided crucial insights into what has been an ongoing political crisis. We met for a beer on Zoom to take stock of his work so far, his thoughts on present crises and to discuss what the humanities have to offer in his area.
Ezra Pound and 20th-Century Theories of Language, 2019
Uploads
Papers by James Dowthwaite