Modernism and Eugenics : Woolf, Eliot, Yeats, and the Culture of Degeneration

In Modernism and Eugenics, first published in 2001, Donald Childs shows how Virginia Woolf, T. S. Eliot and W. B. Yeats believed in eugenics, the science of race improvement and adapted this scientific discourse to the language and purposes of the modern imagination. Childs traces the impact of the eugenics movement on such modernist works as Mrs Dalloway, A Room of One's Own, The Waste Land and Yeats's late poetry and early plays. The language of eugenics moves, he claims, between public discourse and personal perspectives. It informs Woolf's theorization of woman's imagination; in Eliot's poetry, it pictures as a nightmare the myriad contemporary eugenical threats to humankind's biological and cultural future. And for Yeats, it becomes integral to his engagement with the occult and his commitment to Irish Nationalism. This is an interesting study of a controversial theme which reveals the centrality of eugenics in the life and work of several major modernist writers. In Modernism And Eugenics, Donald Childs Shows How Virginia Woolf, T.s. Eliot, And W.b. Yeats Believed In Eugenics, The Science Of Race Improvement, And Adapted This Scientific Discourse To The Language And Purposes Of The Modern Imagination. Childs Traces The Impact Of The Eugenics Movement On Such Modernist Works As Mrs Dalloway, A Room Of One's Own, The Waste Land, And Yeats's Late Poetry And Early Plays. The Language Of Eugenics Moves, He Claims, Between Public Discourse And Personal Perspectives. It Informs Woolf's Theorisation Of Woman's Imagination; In Eliot's Poetry, It Pictures As A Nightmare The Myriad Contemporary Eugenical Threats To Humankind's Biological And Cultural Future. And For Yeats, It Becomes Integral To His Engagement With The Occult And His Commitment To Irish Nationalism. This Is An Original Study Of A Controversial Theme Which Reveals The Centrality Of Eugenics In The Life And Work Of Several Major Modernist Writers. Virginia Woolf's Hereditary Taint -- Boers, Whores, And Mongols In Mrs. Dalloway -- Body And Biology In A Room Of One's Own -- Eliot On Biology And Birthrates -- To Breed Or Not To Breed: The Eliots' Question -- Fatal Fertility In The Waste Land -- The Late Eugenics Of W.b. Yeats -- Yeats And Stirpiculture -- Yeats And The Sexual Question. Donald J. Childs. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 231-259) And Index. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Introduction......Page 11 CHAPTER 1 Virginia Woolf's hereditary taint......Page 32 CHAPTER 2 Boers, whores, and Mongols in Mrs. Dalloway......Page 48 CHAPTER 3 Body and biology in A Room of One's Own......Page 68 CHAPTER 4 Eliot on biology and birthrates......Page 85 CHAPTER 5 To breed or not to breed: the Eliots' question......Page 109 CHAPTER 6 Fatal fertility in The Waste Land......Page 131 CHAPTER 7 The late eugenics of W. B. Yeats......Page 159 CHAPTER 8 Yeats and stirpiculture......Page 180 CHAPTER 9 Yeats and The Sexual Question......Page 213 INTRODUCTION......Page 241 1 VIRGINIA WOOLF'S HEREDITARY TAINT......Page 246 2 BOERS, WHORES, AND MONGOLS IN MRS. DALLOWAY......Page 248 3 BODY AND BIOLOGY IN A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN......Page 250 4 ELIOT ON BIOLOGY AND BIRTHRATES......Page 251 5 TO BREED OR NOT TO BREED: THE ELIOTS' QUESTION......Page 254 6 FATAL FERTILITY IN THE WASTE LAND......Page 257 7 THE LATE EUGENICS OF W. B. YEATS......Page 262 8 YEATS AND STIRPICULTURE......Page 265 9 YEATS AND THE SEXUAL QUESTION......Page 267 Index......Page 270 In Modernism and Eugenics, Donald J. Childs shows how Virginia Woolf, T. S. Eliot, and W. B. Yeats believed in eugenics, the science of race improvement, and adapted this scientific discourse to the language and purposes of the modern imagination. Childs traces the impact of the eugenics movement on such modernist works as Mrs. Dalloway, A Room of One's Own, The Waste Land, and Yeats's late poetry and early plays. The language of eugenics moves, he claims, between public discourse and personal perspectives. It informs Woolf's theorization of woman's imagination; in Eliot's poetry, it pictures as a nightmare the myriad contemporary eugenical threats to humankind's biological and cultural future. And for Yeats, it becomes integral to his engagement with the occult and his commitment to Irish nationalism. This is an original study of a controversial theme which reveals the centrality of eugenics in the life and work of several major modernist writers. In Modernism and Eugenics, Donald Childs reveals how Virginia Woolf, T.S. Eliot, and W.B. Yeats believed in eugenics, the science of racial improvement, and adapted this scientific discourse to the language and purposes of the modern imagination. He traces the impact of the eugenics movement on such modernist works as Mrs. Dalloway, The Waste Land, and Yeats's late poetry and early plays. This is an original study of a controversial theme which reveals the centrality of eugenics in the life and work of several major modernist writers. This book, first published in 2001, shows how Woolf, Eliot and Yeats believed in eugenics, the science of race improvement, and adapted this scientific discourse to the language of the modern imagination. He traces the impact of eugenics on such modernist works as Mrs Dalloway, The Waste Land and Yeats's late poetry and plays. Donald Childs shows how Woolf, Eliot, and Yeats believed in eugenics, the science of race improvement, and adapted this scientific discourse to the language of the modern imagination. He traces the impact of eugenics on such modernist works as Mrs Dalloway, The Waste Land, and Yeats's late poetry and plays Virginia Woolf's eugenical self has gone largely unremarked - perhaps not surprisingly.