The Art of Hunger: Aesthetic Autonomy and the Afterlives of Modernism (Oxford English Monographs)

As literary modernism was emerging in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a number of its most important figures and precursors began to talk about their own writing as a kind of starvation. __The Art of Hunger: Aesthetic Autonomy and the Afterlives of Modernism__ uses this trope as a lens through which to examine contemporary literature’s engagement with modernism, arguing that hunger offers a way of grappling with the fate of aesthetic autonomy through modernism’s late twentieth-century afterlives. The art of hunger appears at moments where aesthetic autonomy enters a period of crisis, and in this context, the writers examined here develop an alternate theory of aesthetic autonomy, which imagines art not as a conduit for freedom, but rather as an enactment of unfreedom. This book traces this theme from the origins of modernism to the end of the twentieth century, focusing particularly on three authors who redeploy the modernist art of hunger as a response to key moments in the history of modernist aesthetic autonomy’s delegitimization: Samuel Beckett in post-Vichy France; Paul Auster in post-1968 Paris and New York; and J. M. Coetzee in late apartheid South Africa. Combining historical analysis of these literary fields with close readings of individual texts, and drawing extensively on new archival research, this book offers a counter-history of modernism’s post-World War II reception and a new theory of aesthetic autonomy as a practice of unfreedom. Hunger Is One Of The Governing Metaphors For Literature In The Late Nineteenth And Twentieth Centuries. Beginning In The Mid-nineteenth Century, Writers And Critics Repeatedly Describe Writing As A Process Of Starvation, As In The Familiar Type Of The Starving Artist, And High Art As The Rejection Of 'culinary' Pleasures. The Art Of Hunger: Aesthetic Autonomy And The Afterlives Of Modernism Argues That This Metaphor Offers A Way Of Describing The Contradictions Of Aesthetic Autonomy In Modernist Literature And Its Late-twentieth-century Heirs. This Book Traces The Emergence Of A Tradition Of Writing It Calls The 'art Of Hunger', From The Origins Of Modernism To The End Of The Twentieth Century. It Focuses Particularly On Three Authors Who Redeploy The Modernist0art Of Hunger As A Response To Key Moments In The History Of Modernist Aesthetic Autonomy's Delegitimization: Samuel Beckett In Post-vichy France; Paul Auster In Post-1968 Paris And New York; And J. M. Coetzee In Late Apartheid South Africa. 0combining Historical Analysis Of These Literary Fields With Close Readings Of Individual Texts, And Drawing Extensively On New Archival Research, This Book Offers A Counter-history Of Modernism's Post-world War Ii Reception And A New Theory Of Aesthetic Autonomy As A Practice Of Unfreedom. Introduction: The Aesthetics Of Hunger -- The Modernist Art Of Hunger -- Hunger In A Closed System: Samuel Beckett In Post-war France -- The Starving Artist As Dying Author: Paul Auster And Aesthetic Autonomy After 1968 -- Starving Across The Color Line: J.m. Coetzee In Apartheid South Africa -- Conclusion: On The Refusal Of Modernism's Afters. Alys Moody. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 207-221) And Index. Hunger is one of the governing metaphors for literature in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, writers and critics repeatedly describe writing as a process of starvation, as in the familiar type of the starving artist, and high art as the rejection of 'culinary' pleasures. The Art of Hunger: Aesthetic Autonomy and the Afterlives of Modernism argues that this metaphor offers a way of describing the contradictions of aesthetic autonomy in modernist literature and its late-twentieth-century heirs. This book traces the emergence of a tradition of writing it calls the 'art of hunger', from the origins of modernism to the end of the twentieth century. It focuses particularly on three authors who redeploy the modernist art of hunger as a response to key moments in the history of modernist aesthetic autonomy's delegitimization: Samuel Beckett in post-Vichy France; Paul Auster in post-1968 Paris and New York; and J. M. Coetzee in late apartheid South Africa. Combining historical analysis of these literary fields with close readings of individual texts, and drawing extensively on new archival research, this book offers a counter-history of modernism's post-World War II reception and a new theory of aesthetic autonomy as a practice of unfreedom. La jaquette indique : "This book traces the emergence of a tradition of writing it calls the "art of hunger", from the origin of modernism to the end of the twentieth century. It focuses particularly on three authors who redeploy the modernist art of hunger as a response to key moments in the history of modernist aesthetic autonomy's delegitimization: Samuel Beckett in post-Vichy France; Paul Auster in post-1968 Paris and New York; and J. M. Coetzee in late apartheid South Africa" When we think of writers today, we often think of them as thin and poor-as starving artists. This book traces the history of this idea, and asks why hunger has been such a compelling metaphor for thinking about writing in modern times.