Mallarme and the Sublime (SUNY series, Intersections: Philosophy and Critical Theory) - Softcover

Marvick, Louis Wirth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0887062792 ISBN 13: 9780887062797

Publisher: State University of New York Press, 1986

Synopsis

In this groundbreaking study, Louis W. Marvick develops a literary criterion for the quality known as "the sublime," considered as the expression of an attitude towards the ideal--an attitude composed of irony and enthusiasm in varying proportions. The author examines the various theories of the sublime and traces the development of the concept from a rhetorical device to an experience of spiritual insight derived from the genius of the artist. The book covers all of the major discussions of the concept, from Longinus, Johnson, Dennis, Burke, and Kant, up to Mallarme. Kant's structural model of the sublime moment is translated into terms suitable for literary analysis. This leads to a meticulous examination of Mallarme's use of the word sublime in his prose writings and the ways in which Mallarme's understanding of the term resembles and diverges from that of his predecessors. This comparative procedure affords an insight into the nature both of Mallarme's literary achievement and of the sublime experience in general.

About this title

About the Author

Louis Wirth Marvick is an Assistant Professor of French at Northern Illinois University.

Edition details

• Publisher: State University of New York Press
• Publication date: 1986
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0887062792
• ISBN 13: 9780887062797
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 211