It has been asserted that Ezra Pound's Hugh Selwyn Mauberley is the seminal work
which sees the poet through his greatest transformation.1 It was written and published in
1920 at a time when Pound was revising his views about the role of poetry and art. Though
it shows ambiguity about the role of the speakers in the poem, it is generally accepted that
E.P. and H. S. Mauberley are the two personae through which Pound speaks. These
characters both reject the vision of the pre-war aesthete for a temperament that results in the
transformation of Mr. Pound.
Ezra Pound recognizes that art is shaped through a societal pressure defined by the
demands of the day. He smartly dubs this pressure "the age" as if to hint at the fickle and
temporary nature of artistic tastes. The age seems to be demanding "an image of its
accelerated grimace". For Pound, that roughly translates to the kind of culture that gives rise
to Futurism: a blinded lauding of machines, noises, explosions in harmony with the buzzing
of sprawling urban centers and the battery of howitzer guns. [...]
Table of Contents
1. Fishing for Disillusionment: Rejection and Newfound Values of Art in Ezra Pound's Mauberley
2. Analysis of Aesthetic Values and Social Pressure
3. Artistic Perfection and the Influence of Flaubert
4. Socio-political Reflection and the Epilogue of Modernism
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines Ezra Pound's 1920 work "Hugh Selwyn Mauberley" as a pivotal transformation in the poet's career, specifically focusing on how he navigates the disillusionment with post-WWI society and redefines the purpose of art against the commercial demands of "the age."
- The rejection of pre-war aestheticism and Victorian ideals.
- The impact of societal pressure and "the age" on artistic production.
- Pound's shift from romanticism to a critical, self-reflective poetic voice.
- The relationship between the degradation of moral values and the state of modern art.
- The deliberate use of obscurity and myth as a defense against the democratization of art.
Excerpt from the Book
Fishing for Disillusionment: Rejection and Newfound Values of Art in Ezra Pound's Mauberley
Ezra Pound recognizes that art is shaped through a societal pressure defined by the demands of the day. He smartly dubs this pressure "the age" as if to hint at the fickle and temporary nature of artistic tastes. The age seems to be demanding "an image of its accelerated grimace". For Pound, that roughly translates to the kind of culture that gives rise to Futurism: a blinded lauding of machines, noises, explosions in harmony with the buzzing of sprawling urban centers and the battery of howitzer guns. To say that Pound's work is a reaction to the art of the age would be a vast understatement. Pound's work does not seek to fit the mold the age demands, it wants to break free and "bear true witness." Mauberley thus exposes the inadequacies of British society and artistic tastes and shows the futility of his earlier attempts at "resuscitating the dead art of poetry."
The poem's central focus is towards disillusionment and disgust. It is highly critical of the art demanded. Pound recognizes that his earlier self, dubbed E.P, "strove to resuscitate the dead art of poetry" for three years (1917-1920) through a romantic avenue, a quest to "maintain the sublime"(ln 3). This attempt breaks down after a realization that nothing after the Great War would ever be the same in art; that art's purpose had changed.
Summary of Chapters
1. Fishing for Disillusionment: Rejection and Newfound Values of Art in Ezra Pound's Mauberley: This section introduces the poem as a seminal work marking Pound's transformation and his farewell to London and his former self.
2. Analysis of Aesthetic Values and Social Pressure: This chapter details how Pound identifies "the age" as a force of societal pressure that forces art toward a superficial, "accelerated grimace," prompting his rebellion.
3. Artistic Perfection and the Influence of Flaubert: This section explores how Pound utilized the figure of Odysseus and the influence of Flaubert to pursue an idealized, impeccable aesthetic virtue in defiance of modern cultural demands.
4. Socio-political Reflection and the Epilogue of Modernism: This final chapter connects the poet's aesthetic disillusionment with the broader socio-political fallout of the Great War, framing the poem as a final, self-reflective rejection of Victorian ideals.
Keywords
Ezra Pound, Hugh Selwyn Mauberley, Modernism, Aestheticism, Disillusionment, Great War, Victorianism, Flaubert, Artistic Perfection, Socio-political, Futurism, Poetic Persona, Cultural Critique, Literary Transformation, Romanticism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on Ezra Pound's 1920 poem "Hugh Selwyn Mauberley," examining how it serves as a vehicle for the poet to articulate his disillusionment with the contemporary world and to revise his aesthetic values.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the conflict between the artist and societal pressures, the rejection of Victorian ideals, the critique of modern cultural tastes, and the impact of the Great War on artistic purpose.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to demonstrate how Pound's "Mauberley" functions as a bridge between his early romantic endeavors and a new, more critical, and self-reflective stage of his poetic career.
Which methodology does the author use?
The author employs a literary analysis approach, utilizing primary text evidence from the poem itself alongside critical literary theory and historical context provided by scholars like Noel Stock and Hugh Kenner.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body examines the societal context of "the age," the influence of Flaubert on Pound's stylistic goals, and the way the poem acts as an epilogue to his previous romantic quests.
Which keywords define this work?
The work is defined by terms such as Modernism, Aestheticism, Disillusionment, Ezra Pound, and Poetic Persona.
How does the author characterize "the age" in Pound's work?
The author characterizes "the age" as a societal force that prioritizes fickle, temporary tastes and commercialism, which Pound rejects in favor of art that "bears true witness."
Why does the author argue that Pound uses cryptic themes?
The author suggests that Pound employs obscure, mythical, and romantic themes as a deliberate defense mechanism against the democratization of art, which he views as a threat to creative freedom.
What role does Flaubert play in Pound's artistic development according to the text?
Flaubert is described as a model of artistic perfection, representing a "true Penelope" for Pound's persona E.P., as he sought to create a perfectly aesthetic piece in a way that was somewhat foreign to British literary norms.
- Quote paper
- Ard Ardalan (Author), 2009, Fishing for Disillusionment, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/122297
