"You have no choice but to live in your time" - A Deconstruction of Martin Harrison's poetry collection "Summer"

Thesis (M.A.) , 2009 , 15 Pages , Grade: High Distinction 85%

Didactics for the subject German - Literature, Works

Martin Harrison’s anthology of lyric poetry Summer and the verse prose Music lucidly articulates the disposition of the postmodern poet having no choice but to write in the time in which they are living. His poetry of verse and experimental prose lucidly articulates the angst and dilemmas of living and narrating in the ambiguous epoch of Postmodernity. Paul Cheselka had once commented on the prolific poet Borges:
In Borges’ poetic cosmovision the most important symbol is time; it is a representation of man and his human condition. Like time, men are in a constant state of flux; they are both forever different and always essentially the same.

This is immensely obvious in Harrison’s anthology of poetry which mesmerizes the reader through his encapsulating imagery, juxtapositioning of unlikely entities, and experimentation and representation of man in his time. Specifically, Harrison focusses on infinitesimal moments and the ramifications which unfold in a ripple- like effect to convey an ontological appreciation of poetry and poetics which are a product of their respective culture, an aesthetic and evocative pastiche of the time they are written. We notice a disparaging discomfort within these poems, perhaps a semblance of Postmodern disharmony and anxiety infused with the overwhelming nuances of hybridity, which seems to be attributed to the element of time and its influences on the contemporaneous individual, and poetic artist.
Harrison, having no choice but to write of the vices and concerns of his time, instigates a melancholic tone, and an overwhelming mood of low modality with an omnipresent yearning for comprehension of what could be definitive of the Postmodern hybrid personage. This examination of human cynicism, and the search for self hood may be attributed to the uncertainties that govern Australian, and Western society of Post- September 11, and the continuance of the Iraqi War. However, in light of this, Harrison is able to induce his concerns with honest self reflection and careful selection of contrary images.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Martin Harrison - You have no choice but to live in your time
• Postmodern angst and dilemmas
• Harrison's poetic cosmovision
• Harrison's Neo-Formalist approach
• Summer: Exploring the lonely tourist's existence
• The metonymic disposition of the swimming pool
• The ocean as a universal signifier
• The image and Baudrillard's Simulacra and Simulation
• Flowers: 1. Landscape and the loss of authenticity
• Letter From America - to Lewis Ruark: The influence of technology
• The inevitability of technological development
• Harrison's exploration of the contemporary human condition
• Music Prose and Poems: The dwindling of structure and form

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This essay examines the work of Martin Harrison, a postmodern poet, and explores how his poetry reflects the anxieties and dilemmas of living in the postmodern era. The essay focuses on Harrison's use of imagery, juxtaposition, and experimentation to convey a sense of disorientation, fragmentation, and the search for meaning in a world dominated by technology and consumerism.

• The impact of postmodernity on the individual and the artist
• The role of technology and consumerism in shaping contemporary experience
• The search for meaning and identity in a fragmented and rapidly changing world
• The use of imagery, juxtaposition, and experimentation in Harrison's poetry
• The significance of poetry as a means of exploring and understanding the human condition

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The essay begins by introducing the idea that postmodern poets are forced to write about the time in which they live, highlighting Harrison's use of imagery and juxtaposition to encapsulate the anxieties and dilemmas of this epoch. The essay then delves into the concept of Harrison's poetic cosmovision, which focuses on infinitesimal moments and their ripple-like effect, highlighting the influence of time and its ramifications on the individual and the poetic artist. The essay proceeds to examine Harrison's Neo-Formalist approach, emphasizing his focus on describing "made spaces" rather than seeking resolutions, and how this approach reflects the changing cultural paradigms of the postmodern era. The essay then explores Harrison's poem "Summer," analyzing its themes of the lonely tourist's existence, the metonymic disposition of the swimming pool, and the transformation of the universal symbol of the ocean into the omnipresence of the "image."

The essay continues by exploring the concept of Baudrillard's "Simulacra and Simulation" and how it relates to Harrison's portrayal of the contemporary world as a distorted reality dominated by images and cinematics. The essay then examines the poem "Flowers: 1. Landscape" and its themes of the loss of authenticity, the natural world becoming obsolete, and the dominance of the "TV screen" in our perceptions. The essay concludes by analyzing Harrison's poem "Letter from America - to Lewis Ruark" and its themes of the influence of technology, the yearning for stability, and the search for meaning in a fragmented and rapidly changing world. The essay then explores Harrison's concept of "things" as malevolent commodities and his use of poetic language to interrupt the seamless relationship between managerialism and technology. The essay finishes by examining the poem "Double Movement" and its themes of the interaction, or lack thereof, between nature and human nature in the postmodern era, highlighting Harrison's use of poetry to explore and understand the human condition.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This essay focuses on the key themes of postmodernity, technology, consumerism, identity, meaning, and the role of poetry in understanding the contemporary human condition. The essay explores these themes through the work of Martin Harrison, highlighting his use of imagery, juxtaposition, and experimentation as key stylistic elements in his poetry. Important concepts related to this work include the influence of time, the postmodern cosmovision, the Neo-Formalist approach, the image, and the impact of technology on human experience.

• College: The University of Sydney
• Grade: High Distinction 85%
• Author: Anastasia Louridas (Author)
• Publication Year: 2009
• Pages: 15
• Catalog Number: V134668
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640418701
• ISBN (Book): 9783640418770
• Language: English
• Tags: Deconstruction, Martin, Harrison, Summer, High, Distinction