Lyric theory polarises the narratological complexities of the text on the one hand and the epideictic echo into the empirical reality on the other. Through this divergence, the transformative urge expressed in the poems is circumvented. The description of the transformative function of poetry, which consists of the fusion of enounced and enunciation, demands and enables the convergence of the epideictic quality of the lyric and the narratological mechanisation of poetry. The crucial link for the convergence of lyric theoretical discourses is the framework of cognitive schemata. This cognitive approach identifies the text, language, and world knowledge by scrutinising the schemata and frames of a poem. The approach transforms the strands of lyric theory to focus on the modulating capacity of a poem by engaging the reader’s cognitive process and thus articulating the transformative function of the text for that reader. Catalysing the narratological and epideictic theories of the lyric with the cognitive – literary – studies approach enables a framework that distinguishes a fragmentary and heuristic construction, classifies the modulation kinds of accretion, tuning or restructuring and therewith articulates the transformative function of early 21st century crisis poetry.
The paper begins with section 2. Lyric Theory, which links the theories of poetry to the cognitive approach and creates a corpus of early 21st poetry that illustrates the suitability of this analysis. Subsequently, the cognitive method is discussed in more detail in section 3. Transformative Function Methodology. The main section 4. Schema and Frame analysis of Contemporary Crisis Poetry focuses on the application of the theory to model examples and presents the results of the cognitive method for the corpus of early 21st century crisis poetry. Finally, section 5. Conclusion provides a summary and discusses limitations and prospects.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: Cognitive Lyrics
2. Lyric Theory
2.1. Simultaneous Theories of the Lyric
2.2. Contemporary Crisis Poetry
3. Transformative Function Methodology
3.1. Cognitive Schemata
3.2. The Schema and Frame of Poetry
3.3. Theoretical Convergence
4. Schema and Frame analysis of Contemporary Crisis Poetry
4.1. Heuristic construction
4.2. Fragmentary construction
4.3. Cases of Complications
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary objective of this thesis is to explore the transformative function of contemporary poetry in the early 21st century by applying a cognitive-literary approach. The research investigates how poems address societal crises by interacting with the reader's cognitive system, specifically focusing on how schemata and frames are activated, modulated, and reconstructed during the reading process to create meaning in response to current socio-political challenges.
- Integration of cognitive science and literary theory in the analysis of contemporary lyric texts.
- Application of the "Schemas and Frames" model to describe the transformative effects of poetry.
- Examination of a curated corpus of 21st-century crisis poetry (e.g., works by Margret Atwood, Eavan Boland, Jackie Kay).
- Classification of cognitive engagement modes, specifically heuristic versus fragmentary construction.
- Analysis of the relationship between poetic form, cultural context, and reader cognition.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction: Cognitive Lyrics
While early 21st century poetry is once again winning literary prizes, the number of entries is increasing and sales are on the rise (cf. Ferguson; cf. Cain; cf. Shaffi, Anthony). To underscore this rise, Instagram provides a medium in which a wide audience is exposed to lyrical texts. For the digital generation, this creates an “increased exposure and relevance of poetry writing and appreciation.” (Kovalik and Curwood 185). In parallel with other literary texts, poetry of the early 21st century focuses on the treatment of crisis themes (cf. Fitzpatrick). In this way, the literary tradition serves as a platform for gaining history, capturing voices, gaining visibility, and subsequently fulfilling the expectations of the early 21st century reader.
Meanwhile, one strand of lyric theory produces narratological interpretations that analyse the phonetic, semantic, and discursive interactions within the text. This toolkit uncovers the communication of the text while analysing form trends. Moreover, the other strand of lyric theory emphasises the connection of the poems with empirical reality. This perspective interprets what the texts claim about the world and makes accessible the social and cultural relationships addressed. At the same time, the theoretical approaches lead to contrasting definitions about poetry as a genre and poetic quality. They claim to operate on divergent strands: on the one hand, narratological complexity in a fictional world (cf. Müller-Zettelmann; cf. Hühn, et al; cf. Jakobson) and, on the other, the re-experience of empirical reality (cf. Culler, Theory; cf. Culler, Jonathan D.; cf. Hühn, An “Undogmatic”).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Cognitive Lyrics: Contextualizes poetry in the 21st century and introduces the cognitive approach as a bridge between narratological and empirical perspectives on lyric theory.
2. Lyric Theory: Discusses classical and contemporary theories of the lyric, highlighting their limitations in addressing the social "use-value" of poetry and advocating for a cognitive framework.
3. Transformative Function Methodology: Establishes the analytical framework based on cognitive schemata, frames, and modulation processes used to investigate how poetry engages the reader.
4. Schema and Frame analysis of Contemporary Crisis Poetry: Applies the methodology to a specific corpus of crisis poems, distinguishing between heuristic and fragmentary modes of reader engagement.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the study’s findings, confirming the utility of a cognitive approach in understanding the transformative function of crisis poetry while acknowledging study limitations.
Keywords
Cognitive Literary Studies, 21st Century Poetry, Crisis Poetry, Schema Theory, Frame Analysis, Transformative Function, Narratology, Empirical Reality, Reader Cognition, Heuristic Construction, Fragmentary Construction, Modulation, Social Use-value, Poetic Discourse, Mind-Narrative Nexus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this research paper primarily about?
This thesis examines the role and function of contemporary poetry written in the 21st century, specifically focusing on how these poems respond to current societal crises through a cognitive lens.
What are the central thematic areas covered?
The core themes include the intersection of literary theory and cognitive science, the construction of poetic meaning through schemata, the nature of contemporary crisis literature, and the transformative impact poetry has on its readers.
What is the primary objective of this work?
The primary goal is to demonstrate that a cognitive approach can effectively bridge the gap between traditional narratological analysis and the interpretation of poetry's engagement with empirical reality.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The research uses a cognitive-literary methodology, drawing heavily on Peter Stockwell’s "Schemas and Frames" framework to model how readers process informational packets and cultural motifs within poetic texts.
What is discussed in the main analysis section?
The main section (Chapter 4) provides a detailed analysis of specific poems from a selected corpus, categorized into heuristic and fragmentary construction modes to show how different texts modulate reader cognition.
Which keywords best characterize this thesis?
Key terms include Cognitive Literary Studies, Schema Theory, Frame Analysis, 21st Century Poetry, Crisis Poetry, and reader cognition.
How does the author define "transformative function" of poetry?
It is defined as the fusion of the poem's enunciation and the reader's cognitive and cultural processes, enabling a meaningful shift in perspective or understanding of the social crises addressed by the text.
What role do "heuristic" and "fragmentary" models play in the analysis?
These terms describe the two cognitive modes used to interpret a poem: heuristic models represent a top-down, cohesive approach to activating a poem's schema, while fragmentary models represent a bottom-up, more open-ended search for sense-making that requires more input from the reader.
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- Lucas Meyer (Autor:in), 2023, A Cognitive - Literary – Studies Approach to Contemporary Poetry, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1389637
