Peter Doherty is a poet of today whose form of expression is music. Devoting himself to being a “popstar [as well as] performance poet” (Doherty, Books of Albion 9), he is subject to extensive media coverage as a celebrity (cf. 262), on the one hand meticulously vituperated by the tabloid press for his junkie rocker lifestyle (cf. 141; Hannaford 158), on the other hand glorified as “a folk hero” (168), a “legend” (B Libertines 0:09:12) who “has come to epitomise British rock 'n' roll […] as both pariah and idol” (Hannaford 3), “a true romantic with a God-given gift for melody and verse” (Pomphrey qtd. in 258) and even further as “the last of the Rock Romantics” (5).
Peter Doherty certainly shares poetic doctrines with English Romantic poetry. Nonetheless, his public presentation and depiction as a Romantic, be it by himself or by the media, must also be taken into account. It is neither without significance nor reason that he is declared a Romantic on account of his philosophy (cf. Hannaford 229), lifestyle (cf. 231) and “self-destruction” (Anonymous Fan qtd. in 330), just as his own frequent referencing and citing of the Romantic poets (cf. From Albion to Shangri-La 178), the placement of these in relation to Doherty by others (cf. B Libertines 0:08:46-0:09:19) and overall his depiction as well as self-depiction in interviews, books and in his published diaries. The question that therefore evidently arises is: Subjected to a lyric analysis, can Peter Doherty be termed a Romantic poet?
Bearing in mind Pattison's words that “rock has endowed the conventions of Romanticism with popular life” (38) and Hannaford's that Doherty has “revived the notion of the rockstar as intellectual and as romantic troubadour” (227), this bachelor paper will aim to answer this question by firstly providing a definition of English Romantic poetry and a justification as to why popular rock music can be considered heir to Romantic poetry, then by examining the depiction and perception of Doherty as a Romantic public persona and distinguishing this from his poetic doctrines that resemble those of the Romantic poet, Albion and Arcady. These two themes will be examined and put into literary context, whereupon the second part of this paper will comprise the lyric analysis of four of Doherty's songs with regard to the literary attributes that define Romantic poetry. Finally, a conclusion of all that has been found will close the paper, delivering an answer to the stated question.
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Romantic Poet of Today
i. A Definition of English Romantic Poetry
ii. Popular Rock Music as Heir to Romantic Poetry
iii. Peter Doherty and his Romantic Public Persona
iv. Peter Doherty and his Romantic Poetic Doctrines
(a) Albion
(b) Arcady
Lyric Analysis
i. Down for the Outing
ii. The Ballad of Grimaldi
iii. Albion
iv. The Good Old Days
Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This bachelor thesis examines whether the musician Peter Doherty can be classified as a Romantic poet by analyzing his public persona, poetic doctrines, and specific song lyrics in the context of English Romantic tradition. The work aims to bridge the gap between contemporary rock music and historical Romanticism, investigating if Doherty's artistic output mirrors the thematic and structural attributes of the Romantic movement.
- The theoretical definition of English Romantic poetry and its core tenets.
- The conceptualization of popular rock music as a legitimate successor to Romantic heritage.
- An evaluation of Peter Doherty's public persona as a modern "Romantic" figure.
- A detailed literary analysis of four selected songs: "Down for the Outing," "The Ballad of Grimaldi," "Albion," and "The Good Old Days."
Excerpt from the Book
i. A Definition of English Romantic Poetry
To begin with, a foundation for a definition of English Romantic poetry must be laid by briefly introducing Romanticism as a whole. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Romanticism as a (1) : a literary, artistic and philosophical movement originating in the 18th century, characterized chiefly by a reaction against neoclassicism and an emphasis on the imagination and emotions, and marked especially in English literature by sensibility and the use of autobiographical material, an exaltation of the primitive and the common man, an appreciation of external nature, an interest in the remote, a predilection for melancholy, and the use in poetry of older verse forms [...] b : adherence to a romantic attitude or style. (“Romanticism”)
The 5th edition of The Oxford Companion to English Literature adds that Intellectually it marked a violent reaction to the Enlightenment. Politically it was inspired by the revolutions in America and France . . . Emotionally it expressed an extreme assertion of the self and the value of individual experience . . . together with the sense of the infinite and the transcendental. Socially it championed progressive causes . . . The stylistic keynote of Romanticism is intensity, and its watchword is 'Imagination'. (Drabbe qtd. in Day 1)
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter contextualizes Peter Doherty as a contemporary media figure and defines the central research question regarding his potential classification as a Romantic poet.
The Romantic Poet of Today: This section establishes a theoretical framework by defining English Romanticism, exploring the link between popular music and Romantic heritage, and examining Doherty’s public persona and specific poetic doctrines like 'Albion' and 'Arcady'.
Lyric Analysis: This chapter provides a close reading of four specific songs, analyzing how they incorporate Romantic literary elements such as symbolism, metrical structures, and allegorical expressions.
Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the previous findings to argue that Peter Doherty can indeed be termed an English Romantic poet based on his shared poetic doctrines and lyrical themes.
Keywords
Peter Doherty, Romanticism, English Romantic Poetry, Rock Music, Albion, Arcady, Lyric Analysis, The Libertines, Imagination, Subjectivity, Poetic Doctrine, Cultural Identity, Romantic Persona, Nostalgia, Symbolism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this bachelor thesis?
The thesis explores whether the contemporary musician Peter Doherty can be classified as an English Romantic poet by analyzing his lyrics and public persona against established literary definitions of Romanticism.
Which central themes are discussed in the work?
Key themes include the definition of English Romantic poetry, the evolution of the rock star as an intellectual and "romantic troubadour," and the concepts of 'Albion' and 'Arcady' in Doherty's work.
What is the primary research question?
The main question is whether Peter Doherty, given his public depiction and artistic output, fulfills the criteria to be ascribed to the Romantic movement.
Which methodology is applied?
The author employs a literary analysis of song lyrics using tools of literary criticism, supported by a theoretical definition of English Romantic poetry.
What does the main body cover?
The main body covers a theoretical grounding of Romanticism, an assessment of Doherty's media image, and detailed analyses of specific tracks like "Albion" and "The Good Old Days."
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include Peter Doherty, Romanticism, Poetic Doctrine, Lyric Analysis, Albion, Arcady, and cultural identity.
How does Doherty redefine the concept of 'Albion'?
Doherty shifts 'Albion' from a traditional pastoral setting to an urban, often gritty London landscape, yet maintains the Romantic goal of searching for beauty and infinite potential within it.
What role does the song "Down for the Outing" play in the analysis?
It serves as a key example of how Doherty uses allegory and downward movement to reflect on the cultural and national state of Britain, paralleling Romantic disillusionment.
How does the thesis relate Doherty to Lord Byron?
The work contrasts Doherty’s experience of modern celebrity with Duncan Wu’s account of Lord Byron as the first "cult of celebrity" figure, questioning if Doherty shares a similar poetic trajectory.
- Citation du texte
- Marc Backhaus (Auteur), 2015, Sailing the Good Ship Albion on the Way to Arcady. Is Peter Doherty a Romantic Poet?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/300676
