Tea, gammon, and coke : the eucharistic imaginary of T.S. Eliot and Denise Levertov.

In this project, I read for food and drink imagery across T. S. Eliot and Denise Levertov's bodies of work, and by collecting each cup of tea, meal of bloody flesh, mouthful of Cherries Jubilee, and bite of honeycomb, I illustrate the eucharistic imaginary of these poets. This project exists at the nexus of food studies, eucharistic theology, theology of food, and twentieth-century poetry and verse drama to illustrate the cultural, material, and spiritual significance of acts of eating with Eliot and Levertov's oeuvres. Critical work in food studies, particularly as it relates to modernism and the twentieth century, often neglects the theological dimensions of eating. My research intervenes by illustrating how these authors present food as a distinctive aspect of material culture in which the secular and the sacred, the everyday and the transcendent, come together in unique ways to expand the scope of food studies. This project argues for the importance of Eliot as an influence on Levertov and following the food and drink across their extended bodies of work establishes this link. This pairing of authors tells a story about the transformation of Western food in the first and second half of the twentieth century. In light of their investments in organicism and ecology, Eliot and Levertov both respond in verse to the mechanization of eating and eaters with the language and liturgy of their sacramental faith traditions. From Eliot's Waste Land to his Four Quartets, Levertov's Vietnam war poetry to her religious lyrics, acts of ritualized and eucharistic eating allow these poets to engage with everyday acts of consumption as signs of injustice or sites of redemption. Along with their major poetic works, I also bring to the fore their performed verse, illustrating the eucharistic structure of their dramatizations of martyrdom.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Lambert, Christina J., 1994-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Daniel, Julia E.

• T.S. Eliot.
• Denise Levertov.
• Eucharistic theology.
• Food studies.
• Theology of food.
• Twentieth century poetry.
• Twentieth century drama.
• Material culture studies.T.S. Eliot.
• Material culture studies.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/12819

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/12819