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City University of New York - City College

‘A contradiction in essence’: Eroticism and the Creation of the Self in Henry Miller

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>The intention of this paper is, in the first, to demonstrate that Miller’s work has been labeled ‘erotic’, and that this obscures the true contribution of his work – but that as much as it obscures his work, this label also provides us an avenue to access it. In the second, it is to explore what actually constitutes the ‘erotic’, how this is featured in Miller’s work, and how it functions as an analytic tool to reveal what is significant in that work. Lastly, with specific regard to the works <em>Tropic of Cancer </em>and <em>Tropic of Capricorn</em>, the intention is to examine the journey undertaken by the narrator, wherein a transition is made from an object-based eroticism to an objectless eroticism of writing – and this done with the intention of revealing the significance of Miller’s work, which is in its use as a blueprint for self-creation through an artistic practice.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Level thesis:degree_level
Thesis
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
English
Year dc:date.available
2021

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Doyle, Cian
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Václav Paris
  • Robert Higney
  • András Kiséry

Subjects

dc:subject × 11

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/975
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:academicworks.cuny.edu:cc_etds_theses-2022

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
City University of New York - City College
Base URL
academicworks.cuny.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Doyle, Cian. ‘A contradiction in essence’: Eroticism and the Creation of the Self in Henry Miller. Thesis thesis, 2021. https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/975