An aesthetic analysis of The Confidence-Man

Since F. O. Matthieson's American Renaissance the standard critical approach to Herman Melville is to see his creativity as the child of irresolvable Manichaean conflicts. However, this view can distort The Confidence Man, for though the novel builds on the clash of art and reality, it nonetheless establishes regularities in their relationship: Art makes life comprehensible by removing practicalities and focusing instead on elements that are common to the whole of experience. Considered as such, the Confidence-Man embodies the aesthetic object. His maneuvers are often mysterious (impractical) and hence suggest the indirect and puzzling meanings of art; his arguments appeal not to particulars but force the victim to consider general principals. This critical amendment is no less nihilistic than the traditional viewpoint, though, for the picture the Confidence-Man clarifies is always the purposelessness and duplicity of experience.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Humanities

Grantor

Rice University

Year dc:date.issued

1982

Author dc:creator

• Rugeley, Terry L.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ward, Joseph A.

Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember

• Isle, Walter W.;Jones, Robert

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1911/104382

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.rice.edu:1911/104382