University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
"The ""unabashed memoranda"" of the prefaces: Henry James's letter to the world"
Abstract
dc:descriptionThrough presentation of a close reading of the prefaces and an examination of biographical sources, the thesis contextualizes the prefaces to suggest why James wrote them. Contrary to the usual critical assessment of the prefaces, this dissertation asserts that their primary purpose is not to present James's theory of the novel, nor to introduce specific texts, but to serve as an overall statement of apologia for his entire career. The study illustrates how James relies on metaphoric motifs and his own theory of the central consciousness to unify the prefaces. Moreover, James's personification of his art as progeny establishes the New York Edition as his heritage, outlasting him and speaking for him as one's offspring do.
Degree
thesis:*- Name thesis:degree_name
- Ph.D.
- Level thesis:degree_level
- Dissertation
- Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
- English
- Grantor
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Year dc:date
- 2014
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Brown, Margaret Ellen
Subjects
dc:subject × 1Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- Identifier
- (UMI)AAI8721596
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/69459