Date of Award
5-2013
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Legacy Department
English
Committee Chair/Advisor
Paul, Catherine
Committee Member
Hilligoss , Susan
Committee Member
Naimou , Angela
Abstract
The purpose of this thesis is to examine how occultism is a major influence within Pound's writing as a result of his mentorship under Yeats from 1909-1916. Chapter One examines the connections between Pound's time in London and his subsequent exposure to the occult. Alongside Yeats, Pound finds a use for his belief in the aristocracy of the arts through the occultist teachings of exclusivity and sharing of select knowledge. Chapter Two focuses on Pound's development of the occult practice of automatic writing and its later use in The Pisan Cantos . Chapter Three analyzes Pound's occultism by focusing on the séances, ghosts, and demons present within The Pisan Cantos . This thesis argues that Pound's occultism is a valuable tool for understanding his poetry.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Katrina, "POUND'S OCCULTISM: THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUTOMATIC WRITING AND OCCULT PHILOSOPHY IN THE PISAN CANTOS" (2013). All Theses. 1798.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/1798