Bloomsbury, Beasts and British Modernist Literature

Bloomsbury's fascination with beasts played a significant role in their critique of modernity and conceptualization of more-than-human worlds. This book explores how profound shifts in interspecies relations were connected to issues of imperialism, race, gender, sexuality, and technology. By examining hunting narratives, zoo fictions, canine biographies, and (un)entomological aesthetics, these writers tested the boundaries between human and nonhuman and imagined transformations. This book enriches our understanding of British modernism and intervenes in debates on the cultural significance of animality from the turn of the twentieth century to the Second World War.

Format: Hardback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 15 December 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Bloomsbury, Beasts, and British Modernist Literature delves into the captivating fascination of the Bloomsbury group with creatures, encompassing a wide range from pests to pets, tiny insects to majestic game. This exploration becomes a vital component of their critical examination of modernity and their conceptualization of realms beyond human existence. Through meticulous close readings, the book argues that for Leonard Woolf, David Garnett, Virginia Woolf, and E. M. Forster, profound shifts in interspecies relations were intricately linked to issues such as imperialism, race, gender, sexuality, and technology. Whether in their hunting narratives, zoo fictions, canine biographies, or (un)entomological aesthetics, these writers consistently push the boundaries between human and nonhuman, envisioning transformative possibilities. By emphasizing the material contexts in which these encounters occur, they invite us to contemplate the intricate interplay between the two. In doing so, the book not only deepens our understanding of British modernism but also actively engages in discussions about the cultural significance of animality from the turn of the twentieth century to the Second World War.

Weight: 488g
ISBN-13: 9781009182973