Omnicompetent Modernists: Poetry, Politics, and the Public Sphere

Matthew Hofer's book explores how Langston Hughes, Ezra Pound, and Mina Loy used literature to express and enable thought, advocating for a more just vision of color and class, condemning those associated with public harm, and championing the "psycho-democratic" representation of women. He combines sharp intellectual historiography with rigorous literary criticism to reinvigorate the poems and poets under consideration and speaks to the power of language in manipulating public opinion.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 282 pages
Publication date: 25 October 2022
Publisher: The University of Alabama Press

In his book "Omnipotent Modernists: Poetry, Politics, and the Public Sphere," Matthew Hofer delves into the intricate relationship between interwar modernist poetry and the pursuit of news and understanding. Through a multifaceted literary critique, Hofer explores what it truly means to extract valuable insights and knowledge from the works of poets such as Langston Hughes, Ezra Pound, and Mina Loy. By employing pragmatist ideas about the public sphere, Hofer unveils how these poets sought to use literature as a means to express and facilitate thought.

Hughes, Pound, and Loy, among others, were poets whose artistic endeavors vividly envisioned the possibility of new connections between language, thinking, and public society. Each poet approached their craft with distinct goals and employed different methods, yet they all found inspiration and encouragement in popular political theory. Hughes advocated for a more equitable vision of color and class in the United States, Pound aimed to condemn those he associated with public harm on linguistic, social, economic, and political fronts, and Loy championed the "psycho-democratic" representation of women in both public and private spheres.

While these three writers are often overlooked when considered together, what unites them is their profound reimagining of the public realm and their revolutionary approach to aesthetic form. Hofer skillfully combines sharp intellectual historiography with rigorous literary criticism, resulting in a study that not only revitalizes the poems and poets under examination but also sheds light on the immense power of language in shaping public opinion. This study holds significant implications for contemporary politics, reminding us of the enduring relevance of poetry in shaping our understanding of the world.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780817360610