Primordial Modernism: Animals, Ideas, Transition (1927-1938)

The book explores the relationship between ideas and animals in modernist magazine culture, challenging the concept of primordial modernism and its connections to primitivism, Jungian thought, and fraught nationalisms. It offers readings of Eugene Jolas's creative and critical works, draws on unpublished archival material, and considers a wide range of modernist authors and artists. It also touches on contemporary scientific discourse as an aspect of animal studies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2021
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Brings ideas and animals together to shed new light on modernist magazine culture. Tests the concept of "primordial modernism" as a tributary of primitivism, Jungian thought, and fraught nationalisms. Provides readings of Eugene Jolas's creative and critical works that place him centre-stage in modernist studies. Moves between unpublished archival material, reception studies, and readings of overlooked authors. Considers a wide range of modernist authors and artists as befitting to such a rich document. Touches on contemporary scientific discourse as an aspect of animal studies. This adventurous study focuses on experimental animal writing in the major interwar journal transition (1927-1938), which contains a striking recurrence of metaphors around the most basic forms of life. Amoebas, fish, lizards, birds - some of the lowest and oldest creatures on earth - often emerge at the very places authors seek expressions for the newest and the highest in art. Discussing works by James Joyce, Henry Miller, Gottfried Benn, Eugene Jolas, Kay Boyle, Bryher, Paul luard and more, Cathryn Setz investigates this paradox and provides a new understanding of transition's contribution to twentieth-century periodical culture.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474484251