The Pointe of the Pen: Nineteenth-Century Poetry and the Balletic Imagination

Ballet evolved from a courtly art to a model for poets to make poetry relevant to a new class of readers. It was also popular in the nineteenth century, shaping Romantic and Victorian England and Europe. The Pointe of the Pen challenges literary historians' assertions that writers were immune to balletomania.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 01 March 2024
Publisher: Liverpool University Press

Ballet, once a refined art form associated with courtliness, underwent a remarkable transformation in the aftermath of the French Revolution. While it never faced the prospect of complete extinction, its perception and significance shifted significantly. This evolution provided a valuable framework for poets, such as Wordsworth and his successors, who sought to bridge the gap between the traditionally codified and formal art of poetry and the everyday language of men. By incorporating elements of ballet into their works, poets aimed to make their poetry more accessible and relevant to a broader audience, particularly the emerging middle class.

Moreover, ballet's visual appeal played a significant role in its popularity. Dance historians have documented the extraordinary acclaim and admiration ballet and its practitioners enjoyed during the nineteenth century. The Pointe of the Pen challenges the notion that writers were immune to the balletomania that permeated Romantic and Victorian England, as well as Europe more broadly. The book draws on a wealth of primary documents, including dance treatises and performance reviews, as well as scholarly histories of dance, to explore how ballet's unique culture and aesthetic manifest in the forms, images, and ideologies of significant poems by Wordsworth, Byron, Shelley, and Barrett Browning.

Through its exploration of the intersection between ballet and poetry, The Pointe of the Pen offers a fresh perspective on the literary and cultural landscape of the nineteenth century. It demonstrates how ballet not only influenced the artistic expression of poets but also shaped their perceptions and ideologies, contributing to the broader cultural dialogue of the time. By examining the ways in which ballet's language and movement influenced the poetic imagination, the book sheds light on the dynamic relationship between art forms and the social and political contexts in which they were produced.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781802073607