The Brockenspectre: The novel as site of transcendental homelessness

Moir, Caroline J.G. (2012) The Brockenspectre: The novel as site of transcendental homelessness. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Due to Embargo and/or Third Party Copyright restrictions, this thesis is not available in this service.
Printed Thesis Information: https://eleanor.lib.gla.ac.uk/record=b2935498

Abstract

Abstract
The novel as site of transcendental homelessness.
In The Theory of the Novel Lukács suggests the novel is, above all others, the form which expresses ‘transcendental homelessness’. That is, it articulates the novelist’s longing for a spiritual and emotional home no longer available in a world without a deity.
Through consideration of post-modern theory and the attributes of belief as it relates to fiction; through exploration of my own practice in writing The Brockenspectre and through critique of three novels: proto-modern – Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables; modernist – Conrad’s Heart of Darkness; and post-modern – Nabokov’s Pnin; the essays of this thesis will examine the fundamental nature of the novelist’s exile, and the way he or she inhabits the text in order to regain the paradise lost. For despite the deconstruction of concepts such as centre and author, it is posited that the idea of the novel as the site, the location, of transcendental homelessness offers the possibility of momentarily regaining the Eden from which the author has been ejected.

Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
Qualification Level: Doctoral
Additional Information: The Brockenspectre is a thesis in two parts - the first part is a novel titled 'The Brockenspectre', the second part is a critique. Copyright issues apply, the electronic version of this thesis is not available for viewing.
Keywords: transcendental homelessness, novelist, post-modern theory,deconstruction author and centre, novel Lukacs,Hawthorne,Conrad, Nabokov, critique, re-gaining Eden.
Subjects: P Language and Literature > PR English literature
Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies > English Literature
Supervisor's Name: Schmidt, Professor Michael
Date of Award: 2012
Depositing User: Caroline Moir
Unique ID: glathesis:2012-3278
Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
Date Deposited: 25 May 2012
Last Modified: 03 Jun 2020 13:54
URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/3278

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year