Title Creating states : studies in the performative language of John Milton and William Blake / Angela Esterhammer

Published Toronto ; Buffalo : University of Toronto Press, ©1994

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Description 1 online resource (xvii, 245 pages) Contents Prologue: Words, Worlds, Acts, and Visions -- 1. Performative Language and Visionary Poetry -- 2. Speech Acts and World-Creation -- 3. The Language of Inspiration in Milton's Prose -- 4. Paradise Lost: The Creation of Poetry and the Poetry of Creation -- 5. The Circumference of Vision: Songs of Innocence and of Experience -- 6. Binding the Infinite: Blake's Brief Epics -- 7. Blake's Jerusalem: Statements and States Summary Although the concept of the performative has influenced literary theory in numerous ways, this book represents one of the first full-length studies of performative language in literary texts. Creating States examines the visionary poetry of John Milton and William Blake, using a critical approach based on principles of speech-act theory as articulated by J.L. Austin, John Searle, and Emile Benveniste Angela Esterhammer proposes a new way of understanding the relationship between Milton and Blake, while at the same time evaluating the role of speech-act philosophy in the reading of visionary poetry and Romantic literature Esterhammer distinguishes between the 'socio-political performative, ' the speech act which is defined by a societal context and derives power from institutional authority, and the 'phenomenological performative, ' language which is invested with the power to posit or create because of the individual will and consciousness of the speaker Analysing texts such as The Reason of Church Government, Paradise Lost, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, and Jerusalem, Esterhammer traces the parallel evolution of Milton and Blake from writers of political and anti-prelatical tracts to poets who, having failed in their attempts to alter historical circumstances through a direct address to their contemporaries, reaffirm their faith in individual visionary consciousness and the creative word - while continuing to use the forms of a socially or politically performative language Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 221-237) and index Subject Milton, John, 1608-1674 -- Language Blake, William, 1757-1827 -- Language SUBJECT Blake, William, 1757-1827 fast Milton, John, 1608-1674 fast Milton, John. swd Blake, William. swd Subject English language -- Early modern, 1500-1700 -- Style English poetry -- History and criticism. English language -- Versification. Visions in literature. Performative (Philosophy) Speech acts (Linguistics) POETRY -- English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh. LITERARY CRITICISM -- European -- English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh. English language -- Early modern -- Style English language -- Versification English poetry Language and languages Performative (Philosophy) Speech acts (Linguistics) Visions in literature Sprache Genre/Form Electronic books Criticism, interpretation, etc. Form Electronic book ISBN 9781442673571 1442673575 1282003003 9781282003002

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