Lawrence and Comedy

by Paul Eggert (Editor), John Worthen (Editor)

Overview

This collection of essays by distinguished scholars explores the range, scope and sheer verve of Lawrence's comic writing. Lawrence's novels, short stories, plays, letters and poems are full of comic moments that develop his critique of the modern failure of the mystic impulse. Lawrence used comedy to create an alternative cultural and social space, to distance himself from the dominant orthodoxy surrounding him. This book revises the popular image of Lawrence as a humorless writer and reveals his strategic use of a genuine comic talent.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521118699
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	08/20/2009
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.60(d)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements; Introduction Paul Eggert; 1. Drama and mimicry in Lawrence John Worthen; 2. Mischief or merriment, amazement and amusement - and malice: Women in Love Howard Mills; 3. Comedy and hysteria in Aaron's Rod John Turner; 4. D. H. Lawrence and his 'gentle reader': the furious comedy of Mr. Noon Lydia Blanchard; 5. 'Homunculus stirs': masculinity and the mock-heroic in Birds, Beasts and Flowers Holly Laird; 6. Comedy and provisionality: Lawrence's address to his audience and material in his Australian novels Paul Eggert; 7. Lawrence's satiric style: language and voice in St. Mawr Paul Poplawski; 8. Humour in the letters of D. H. Lawrence Mark Kinkead-Weekes; 9. Lawrence to Larkin: a changed perspective John Bayley; Notes on contributors; Index.